Thai Drivers Licence - Help!

[jauntyjohn]

Please anyone advise if I can get a thai drivers licence if my home licence (Australia) has expired by more than 5 years.

thanks!

[Orac]

Can't see why not - just means you have to do the full test.

[dirk28]

I had a Australian DL and all the paperwork and didn't have to do a thing except smile for my photo for my Thai license. No help for you,but i would imagine you would have to the test

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[TomTao]

Just got both car and motorbike liscence, the car liscence was simple, just showed my W.A liscence, do some paperwork and smile for the camera, but because I don't have a motorbike liscence from Australia I had to sit through a four hour lecture and video presentation about the road rules and road safety, this included being given a road rule book written in english to read through before the presentation, you cannot take the book home, also before the presentation was the eyesight test, depth perception test and reflex test, after the presentation is the computer test, multiple choice, pass mark is 23 out of 30 correct, following day is the practicle test, nothing like the test in Australia, not on traffic. Since your Australian liscence is expired you will have to go through the whole process, the liscencing center will not accept an expired liscence. Hope this helps.

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[TerryLH]

Yes, you can get a licence.

[bruceky]

Hey guys, which offices did you go to? We just had the worst experience and it seemed to be around the fact that my license says class-c (i.e. standard license for a license from SA) which apparently a simple google and government website confirming classes isn't good enough. The woman also then insisted i get the license certified and translated... Weird

[TomTao]

Didn't have that problem here in Chumphon, the lady there simply looked at the back of the licence where it says' CLASS C Motor vehicle =< 4.5T gmv, equipped for =< 12 persons', she called over to someone who could speak english, they both conferred witj my wife, no problem.

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[Soutpeel]

Hey guys, which offices did you go to? We just had the worst experience and it seemed to be around the fact that my license says class-c (i.e. standard license for a license from SA) which apparently a simple google and government website confirming classes isn't good enough. The woman also then insisted i get the license certified and translated... Weird

Not weird at all, they obviously dont know what a "class c" license is, and this is reason they are asking for a "translation & certification"....if you had an IDP based on your WA license you wouldnt be getting asked this question....its not their job to google anything.

Based on events to date you would be better just sitting the Thai license and dont worry about the Aussie one.....its invalid anyway cos its expired.

[Litlos]

Get the Thai licence. OK a bit of a hassle, but is all explained in the pinned thread in the car forum.

Best thing is you can use a Thai drivers licence as ID in Thailand and not have to carry your passport.

The second best thing is if you go back to Oz and the plods pull you up you can flash the Thai licence, drives them to distraction.

Cheers

[SlyAnimal]

The second best thing is if you go back to Oz and the plods pull you up you can flash the Thai licence, drives them to distraction.

Cheers

Drives them to distraction, or is legal?

e.g. I don't have a motorcycle licence in NZ, but want to get one in Thailand (I always wonder if Thai police will one day ask me for it lol), if I could use a Thai one overseas it'd be handy as

[bruceky]

Hey guys, which offices did you go to? We just had the worst experience and it seemed to be around the fact that my license says class-c (i.e. standard license for a license from SA) which apparently a simple google and government website confirming classes isn't good enough. The woman also then insisted i get the license certified and translated... Weird

Not weird at all, they obviously dont know what a "class c" license is, and this is reason they are asking for a "translation & certification"....if you had an IDP based on your WA license you wouldnt be getting asked this question....its not their job to google anything.

Based on events to date you would be better just sitting the Thai license and dont worry about the Aussie one.....its invalid anyway cos its expired.

Thanks for the feedback. I do have an IDP but it expired by a few weeks, while i understand that its expired, it still provided clarity of what class c is. Personal reasons, i cant leave here right now if not i wouldnt be trying to get a thai one (just trying to do the right thing) but my actual license is current (i'm not the WA license holder) and valid and i googled the website for the girl. She was rude from the get go and just gave an impression that she didn't want to process one more file after lunch. She even questioned the stat dec and asked what it was and where we got it when there was a stamp from the australian embassy on there... Hence why i was asking where others have been because it seems from a few different posts there are some more helpful offices

[oldsailor35]

I got both car & m/c licence on Samui. Just had to do a few simple tests, get medical certificate, fill in a form with immigration to present at testing station and thats it. They were'nt interested in my Aussie licence at all.

[Litlos]

The second best thing is if you go back to Oz and the plods pull you up you can flash the Thai licence, drives them to distraction.

Cheers

Drives them to distraction, or is legal?

e.g. I don't have a motorcycle licence in NZ, but want to get one in Thailand (I always wonder if Thai police will one day ask me for it lol), if I could use a Thai one overseas it'd be handy as

From the WA Transport Dept website "If you are a visitor to Western Australia (WA), you may drive on your overseas licence, for as long as it remains valid in the country of issue".

Not sure on other areas though. If you have a Thai licence that will allow you to get an International Driving Permit if required to meet the condition for other countries. Also some places will take another countries licence as proof of ability and the hassle to change to a local licence is minimal. Of course everywhere is different though.

For WA home of the random police stops, booze buses etc it is good fun flashing the Thai licence. It really spoils their day.

Cheers

[Soutpeel]

Thanks for the feedback. I do have an IDP but it expired by a few weeks, while i understand that its expired, it still provided clarity of what class c is.

