Police Targeting Foreigners In Chiang Mai

[hellodolly]

Well, I have never been stopped.

And I know why.

It's because of the magic string I had blessed at the temple, and wound around the steering head of my motorsai (where it will get wedged and fray and eventually cause an accident due to reduced steering).

OK, just kidding.

It's because I always wear a helmet (fastened), have a current tax sticker and Wing 41 pass clearly visible on the bike/car, and they can just tell looking at me that I am one of those compulsive/obsessive motorists who has a sealed waterproof packet of all the relevant documents (copies of green/blue book, insurance contract) under the seat or in the glove box. Oh, and always carry my Thai driver licenses.

They can just tell, the spoilsports.

I'll never be stopped, and I've been practically begging them to do so for years- will never happen....

You say

"It's because I always wear a helmet (fastened), have a current tax sticker and Wing 41 pass clearly visible on the bike/car,"

Must look good with a helmet on in the car. Are you letting your wife drive.

[hellodolly]

Seriously I don't think they are just targeting foreigners. That is being paranoid.

Probably hard to accept but they are starting to tighten up on driving offenses.

Please don't waste my time or yours by citing a certain event they let go by.

As I said they are just starting a very long way to go with a lot of bumps on the road.

[mcgriffith]

You say

"It's because I always wear a helmet (fastened), have a current tax sticker and Wing 41 pass clearly visible on the bike/car,"

Must look good with a helmet on in the car. Are you letting your wife drive.

Ah, well, when one owns a stable of vehicles, can't be buggered to write a separate paragraph detailing every which category and the paperwork storage...

But you are right- when the wife drives, I wear a hand made OGK carbon fiber/composite full face race helmet, Nomex suit, etc. in the car.

In the Bugatti, it's just a silk scarf and a Martini glass.....

The Arabian horses- well that is complicated.

[jackr]

whats the penalty for not having a license?

Deportation after they sting you for 400 baht.

Was passenger on a bike a while back and buddy got pulled--no helmet, no license. Copper was about to book him and lighten his wallet until I showed him my license, to which he said 'you drive' and 'wear helmet'! Lets hope it doesn't change too much, eh!

[mesquite]

Seriously I don't think they are just targeting foreigners. That is being paranoid.

Probably hard to accept but they are starting to tighten up on driving offenses.

Please don't waste my time or yours by citing a certain event they let go by.

As I said they are just starting a very long way to go with a lot of bumps on the road.

Good point. More like they are now including foreigners a little more in their shakedowns.

[endure]

I wonder how you folks would feel if the situation were reversed and those dreadful Thai people were riding uninsured in your home country?

[Krupnik]

Oh, so for my car, I have up to date tax and insurance and the registration document of course, but my driving licence is from England. Do I need to get a Thai one then? I have never been asked to show my driving licence, even when I bought my car - on finance! It is easy to get a Thai licence, right? I looked in to it before, can't remember why I didn't end up sorting it out.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Oh, so for my car, I have up to date tax and insurance and the registration document of course, but my driving licence is from England. Do I need to get a Thai one then? I have never been asked to show my driving licence, even when I bought my car - on finance! It is easy to get a Thai licence, right? I looked in to it before, can't remember why I didn't end up sorting it out.

Thai license is always better. And officially required if you live here. Indeed it's not too difficult to get, but will eat the better part of a day. The driving theory test is pretty hard as it asks for specific things that you just wouldn't know unless you studied it. (Or unless they tell you the answers and then let you try again. ) But it has questions like how far you should park away from the curb: 10cm, 20cm, 30 cm or 40cm. Good luck guessing that. Kind of silly also because nobody every gets to a standard small distance of a curb, but okay.

[hellodolly]

Oh, so for my car, I have up to date tax and insurance and the registration document of course, but my driving licence is from England. Do I need to get a Thai one then? I have never been asked to show my driving licence, even when I bought my car - on finance! It is easy to get a Thai licence, right? I looked in to it before, can't remember why I didn't end up sorting it out.

Thai license is always better. And officially required if you live here. Indeed it's not too difficult to get, but will eat the better part of a day. The driving theory test is pretty hard as it asks for specific things that you just wouldn't know unless you studied it. (Or unless they tell you the answers and then let you try again. ) But it has questions like how far you should park away from the curb: 10cm, 20cm, 30 cm or 40cm. Good luck guessing that. Kind of silly also because nobody every gets to a standard small distance of a curb, but okay.

If you have a international driving license are you required to take the driving part of the test?

I have a friend who did not have one and when they went to get their license for a motor bike were required to take one.

They were new at motor bike riding and figure they might not have got the license if the tester had been paying attention.

[onthedarkside]

If you have a home licence supported by an IDP then you should not need to sit the test. Only for vehicle types supported by your IDP, for example if you don't have a motor bike supported then you would need to take the motor bike test.

[Krupnik]

Oh, so for my car, I have up to date tax and insurance and the registration document of course, but my driving licence is from England. Do I need to get a Thai one then? I have never been asked to show my driving licence, even when I bought my car - on finance! It is easy to get a Thai licence, right? I looked in to it before, can't remember why I didn't end up sorting it out.

