What Type Of Driving Licence Is Needed In Thailand?

[Debothai]

My friends, I have a UK driving licence, a UAE driving licence and a Qatar driving licence. I am moving to Thailand soon and I will probably be working. What is the type of licence that I should have? international or can I do the thai driving test?

[Semper]

or can I do the thai driving test?

Can't see why not.

[Debothai]

a thai driving test requires what type of visa?

[saraburioz]

The Thai driving license is purple and has 500 written on it.

If you show any license it is usually ok. however if you have an accident, there could be a problem.

Use your international license.You have to show proof of residency for Thai one.

[colinscarr]

If you have a valid international license from your home country, you can get a Thai license.

Or, as said, you can sit the Thai driving test. Dead easy, watch a few scary CCTV movies of accidents at intersections, sit a test with 30 questions - time allowed 1 hour. Then demonstrate that you can park within walking distance of the curb, can reverse in a straight line and can park by entering a parking bay both forwards and in reverse.

[Debothai]

that's it?

Here in UAE it takes 2 years for some poor sub-continental folks to get a licence. However whiteys and women get their licences a lot faster here.

[mca]

I stand to be corrected but i think your home license or whatever is only valid to drive on for 6 months in Thailand.

[travelmann]

that's it?

Here in UAE it takes 2 years for some poor sub-continental folks to get a licence. However whiteys and women get their licences a lot faster here.

Oh disgusting Im appalled "whiteys" oh my goodness disgraceful havent you seen the "half caste" thread

[craigt3365]

How about we move this over to the motoring forum?

[Debothai]

sorry i was being a bit politically incorrect with that statement....Replace the word 'whiteys' with 'Caucasians of European or North American or Russian' descent.

Edited May 14, 2011 by Debothai

[travelmann]

sorry i was being a bit politically incorrect with that statement....Replace the word 'whiteys' with 'Caucasians of European or North American or Russian' descent.

As a "whitey" myself ....................I can live with it :lol: be as incorrect as you like as far as im concerned you cant move for offending someone these days.

I used to have an international driving licence you can only get them in your home country It is stamped for 1 year (UK) but as stated Im not sure how long you can use it for in Thailand???? which makes me wonder why they stamp it for 1 year?

However that said 2 years ago I got the Thai 1 2 month then followed it up with the 5 year licence no test required except eyesight.

[Soutpeel]

sorry i was being a bit politically incorrect with that statement....Replace the word 'whiteys' with 'Caucasians of European or North American or Russian' descent.

As a "whitey" myself ....................I can live with it :lol: be as incorrect as you like as far as im concerned you cant move for offending someone these days.

I used to have an international driving licence you can only get them in your home country It is stamped for 1 year (UK) but as stated Im not sure how long you can use it for in Thailand???? which makes me wonder why they stamp it for 1 year?

However that said 2 years ago I got the Thai 1 2 month then followed it up with the 5 year licence no test required except eyesight.

First of all, no such thing as an international drivers license, its an international driving permit and mearly a "legalised" translation of your proper DL, as to use in Thailand, the intent of an IDP is for "tourist"/short tem use, if you are resident in Thailand you are suppose to get yourself a proper Thai DL as you are not a "tourist", believe in Thailand you can drive on an IDP for a period of no more than 3 months

In the case of the OP he has indicated that he will be working here, one would could assume he would need to drive for business purposes therefore would stongly suggest he gets himself a Thai DL as soon as practical in Thailand, with a full UK license + work permit, would be very easy to get 12 month Thai DL without doing a practical driving test, only having to do the required vision and reaction tests and at the end of 12 months change over to the full 5 year Thai DL

[sarahsbloke]

To get a Thai driving licence you need

1) A driving licence written in English

2) An explanation of any codes used in the licence (download off the internet if not on the licence will do)

3) A certificate of residence (500bht from Thai immigration office)

4) Medical certificate (100bht from any Thai hospital)

5) Photocopies of your passport and VISA pages

The only limitation is that immigration may not want to give you a certificate of residence if you only have a VISA on entry, I say 'may not' as it depends what they feel like on the day, if you smile nicely at them, slip them another 500bht, etc.

If you have a driving licence written in English there is no requirement for an international driving licence at all.

There is no requirement for a work permit.

There is no requirement for any type of VISA by the driving licence office.

Edited May 15, 2011 by sarahsbloke

[Soutpeel]

To get a Thai driving licence you need

1) A driving licence written in English

2) An explanation of any codes used in the licence (download off the internet if not on the licence will do)

3) A certificate of residence (500bht from Thai immigration office)

4) Medical certificate (100bht from any Thai hospital)

5) Photocopies of your passport and VISA pages

The only limitation is that immigration may not want to give you a certificate of residence if you only have a VISA on entry, I say 'may not' as it depends what they feel like on the day, if you smile nicely at them, slip them another 500bht, etc.

If you have a driving licence written in English there is no requirement for an international driving licence at all.

There is no requirement for a work permit.

There is no requirement for any type of VISA by the driving licence office.

Item 3 on your list is not applicable if you have a work permit of course

On item 3, they may not accept this and require a IDP which will state the class of DL you have if you have specific class codes

Know this one from past experience as on my initial 12 month DL many years ago I presented a drivers license in English with specific coding and was told without an IDP they would not confirm that the DL presented applied to a car and would not give me a Thai DL, luckily I had the IDP with me and once I showed it to them, they were happy, made a copy and give me the Thai DL

[Soutpeel]

To get a Thai driving licence you need

1) A driving licence written in English

2) An explanation of any codes used in the licence (download off the internet if not on the licence will do)

3) A certificate of residence (500bht from Thai immigration office)

4) Medical certificate (100bht from any Thai hospital)

5) Photocopies of your passport and VISA pages

The only limitation is that immigration may not want to give you a certificate of residence if you only have a VISA on entry, I say 'may not' as it depends what they feel like on the day, if you smile nicely at them, slip them another 500bht, etc.