If your WA license expired 5 years ago, what license is your IDP based on ?....they are typically valid only for 12 months, so it cant be based your WA license, as you would not get a IDP issued in Aussie against an expired licence ?...

By saying your IDP expired a few weeks again infers you have another DL, then use that one then

[Soutpeel]

If you have a Thai licence that will allow you to get an International Driving Permit if required to meet the condition for other countries. Cheers

"If you have a 5 year Thai licence...that will allow you..."

[Eff1n2ret]

For WA home of the random police stops, booze buses etc it is good fun flashing the Thai licence. It really spoils their day.

Cheers

That's interesting, I'm surprised the Aussie authorities haven't caught up with that. In the UK, anyone stopped for the most trivial offence who can't produce a UK licence has to go to court rather than take a fixed penalty. Therefore they acquire a criminal record, which has messed up some people's applications for British citizenship as a court-imposed fine remains on their record as an "unspent" conviction for 5 years.

[rockderk]

Even if it's expired one day, they'll make you start from scratch. And if you're anywhere near Chonburi testing centre, you'd be well advised to load up on LSD so at least you could enjoy the bizarre series of antics they put you through. These include: a 2 hour lecture on road safety and rules [in Thai of course] ; being told to go to a particular counter where the clerk tells you to go to another counter [and so on] ; doing a 'depth of field' vision test which comprises sitting on a dirty plastic chair with a semicircle of other test takers as spectators and being told to pull on long strings leading into a box that looks like your son's primary school science project in order to prove that you can accurately estimate whether the bus approaching you at 70 miles per hour on the wrong side of the road will kill you or not. But I'm leaving out the written test! This is like Bag o Words, where you take a a bag of random words , shake them up and make that question 1. And so on until you have a written examination on Thai road rules. My favorite test was the accelerator and brake pedals they had on the floor with a wire leading to a vertical row of LED lights. When it's green they warn you, press the accelerator. And when it's red, you... ok you get the picture, right. I failed this test. But I entertained a lot of people that day. And dam_n it isn't that what life is really about?

[Litlos]

For WA home of the random police stops, booze buses etc it is good fun flashing the Thai licence. It really spoils their day.

Cheers

That's interesting, I'm surprised the Aussie authorities haven't caught up with that. In the UK, anyone stopped for the most trivial offence who can't produce a UK licence has to go to court rather than take a fixed penalty. Therefore they acquire a criminal record, which has messed up some people's applications for British citizenship as a court-imposed fine remains on their record as an "unspent" conviction for 5 years.

Different mindset in WA, they just want the cash as easily as possible, going to court defeats that. Probably because WA does not have a big tourist turnover, ie everyone wants to go to Sidneeey.

The WA solution is to issue an on the spot fine and if you do not pay they withhold the licence renewal for yourself and vehicles, no problem. As I hold an Australian passport no problem on citizenship either. The roads in Australia are administered by the state governments, the passports and citizenship by the commonwealth, and never shall the two forms of government meet, cooperate or agree

So when asked for licence I simply hand over the Thai one. They can do something if they wish, but this involves a lot of time and paperwork. If issued a fine I usually just pay it, otherwise it goes to hire car companies, and they will chase you. It just totally screws up the system of demerit points. I have often laughed thinking about PC plod in WA sending a letter to the Thai BIB to please ensure that x points are added (deducted?) from my Thai licence. I reckon that request would hit the bin at something approaching the speed of light

Cheers

[Kilgore Trout]

Even if it's expired one day, they'll make you start from scratch. And if you're anywhere near Chonburi testing centre, you'd be well advised to load up on LSD so at least you could enjoy the bizarre series of antics they put you through. These include: a 2 hour lecture on road safety and rules [in Thai of course] ; being told to go to a particular counter where the clerk tells you to go to another counter [and so on] ; doing a 'depth of field' vision test which comprises sitting on a dirty plastic chair with a semicircle of other test takers as spectators and being told to pull on long strings leading into a box that looks like your son's primary school science project in order to prove that you can accurately estimate whether the bus approaching you at 70 miles per hour on the wrong side of the road will kill you or not. But I'm leaving out the written test! This is like Bag o Words, where you take a a bag of random words , shake them up and make that question 1. And so on until you have a written examination on Thai road rules. My favorite test was the accelerator and brake pedals they had on the floor with a wire leading to a vertical row of LED lights. When it's green they warn you, press the accelerator. And when it's red, you... ok you get the picture, right. I failed this test. But I entertained a lot of people that day. And dam_n it isn't that what life is really about?

And now you are aware of your right to legally drive a tank or formula one car on Sukumvit, so long as you have police permission of course

[bruceky]

Thanks for the feedback. I do have an IDP but it expired by a few weeks, while i understand that its expired, it still provided clarity of what class c is.

If your WA license expired 5 years ago, what license is your IDP based on ?....they are typically valid only for 12 months, so it cant be based your WA license, as you would not get a IDP issued in Aussie against an expired licence ?...

By saying your IDP expired a few weeks again infers you have another DL, then use that one then

i'm not the originator of this thread, different person, i wasn't the one with the WA license, I have a SA license, different states... and my SA license is current and valid which is what my IDP was based on.

All good anyways, I was at a different office today where the staff actually laughed and smiled rather than asked why I arrived after lunch time as we arrived to the desk. They didn't have any issues and just went through the normal reaction tests, colour test and depth perception test. All done within an hour.