Thai license is always better. And officially required if you live here. Indeed it's not too difficult to get, but will eat the better part of a day. The driving theory test is pretty hard as it asks for specific things that you just wouldn't know unless you studied it. (Or unless they tell you the answers and then let you try again. ) But it has questions like how far you should park away from the curb: 10cm, 20cm, 30 cm or 40cm. Good luck guessing that. Kind of silly also because nobody every gets to a standard small distance of a curb, but okay.

Thanks Winnie, so I need to look into it next time I've a day free from work then. Is there a book or something, some way I can study it? Do I need to book the test first, or do I just turn up at the place?

[hml367]

Krupnik,

This is the url for a driving test on the internet. I am not sure how current it is with the actual test, but it may give you an idea of what is on the test.

You will have to type the url from this picture in your browser.

MSPain

[TommoPhysicist]

Oh, so for my car, I have up to date tax and insurance and the registration document of course, but my driving licence is from England. Do I need to get a Thai one then? I have never been asked to show my driving licence, even when I bought my car - on finance! It is easy to get a Thai licence, right? I looked in to it before, can't remember why I didn't end up sorting it out.

Thai license is always better. And officially required if you live here. Indeed it's not too difficult to get, but will eat the better part of a day. The driving theory test is pretty hard as it asks for specific things that you just wouldn't know unless you studied it. (Or unless they tell you the answers and then let you try again. ) But it has questions like how far you should park away from the curb: 10cm, 20cm, 30 cm or 40cm. Good luck guessing that. Kind of silly also because nobody every gets to a standard small distance of a curb, but okay.

Thanks Winnie, so I need to look into it next time I've a day free from work then. Is there a book or something, some way I can study it? Do I need to book the test first, or do I just turn up at the place?

If you have a valid UK license, you don't need to take any test.

WP or cert of residence

UK license

Driving Medical cert from any hospital or clinic

Passport

Is all you need

[uptheos]

Oh, so for my car, I have up to date tax and insurance and the registration document of course, but my driving licence is from England. Do I need to get a Thai one then? I have never been asked to show my driving licence, even when I bought my car - on finance! It is easy to get a Thai licence, right? I looked in to it before, can't remember why I didn't end up sorting it out.

Thai license is always better. And officially required if you live here. Indeed it's not too difficult to get, but will eat the better part of a day. The driving theory test is pretty hard as it asks for specific things that you just wouldn't know unless you studied it. (Or unless they tell you the answers and then let you try again. ) But it has questions like how far you should park away from the curb: 10cm, 20cm, 30 cm or 40cm. Good luck guessing that. Kind of silly also because nobody every gets to a standard small distance of a curb, but okay.

There's a very nice lady often at the info desk or the first desk where there's a row of people. Ask her to borrow the test book in English and then it's a doddle, no need to guess after reading it.

[mamborobert]

Never met anyone who has not got on well with the lady at the licensing.

She has got to be one of the most well regarded Thai government workers in Chiang Mai by expats.

When you consider the clientele she has infinite patience and always explains things clearly. Its a wonder she has not gone postal by now.

Would that foreigners in my own home country (or indeed nationals themselves) could speak so well of a licensing centre !

Immigration could learn from her.......

[mesquite]

Oh, so for my car, I have up to date tax and insurance and the registration document of course, but my driving licence is from England. Do I need to get a Thai one then? I have never been asked to show my driving licence, even when I bought my car - on finance! It is easy to get a Thai licence, right? I looked in to it before, can't remember why I didn't end up sorting it out.

Thai license is always better. And officially required if you live here. Indeed it's not too difficult to get, but will eat the better part of a day. The driving theory test is pretty hard as it asks for specific things that you just wouldn't know unless you studied it. (Or unless they tell you the answers and then let you try again. ) But it has questions like how far you should park away from the curb: 10cm, 20cm, 30 cm or 40cm. Good luck guessing that. Kind of silly also because nobody every gets to a standard small distance of a curb, but okay.

ANS: Curb distance = 3m.

[kilt]

So.... if you have a rental scooter and are stopped at a checkpoint with a foreign DL you're fined?

Is that what I'm hearing?

[chiang mai]

So.... if you have a rental scooter and are stopped at a checkpoint with a foreign DL you're fined?

Is that what I'm hearing?

yup

[TommoPhysicist]

So.... if you have a rental scooter and are stopped at a checkpoint with a foreign DL you're fined?

Is that what I'm hearing?

No, on a scooter

Long stay foreigners (60+ day) need a Thai m/c DL

Tourist foreigners (60 day and under) need a m/c DL in English language

[tfc]

They seem stricter with this in Chiang Mai. When I was in Phuket the police often used to let tourists go if they could show they were a tourist. Even if they were not they could be let off if a little tip was added. Of course sometimes they'd have special fines. A friend of mine had his Thai license, rego and green book and the policeman said that he had not paid his "today only driving tax" of 500 baht.

