My wife spent most of the day at the licencing center attempting to renew her licence, which she has had for 1 year, only to be told that she must return on the exact day the licence expires - <deleted> is that about.

Sure the responsible people can see the holes in such a pathetic nonsensical system.

Sorry but that is their Law. Not before but on the day or after.

Been there, done that, got pissed off and then moved on.

5 years ago

Sorry but that is their Law. Not before but on the day or after.

I believe the OP is misunderstanding the situation, and doesnt realise they are actually trying to help his wife. On would assume seeing as the OP wife is on a 1 year she is trying to get her 5 year, therefore the 1 year must expire before you can apply for the 5 year and they are telling her to come in the day it expires thats all that being said...lost in the translation me thinks...

Sorry but that is their Law. Not before but on the day or after.

I believe the OP is misunderstanding the situation, and doesnt realise they are actually trying to help his wife. On would assume seeing as the OP wife is on a 1 year she is trying to get her 5 year, therefore the 1 year must expire before you can apply for the 5 year and they are telling her to come in the day it expires thats all that being said...lost in the translation me thinks...

I do not misunderstand at all. Yes i know the extension is for 5 years. But by what logic is it necessary to have to wait untill the very last day. If your passport is due to expire then would you wait untill the last day. Ofcourse not.

If for some reason she couldn't make it on the last day then she would be unlicensed and uninsured untill she could find anothere complete free day. And lets not forget that the driving test is a complete nonsense, come on it is not even necessary to drive a car.

I think you have lost the plot somewhat

Logic? Just where is it you're trying to get a (re)newed driver's licence? The logic is that you simply can't get a five year licence until the one year licence has expired. Otherwise, you'd have two valid licences, and that's illogical, isn't it?

Logic? Just where is it you're trying to get a (re)newed driver's licence? The logic is that you simply can't get a five year licence until the one year licence has expired. Otherwise, you'd have two valid licences, and that's illogical, isn't it?

So when you receive a new document be it passport, d licence, credit card etc. - then how about just cancel the old existing one. You know this system seems to have worked well so far on this planet

Ok, it must just be me better do everyhting on the last day of expiry as i am now sure this is the most logical way.

PS dont travel on a passport with less than three months validity as the any visa would be invalid. Best just wait till the passport expires on the last day and avoid any travel during the last 3 months or so. You know it makes sense

Logic? Just where is it you're trying to get a (re)newed driver's licence? The logic is that you simply can't get a five year licence until the one year licence has expired. Otherwise, you'd have two valid licences, and that's illogical, isn't it?

So when you receive a new document be it passport, d licence, credit card etc. - then how about just cancel the old existing one. You know this system seems to have worked well so far on this planet

Ok, it must just be me better do everyhting on the last day of expiry as i am now sure this is the most logical way.

PS dont travel on a passport with less than three months validity as the any visa would be invalid. Best just wait till the passport expires on the last day and avoid any travel during the last 3 months or so. You know it makes sense

You'll lose your hair expecting everything to make sense here... go with the flow, sabai sabai...

Logic? Just where is it you're trying to get a (re)newed driver's licence? The logic is that you simply can't get a five year licence until the one year licence has expired. Otherwise, you'd have two valid licences, and that's illogical, isn't it?

So when you receive a new document be it passport, d licence, credit card etc. - then how about just cancel the old existing one. You know this system seems to have worked well so far on this planet

Ok, it must just be me better do everyhting on the last day of expiry as i am now sure this is the most logical way.

PS dont travel on a passport with less than three months validity as the any visa would be invalid. Best just wait till the passport expires on the last day and avoid any travel during the last 3 months or so. You know it makes sense

My understanding from previous posters on this topic is that it's due to a vagary in the Thai governmental regulations around the 1-year license, which is called a temporary license. Evidently the 'logic' was that you can't hold a temporary and a 5-year license at the same time. The way that evolved to comply with those regs was to simply to say you can't get your five-year without the 1-year expiring first. Therefore, if they were to issue your wife a new license before the temporary license expired, they would have to issue her another temporary 1-year license, which is probably not desirable.

A simple, elegant solution that's a right ruddy pain. Mine expires on December 24th; the office I go to goes by the day after it expires, so I'll be there on Christmas morn.

The good news is that to renew the 5-year license, you must renew within the 30 days before the license expires.

...............

The good news is that to renew the 5-year license, you must renew within the 30 days before the license expires.

or up to 1 year afterwards.

The good news is that to renew the 5-year license, you must renew within the 30 days before the license expires.

