Obtaining Thai Driver'S Licenses.

[transam]

There are still those French still there i believe , so perhaps they Drive those funny Renaults English Teachers drove in the Sixties.They have a decided Chip, they have never built a descent Car , perhaps thats why they hate America. And cant pass basic tests. Imagine Old Frogs indignance failing it.

Careful , a Canuck is a good friend of mine.

[DowntownAl]

There are still those French still there i believe , so perhaps they Drive those funny Renaults English Teachers drove in the Sixties.They have a decided Chip, they have never built a descent Car , perhaps thats why they hate America. And cant pass basic tests. Imagine Old Frogs indignance failing it.

Over 1700 posts in a little over a year, says a lot about your life experience. Try getting up from the computer once in a while and you might find a little life on the outside. Insulting and demeaning an entire ethnic group out of pure ignorance because of your small and meaningless life is not the way to win friends or influence people. If you're pi$$ed off at life that is your problem and no one else's. It's people like you who drag this website down into the mud far too often. Off topic, whining and complaining about everything in sight, truly pitiful. You might want to learn how to use a spell checker too, demonstrates another level of inability. Have a nice day, I'm outta here until the mods clean up this place. Another useful post turned into a sty for a pointless lonely old hermit to wallow in.

Edited November 12, 2011 by DowntownAl

[funcat]

There are still those French still there i believe , so perhaps they Drive those funny Renaults English Teachers drove in the Sixties.They have a decided Chip, they have never built a descent Car , perhaps thats why they hate America. And cant pass basic tests. Imagine Old Frogs indignance failing it.

Over 1700 posts in a little over a year, says a lot about your life experience. Try getting up from the computer once in a while and you might find a little life on the outside. Insulting and demeaning an entire ethnic group out of pure ignorance because of your small and meaningless life is not the way to win friends or influence people. If you're pi$ed off at life that is your problem and no one else's. It's people like you who drag this website down into the mud far too often. Off topic, whining and complaining about everything in sight, truly pitiful. You might want to learn how to use a spell checker too, demonstrates another level of inability. Have a nice day, I'm outta here until the mods clean up this place. Another useful post turned into a sty for a pointless lonely old hermit to wallow in.

....sometimes it's just entertainment...

[wandrinstar]

There are still those French still there i believe , so perhaps they Drive those funny Renaults English Teachers drove in the Sixties.They have a decided Chip, they have never built a descent Car , perhaps thats why they hate America. And cant pass basic tests. Imagine Old Frogs indignance failing it.

Over 1700 posts in a little over a year, says a lot about your life experience. Try getting up from the computer once in a while and you might find a little life on the outside. Insulting and demeaning an entire ethnic group out of pure ignorance because of your small and meaningless life is not the way to win friends or influence people. If you're pi$ed off at life that is your problem and no one else's. It's people like you who drag this website down into the mud far too often. Off topic, whining and complaining about everything in sight, truly pitiful. You might want to learn how to use a spell checker too, demonstrates another level of inability. Have a nice day, I'm outta here until the mods clean up this place. Another useful post turned into a sty for a pointless lonely old hermit to wallow in.

....sometimes it's just entertainment...

Says more about yours Boy , i dont give a Rats Ass , its fun to most here.. Cant just pass a simple Test , Some Topic. Schoolteach perhaps.

[MJo]

I enjoy reading the motoring forum and humor is always good.

But on this one i agree with OP, good informative post and could have helped many applying their first DL. Shame it had to be spoiled, it won't be long when this is another thread with 700 hundred posts asking if it is really illegal to use your overseas DL and where you can get it done by paying....

Many regulars here don't give rats a@#e but these forums are here also to provide information to others. There's plenty of good threads around to talk <deleted>. Nothing like take it on with Cruze...

OP there should be also pinned DL thread up there, maybe good idea to copy your post there as well.

[wandrinstar]

I enjoy reading the motoring forum and humor is always good.

But on this one i agree with OP, good informative post and could have helped many applying their first DL. Shame it had to be spoiled, it won't be long when this is another thread with 700 hundred posts asking if it is really illegal to use your overseas DL and where you can get it done by paying....

Many regulars here don't give rats a@#e but these forums are here also to provide information to others. There's plenty of good threads around to talk <deleted>. Nothing like take it on with Cruze...

OP there should be also pinned DL thread up there, maybe good idea to copy your post there as well.

All valid points you made i concede, but why do some Freangs have this Great I Am attitude.. Its Thailand,their roads and rules. You took a test in another Country not here. I tried to get a California licence on the strength of a Brit one and was correctly informed This is America. Some as you say get one by Paying , and the ferangs i know who have done so are old, with iffy eyesight , heart /health .Therefore worried they would fail.. Safety is the only criterion that matters , not Ego's. It takes but a few minutes to drive through a few coons and posts

[transam]

I enjoy reading the motoring forum and humor is always good.

But on this one i agree with OP, good informative post and could have helped many applying their first DL. Shame it had to be spoiled, it won't be long when this is another thread with 700 hundred posts asking if it is really illegal to use your overseas DL and where you can get it done by paying....

