Thai Driving License In Uk

[taxexile]

i have lost my uk driving license.

my international license has expired.

can i use a thai license to hire a car in the uk and would it be accepted if ever the police wanted to see a license.

[jayenram]

i have lost my uk driving license.

my international license has expired.

can i use a thai license to hire a car in the uk and would it be accepted if ever the police wanted to see a license.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As far as I am aware, it is acceptable by law to drive in UK on a Thai driving license. However, I was in the UK last year with the FG and hired a car on my British license. I showed the hire company (Avis) the FG's Thai license and asked them to include her on the agreement as a second driver. The rep said that he was not doubting the validity of the license, however, he couldn't confirm this as he couldn't read Thai.

I would therefore suggest that you obtain an IDP based on your Thai license, before you leave Thailand.

When you are back in UK, apply for a copy of your original British license.

[taxexile]

just looked on the uk dvla website.

any foriegn license is valid for 6 months use in the uk.

you have to apply for a uk license after that.

not sure if the rental companies will accept it , probably not.

[aletta]

I believe six months is the correct amount of time a Thai licence is valid for.A friend in the UK has had to put his wife through the UK test.

[taxexile]

put his wife through the UK test.

i bet she enjoyed that !

[dr_Pat_Pong]

put his wife through the UK test.

i bet she enjoyed that !

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Reft light reft

[Smokin Joe]

I had wondered about the same thing in the US. I know that foreign visitors rent cars on foreign licenses routinely but what happens if a US resident shows a foreign license? I asked a co-worker this question who had been a cop for a few years in the midwest. His reply was that he didn't really know, and doubted that most typical local cops would either. He said that personally he would let it go if he stopped someone unless there was some other reason to ticket or otherwise hold the driver so as not to embarass himself for not knowing the law. I wouldn't be surprised if cops in other countries would react the same. Except Germany of course, where the cops are probably required to be able to quote the entire legal code from memory by section number.

[bkk_mike]

I had wondered about the same thing in the US. I know that foreign visitors rent cars on foreign licenses routinely but what happens if a US resident shows a foreign license? I asked a co-worker this question who had been a cop for a few years in the midwest. His reply was that he didn't really know, and doubted that most typical local cops would either. He said that personally he would let it go if he stopped someone unless there was some other reason to ticket or otherwise hold the driver so as not to embarass himself for not knowing the law. I wouldn't be surprised if cops in other countries would react the same. Except Germany of course, where the cops are probably required to be able to quote the entire legal code from memory by section number.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have heard that, as foreign licences don't work with the computer system in the car, that the officer effectively has to go back to old-fashioned paper forms at the station in order to ticket you. (i.e. less than two minutes work to ticket a US licence, 30 minutes or more of paperwork back at the station to ticket a foreign licence)

i.e. If it's a MINOR infraction like being a little over the speed limit, foreign drivers will generally be let off with a warning where someone with a US licence wouldn't be - just because the police officer doesn't want to do the extra paperwork involved.