[chiang mai]

Go to the police station on the river, the one near the flower market. Look at the list of fines written in English and then get someone to translate the Thai list, end of story!

[bjohn34]

Oh, so for my car, I have up to date tax and insurance and the registration document of course, but my driving licence is from England. Do I need to get a Thai one then? I have never been asked to show my driving licence, even when I bought my car - on finance! It is easy to get a Thai licence, right? I looked in to it before, can't remember why I didn't end up sorting it out.

Thai license is always better. And officially required if you live here. Indeed it's not too difficult to get, but will eat the better part of a day. The driving theory test is pretty hard as it asks for specific things that you just wouldn't know unless you studied it. (Or unless they tell you the answers and then let you try again. ) But it has questions like how far you should park away from the curb: 10cm, 20cm, 30 cm or 40cm. Good luck guessing that. Kind of silly also because nobody every gets to a standard small distance of a curb, but okay.

Thanks Winnie, so I need to look into it next time I've a day free from work then. Is there a book or something, some way I can study it? Do I need to book the test first, or do I just turn up at the place?

If you have a valid UK license, you don't need to take any test.

WP or cert of residence

UK license

Driving Medical cert from any hospital or clinic

Passport

Is all you need

True, if you are applying for same type of vehicle as on UK license. If UK license is for auto only and you want Thai motorbike license, you are required to take the motorbike driving test

[TommoPhysicist]

One of my friends got a ticket today ...... tourist on m/c no DL.

Had his helmet on, was riding a hired bike. Stopped at a checkpoint in the middle of town.

[cloudhopper]

One of my friends got a ticket today ...... tourist on m/c no DL.

Had his helmet on, was riding a hired bike. Stopped at a checkpoint in the middle of town.

Anyone driving anything without a license deserves to get a ticket. I hope the cops ARE targeting all the foreigners who clearly have never operated a moto before. Next I hope they start citing all the dumb ass tourists that walk 5 abreast down the middle of the sois.

[chiang mai]

Next I hope they start citing all the dumb ass tourists that walk 5 abreast down the middle of the sois.

A particular pet peeve of mine, I drive down Chan Klan (night market) each night around 9.30pm, that four lane road is reduced to one lane courtesy of parked vehicles on both sides, double parked song taews and tuk tuks in the third lane, ineveitably there's a bunch of tourists sauntering down the remaining lane - not a polceman in sight, might as well make it a pedestrian/parking only zone.

[cmsally]

Oh, so for my car, I have up to date tax and insurance and the registration document of course, but my driving licence is from England. Do I need to get a Thai one then? I have never been asked to show my driving licence, even when I bought my car - on finance! It is easy to get a Thai licence, right? I looked in to it before, can't remember why I didn't end up sorting it out.

Thai license is always better. And officially required if you live here. Indeed it's not too difficult to get, but will eat the better part of a day. The driving theory test is pretty hard as it asks for specific things that you just wouldn't know unless you studied it. (Or unless they tell you the answers and then let you try again. ) But it has questions like how far you should park away from the curb: 10cm, 20cm, 30 cm or 40cm. Good luck guessing that. Kind of silly also because nobody every gets to a standard small distance of a curb, but okay.

Thanks Winnie, so I need to look into it next time I've a day free from work then. Is there a book or something, some way I can study it? Do I need to book the test first, or do I just turn up at the place?

If you have a valid UK license, you don't need to take any test.

WP or cert of residence

UK license

Driving Medical cert from any hospital or clinic

Passport

Is all you need

x2

if you have UK license you shouldn't need to do test

[philw]

One of my friends got a ticket today ...... tourist on m/c no DL.

Had his helmet on, was riding a hired bike. Stopped at a checkpoint in the middle of town.

Anyone driving anything without a license deserves to get a ticket. I hope the cops ARE targeting all the foreigners who clearly have never operated a moto before. Next I hope they start citing all the dumb ass tourists that walk 5 abreast down the middle of the sois.

Absolutely and at the same time lets arrest a few US army vets who willingly participated in an illegal war in Laos and Cambodia............

Let's get them all, starting from the top and in another, subsequent, lifetime focus on the 5 tourists walking in a soi..........

Sheeshh...........

[Krupnik]

x2

if you have UK license you shouldn't need to do test

Thanks for the advice. I still need to get the licence, right? Just need to have those documents to get it? The other thing is that my licence is only for a car I think, but I also have a motorbike, well - a scooter, am I allowed to drive that too or will I need to take a test specially for that?

[Mapguy]

Never met anyone who has not got on well with the lady at the licensing.

She has got to be one of the most well regarded Thai government workers in Chiang Mai by expats.

When you consider the clientele she has infinite patience and always explains things clearly. Its a wonder she has not gone postal by now.

Would that foreigners in my own home country (or indeed nationals themselves) could speak so well of a licensing centre !

Immigration could learn from her.......

+1 And there is a lot of good information above.

[TommoPhysicist]

Stopped AGAIN this morning 10am Chang Puak ...... showed my Thai DL, drove off.

Didn't even speak with them this time.