Motorcycle Drivers License Assistance? Driving Schools?

[rideswings]

My GF, who is from Myanmar but living in CM, keeps getting stopped by police and having to pay 500 baht each time because she doesnt have a license. It has happened twice in the past 2 weeks, so its getting expensive. She was wearing her helmet each time, so thats not why they are pulling her over.

Im just wondering if she would be able to get a Thai motorcycle license, or even an international license, so if she gets stopped, she wont have to keep paying. She doesnt have any bills or leases in her name, but she does have some type of Thai ID.

It seems like the police are really hungry these days.

[onthedarkside]

Does she has a Myanmar driving license. That would be completely legal anywhere in ASEAN area, including Thailand.

[TheVicar]

Does she has a Myanmar driving license. That would be completely legal anywhere in ASEAN area, including Thailand.

This is a good point raised. Also, how is she here (on a visa or what?). It is possible to get a Thai drivers' license for motorcycle even on a tourist visa. The process is time-consuming and frustrating but the physical test itself is easy. Just follow and do what other drivers do during the test. Even if you fail it, you can repeat the physical driving test again, almost right after failing.

It is better for her (and you) if she does have a valid license because if she gets into an accident without one...

[rideswings]

Does she has a Myanmar driving license. That would be completely legal anywhere in ASEAN area, including Thailand.

No she doesnt have a Myanmar license either

Does she has a Myanmar driving license. That would be completely legal anywhere in ASEAN area, including Thailand.

This is a good point raised. Also, how is she here (on a visa or what?). It is possible to get a Thai drivers' license for motorcycle even on a tourist visa. The process is time-consuming and frustrating but the physical test itself is easy. Just follow and do what other drivers do during the test. Even if you fail it, you can repeat the physical driving test again, almost right after failing.

It is better for her (and you) if she does have a valid license because if she gets into an accident without one...

I think shes here on a tourist visa, and thanks for that info. Yes I agree about it being better if she has a license for sure. I wonder if it would be easier for her to just get a Myanmar license?

[rideswings]

When I got my car and MC licenses in Udon, I went to a driving school and for a fee they did everything for me. Anyone know of a place like that here in CM? Thanks!

[onthedarkside]

Most likely easier for her to get a license in Myanmar. For a Thai license she would need to get a residence paper from Immigration. It's possible even with a tourist visa so long as Immigration officer cooperates = tea money.

[Mickeem]

I think the best thing to do is for her to ask around her compratriots how and if they have got a licence. There are a lot of Burmese in Chiang Mai and many ride m'bikes surely they can't all be riding without a licence, I'll ask around the Thai Yai I know who ride bikes.

Also does she 'stick out' as looking non Thai? The Shan seem to blend in here but other Burmese wearing long skirts yellow thanaka makeup etc are obvious.

Sounds like the Police are pulling over non Thais for easy fine revenue.

[rideswings]

Most likely easier for her to get a license in Myanmar. For a Thai license she would need to get a residence paper from Immigration. It's possible even with a tourist visa so long as Immigration officer cooperates = tea money.

I think it would be a good start for her to get a Myanmar license.

I think the best thing to do is for her to ask around her compratriots how and if they have got a licence. There are a lot of Burmese in Chiang Mai and many ride m'bikes surely they can't all be riding without a licence, I'll ask around the Thai Yai I know who ride bikes.

Also does she 'stick out' as looking non Thai? The Shan seem to blend in here but other Burmese wearing long skirts yellow thanaka makeup etc are obvious.

Sounds like the Police are pulling over non Thais for easy fine revenue.

Well, she doesnt look especially Burmese, she always wears her helmet, and she doesnt wear long skirts, she looks Thai. hahaha But I guess the police have a keen sense of who is legal and who isnt. Today they pulled over around 20 people in the time it took her to pay the fine and get her bike back. One farang who got pulled over was screaming at the police to give him his passport back, so I guess they are pulling over a random lot.

She asked her Burmese friends and non of them have licenses. Every day I have to remind myself, TIT and a person can drive around for years without a license.

[TheVicar]

Most likely easier for her to get a license in Myanmar. For a Thai license she would need to get a residence paper from Immigration. It's possible even with a tourist visa so long as Immigration officer cooperates = tea money.

I think it would be a good start for her to get a Myanmar license.

I think the best thing to do is for her to ask around her compratriots how and if they have got a licence. There are a lot of Burmese in Chiang Mai and many ride m'bikes surely they can't all be riding without a licence, I'll ask around the Thai Yai I know who ride bikes.

Also does she 'stick out' as looking non Thai? The Shan seem to blend in here but other Burmese wearing long skirts yellow thanaka makeup etc are obvious.

Sounds like the Police are pulling over non Thais for easy fine revenue.