Many regulars here don't give rats a@#e but these forums are here also to provide information to others. There's plenty of good threads around to talk <deleted>. Nothing like take it on with Cruze...

OP there should be also pinned DL thread up there, maybe good idea to copy your post there as well.

All valid points you made i concede, but why do some Freangs have this Great I Am attitude.. Its Thailand,their roads and rules. You took a test in another Country not here. I tried to get a California licence on the strength of a Brit one and was correctly informed This is America. Some as you say get one by Paying , and the ferangs i know who have done so are old, with iffy eyesight , heart /health .Therefore worried they would fail.. Safety is the only criterion that matters , not Ego's. It takes but a few minutes to drive through a few coons and posts

Drive through a few coons .is this a new requirement ?

[MJo]

Well i did the written and drive test. Useless and waste of time for most of us. Drive straight and back up without hitting any cones, turn one the blinker while your navigating the parking lot and park you can. That was about it. The written test had some clear mistakes on it, just had to figure out the most probable answer from all the wrong options.

I've been doing well on car and bike so far and just due to the training and experience i had from outside combined with the pinch of local ways to the mix. All i could say is keep safe distance, your eyes open and go with the flow.

In any case i do agree that if you fail those tests you should not be driving at all. Never.

[David48]

Hey Al ... thanks for a great post.

I then went on to read all the replies and almost didn't contribute ... but then I thought heck ... wasn't this the original concept of the Forum, to share ideas and experiences amonst other members.

So I decided to get flamed (and I am sure I will) and say thanks for the post.

I'm a regular visitor here (Thailand), couple of months at a time but not a resident, but was keen to get a local licence.

Can I assume from your post that residency is a perquisite for a licence?

Thanks in Advance.

Edited November 25, 2011 by David48

[MJCM]

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

Can I assume from your post that residency is a perquisite for a licence?

...

Residency is a completely different thing. You need a residence letter. A residence letter is difficult word for a letter you get from your local Immigration office that confirms where you live / stay.

Edited November 25, 2011 by MJCM

[brobro2424]

I passed my UK test first time 20 years ago. I did the English version of the car and motorcycle multiple choice computer tests at Mae Teang Department of Transport a few days ago. I managed to pass the car test first time but then fail the motorcycle test twice even though most of the questions were the same, and after I've spent the lunch hour learning where I'd gone wrong by looking at the road sign booklet which has english translations.

I didn't notice the first couple of times that when you finish each test, the computer tells you which questions you got wrong and what the correct answers were. When I read through them after the second fail, in some cases it told me for example that I had chosen answer 2) where in fact I'd chosen answer 3)

Some of the questions were repeated within the same test, and several of the questions have more than one correct answer. When I'd failed the second time I joked to the supervisor "Why isn't this the same as the Thai test"? at which point she confirmed that the tests were indeed different.

I also had to sit though about an hour of basic driving overview video and half an hour of lecture all in Thai, but at least it was a nice cool aircon room. About 20 people were there on that day including those for cars and motorcycles.

Because I'd failed the motorcycle theory, I could only take the car practical. It was most amusing watching learners try to reverse into the deepest parking space you've ever seen then do some forwards and reverse through posts. They only got one try at it then it was "come back tomorrow" for 3 of the total of 6 car drivers. Felt sorry for one young lad who'd rented someone's old Mitsu Lancer to take the test with for 200 Baht.

It was a long 5 hours in total and if I had the choice again, I would go for an International license and avoid the practical and the infuriating computer test.

[chiang mai]

Hey Al ... thanks for a great post.

I then went on to read all the replies and almost didn't contribute ... but then I thought heck ... wasn't this the original concept of the Forum, to share ideas and experiences amonst other members.

So I decided to get flamed (and I am sure I will) and say thanks for the post.

I'm a regular visitor here (Thailand), couple of months at a time but not a resident, but was keen to get a local licence.

Can I assume from your post that residency is a perquisite for a licence?

Thanks in Advance.

You need either a long stay visa such as an O-A or a work permit visa, I don't believe that the regular tourist visa will qualify.

[angel9999]

Hey guys I agree with original poster, I just did exactly what he wrote here in Chiang Mai, got there before 9 am, finished before 10am. Had CAl lic. still good so did not need to do written test nor driving, i got both car and motorbike, only color blind and reflex test, very easy, 360 bht....I did not bring an interpreter, they where very helpful there with english translations. All on the up and up... no bribes needed.

[E1717007]

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

Can I assume from your post that residency is a perquisite for a licence?

...

Residency is a completely different thing. You need a residence letter. A residence letter is difficult word for a letter you get from your local Immigration office that confirms where you live / stay.

you can obtain the certificate of Residency with a tourist visa plus the tenancy agreement from your landlord/serviced apartment/hotel.

[chiang mai]

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

Can I assume from your post that residency is a perquisite for a licence?

...

