Motorbike Licence Check ?

[bubu]

hi everybody ...

i am planning to visit phuket soon ... not my first time on phuket, but the first time i am planning to disover the island by motorbike.

i have a european car license. but i dont want to carry this ID. btw, it's a european license, not the international one.

can anybody tell me whether there are many licence checks on phuket?

i am very familiar with thai traffic ... rode a motorbike on samui, in krabi, phuket, chiang mai .... i know thai traffic.

i am pretty sure that i can handle the phuket traffic.

just worrying about the license cotrols/checks ...

[LivinginKata]

Plenty of police road check points here on Phuket island. Technically you need an International licence valid for m/bike. Depending on the officer you might get away with a licence that has an ID photo embedded. (and are wearing a helmet)

[bubu]

what do you think .... how many percent of checkpoints could i pass with a euopean ID and a "tip" of 200 baht?

[stevenl]

what do you think .... how many percent of checkpoints could i pass with a euopean ID and a "tip" of 200 baht?

99.9% if you leave the tip away and if that European ID is a European DL.

Edited November 15, 2011 by stevenl

[bubu]

you mean just showing the european driving license should be ok?

and what if that's just a car license?

[Aachen]

Show the DL with a distance of 2 mtr to the police. He cannot read it either. He says "Go, go, go", whicht means you should drive off very fast and leave him alone.

[bunta71]

carry 400 baht with you, should not cost more than 200 or less if you have the gift of gab.I like to attach a 100 baht note to my Thai license with a paper clip. Check points here are frequent and can pop up anywhere at any time. Never ride without a helmet. Never take your eyes off the road to look at the eye candy. Never.That split second glance can cost your life

Edited November 15, 2011 by bunta71

[petercallen]

you mean just showing the european driving license should be ok?

and what if that's just a car license?

Should be no problem, My Aussie license has the types of vehicles i am qualified to ride/drive on the back

They never looked at the back just the front

[petercallen]

One thing you should be aware of, If you are involved in a accident and you

do not have a motorcycle license there could be problems

[katabeachbum]

One thing you should be aware of, If you are involved in a accident and you

do not have a motorcycle license there could be problems

with or without lisence you are facing problems, as compulsory Insurance is limited to cover medical up to 50.000 baht

without bike DL you will usually be at fault if involved in an accident, so make sure you have a million baht up your sleeve to cover the initial expenses and 200.000 baht bail

be also aware most travelinsurance do not cover of you are riding a bike and have no bike DL

there are police checkpoints on every second corner in high season, show them any DL, they ask if its international, you say yes and you move on

[kenny999]

carry 400 baht with you, should not cost more than 200 or less if you have the gift of gab.I like to attach a 100 baht note to my Thai license with a paper clip. Check points here are frequent and can pop up anywhere at any time. Never ride without a helmet. Never take your eyes off the road to look at the eye candy. Never.That split second glance can cost your life

Could you explain why it is you attach 100 bht note to your Thai drivers license?? if you have a Thai drivers license and wearing a crash helmet you will never have a problem!!

[snoother]

I have been stopped many times and just showing my european car driving license was enough.

[PattayaPhom]

Not sure where you are from but the UK an International licence is only a tenner at any Post Office and takes 5 minutes.....surely better to do than than worry everytime you are out and in Phuket you will get stopped on a daily basis.

[bunta71]

carry 400 baht with you, should not cost more than 200 or less if you have the gift of gab.I like to attach a 100 baht note to my Thai license with a paper clip. Check points here are frequent and can pop up anywhere at any time. Never ride without a helmet. Never take your eyes off the road to look at the eye candy. Never.That split second glance can cost your life

Could you explain why it is you attach 100 bht note to your Thai drivers license?? if you have a Thai drivers license and wearing a crash helmet you will never have a problem!!

