International Driving License/Permit.

[soundman]

Anyone been throught the process recently?

Can you get it at any Provincial Road Transport department, or do you have to go to Bkk?

How much?

What paperwork? Current license + ID, or more?

TIA.

Sounders.

[Soutpeel]

Believe you can only get it in BKK, at least thats what I was told

Got mine last year in Mochit was was around THB 500, (think it was THB 505.. for some reason)

Need your 5 year Thai DL, + Passport, + Photo (I took my WP, but dont think they were interested in this) and if I remember there was a small form to fill in

Literally takes 15 minutes to get and they are very helpful

[ScubaBuddha]

Check with the county you want to drive in. Most likely you won't need to get anything in addition to your current license since it already is in English and has your photo. I.E. in the vast majority of countries a foreign drivers license which is in English and has a photo is an international license. And anyway, an IDP is a translation of the information contained on your DL into several languages, but if it isn't translated into the language of the country your are visiting, then whats the point? Of course there is nothing wrong with having an IDP, as long as it is obtained though a legitimate organization and not bought off the internet.

As you probably know, but I will explain for other readers, it's a bit of symantics but what you're after is an IDP (International Drivers Permit) and is nothing more than a translation of your existing license. There is no such thing as an "International Drivers License" (IDL) except as I described in the first paragraph. IDL is a term often used by fraudulent companies, usually operating over the internet, who charge uninformed travelers ten times the money for very official looking document that may well fool your average traffic cop but has no official, legal meaning or value. (Such as http://international-license.com or http://www.idl-international.com. At the second website I particularly like the deceiving statement "DHS calls our IDL 'Exemplary'." Click the link and you see that's not at all what DHS are saying.)

As far as recent information goes, I have also heard that you need a 5-year license and that only certain main DLT offices will issue an IDP, and it's only good for one year. I have to make a trip to my local office soon, I will ask and see what the latest info is.

.

Edited January 6, 2011 by ScubaBuddha

[soundman]

OK - here is the lowdown (apparently.......)

Most Land Transport Departments (main office Jungwat - not branches) around the country can issue an international driving permit.

Prachinburi office required:

Work Permit or Residence confirmation letter from immigration (current year only - not previous year).

Copy of "all" pages in passport (why - I don't know)

Copy of current full (5 year or lifetime drivers license). They will not issue on temporary (1 year) license.

Two - 2" photos.

505 Baht.

15 minutes of your time.

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

With a Thai (full) drivers license (new smartcard variety - not old laminated variety) - appparently you can drive in any country in SEA without an IDP.

[katabeachbum]

OK - here is the lowdown (apparently.......)

Most Land Transport Departments (main office Jungwat - not branches) around the country can issue an international driving permit.

Prachinburi office required:

Work Permit or Residence confirmation letter from immigration (current year only - not previous year).

Copy of "all" pages in passport (why - I don't know)

Copy of current full (5 year or lifetime drivers license). They will not issue on temporary (1 year) license.

Two - 2" photos.

505 Baht.

15 minutes of your time.

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

With a Thai (full) drivers license (new smartcard variety - not old laminated variety) - appparently you can drive in any country in SEA without an IDP.

as long as in English language/numbers

[kropotkin]

Sorry for asking a different but related question:

What does my thai wife need to do to get an international drivers licence - for europe or NZ?

Thanks for any information.

[katabeachbum]

Sorry for asking a different but related question:

What does my thai wife need to do to get an international drivers licence - for europe or NZ?

Thanks for any information.

as listed in post #4

[Soutpeel]

Sorry for asking a different but related question:

What does my thai wife need to do to get an international drivers licence - for europe or NZ?

Thanks for any information.

Her 5yr Thai DL + Passport + photos, I think they wanted a copy of Mrs Soutpeel's ID card as well (cant remember)

[ScubaBuddha]

OK - here is the lowdown (apparently.......)

Most Land Transport Departments (main office Jungwat - not branches) around the country can issue an international driving permit.

Prachinburi office required:

Work Permit or Residence confirmation letter from immigration (current year only - not previous year).

Copy of "all" pages in passport (why - I don't know)

Copy of current full (5 year or lifetime drivers license). They will not issue on temporary (1 year) license.

Two - 2" photos.

505 Baht.

15 minutes of your time.

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

With a Thai (full) drivers license (new smartcard variety - not old laminated variety) - appparently you can drive in any country in SEA without an IDP.

I'm confused. An IDP is supposed to be a translation of all the information contained in your license into about 10 languages. They can do this in 15 minutes? I couldn't even get my green book translated into just English in less than 24 hours. I'd like to see what this Thai IDP looks like. Can you provide a photo?

We know they will only issue it to 5 year license holders (and presumably lifetime license holders) but what is the validity of the IDP? It should be only 1 year if they follow the UN Traffic Acts.

Edited January 13, 2011 by ScubaBuddha

[soundman]

OK - here is the lowdown (apparently.......)

Most Land Transport Departments (main office Jungwat - not branches) around the country can issue an international driving permit.

Prachinburi office required:

Work Permit or Residence confirmation letter from immigration (current year only - not previous year).

Copy of "all" pages in passport (why - I don't know)

Copy of current full (5 year or lifetime drivers license). They will not issue on temporary (1 year) license.

Two - 2" photos.

505 Baht.

15 minutes of your time.

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

With a Thai (full) drivers license (new smartcard variety - not old laminated variety) - appparently you can drive in any country in SEA without an IDP.

I'm confused. An IDP is supposed to be a translation of all the information contained in your license into about 10 languages. They can do this in 15 minutes? I couldn't even get my green book translated into just English in less than 24 hours. I'd like to see what this Thai IDP looks like. Can you provide a photo?

We know they will only issue it to 5 year license holders (and presumably lifetime license holders) but what is the validity of the IDP? It should be only 1 year if they follow the UN Traffic Acts.

Its a pre-printed International Driving Permit, almost identical to the one I had issued in Australia many years ago.

It lists over a 100 countries who have contracted to the Geneva Road Traffic Convention. (1949).

Nine different languages inside.

You details (and photo) are placed inside and there are 5 diffferent license types (motorbike, motor vehicle under 3500kg's, motor vehicle over 3500kg's including light trailer, passenge vehicle with more than eight seats, and all of the above with heavy trailer). You get a stamp on the one(s) that are applicable to you.

It is valid for 1 year from date of issue.

[ScubaBuddha]

^ Ah ok. Makes sense now.