My Recent Driving License Experiment

[Gonsalviz]

My recent driving license experiment in Isan. My opinion/rant as much as an account on Feb 2, 2012

I tried to get a Yellow Tabien Bahn to no avail. At my local Ampur office everything revolves around the Thai wife even though the FIL is the house owner. She was in L.A. I gave up on that and went to immigration in Udon and got the home address verification 300 baht per. You need 1 for Motorbike and 1 for car.

I got the NON-O in Vientiene. Cut and dried. No BS from me, no BS from them. I made another thread on that. Many people push the limit and make a problem. I think it is better to live inside the rules and never have a problem. Not to say there have not been problems but only 1 in 33 years and it was not with me. It was with my Thai wife and a mistake I proved to Thai immigration that they made the mistake because she was on a Thai passport and me and 3 children on US passport. The officer made the mistake with the wrong stamp. Takes time and a smile. I love LOS. 33 years and I never stop.

Documents required for immigration:

Copy: House owner signed Tabien Bahn.

Copy: House owner ID card signed.

A form not sure the number: Signed by house owner in 2 places. Immigration filled out the rest. Ask immigration if you do not have the same situation. They have always been helpful for me in many provinces. My problems arise when the farang helpers step in. A Swede in Phuket comes to mind.

3 photos. I guess at 2 if you only need 1 license. Be sure they understand if you want 2 licenses.

It seems like I needed 2 copies of everything because I got both licenses. Cannot be sure for immigration but when you go to get the licenses (2) you will need 2 copies of everything. Take 2 anyway. It’s only 1 baht a copy up here and you always need copies.

Immigration at Udon was smooth, so I never want to hear any complaints about them. 2 English speaking ladies to help you out and whoever the guy at the desk was, was very helpful also. He even apologized for me having to come back the next day because he knows how far from Udon to where I live.

At the DL place it was also very smooth except that they don’t speak much English but the ones that do are very helpful. I had a real cutie helping to explain everything to me. Apparently, it was her job to explain things for farang. She did a good job

2 copies of Passport face page.

2 copies of Visa. NON-O. Tourist visas were not entertained, so the sign said.

2 immigration address verifications

2 copies of Doctor exam, which at a local clinic was nothing but filling out the form and paying 40 baht. 1 original and a copy of that.

I think that was all that was required but I had dropped by the day before because I was in the area and asked what was required so I made sure I had it all.

If you have an old DL you can apply for a 5 year. I had one from 1998 so I entertained the fact that they made me take the tests. Computer and actual driving. (I never actually completed the car test and never even sat on a bike but was passed on both). I had asked previously if they wanted me to bring the car or the bike. The bike is a Road King which would be rather hard to load onload/offload and I am not sure their course is big enough but they said ‘bring the car’. I am pretty sure I can horse that thing around the course but a Honda Click would be much easier. The helmet would be the hard thing to remember.

For the bike test, the 2 biggies are 1. Put on your helmet. 2. Don’t fall down.

For the car test the biggies are 1. Put your seat belt on. 2. Anytime you turn the steering wheel to go anywhere put your turn indicator on.

In the Thai driving manual it is stated that if you have an International DL you are exempt from the tests other than the color and reaction which is pretty simple but as I said I entertained them because they were going to allow the 5 year DL which was much more preferable than making a problem and getting the 1 year. I am pretty sure they were only entertaining me because I had a DL that was expired 13 years. The renewal for the 5 year will be a breeze. I think it is only pay money and a Doctor exam.

The computer test is not easy. Mainly because of the language barrier and there are more than 1 correct answer on some. There were many repeated questions, so I answered with different answers on them (if I was not sure). I failed the first time but prevailed the second because there is a review and you can see which ones you miss and are allowed a second chance on each test. It was not possible for me to tell which was the motorbike test and which was the car except that there is a question about the maximum decibels for a motorcycle (I think 85). The appropriate parking questions were the main problem for me because Thais don’t park, they just stop driving. Then there are intersection Q’s. There are traffic lights in the picture but they are nothing for the questions. Only remember about 4 way stops (if which there are any, I have seen none in Thailand). If you are from Europe or the USA everything is opposite. The car on the left prevails in Thailand. Also never forget there is only 1 rider and 1 passenger allowed on a motorbike (555). It is a point in the study guide that you cannot drive without a driving license but on the test the answer is road tax. They did have a little computer study in English to look at for a while so you can learn something, but trust me, not anywhere near all you need to know. Absorb this little bit of advice and maybe you can glean more than I did from it. I think if you miss more than 7 you fail. First test (they tell me motorbike) I missed 9. Then I took the car test and missed 5 (which is passing) then retook the motorbike test and missed 1. As I said, you cannot tell if it is a car or motorbike test, so if you will, I had 3 shots at the test. It might be worthwhile to try for both, so you can have multiple chances to pass. You only have to pay for the DL you end up with and only for the number of years. Tests are free. If you fail the second time on any, you will have to come back the next day.