Definitely absolutely not the fact here from my considerable experiences in Thailand. I have had my car torn apart while the scum search for who knows what at the fairly constant checkpoint near Tak. One trip from Chiang Mai to Bangkok and back I was made to pay up 4 times and drive an old car that purrs along at 90, told I was going 130.....on and on and on. Many folks live here for many years and never get pulled over. Maybe it's my Betty Boop costume. Boils down to who is the one checking you out and how he is feeling that particular moment. An honest copper will simply hand me back my proper Thai license and the others just hand it back without the 100. Bottom line is I am usually back cruisin' immediately and don't have to buy hard to find classic Volvo seat and trim parts after friendly searches.

[ScubaBuddha]

carry 400 baht with you, should not cost more than 200 or less if you have the gift of gab.I like to attach a 100 baht note to my Thai license with a paper clip. Check points here are frequent and can pop up anywhere at any time. Never ride without a helmet. Never take your eyes off the road to look at the eye candy. Never.That split second glance can cost your life

Could you explain why it is you attach 100 bht note to your Thai drivers license?? if you have a Thai drivers license and wearing a crash helmet you will never have a problem!!

Coppers often imagine offenses where there is none. This seems to be a fairly common problem for expats driving in Bangkok and sometimes with the Highway Police on major highways. In the provinces and here in Phuket we don't see nearly as many reports as those from Bangkokians. I have never had one problem through countless checkpoints using a California car license on a small motorbike for several years, or more recently using my car and bike Thai licenses. Bunta's idea is probably not a bad one for people living in the Big Mango.

Keep in mind there is probably a law against bribing a public official, but I have never heard it used on traffic offenders. I read once of a politician that reported a bribe attempt, but I believe that is because he thought it was a set-up.

[petercallen]

I have been stopped many times and just showing my european car driving license was enough.

That's right, when i came to phuket i had a Aussie license and a IDP

The only time i used the IDP at a check point they did not have a clue what it was

The senior police officer checked it and he had never seen one before

Just use the license from your home country but if you are not licensed to ride a bike

there you are not licensed to ride one here

99% of Aussies who come here do not have a motorcycle license in Australia

but they still rent bikes here

[steve187]

Not sure where you are from but the UK an International licence is only a tenner at any Post Office and takes 5 minutes.....surely better to do than than worry everytime you are out and in Phuket you will get stopped on a daily basis.

not available at any post office,but a select few £5.50 see here - http://www.postoffice.co.uk/branch-finder, but you are about correct with the price available by post also from AA. RAC and Green flag

[katabeachbum]

carry 400 baht with you, should not cost more than 200 or less if you have the gift of gab.I like to attach a 100 baht note to my Thai license with a paper clip. Check points here are frequent and can pop up anywhere at any time. Never ride without a helmet. Never take your eyes off the road to look at the eye candy. Never.That split second glance can cost your life

Could you explain why it is you attach 100 bht note to your Thai drivers license?? if you have a Thai drivers license and wearing a crash helmet you will never have a problem!!

Definitely absolutely not the fact here from my considerable experiences in Thailand. I have had my car torn apart while the scum search for who knows what at the fairly constant checkpoint near Tak. One trip from Chiang Mai to Bangkok and back I was made to pay up 4 times and drive an old car that purrs along at 90, told I was going 130.....on and on and on. Many folks live here for many years and never get pulled over. Maybe it's my Betty Boop costume. Boils down to who is the one checking you out and how he is feeling that particular moment. An honest copper will simply hand me back my proper Thai license and the others just hand it back without the 100. Bottom line is I am usually back cruisin' immediately and don't have to buy hard to find classic Volvo seat and trim parts after friendly searches.

agreed out on the Highways and in BKK

I have done 480.000km in 9 years in Thailand. Been pulled over numerous times by 2 uniformed. Easy to recognice their mission, as they wear papermasks, sunglasses, no name tag and no police ID card. The conversation always start with DL. Then its you where doing 130kmh. Then they make something up

FIX.

Do not give them DL

Always keep 200 baht visible in centerconsole, make sure they see it.