Well, she doesnt look especially Burmese, she always wears her helmet, and she doesnt wear long skirts, she looks Thai. hahaha But I guess the police have a keen sense of who is legal and who isnt. Today they pulled over around 20 people in the time it took her to pay the fine and get her bike back. One farang who got pulled over was screaming at the police to give him his passport back, so I guess they are pulling over a random lot.

She asked her Burmese friends and non of them have licenses. Every day I have to remind myself, TIT and a person can drive around for years without a license.

Rideswings, are you aware that the Thais especially dislike the Burmese as their ancient enemy (they sacked and burned Ayutthaya and killed the then Thai king to boot)? It's the ancient enemy much like the French and Germans still feel towards each other.

More recently, many Thais seem to resent Burmese because they see them as illegal immigrants stealing jobs and services (as many of the French would look upon N. Africans or many people in the U.S. would upon "wetbacks"). I don't hold these bigoted positions and have really enjoyed the Burmese people I've met but it might go a long way to explain the behavior of the police who likely also can tell she is from Burma from her accent. Better make everything very legit. Check first to see if a Burmese license (I hate to use that term Myanmar) is valid here; if so, it likely is easier for her to get a license in Burma. I suspect she will need a Thai license though. All she needs is her passport, visa and copies of same; land registraton/house registration form (available from immigration; see other threads here); taking the test (ugh! the training session is 4 hours long in Thai although the computer test can be in English) and the very simple driving test on the bike. It took me 3 full days to get all the forms and the license.

[rideswings]

Most likely easier for her to get a license in Myanmar. For a Thai license she would need to get a residence paper from Immigration. It's possible even with a tourist visa so long as Immigration officer cooperates = tea money.

I think it would be a good start for her to get a Myanmar license.

I think the best thing to do is for her to ask around her compratriots how and if they have got a licence. There are a lot of Burmese in Chiang Mai and many ride m'bikes surely they can't all be riding without a licence, I'll ask around the Thai Yai I know who ride bikes.

Also does she 'stick out' as looking non Thai? The Shan seem to blend in here but other Burmese wearing long skirts yellow thanaka makeup etc are obvious.

Sounds like the Police are pulling over non Thais for easy fine revenue.

Well, she doesnt look especially Burmese, she always wears her helmet, and she doesnt wear long skirts, she looks Thai. hahaha But I guess the police have a keen sense of who is legal and who isnt. Today they pulled over around 20 people in the time it took her to pay the fine and get her bike back. One farang who got pulled over was screaming at the police to give him his passport back, so I guess they are pulling over a random lot.

She asked her Burmese friends and non of them have licenses. Every day I have to remind myself, TIT and a person can drive around for years without a license.

Rideswings, are you aware that the Thais especially dislike the Burmese as their ancient enemy (they sacked and burned Ayutthaya)? It's the ancient enemy much like the French and Germans. More recently, many Thais seem to resent Burmese because they see them as illegal immigrants stealing jobs and services (as the French would look upon N. Africans or people in the U.S. would upon "wetbacks"). I don't hold those beliefand really have enjoyed the Burmese people I've met but it might go a long way to explain the behavior of the police. Better make everything very legit.

Thanks for the history lesson! Theres alot I still need to learn about living here. Maybe I should read a book about Thailand some time.

I know youre right about making things legit. Making everything legit would help in day to day living, thats for sure. It just takes alot more work to get things done. But it would be nice for her to be able to drive around without having to pay so often.

And I know what youre saying about some Thais attitude towards the Burmese. Its just something that needs to be accepted as part of living here.

[mamborobert]

I'm with the Vicar on this one. BIB perhaps more than the general Thai population ave a far more jaded view of Burmese as most contacts would be with either criminals (yabba/assaults/robberies) or low paid workers without ID/Visas.

Last year I came across the Iron Bridge and the BIB had 4wd's with loads of Burmese in them (from a checkpoint).

It doesn't matter that a Burmese may look like a Thai to me(and outside of one's own race it has been established that it is had to judge age/ethnicity etc) the Burmese will be condemned the moment they open their mouth if the BIB do not see them as ethnically different anyway. Many I know have basic and accented Thai only (can read a little if any and often cannot write in Thai).

Do not read this as all Burmese are bad.

Wifey knows quite a few Burmese (Chinese speakers) who have Farang partners here. They do struggle a bit as not having ID's, driving cars without a license of visa, and limited to land purchases off the books (through Thai proxies or Chinese contracts) in places like Chiang Dao (which is a bummer for the partners as out in the sticks and more often than not no Chanot).

Real problems when they have complications in medical conditions (ie pregnancy) with no insurance or government coverage etc.

Week before last wifey attended one hospital to translate where a Thai male had been co-opted by Burmese parents as the father on a birth cert/admission so as to make cheaper and easier for kid in the future (even to having Thai "father's" name on documents).