Drivers License

[TommoPhysicist]

First license 1 year about 100bht each (car and m/c)

Second license 5 years about 500bht each (car and m/c)

Medical for Thai 50bht, foreigner 100bht

No problem getting a 1 year on tourist visa, some places won't issue a 5 year with a tourist visa.

Edited August 31, 2012 by TommoPhysicist

[muchogra]

Pardon me for piggybacking on this thread.

Im going to the US net week. I was looking for my US driver's license which has most probably expired but I know I could get it renewed quite easily, but I couldn't find it. Now, I'm thinking of getting an international driver's license in Thailand. Does driving with an international license under the US insurance coverage? Would appreciate anyone answering who know it for a fact.

[egypte]

Pardon me for piggybacking on this thread.

Im going to the US net week. I was looking for my US driver's license which has most probably expired but I know I could get it renewed quite easily, but I couldn't find it. Now, I'm thinking of getting an international driver's license in Thailand. Does driving with an international license under the US insurance coverage? Would appreciate anyone answering who know it for a fact.

Legaly the IDP is just a translation of a Currently Valid Driving License, and is not valid if not accompanied by the Driving License, if you can provide the Currently Valid License and the International Driving License, then you are legally allowed to drive.

But if you only produce an International Driving license, it is not legal. Hope that answer your queries.

IDP - What is it?

The IDP translates your license into a standard format, and a host of languages, that allows foreign officials to better understand your driving privileges. It does not replace your license. The IDP, in and of itself, confers no driving privileges to you, although you must provide a valid license to obtain one. It's important to remember to carry both your driver license and your IDP with you whenever you make another foray on the roads of a foreign country

.

In the U.S., there is no national requirement for non-citizens to obtain an IDP. Same goes for the rest of the world, although many countries, especially in Europe, are more receptive to the IDP and more familiar with it than we are. There are countries that recognize the IDP, but not your original driver license, and there are also car rental agencies abroad that would much prefer to see an IDP than some strange license from Wisconsin.

You may not be required to obtain an IDP by the country to which you are traveling, but it's never a bad idea to have one. If you plan to drive abroad, extensively or just around the block for some cappuccino, save yourself the headache of trying to convince someone in a foreign language that you have the right to get behind the wheel.

The IDP is about the same size as your passport book. It lists your name with photo identification, and it translates your driving privileges into 10 different languages, including French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Arabic, and the Scandinavian languages. It's recognized by more than 150 countries. For a complete list, see this application form from AAA.

IDPs remain valid for one year from their date of issuance, and you must obtain them in your country of origin. If you establish residency abroad, the IDP will no longer suffice, and you'll need to take steps to obtain a local license.

[qdinthailand]

I obtained my 1-year temporary Thai drivers licenses - plural - today in Chiang Mai. I am a U.S. resident, with a valid State of Michigan D.L. My license has a 'CY' endorsement, as in Cycle, as in Motorcycle. In the states, you get a drivers license that is valid for driving an auto. You add an endorsement for other purposes, as in motorcycles. I'm not aware that states will issue a 'motorcycle only' restricted license, but perhaps they do (after all, there's 50 of them suckers - states I mean - so its possible).

A few additional bits today:

If you have a valid (non-expired) U.S. state license, you don't have to do any tests. If it is expired, you do tests.

If you have 'proof' of some sort - a printed page from the state drivers license department - that provides information as to what the 'CY' endorsement means, you don't have to take motorcycle test. For me, this would have meant printing off the internet something like this and bringing it along:

http://www.michigan....42342--,00.html

or

http://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,1607,7-127-1627_46351_46352---,00.html

I'm guessing other countries would be able to do likewise, but pages would probably have to be in English in order to be accepted (no German, Greek, Italian, etc. language pages).

I didn't have such a page this a.m., so I first got my car driving license (arriving just after 9, I had it in my hands by 9:40 after doing color-blindness test and red-light/green-light foot pedal test).

I spent 15 minutes brushing up on road signs from a manual in several languages they gave me, then starting at 10:00 did the 'written' test on their computer. Around 10:25, I was on the driving range for the moto driving test. I left just a couple minutes after 11:00 with both Auto and Moto licenses in hand.

If I had flunked the written test this morning, I would have returned tomorrow with the above referenced page in hand and obtained a moto license without having to redo the testing process.

Edited September 11, 2012 by qdinthailand