That's within 90 days before expiration. As for the 1 year after expiration, that is no guarantee and wouldn't rely upon it to work.

Sorry but that is their Law. Not before but on the day or after.

I believe the OP is misunderstanding the situation, and doesnt realise they are actually trying to help his wife. On would assume seeing as the OP wife is on a 1 year she is trying to get her 5 year, therefore the 1 year must expire before you can apply for the 5 year and they are telling her to come in the day it expires thats all that being said...lost in the translation me thinks...

I do not misunderstand at all. Yes i know the extension is for 5 years. But by what logic is it necessary to have to wait untill the very last day. If your passport is due to expire then would you wait untill the last day. Ofcourse not.

If for some reason she couldn't make it on the last day then she would be unlicensed and uninsured untill she could find anothere complete free day. And lets not forget that the driving test is a complete nonsense, come on it is not even necessary to drive a car.

I think you have lost the plot somewhat

Would suggest you have lost the plot as its common knowlege that you need to let your 1 year license expire before obtaining the 5 year otherwise you may get issued with another 1 year DL....FYI said person would not be unisured, as in Thailand its actually the vehicle thats insured not the person...

The point is the one year is a sort of provisional license, showing your a new driver, with less rights (no IDP for example)..

You have to have held a 1 year license for a full year before you can get a 5 year 'full' license.. When said that way it does make a kind of strange sense.

They can give you another 1 year there and then, but you must have hed a 1 year for a FULL year to get a 5 year. Then the oddball one is you shouldnt let the 5 year expire !!

Sorry but that is their Law. Not before but on the day or after.

I believe the OP is misunderstanding the situation, and doesnt realise they are actually trying to help his wife. On would assume seeing as the OP wife is on a 1 year she is trying to get her 5 year, therefore the 1 year must expire before you can apply for the 5 year and they are telling her to come in the day it expires thats all that being said...lost in the translation me thinks...

I do not misunderstand at all. Yes i know the extension is for 5 years. But by what logic is it necessary to have to wait untill the very last day. If your passport is due to expire then would you wait untill the last day. Ofcourse not.

If for some reason she couldn't make it on the last day then she would be unlicensed and uninsured untill she could find anothere complete free day. And lets not forget that the driving test is a complete nonsense, come on it is not even necessary to drive a car.

I think you have lost the plot somewhat

Would suggest you have lost the plot as its common knowlege that you need to let your 1 year license expire before obtaining the 5 year otherwise you may get issued with another 1 year DL....FYI said person would not be unisured, as in Thailand its actually the vehicle thats insured not the person...

Ok so some person in their wisdom said the 1 year licence must fully expire - so that is that. Now let me put it to you that if the same person had any powers or reasoning then it would be wise to say it can be renewd within the last 30 days. Just because some idiot makes a rule doesn't make it defensable.

Yes yes yes the 1 year licence must expire because Somchai said so and that is that.

Signed

Somchai (idiot son of idiot son)

The point is the one year is a sort of provisional license, showing your a new driver, with less rights (no IDP for example)..

You have to have held a 1 year license for a full year before you can get a 5 year 'full' license.. When said that way it does make a kind of strange sense.

They can give you another 1 year there and then, but you must have hed a 1 year for a FULL year to get a 5 year. Then the oddball one is you shouldnt let the 5 year expire !!

After you let the 5 year licence expire, you will get a new one for 5 years plus the days until your next birthday. That's why you have time for 1 year to get a new 5 year licence (but the old 5 year one it is not valid anymore after the expiring date).

Did that a day after expiring and have therefore a 6 year one.

The point is the one year is a sort of provisional license, showing your a new driver, with less rights (no IDP for example)..

You have to have held a 1 year license for a full year before you can get a 5 year 'full' license.. When said that way it does make a kind of strange sense.

They can give you another 1 year there and then, but you must have hed a 1 year for a FULL year to get a 5 year. Then the oddball one is you shouldnt let the 5 year expire !!

After you let the 5 year licence expire, you will get a new one for 5 years plus the days until your next birthday. That's why you have time for 1 year to get a new 5 year licence (but the old 5 year one it is not valid anymore after the expiring date).

Did that a day after expiring and have therefore a 6 year one.

I got mu UK licence when i was 17. I have to renew it when i am seventy. This system is obviously seriuosly floored as the test means taking lessons - in a real - car and actually taking the test in a real car.

My wide just renewed hers this morning, it expired on Saturday. 10min and 500bht later we were on our way, system works ok. After you have a 5 yr you can renew before it expires, rule is only on first 1yr licence