Does A Tourist Need A Thai Driver'S License

[RickThai]

Quick question, does a tourist need a Thai driver's license to rent a scooter?Thanks.Rick

[crazygreg44]

No, you don t need a Thai Driver's license. It is sufficient to show your national license from your home country. Actually, the law is that you need an International License, but this is never enforced by the police in Thailand. And I have never been asked for an International License by a car or scooter rental.

After initial three months of stay, you will have to provide a Thai license ! If you leave the country and enter again on a tourist visa, the three month rule starts over again

Edited March 4, 2011 by crazygreg44

[hansje]

Im in thailand now for 3 months. Edu visa nonimmi. I drive my car around here for over 3 months now, is this illigsl now? If it is i guess i need to get myself a thai one... Can i just buy it and do some simple task somewhere?

Topics about this are kinda dead so i reply here since u mentioned it

Thx in advance

[hansje]

Woops i missed a topic, new one opened by someone, sorry....

[Jebhead]

They are clamping down on driving license issues here, you will get some police notice that a lot of the intl licenses do not cover motorbikes, so basically you can only drive car legally...

Easy to get Thai license, show home country license & proof of address & then sit at transport dept for some time, can't remember if you need 1 year visa tho??

JH

[katabeachbum]

Im in thailand now for 3 months. Edu visa nonimmi. I drive my car around here for over 3 months now, is this illigsl now? If it is i guess i need to get myself a thai one... Can i just buy it and do some simple task somewhere?

Topics about this are kinda dead so i reply here since u mentioned it

Thx in advance

max 90 days on your home country lisence, and only as tourist. any visa or mermit to stay longer than 90 days and any stay over 90 days, you need Thai DL

If checked and not have Thai DL, Police can demand passport to confirm if you can drive legally without Thai DL

Your local DLT decides if they accept your DL, and if supported by IDP they should, to swap to Thai DL. If not, tests are easy

[transam]

Shame they don't enforce the same laws for the natives, where l am half the bike riders aren't even old enough to apply for a license, no problem for them it seems.

[raylo]

They are clamping down on driving license issues here, you will get some police notice that a lot of the intl licenses do not cover motorbikes, so basically you can only drive car legally...

Easy to get Thai license, show home country license & proof of address & then sit at transport dept for some time, can't remember if you need 1 year visa tho??

JH

An international licence qualifies what licence you have viz. Car / Motorcycle/ Truck/ Bus etc. It is defined and accepted by all participating countries of which Thailand is one.

Going for Thai licence remember to get your medical

[ScubaBuddha]

Shame they don't enforce the same laws for the natives, where l am half the bike riders aren't even old enough to apply for a license, no problem for them it seems.

Yeah the police here make lots of hardship exceptions. Kids riding to school and such is one example. The Chalong police chief in Phuket even publicly stated that although motorbikes with sidecars are illegal, they allow them due to this hardship exception as long as the side car has lights on it. To many people rely on them for their livelihoods.

There's lots of threads about the OP's question. The actual law states that a visitor/tourist can drive the vehicles for which they are licensed to drive at home using their home license, which if in English and has their picture on it is actually already an international license. No international drivers permit is required, but it doesn't hurt. If the foreigner is not a tourist but is a resident, and this can be established many ways, then they need a Thai license.

[raylo]

Shame they don't enforce the same laws for the natives, where l am half the bike riders aren't even old enough to apply for a license, no problem for them it seems.

Yeah the police here make lots of hardship exceptions. Kids riding to school and such is one example. The Chalong police chief in Phuket even publicly stated that although motorbikes with sidecars are illegal, they allow them due to this hardship exception as long as the side car has lights on it. To many people rely on them for their livelihoods.

There's lots of threads about the OP's question. The actual law states that a visitor/tourist can drive the vehicles for which they are licensed to drive at home using their home license, which if in English and has their picture on it is actually already an international license. No international drivers permit is required, but it doesn't hurt. If the foreigner is not a tourist but is a resident, and this can be established many ways, then they need a Thai license.

A home country licence is only an international licence where there is a reciprocal agreement. Does not always apply when there is an insurance claim. Individual rules apply. However where there is a reciprocal then as long as you are not a resident then usually the home licence is legal and if the insurance company accepts it then yo uare in the clear.

If you own the vehicle you need a Thai licence for insurance purposes viz. Thai Sri (underwritten by AXA) which is one of the better less stringent companies and they still require it.

After that it is "up to you".

[katabeachbum]

If you own the vehicle you need a Thai licence for insurance purposes viz. Thai Sri (underwritten by AXA) which is one of the better less stringent companies and they still require it.

After that it is "up to you".

During 8 years and +450k km I have had several Insurance claims with my owned vehicles. No Thai DL required as I have been out of the country minimum every 90 days. Past year and half I have been here permanently (90 days reports to Immigration), IOW never left the country, and do now have Thai DL as required

[raylo]

If you own the vehicle you need a Thai licence for insurance purposes viz. Thai Sri (underwritten by AXA) which is one of the better less stringent companies and they still require it.

After that it is "up to you".

During 8 years and +450k km I have had several Insurance claims with my owned vehicles. No Thai DL required as I have been out of the country minimum every 90 days. Past year and half I have been here permanently (90 days reports to Immigration), IOW never left the country, and do now have Thai DL as required

All I can say is you have been lucky especially driving that many km's in such a short time span, being out of the country so much.

I still have paperwork that states it as a requirement. Who you insured with? It might be of value.

[katabeachbum]

If you own the vehicle you need a Thai licence for insurance purposes viz. Thai Sri (underwritten by AXA) which is one of the better less stringent companies and they still require it.

After that it is "up to you".

During 8 years and +450k km I have had several Insurance claims with my owned vehicles. No Thai DL required as I have been out of the country minimum every 90 days. Past year and half I have been here permanently (90 days reports to Immigration), IOW never left the country, and do now have Thai DL as required

All I can say is you have been lucky especially driving that many km's in such a short time span, being out of the country so much.

I still have paperwork that states it as a requirement. Who you insured with? It might be of value.

Bangkok Insurance

Tanachart

Viriyha

Falcon

and a few more cant remember names claimed

different vehicles, different Insurances

I am on my 8th car and +20 bikes

have only been out of the country total of 60 days in 8 years