johnnort Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 Hello to ALL. A week or two ago someone posted on this Travel forum that a Thai Driving License could be exchanged for an Australian License automatically while in Australia. My wife is requiring a French Driving License but in France they will not recognise the Thai one and insists that she takes a driving test. There is a language problem here what with my wife not speaking French and me being from the UK with just passable French and unable to teach her. She has a French residency card as that is where our European home is. Is it possible while on vacation in Australia to obtain an Australian driving license using her Thai one, remembering that she will not have a permanent residential address within the country?? If so where is the best city/town to head for?? And is it just a matter of filling out a form?? The French authorities will accept an Australian license for an exchange, or/and we could even try the UK using my mothers address. Thank you for any advice. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnS Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 (edited) A thai license isnt recognised for transfer in Australia. If you have a 5 year Thai license and get an international driving permit in Thailand you can use that in Australia for 3 months. After 3 months you have to sit an Australian license as a learner The only recognised license in asia for transfer to an australian license is the Singapore license. All other asian licenses you need to do full driving tests (including probationary periods) to transfer to australian license Accepted countries Austria BelgiumCanada Croatia Denmark Finland France Germany Greece Guernsey Ireland Isle of Man Italy Japan Jersey Luxembourg Malta Netherlands New Zealand * Norway Portugal Singapore Spain Sweden Switzerland United Kingdom United States Edited August 28, 2009 by SnS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maejo Man Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 Australia will accept a Thai licence accompanied but a Thai issued IDP for a period of three months the same as the UK, but neither will issue you a local licence based on your Thai driver's licence, I have tried both!! Sorry sir here is a learner's application was all I got. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madjbs Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 UK is one year, not three months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maejo Man Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 UK is one year, not three months. I beg to differ. 3 months internationally, and the UK is no different. Been there done that Check out the small print on an IDP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gburns57au Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 Hello to ALL. A week or two ago someone posted on this Travel forum that a Thai Driving License could be exchanged for an Australian License automatically while in Australia. My wife is requiring a French Driving License but in France they will not recognise the Thai one and insists that she takes a driving test. There is a language problem here what with my wife not speaking French and me being from the UK with just passable French and unable to teach her. She has a French residency card as that is where our European home is. Is it possible while on vacation in Australia to obtain an Australian driving license using her Thai one, remembering that she will not have a permanent residential address within the country?? If so where is the best city/town to head for?? And is it just a matter of filling out a form?? The French authorities will accept an Australian license for an exchange, or/and we could even try the UK using my mothers address. Thank you for any advice. Mick Thai's can drive in Oz on their Thai licence if it is accompanied by a certified translation for a period of three months... After that they must apply for the licence as a virtual learner... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hansnl Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 UK is one year, not three months. I beg to differ. 3 months internationally, and the UK is no different. Been there done that Check out the small print on an IDP The IDP, following the rules of the convention, has a validity of one year. Several countries seem not to follow that convention completely. But as soon as the convention is signed by a country, it should adhere to the rules. I have no idea about Australia, or NZ, but I do know that all countries of the EU plus Switzerland, Sweden and Denmark, have signed the convention. However, as most Thai people get a visa for a maximum of 90 days, the validity of the IDP also ends on the day the visa ends. The Thai driving license, understandably, cannot be exchanged for a national one anywhere on the world, I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madjbs Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 UK is one year, not three months. I beg to differ. 3 months internationally, and the UK is no different. Been there done that Check out the small print on an IDP Nope you are definitely wrong. Any license is valid in the UK for one year, even without an IDP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pattayapip Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 UK is one year, not three months. I beg to differ. 3 months internationally, and the UK is no different. Been there done that Check out the small print on an IDP Nope you are definitely wrong. Any license is valid in the UK for one year, even without an IDP. Well stupid UK then for allowing these ******** to drive on a Thai Licence that they Probably bought for a few baht !! Should be interesting watching them in Heavy Traffic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dr_Pat_Pong Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 UK is one year, not three months. I beg to differ. 3 months internationally, and the UK is no different. Been there done that Check out the small print on an IDP Nope you are definitely wrong. Any license is valid in the UK for one year, even without an IDP. Correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maejo Man Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 UK is one year, not three months. I beg to differ. 3 months internationally, and the UK is no different. Been there done that Check out the small print on an IDP Nope you are definitely wrong. Any license is valid in the UK for one year, even without an IDP. Perhaps I should have worded that a little better. Of course your main licence is valid, but the limit for using an IDP in any country is three months, even thought it is issued for a period of one year. After three months, leagally you are required to apply for a local licence. This has always been the case in Thailand too, althought, as you well know, most people seem to ignore this completely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnort Posted August 29, 2009 Author Share Posted August 29, 2009 Yes guys, if I was in charge I certainly would not accept a Thai license as a swop for a Western World permit. I either read the original post wrongly or the post was just incorrect in the first place. My wife does have an IDL which we renew each year so will just carry on as before. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madjbs Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 UK is one year, not three months. I beg to differ. 3 months internationally, and the UK is no different. Been there done that Check out the small print on an IDP Nope you are definitely wrong. Any license is valid in the UK for one year, even without an IDP. Perhaps I should have worded that a little better. Of course your main licence is valid, but the limit for using an IDP in any country is three months, even thought it is issued for a period of one year. After three months, leagally you are required to apply for a local licence. This has always been the case in Thailand too, althought, as you well know, most people seem to ignore this completely. No you don't. You can legally drive using ANY foreign license in the UK for up to one year after entry. After one year you must apply for a UK license. You don't need an IDP to drive legally on a foreign license in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david96 Posted August 29, 2009 Share Posted August 29, 2009 Driving on a foreign licence in Queensland, Australia. http://www.transport.qld.gov.au/Home/Assis...tional_drivers/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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