Be very polite and smiling, and give them the 200 baht, and then take off

Discussing with these guys, could get you an official ticket, they keep your DL, pay at local policestation (where is that?), try to find you DL again, basicly one day lost in the middle of no where

a proper checkpoint has many officers, name tags, ID cards, accurate speed info, you provide name and info about yourself, your mum and dad, and get a 200 baht offcial ticket paid to a clerck

here in Phuket, I would never pay a bribe, never been asked for one

[bunta71]

Have to agree there about the differences between the major highway checkpoints and those here in Phuket. I have never had a problem here on the island but like you having driven all over Thailand several times I have run into some costly and time consuming stops. These all happened with me having correct and current Thai DL, registration, insurance,etc..

I would have a hard time not giving my DL to a cop when asked though. Goes against my mostly law abiding nature.

Edited November 16, 2011 by bunta71

[bunta71]

I am curious how often I will be pulled aside when Buddy sticks his head out the side window behind me. Photo is his father but he is getting there quickly. I am guessing the odds of me being just waved through will increase immensely.

[katabeachbum]

Have to agree there about the differences between the major highway checkpoints and those here in Phuket. I have never had a problem here on the island but like you having driven all over Thailand several times I have run into some costly and time consuming stops. These all happened with me having correct and current Thai DL, registration, insurance,etc..

I would have a hard time not giving my DL to a cop when asked though. Goes against my mostly law abiding nature.

survival tech. as soon as these "cops" (sorry their not cops their crooks in uniform) have my lisence, 500 baht is non negotiable, and god knows for what offence

and believe me, my rottweiler goes most times, and nothing changes, except they will not search your car. the change came when I joined the Highway Police Volunteers

[snamos]

In BKK they are a bit heavy with the stops. I had one guy said I failed to indicate changing lanes on the way up to Kanchanaburi. He looked further in the car and saw my mum and he asked where we were going...I replied up to see the bridge on the river kwai with mum......'move along' 'move along' I guess if I was with another young lad or a bar girl the car would have been ripped apart.

On plenty of other occasions I have been harrassed up there for loot....maybe the Phuket cops have their hands in bigger pies

[snamos]

Honestly shouldn't photos of dogs be in the pets section and perhaps team 'chips' should start up a volunteer cops thread or something. The op asked nothing about dogs or police volunteers

[bunta71]

Honestly shouldn't photos of dogs be in the pets section and perhaps team 'chips' should start up a volunteer cops thread or something. The op asked nothing about dogs or police volunteers

Sorry ...I think I should be taken out to do agriculture as punishment. Maybe put this in the farming section.

Edited November 17, 2011 by bunta71

[monty1412]

you mean just showing the european driving license should be ok?

and what if that's just a car license?

Bubu, been riding a bike in Phuket now for three weeks as an exile of Bangkok. Have not had issue with Thai police and licence checks.. want an international motorbike license get on to Krascar web site and upload your docs and they send out international licence with any classifications you want. Good enough for Thai police and have used it with rental companies for cars as well.

They even authorised me for heavy articulated vehicles which ive never driven and probably have no intent to do so.

Roads in Phuket are great but dangerous.... different from BKK. The biggest danger is not the local drivers but farangs on motor scooters who have come here and and riding for the first time... don't know why but seemed to get a rash of them turning right in front of me. They are not motorbike aware so be careful. Almost as if there is a mebtality.. Im on vacation I can do waht I want and of course there is no danger

the back road up from Kata to Ya Nui beach is a nice early morning rise.. breakfast at ya nui beach nice.

Ride safe and watch those newby riders on scooters..

Ohh fallen durians on road are also a particularly interesting obstacle as well.

cheers

[katabeachbum]

Honestly shouldn't photos of dogs be in the pets section and perhaps team 'chips' should start up a volunteer cops thread or something. The op asked nothing about dogs or police volunteers

Sorry ...I think I should be taken out to do agriculture as punishment. Maybe put this in the farming section.

nah, I just go for a Ninja ride

[deptrai]

Only been to Phuket 4 times and was stopped once in Patong. Gave him my license and he read it "California". Gave it back to me and on my way. I thought he only reason I was stopped me was that I had my wife (Korean) on the back. We were both wearing helmets.