Residency is a completely different thing. You need a residence letter. A residence letter is difficult word for a letter you get from your local Immigration office that confirms where you live / stay.

you can obtain the certificate of Residency with a tourist visa plus the tenancy agreement from your landlord/serviced apartment/hotel.

Have you done this yourself, it's important to know if this is fact?

[MJo]

Non-immigrant visa is a requirement. Although there is reports that some offices have given DL's with tourist visa to some people. Regardless non-imm visa is the requirement.

Proof of residence or more of proof of your address is requirement for foreigners (Thais have their blue house book aka tabien baan). There's options for this.

1. House book for foreigners (yellow tabien baan)

2. Work Permit (as it states your address)

3. Letter from your embassy stating your address (in Bangkok this is the norm if above not available)

4. Letter from immigration stating your address (norm outside BKK as there is no embassies around)

On top of these the passport, medical cert, overseas or international DL if available and signed copies of everything.

Edit: Just to clarify, even if you get address letter from immigration they are still looking to see non-immigrant visa in your passport in DLT. Unless you get really lucky with the officers. From personal experience in BKK this is the case, no option to renew without or by tea money.

Edited December 3, 2011 by MJo

[topt]

Non-immigrant visa is a requirement. Although there is reports that some offices have given DL's with tourist visa to some people. Regardless non-imm visa is the requirement.

Proof of residence or more of proof of your address is requirement for foreigners (Thais have their blue house book aka tabien baan). There's options for this.

1. House book for foreigners (yellow tabien baan)

2. Work Permit (as it states your address)

3. Letter from your embassy stating your address (in Bangkok this is the norm if above not available)

4. Letter from immigration stating your address (norm outside BKK as there is no embassies around)

On top of these the passport, medical cert, overseas or international DL if available and signed copies of everything.

Edit: Just to clarify, even if you get address letter from immigration they are still looking to see non-immigrant visa in your passport in DLT. Unless you get really lucky with the officers. From personal experience in BKK this is the case, no option to renew without or by tea money.

I was able to get both car and bike licences earlier this year (July) at Pattaya with a tourist visa (in fact with a visa exemption stamp - not even a proper visa) and immigration letter. When checking the requirements beforehand the centre never specifically asked for non immigrant visa and it was not queried at all. A lot does seem to depend on officers/location as the poster mentions above. I would certainly not let it put you off applying if you do not have a non im visa.

[topt]

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

Can I assume from your post that residency is a perquisite for a licence?

...

Residency is a completely different thing. You need a residence letter. A residence letter is difficult word for a letter you get from your local Immigration office that confirms where you live / stay.

you can obtain the certificate of Residency with a tourist visa plus the tenancy agreement from your landlord/serviced apartment/hotel.

Have you done this yourself, it's important to know if this is fact?

Chiang mai - see my reply above - best of luck

[MJo]

Non-immigrant visa is a requirement. Although there is reports that some offices have given DL's with tourist visa to some people. Regardless non-imm visa is the requirement.

Proof of residence or more of proof of your address is requirement for foreigners (Thais have their blue house book aka tabien baan). There's options for this.

1. House book for foreigners (yellow tabien baan)

2. Work Permit (as it states your address)

3. Letter from your embassy stating your address (in Bangkok this is the norm if above not available)

4. Letter from immigration stating your address (norm outside BKK as there is no embassies around)

On top of these the passport, medical cert, overseas or international DL if available and signed copies of everything.

Edit: Just to clarify, even if you get address letter from immigration they are still looking to see non-immigrant visa in your passport in DLT. Unless you get really lucky with the officers. From personal experience in BKK this is the case, no option to renew without or by tea money.

I was able to get both car and bike licences earlier this year (July) at Pattaya with a tourist visa (in fact with a visa exemption stamp - not even a proper visa) and immigration letter. When checking the requirements beforehand the centre never specifically asked for non immigrant visa and it was not queried at all. A lot does seem to depend on officers/location as the poster mentions above. I would certainly not let it put you off applying if you do not have a non im visa.

Good for you, Pattaya seems to be most likely place where they grant exceptions to the rules.

[DowntownAl]

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

Can I assume from your post that residency is a perquisite for a licence?

...

Residency is a completely different thing. You need a residence letter. A residence letter is difficult word for a letter you get from your local Immigration office that confirms where you live / stay.

you can obtain the certificate of Residency with a tourist visa plus the tenancy agreement from your landlord/serviced apartment/hotel.

Have you done this yourself, it's important to know if this is fact?

I have done this. I have my car and bike license. I went to immigration in CM with a copy of my rental agreement, my passport with a dual entry tourist visa and 500 baht.

[chris5346]

you can get a residence certificate on a tourist visa and also use that to get the 1 year tempory driving licence.

after the one year runs out you can change to a full private driving licence which is 5 years but i think your supposed to show a different visa other than a tourist.

i think it helps if you have a full driving licence from your home country.

chiang mai transport office is very good i changed mine into a 5 year one today.

i presume if there's any problems you can just keep getting one year ones ?