Driving Licences, Phuket

[cornishcarlos]

Hi,

Just an update on obtaining Thai driving licences in Phuket.

I have just got both car and motorbike licences and found that it wasn't too painful at all !!

The procedure has already been covered on several threads so I won't go over everything, Just want to add a few things that might be useful to everyone.

1) You can get a licence if you are on a tourist visa, just needs a little diplomacy at immigration to obtain the letter needed.

2) Medical certificates were 50 baht each (need original for each licence) at the hospital, took 1 hour to get them but no check up at all.

3) To convert U.K car licence, only needed to do the reaction test and eye test.

4) For the motor bike licence I had to do all the tests, except managed to not repeat the 2 tests mentioned above but only because the lady recognised me.

5) The video you need to watch is in English

6) The computer test is not too bad and I even had 2 easy questions repeated 3 times each !! The diagram ones just need careful examination, not clear.

7) Price is still as before, 105 baht for car and 55 baht for motorbike

8) No need for photos anymore. They do it on the computer but now charge you 100 baht for each licence plus 10 baht if you have the plastic wallet.

Hope that helps anyone who is considering getting them done.

Safe driving :)

[kenny999]

You dont say if you have just got 5yr or 1 yr, what hospital did you go to to get certificate for 50 bht?

Already got both my 5 yr which cost approx 500 each medical certificate was 105 bht, I did not have to do any tests what so ever.

[Valentine]

You dont say if you have just got 5yr or 1 yr, what hospital did you go to to get certificate for 50 bht?

Already got both my 5 yr which cost approx 500 each medical certificate was 105 bht, I did not have to do any tests what so ever.

Sounds like he got one year as I too paid 500 last year for a 5 year licence but did not need a medical certificate at the time although I had to sit through the video & do the eye & reaction tests but not the road code or driving test. I was renewing an already expired licence (about one month overdue) & I received an extra 5 years & 11 months. Paperwork & tests were done in the morning but had to go back after lunch & watch the video alone as I was too late in the morning.

[naiharn]

took 1 hour to get them but no check up at all.

Then what is the point of them? Oh, I forgot ... :-)

4) For the motor bike licence I had to do all the tests,

Can you please explain exactly what these tests were?

[LivinLOS]

Just seems they make it up on the day..

I needed only 1 medical and 1 immigration cert for both licenses, they copied it without question when both done at same time.

I needed to do the written test even tho I had an IDP, back when I got the one year. I needed to do no tests (eye, reaction, written etc) when I got the 5 year after the 1 year.

Seems you can only cover as many bases as you can, then rock up and see how they play it that day.

[nuksoo1980]

Where is the location of the office that does the driver licences?

[dollarman]

1. you just ask for driver licences letter at immigration, or does it have a formal name?

2. is your uk license an international driver license or not?

[cornishcarlos]

I did only get the 1 year licences as this is my 1st time to apply, you are correct that the 5 year licence is about 500baht.

Yes they do make it all up on the day, depending who you see !!

The letter from immigration, not sure if it has a technical name, I just asked for a letter for my licence application ??

A U.K licence is not an International licence but you can only legally drive on either for a set period (3 months I believe) then need to get the Thai licences.

You can convert both a foriegn car or bike licence without doing all the tests, just the eye test and reaction test but again, could depend on who you see at the information counter.

I got my medical certs at Watchira hospital. Not sure why they wanted an original for each licence but they did on the day.

There are 4 tests if you have to do all;

Reaction test, time it takes to go from an accelerator pedal to a brake pedal.

Eye test, just that little book with the coloured dots in it. Read the hidden number

Highway code, tested on the computer. 30 multiple choice and you need to score at least 23.

The driving test. Outside on a little course. Some slalom, balancing and a few stops, plus a roundabout and a bridge !!

The office is on Rattanakoksin Rd, just over the canal from Immigration office and turn right. The Phuket Transport Offices and the grey building in the far right corner.

Happy Mothers Day

[Benjie]

Just seems they make it up on the day..

I needed only 1 medical and 1 immigration cert for both licenses, they copied it without question when both done at same time.

I needed to do the written test even tho I had an IDP, back when I got the one year. I needed to do no tests (eye, reaction, written etc) when I got the 5 year after the 1 year.

Seems you can only cover as many bases as you can, then rock up and see how they play it that day.

Yes I didn't need to do any of the written tests or watch the video even without my UK license. I did do the popsicle test and the colour blindness test.

[stevenl]

Regarding the tests/requirements, i think there is a difference between first time, so 1 year license, second time, so 5 year license and extension of 5 year license.

[katabeachbum]

1. you just ask for driver licences letter at immigration, or does it have a formal name?

2. is your uk license an international driver license or not?

I know where you come from:) , and your driverslicence must be translated to thai, which can be done at your Consular in Phuket town

[petercallen]

1. you just ask for driver licences letter at immigration, or does it have a formal name?

2. is your uk license an international driver license or not?

I know where you come from:) , and your driver's license must be translated to Thai, which can be done at your Consular in Phuket town

When i got my licenses i used a IDP and i only had to do the colour blindness and reaction test.

Thai is not one of the languages in a IDP, i am licensed to drive all category's on a IDP.

When i Renewed to 5 year they required a letter from immigration and medical certificate

and copy of lease, i think it depends on who processes it the day you apply.

[LivinLOS]

1. you just ask for driver licences letter at immigration, or does it have a formal name?

2. is your uk license an international driver license or not?

1) it is a certificate of residential address (or similar)

2) a UK license is not an IDP, a uk IDP is an IDP.

Note you want an international driving permit, not an IDL which essentially a scam sold online to the uninformed.

[Pinot]

Just got both licenses a couple of weeks ago. I took the tests back to back which was helpful because the tests are exactly the same. The car test I failed getting 22 of 30. The reason I failed is because the questions are convoluted and poorly worded in English. Also the road signs have no English explanations and are not in any book. Having seen the answers when I failed the first time, I immediately took the motorbike test and got 29 of 30. I came back the next day and retook the written car test and passed. Plan on spending the whole day there. Since I had to come back, that meant two whole days. It is possible to do it in one day, except for the tricky written test. The car road test requires you to have a car there. If you don't have one you can rent one for the test for 150b (something like that). The road test on the same track as the motorbike was more like a parking test.

Watching the Thai girls trying to parallel park was worth the price of admission. For me it was a little difficult because I had never driven a right hand drive car. Just take it slowly, everyone else does.

[dollarman]

thanks for this thread cornishcarlos !

I got both temporarily motorcycle and car license at the Phuket office today.

The immigration paper is called proof of residency, and you need some papers from the landlord if you are renting, same as if you want to register a greenbook in your name.

I just had to take the reaction and colour test. I paid 160+220 bath total for both licenses.

Medical certificates were 100 baht each.

[Igaar]

It's so easy to get that my 5 month old son could do it. I'd never driven a car before except for the way over to take my license with a rented car. I passed the written test with 1 error and passed the driving test as well...

[cornishcarlos]

Igaar, how did you hire a car if you didn't have a licence yet

Well done on passing anyway...

[Igaar]

Igaar, how did you hire a car if you didn't have a licence yet

Well done on passing anyway...

We had rented a car for a long time but only my girlfriend was driving it. By the way a lot of places you don't have to show your drivers license to rent a car, I haven't shown anything the place where I'm renting now.. :-)