If you have a driving licence written in English there is no requirement for an international driving licence at all.

There is no requirement for a work permit.

There is no requirement for any type of VISA by the driving licence office.

Item 3 on your list is not applicable if you have a work permit of course

On item 2, they may not accept this and require a IDP which will state the class of DL you have if you have specific class codes

Know this one from past experience as on my initial 12 month DL many years ago I presented a drivers license in English with specific coding and was told without an IDP they would not confirm that the DL presented applied to a car and would not give me a Thai DL, luckily I had the IDP with me and once I showed it to them, they were happy, made a copy and give me the Thai DL

Edited May 15, 2011 by Soutpeel

[Soutpeel]

To get a Thai driving licence you need

1) A driving licence written in English

2) An explanation of any codes used in the licence (download off the internet if not on the licence will do)

3) A certificate of residence (500bht from Thai immigration office)

4) Medical certificate (100bht from any Thai hospital)

5) Photocopies of your passport and VISA pages

The only limitation is that immigration may not want to give you a certificate of residence if you only have a VISA on entry, I say 'may not' as it depends what they feel like on the day, if you smile nicely at them, slip them another 500bht, etc.

If you have a driving licence written in English there is no requirement for an international driving licence at all.

There is no requirement for a work permit.

There is no requirement for any type of VISA by the driving licence office.

Item 3 on your list is not applicable if you have a work permit of course

On item 2, they may not accept this and require a IDP which will state the class of DL you have if you have specific class codes

Know this one from past experience as on my initial 12 month DL many years ago I presented a drivers license in English with specific coding and was told without an IDP they would not confirm that the DL presented applied to a car and would not give me a Thai DL, luckily I had the IDP with me and once I showed it to them they were happy, made a copy and gave me the Thai DL

Edited May 15, 2011 by Soutpeel

[harrry]

To get a Thai driving licence you need

1) A driving licence written in English

2) An explanation of any codes used in the licence (download off the internet if not on the licence will do)

3) A certificate of residence (500bht from Thai immigration office)

4) Medical certificate (100bht from any Thai hospital)

5) Photocopies of your passport and VISA pages

The only limitation is that immigration may not want to give you a certificate of residence if you only have a VISA on entry, I say 'may not' as it depends what they feel like on the day, if you smile nicely at them, slip them another 500bht, etc.

If you have a driving licence written in English there is no requirement for an international driving licence at all.

There is no requirement for a work permit.

There is no requirement for any type of VISA by the driving licence office.

You do not need a certificate of residence if you have a work permit.

a certificate from your embassy is also valid. This will generally cost more though...After all the English do need Tea and Biscuits...so they include it in the fee.

[Spoonman]

4) Medical certificate (100bht from any Thai hospital)

or 30 baht from a clinic.

[Kwasaki]

If you have a valid international license from your home country, you can get a Thai license.

Then demonstrate that you can park within walking distance of the curb. luv it.

Best to get one straight away in what ever province you land yourself in and just go through the motions, there not all the same.

Edited May 15, 2011 by Kwasaki

[mario299]

4) Medical certificate (100bht from any Thai hospital)

or 30 baht from a clinic.

Same 30 baht for me, but I wish to caution all on International Driving Permit. When I got my 12 month Thai license I showed them both IDP and State of WA (USA) valid driver's license. They requested IDP be translated to Thai (three pages of it), and only could be their approved translator. Cost 300 baht/page and three trips to Surin to get it (56 km round trip/each). Should have never showed it to them, but did get car/truck and separate m/c license as a result, with just color test, reaction test, depth perception test, no driving test.

mario299 :jap:

[PattayaParent]

Get yourself an International License (IDP) in UAE, it only takes a few minutes.

You need it to drive without a Thai license for the first 3 months or until you get your work permit and if you have one will not be required to do the Thai drivng test.

[NALAK]

i got my bike licence on multi entry, car on non o. i did the tests and it was ok. i paid last week 200 baht for certificate of residency at Jontiem.

if your coming to live here easy to do the test, in and out in a day, maybe half day.

this question is one of the most asked questions on the forum and always different answers, my own experience is Samui is diffent to Pattaya, so thats why maybe diffent answers.

[bkk_mike]

I believe you're allowed to drive on an IDP when you're on your leave to enter, but need to have a Thai DL once you get your permission to stay. Which is basically consistent with the 3 months as stated. (although that would give you a year presumably if you came in on an O-A).

(Which I think is similar to the UK, you can drive on an IDP in the first year, but once you have ILR, you need to get a UK licence).

If you have an IDP, you basically only have to do a couple of tests (colour blindness and one other - it was a while ago for me), and fill in some forms. (Definitely take someone that speaks Thai with you as, at least at the one I went to in the Eastern edges of Bangkok, there are no signs in English, and people generally don't deal with many foreigners .)

I think the person who got asked to do a translation of his IDP must have got someone who was getting a kickback from the translation guy. I had no such problems in Bangkok. (And the whole point of an IDP is that it is a standard document for licences issued in any country. i.e. You can get an IDP in Thailand once you have your 5 year licence.) And if you have your IDP, and your foreign licence, and it's issued by one of a set of countries, you don't need to sit an actual driving test.