Thai Drivers Licence

[sceadugenga]

lol I'm thick

Don't worry about it, you'll fit in well here...

[james24]

lol

[kandahar]

Got my licenses today, one MC, one car. No written test, no driving test. Watched a movie that was supposed to take two hours, the man said I only had to watch one hour and then he came in and shut if off after about 35 minutes. Went back downstairs, had my pic taken and got two each of the hard smartcards. Total was 360 baht. 100 baht of that was for the smartcards, priced at 50 baht each. Dunno why it was so cheap. Anyway, simple and painless.

Edited February 15, 2011 by kandahar

[Garry]

Got my licenses today, one MC, one car. No written test, no driving test. Watched a movie that was supposed to take two hours, the man said I only had to watch one hour and then he came in and shut if off after about 35 minutes. Went back downstairs, had my pic taken and got two each of the hard smartcards. Total was 360 baht. 100 baht of that was for the smartcards, priced at 50 baht each. Dunno why it was so cheap. Anyway, simple and painless.

Similar experience here: I paid about the same and including the form I had to get witnessed and signed at Mae Sai Immigration office, all up 650 baht. I did the reaction test (received a good good good from the instructor for a fast reaction time), watched the two hour show for about 40 minutes and then was sent down stairs for my licenses. I'm glad I gained both my licenses. it's like having a VIP card in Thailand. No asking for passports or other forms of foreign ID at hotels or internal checkpoints....NICE.

[mcgriffith]

I think it helps if you have a current auto and/or moto license in a country recognized by Thailand under treaty.

(I have had both an auto and motorcycle 5 year Thai license now since Jan 08).

If you don't have a motorcycle certification on your home country driver license, I think they make you jump though one or 2 extra hoops.

But nothing too difficult- I know many here who were allowed to take the test repeated times on the same day, till they passed, etc.

Anyway, congrats to you kandahar!

P.S. since I got my Thai licenses....I have never been stopped at a checkpoint, etc. There must be a special "farang has license" forcefield that is sensed by all security- sort of like the turbinator strip that sends extra power to the car straddling lanes?

[Garry]

Yeah, that was part of my package, showing & producing copies of my foreign license and IDP

[raylo]

I've Lived here for 17 years and never have had a Thai Licence. When asked at police checks I flashed my UK/Europe one, every time the police officer's eyes (who rarely can read English) glaze over and I've been waved on with a smile. TIT (This is Thailand)

It is ONLY in the event of an ACCIDENT that the S__t may hit the fan. Otherwise I would not bother either.

Exactly.

If anyone concerned has an insurance policy do as the Scud and read the fine print / talk to the policy underwriter. It was a stated requirement for all of mine. (ThaiSri)

The one thing insurance companies excell at is find ways not to pay out. If you have lived in the country over 3 months (1 poster said 6 but take that with a grain of salt)

then you are required to have a Thai licence.

And for the knockers it is not just here it's the same to expats living in your home country.