I work offshore and have a rotation of month on, month off. I've been living in Thailand for nearly 4 years and never bothered getting a visa due to the fact I'm never here longer than 1 month.

Recently I've been looking into getting a Thai driving licence because the Miss's driving skills are awful, one of the requirements for a this is to have a Non immigrant visa.

I have a son of 3 months but I'm not married. My partner and I have been together for 4 years.

We are visiting Scotland in January and I thought it might be a good time to apply for a visa, which will enable me to apply for a thai driving licence.

Any advice or information would be greatly appreciated.

Birth certificate with you named as father and presence of mother is all that should be required to obtain a single entry non immigrant O visa to allow getting the DL. You could mail apply to Hull for a one year version also (and only a Thai address to visit is currently required).

ok thanks for that, I'll be looking into it a lot more and will contact the consulate. Do you know if I can do it through Edinburgh rather than Hull. Do you also know if there are any extra requirements for multi entry visa's or do they need to be applied for at the embassy in London?

ok thanks for that, I'll be looking into it a lot more and will contact the consulate. Do you know if I can do it through Edinburgh rather than Hull. Do you also know if there are any extra requirements for multi entry visa's or do they need to be applied for at the embassy in London?

Hi there, I had my non Imm O renewed via Hull last year, posted from Aberdeen via recorded delivery and the visa was back with me 2 days later, excellent hassle free service and very helpful on the phone too,,,,, regarding the drivers license,,one of my friends who also works offshore has a thai drivers licence, and I know he has only a visa on entry as he pays the fine each time on exiting thailand, his 1 year license expired about 3 weeks back as he forgot about the 1 year renewal date, and he went through his drivers license again, maybe someone can confirm whether you do require a non Imm visa or not for the drivers license..

ok thanks for that, I'll be looking into it a lot more and will contact the consulate. Do you know if I can do it through Edinburgh rather than Hull. Do you also know if there are any extra requirements for multi entry visa's or do they need to be applied for at the embassy in London?

Hi there, I had my non Imm O renewed via Hull last year, posted from Aberdeen via recorded delivery and the visa was back with me 2 days later, excellent hassle free service and very helpful on the phone too,,,,, regarding the drivers license,,one of my friends who also works offshore has a thai drivers licence, and I know he has only a visa on entry as he pays the fine each time on exiting thailand, his 1 year license expired about 3 weeks back as he forgot about the 1 year renewal date, and he went through his drivers license again, maybe someone can confirm whether you do require a non Imm visa or not for the drivers license..

Rumor in Phuket is that a tourist visa is enough to get the Thai driver's license. I had a Non O marriage visa multiple entry when I got my Thai driver's license. So as I said this is only a rumour. Thanks for passing on that information about the one year temporary license because mine expires next week!

regarding the drivers license ,one of my friends who also works offshore has a thai drivers licence, and I know he has only a visa on entry as he pays the fine each time on exiting thailand, his 1 year license expired about 3 weeks back as he forgot about the 1 year renewal date, and he went through his drivers license again, maybe someone can confirm whether you do require a non Imm visa or not for the drivers license..

You should let a one year temporary Thai driving license expire before you go to renew - then they can issue you with a five year license.

If your license has expired then you don't have to do the test again; you just pay for the five year license plus provide the right paperwork (medical/address confirmation/visa).

Not being married might be a problem for multi entry at some locations (it is in the immediate Thailand area) so I would ask and if it is use Hull on basis of visiting friends rather than child.

regarding the drivers license ,one of my friends who also works offshore has a thai drivers licence, and I know he has only a visa on entry as he pays the fine each time on exiting thailand, his 1 year license expired about 3 weeks back as he forgot about the 1 year renewal date, and he went through his drivers license again, maybe someone can confirm whether you do require a non Imm visa or not for the drivers license..

You should let a one year temporary Thai driving license expire before you go to renew - then they can issue you with a five year license.

If your license has expired then you don't have to do the test again; you just pay for the five year license plus provide the right paperwork (medical/address confirmation/visa).

yes, thats correct,,,, but there is a deadline after expiry date of your 1 year license that you must have renewed by, I know this because my wife called the test centre on behalf of my friend, I cannot remember the exact number of days after 1 year date has passed, but I think she was told about 30 or 35 days,,, unfortunately my friend was 40 or 45 days over and had to resit the whole test again

You should let a one year temporary Thai driving license expire before you go to renew - then they can issue you with a five year license.

If your license has expired then you don't have to do the test again; you just pay for the five year license plus provide the right paperwork (medical/address confirmation/visa).

yes, thats correct,,,, but there is a deadline after expiry date of your 1 year license that you must have renewed by, I know this because my wife called the test centre on behalf of my friend, I cannot remember the exact number of days after 1 year date has passed, but I think she was told about 30 or 35 days,,, unfortunately my friend was 40 or 45 days over and had to resit the whole test again

My understanding is that you have up to one year after the expiry date to apply for the replacement license without having to do anything extra.

This is not to say that some official at a particular licensing centre took a different read of the regulations on that particular day.

You should let a one year temporary Thai driving license expire before you go to renew - then they can issue you with a five year license.

If your license has expired then you don't have to do the test again; you just pay for the five year license plus provide the right paperwork (medical/address confirmation/visa).

yes, thats correct,,,, but there is a deadline after expiry date of your 1 year license that you must have renewed by, I know this because my wife called the test centre on behalf of my friend, I cannot remember the exact number of days after 1 year date has passed, but I think she was told about 30 or 35 days,,, unfortunately my friend was 40 or 45 days over and had to resit the whole test again

My understanding is that you have up to one year after the expiry date to apply for the replacement license without having to do anything extra.

This is not to say that some official at a particular licensing centre took a different read of the regulations on that particular day.

I agree, thats a possibility regarding some official reading the regulations differently, the wife called the office in bang lamung (chon buri 1), the friend went to that same centre but it was a few days after the call was made, I would have thought unlikely to be the same official but possible, anyway maybe we should all be a bit careful about this in future and think about renewing not too long after the license expiry....... sorry to the poster for falling off topic here

Tourist visa is enough for a 1 year temporary DL.

on immigrant for the five year DL

More info here:driving information