Licence Laws

[koppite]

Hi guys can anyone tell me what is the thai law on riding a moterbike on a uk car licence in thailand am due to move over soon do i need to take a bike test first

[PoorSucker]

You can not ride legally on a car licence you must have a bike licence.

Easy to take the test here, you'll get it in English.

Total cost will be with around 500 baht, with health declaration and immigrations papers.

You can get a International Driving Permit for the car in the UK.

An UK driving licence and a IDP is good as long as you don't stay more than 3 months.

If you intend to stay longer is easy to convert your car licence to a Thai licence as long as you have a long term visa (non-B, non-O)

Edited August 20, 2011 by PoorSucker

[ScubaBuddha]

Generally though a car license from your home country suffices at police checkpoints and when renting cars and motorcycles as long as your are still a "visitor" and not a "resident". Once a resident you need a Thai license. If a visotor, having an IDP don't hurt but it isn't necessary. Be warned there are lots of bogus IDP's for sale online.

Thailand issues a separate license for each class. Out of curiosity I always present my Thai car license when I am on the motorbike and I get waved on every time.

When I turned my California car and bike license into a Thai license, they didn't ask about what kind of visa I had, but it's possible they they checked and saw it was a Non-B. I have never heard that was a requirement before.

I wouldn't do anything about your licenses until you get here. Use your UK license and when you have time, within a month or so, go to the Lnad Transport Department nearest you and convert your UK license into a Thai one and ask what they want to get a bike license. You will probably have to take the driving and written test for the bike license if your UK license isn't motorcycle endorsed. Since you already have a car license you shouldn't need to fully test for that, just vision and reaction test.

.

Edited August 20, 2011 by ScubaBuddha

[katabeachbum]

Generally though a car license from your home country suffices at police checkpoints and when renting cars and motorcycles as long as your are still a "visitor" and not a "resident". Once a resident you need a Thai license. If a visotor, having an IDP don't hurt but it isn't necessary. Be warned there are lots of bogus IDP's for sale online.

Thailand issues a separate license for each class. Out of curiosity I always present my Thai car license when I am on the motorbike and I get waved on every time.

When I turned my California car and bike license into a Thai license, they didn't ask about what kind of visa I had, but it's possible they they checked and saw it was a Non-B. I have never heard that was a requirement before.

I wouldn't do anything about your licenses until you get here. Use your UK license and when you have time, within a month or so, go to the Lnad Transport Department nearest you and convert your UK license into a Thai one and ask what they want to get a bike license. You will probably have to take the driving and written test for the bike license if your UK license isn't motorcycle endorsed. Since you already have a car license you shouldn't need to fully test for that, just vision and reaction test.

.

yep

and most DLT issue Thai DL to any visa/permit to stay holder, it does not need to be Non-B or O

[mrclough]

I would seriously consider getting the international driving permit before you leave. A friend of mine did this before leaving the UK and his IDP came back with motorcycle entitlement.

He took the IDP to the licensing office and they gave him a license for cars and one for bikes as well.

Could save you time and a few quid.

[koppite]

Ok thanks guys for the info you have helped me a lot thanks to all of you

[Theo007]

Friend of mine was recently stopped here in Pattaya and he only had a UK licence. The officer told him it was no good and requested money which he paid. Better to obtain a Thai licence avoid such situations.

[ScubaBuddha]

Friend of mine was recently stopped here in Pattaya and he only had a UK licence. The officer told him it was no good and requested money which he paid. Better to obtain a Thai licence avoid such situations.

Cops requesting money unfortunately isn't a good indicator of when you have broken the law or not. They have probably decided that before you are even stopped.

And by contrast, a friend of mine from the UK uses his Blockbuster movie rental card at police stops and that also works.

If your friend was a resident of Thailand, i.e. living in Thailand, and not just a "tourist" then the cop was right. The lines are fuzzy but a good rule of thumb a lot of people use is 90 days, as that is the length of time a tourist visa is good for and many people report being told by police after 90 days they need a Thai DL. Although technically if you move to Thailand and go straight to a business visa or retirement visa, you need a Thai DL because immediately you are not a tourist but a resident. There are also plenty of stories of people living here for years driving on their home country license and never having any problems. It was 6 or 7 years before I got one and never had a problem. Where you are is also relevant. Here in Phuket and other tourist areas the cops are not going to question your home DL because they will likely assume you are a tourist. In the provinces I have heard more of a problem especially if the cops recognize you.

[katabeachbum]

Friend of mine was recently stopped here in Pattaya and he only had a UK licence. The officer told him it was no good and requested money which he paid. Better to obtain a Thai licence avoid such situations.

Cops requesting money unfortunately isn't a good indicator of when you have broken the law or not. They have probably decided that before you are even stopped.

And by contrast, a friend of mine from the UK uses his Blockbuster movie rental card at police stops and that also works.

If your friend was a resident of Thailand, i.e. living in Thailand, and not just a "tourist" then the cop was right. The lines are fuzzy but a good rule of thumb a lot of people use is 90 days, as that is the length of time a tourist visa is good for and many people report being told by police after 90 days they need a Thai DL. Although technically if you move to Thailand and go straight to a business visa or retirement visa, you need a Thai DL because immediately you are not a tourist but a resident. There are also plenty of stories of people living here for years driving on their home country license and never having any problems. It was 6 or 7 years before I got one and never had a problem. Where you are is also relevant. Here in Phuket and other tourist areas the cops are not going to question your home DL because they will likely assume you are a tourist. In the provinces I have heard more of a problem especially if the cops recognize you.

my son used his library card from back home from he was 15 years old worked fine for years, to rent bikes, in police checks

I do not reckkomend it, as no Insurance cover, not even travel insurance will cover