The main problem for me was that it is about 40 Km from my house to go there. I went in the morning (09:00) for the reaction and color test (simple and not computer) although you only get 2 chances. Basically the test was to tell them what color you see no matter what position it is on the light pole. (it might be green but in the red position or red in the yellow position). They were just amazed that I could tell them in Thai what color I see. Then there is a depth perception thing. Basically, you have a little control for fore and aft and you try to align a moveable pole with a fixed pole (depth perception). I went again in the afternoon (15:00) for the computer test and again the next day at 09:00 for the driving test(s).

I forget the actual price but for 5 years on both it was slightly over 1000 baht. Maybe like 1060. The car is around 655 I think. I am in a Western Isan Province so I would guess the process would be somewhat the same anywhere in the area.

My best advice would be that since this is not your country, you relax, see what happens and as Larry the Cable Guy would say: “Git’er done”. In my opinion there is a lot of unwarranted mistrust by some farang toward Thai people. Sure, you might not get exactly what you want but I don’t get that from my wife. I love her to death and I am sure she thinks the same. They are not trying to screw you. They are doing what they know. It is not your job to correct them. That is the job for their superiors. If you try to do it, you are making everything worse for yourself. They will be the same until their superiors tell them different. If you think I am wrong, carry on. I just laugh. In my country, I’d have to plan for all day to do everything, I’d still have to drive and test and pay more. Anything more than 4 years is just depending on the state.

Yes, and I have both neatly tucked away. I have an International DL that is good (for both) until 2020 or at least I can convince them it is. The BIB will never see the Thai DL. I have been in this business with the BIB many years. The BIB up here are described as the Thai Mafia by the locals. Better to keep them confused. My wife wanted me to do this so I can go to national parks for Thai price. I figure in about 5 years I might break even. LOL . No bribes, nothing illegal, all above the table, I prefer business done that way. I would have preferred to not have done the tests and not had to travel so much but…………TIT.

Maybe I rant. Maybe I teach you something. Maybe not. Up to you. Alai go dai.

[mogandave]

I just pay the money...

[MaiChai]

Try adding a couple of carriage returns in there; it was hard to read!

More recent experience is that the police seem to be avoiding pulling farangs, unless you are obviously doing something wrong! I think it helps if you don't look rich.

[Totster]

Can't be bothered to read that.. getting a DL is painless here as long as you have all the paperwork.

totster

[Gonsalviz]

Try adding a couple of carriage returns in there; it was hard to read!

More recent experience is that the police seem to be avoiding pulling farangs, unless you are obviously doing something wrong! I think it helps if you don't look rich.

Sorry about that. I originally wrote it up in WORD and that is how it came out.

[NanLaew]

Try adding a couple of carriage returns in there; it was hard to read!

More recent experience is that the police seem to be avoiding pulling farangs, unless you are obviously doing something wrong! I think it helps if you don't look rich.

Sorry about that. I originally wrote it up in WORD and that is how it came out.

People should take time to read it if not only for such gems as, "The appropriate parking questions were the main problem for me because Thais don’t park, they just stop driving."

Priceless.... but true!

[RobertHima]

"I have an International DL that is good (for both) until 2020 or at least I can convince them it is."

Could you give some details on this? Mine says (on the back cover) "Permit is valid for one year from date of issue."

This one year is quite a short time, it would be convenient to get a longer validity. Or maybe the convincing is the trick?

[Gonsalviz]

Can't be bothered to read that.. getting a DL is painless here as long as you have all the paperwork.

totster

Thank you for your most informative post.

[Gonsalviz]

"I have an International DL that is good (for both) until 2020 or at least I can convince them it is."

Could you give some details on this? Mine says (on the back cover) "Permit is valid for one year from date of issue."

This one year is quite a short time, it would be convenient to get a longer validity. Or maybe the convincing is the trick?

I bought mine on the internet. It is supposed to be good as long as your normal D.L. is. Mine is good until I am 65. Arizona. That will be 2020.

[thaicbr]

"I have an International DL that is good (for both) until 2020 or at least I can convince them it is."

Could you give some details on this? Mine says (on the back cover) "Permit is valid for one year from date of issue."

This one year is quite a short time, it would be convenient to get a longer validity. Or maybe the convincing is the trick?

I bought mine on the internet. It is supposed to be good as long as your normal D.L. is. Mine is good until I am 65. Arizona. That will be 2020.

you bought a useless piece of paper. there was actually a Guy in the news section this week who got done by the Thai police. no license. if you have a home country license it Sooo easy.

oh by the way I have a nice bridge to sell. do you want to buy it?

Edited March 2, 2012 by thaicbr

[thaicbr]

there is no such thing as an international driving license. there is an international driving permit that is effectively a translation of your home license and it IS valid in Thailand and you can get a Thai license with this without doing the test.