Obtaining A Driving License In Thailand And Buying A Bike? (surin Area )

[kunash]

i would like to buy a bike / and eventually a car in thailand and obtain a thai license. from reading the forums i sort of know what i need. i will need non-imm 'o' type visa. i will need a letter of residency from immigration - but i might need to be on an extention of stay to get one - or i can contact the uk embassy for a letter of residency.

so if i am in surin, where is the closest immigration office that i can get a letter of residency? or if i get a letter of residency from the uk embasy in thailand, do i have to show up in person? and where do i get the license from?

this is from the thai visa.com website;

Obtaining a 1 Year Licence

What you need is:

Original passport + 2 copies of visa page and main page;

Medical report (any doctor can supply)

Address confirmation from immigration + 1 copy;

Current International Driving Permit

First registration, after that reaction test, colour test, another colour test, after that payment and making pictures.

For renewal

1. Expired drivers licenses.

2) A colour test & reaction test on computer is now required for renewal.

It is best if you already have an International Driving Permit,

otherwise you will have to take a written test and a driving test,

in you own vehicle.

After the first year you will be entitled to a licence for 5 years.

Edited May 10, 2010 by kunash

[husskydog]

I found prakon chai office of transport on the korat road, very good, i got my bike and car license there on a non O, letter of residency from the local ampher(now needed from korat..) but had the uk license and the international RAC driving permit for both when i applied, then after one year i then got my 5 year licenses for both on a tourist visa...great, and no test req`d for both, med certificate, 80 baht at the local surgery..needed...sorted...what sort of bike are you after?

[PoorSucker]

Here you go:

http://driving.information.in.th/

[kunash]

is the ''prakon chai office of transport'' in buri ram?? is this the closest driving license building to surin?

is korat the closest immigration office to surin? ( this is where i get my letter of residency )

sorry i am new to all this and it is all a bit of a minefield.

[Nomad97]

There is only one Immigration Office serving the Surin area and that is the Korat Office on Route 24, some 180 kilometers from Surin, one Kilometer past the Choc Chai Intersection. A friend of mine went to the office a couple of weeks ago and was informed that the fee for a "Letter of Residency" was now 1,000 THB. I was charged 500 THB for the same service at the back end of 2009. This service used to be provided free of charge from the Cap Cheown Immigration Office and I get the feeling that this is an unofficial fee. Tea money for the Immigration Officers! However, what can one do? You need the letter and they are the only ones who can provide it. Supply and demand.

Surin has it's own Vehicle Licensing Centre that will issue the driving licenses - one each for Motorcycle and Car. A photocopy of the Letter of Residency will suffice for one of the applications. It is on the left-hand side of the road about 500 meters past the Elephant Tusk roundabout on the way to Prasat (opposite the main Army Camp).

[kunash]

thanks for the replies. is there anyway to get a residency permit by post but pay a little extra?? or do you have to go to korat in person. bit of a long way to go.

though i guess when i fly into BKK i could get the residency permit in BKK at the british embassy??

Edited May 10, 2010 by kunash

[Dave the Dude]

thanks for the replies. is there anyway to get a residency permit by post but pay a little extra?? or do you have to go to korat in person. bit of a long way to go.

though i guess when i fly into BKK i could get the residency permit in BKK at the british embassy??

I don't think a LOR can be done by post, its got to be done in person at Choc Chai. Suggest you phone them.

British Embassy/Pattaya Consulate may be able to produce a LOR at some exorbitant price and for collection the following day, so that will involve extra expense on Hotel.

An Idea: If you live here, why not get a LOR for the process of getting a Yellow House Book and once you have got that, you will never need another LOR (as long as you stay put)

Edited May 10, 2010 by Dave the Dude

[Bottlerocket]

If you have a regular unexpired Driver's License from your home country, the Transportation Dept in Surin will automatically give you a one year license. You can substitute a work permit for an address verification form as it is an official government document indicating your residence. If you don't have a work permit, you might want to have a Thai friend, spouse, etc. call immigration and see if you can get one at the border office at Kap Choeng, otherwise you'll have to go to Korat's near Chok Chai intersection.

[puchooay]

Do you know anyone who lives in Buriram?

Ask them to let you have a copy of their house registration and a copy of the ID card of the first named person in the book. Both signed.

You can then get a "free"(100baht for a coffee) LOR from the Police Station in Buriram. The vehicle licence office in Buriram,near Kradong Hill/Golf course, will accept this. ie you do not need to go to Immigration.

Quicker,easier and alot cheaper.

This subject has come up a few times on various forums. Has anyone in Surin actually asked if they too can get a LOR from Surin Police Station?

[Dave the Dude]

If you have a regular unexpired Driver's License from your home country, the Transportation Dept in Surin will automatically give you a one year license. You can substitute a work permit for an address verification form as it is an official government document indicating your residence. If you don't have a work permit, you might want to have a Thai friend, spouse, etc. call immigration and see if you can get one at the border office at Kap Choeng, otherwise you'll have to go to Korat's near Chok Chai intersection.

The Immigration Office at Kap Chong no longer exists! and the Border at Chon Chom will not provide that service (only 90 day reports&Border runs)

Dont know whats so automatic at Surin Transport Dept(or any office) if they need Colour Blind, Reaction and Depth Perception tests,Doctors cert, Letter of Residence(& fee's)

Edited May 11, 2010 by Dave the Dude

[Bottlerocket]

...call immigration and see if you can get one at the border office at Kap Choeng

I meant the border office which is 10km past Kap Choeng, which is why I wrote, "border office". Bully for you you know the name. And I recommended to call them there, because you never know what they can do anywhere in Thailand according to their whims.

If you have a regular unexpired Driver's License from your home country, the Transportation Dept in Surin will automatically give you a one year license.

I got my 1-year license with no tests (Colour Blind, Reaction and Depth Perception tests,Doctors cert) by showing my unexpired DL from home and my work permit to verify my Thai address. I paid the fee and left the office before noon with my Thai DL. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Edited May 14, 2010 by Bottlerocket