Pattaya Police Arrest German In Fake Driving License Scam

[NomadJoe]

why foreigners need driving license ? usually tourists have international driving license , resident have Thai license .... and yes much cheaper ... did he sell any of those to some thai drivers ? that would explain how bad some can be .

Any foreigner here that isn't on a tourist visa or visa exempt stamp needs a Thai drivers license. There is no such thing as an international drivers license,but lots of websites that sell illegal ones. (For example of a bogus IDL see www.international-license.com which is often shown in a Google ads banner on threads like these) Most countries accept foreign licenses that have a picture and are in English, as Thailand does. Some refer to these national licenses as "international" because so many other countries now accept them. Often it is required that the country accepting the license has a reciprocal agreement such as being a contracting party to one of the UN Road Traffic Acts, as Thailand is of the 1949 treaty, which most countries are. But that is only for visitors/tourists. An International Drivers Permit (IDP) is often reported as required in Thailand but in fact according to Thai law it is not. If you are on a Non-Immigrant visa of any kind you cannot legally drive on your home license in Thailand even if you have an IDP. An IDP is for visitors/tourists only.

My ex-gf's father can't read Thai and has horrible eyesight but drives for a living all over Thailand. He pays 200B at each police checkpoint he passes. He finally got tired of this and bought a Thai drivers license for 5000B. He did not go to the LTD or take any tests. It is a real DL illegally obtained. As previously mentioned, just like everything else in Thailand, there are always people able to obtain these illegally.

[petercool]

Just where the speculation comes from that anyone is or ever was a police volunteer in this case is unknown so like much else in this thread, it is very strange to say the least.

[youngXpat]

Just where the speculation comes from that anyone is or ever was a police volunteer in this case is unknown so like much else in this thread, it is very strange to say the least.

yes, why the link to police volunteers??

[NomadJoe]

The old style licence would still just about be valid if it's made to look like it was issued about 4 years ago. However, the old licence cannot be used to rent cars overseas now as it has the date of birth in Bhuddist years, unlike the new ones which are accepted just about worldwide.

Less than a year ago a Thaivisa member claimed that he had just been issued the old laminated version form the LTD, and it wasn't in Nakhon Nowhere either. I assumed their software must had crashed or something.

But your right the new licenses in English are accepted a lot of places outside of Thailand. In the US many states accept foreign licenses with no IDP full stop, regardless of language.

[NomadJoe]

Just where the speculation comes from that anyone is or ever was a police volunteer in this case is unknown so like much else in this thread, it is very strange to say the least.

yes, why the link to police volunteers??

All this rubbish about foreign tourist police volunteers is utter nonsense and completely off topic.

Edited December 12, 2012 by NomadJoe

[impulse]

re IMPULSE

I think it is you who have some kind of complex or axe to grind. I think the Swiss guy was quite right to complain and help get this scammer arrested. I would have done the same. I would like to see a lot more police volunteers turning in all the scum that live in Pattaya.

I have no beef with the Swiss guy.

I have an issue with folks that think anyone paying for a service is a fool and that everyone in Thailand that charges money for what they do is a scammer.

I don't change my own oil, I don't get my own visas, I don't cook (most of) the food I eat. I pay someone else to do those things. It costs more than the DIY route, but it's well worth it to me.

I'd happily pay 15K for a legitimate DL if it meant not having to waste most of a day. But that's not what was on offer in this story.

Jeez, hookers cost more than the DIY route, too. Yet I rarely see anyone griping about how much they cost...

Edited December 12, 2012 by impulse

[Phil Conners]

In Pattaya they haven't used the old laminated drivers licenses for years and I would expect it's the same throughout Thailand. The current licenses are credit-card style with print directly on the plastic, photo, text and all.

I paid a couple of hundred baht for DL for both bike and car, certainly not over 1,000 total, when I renewed my 5 year licenses 1-2 years ago.

[Lancelot]

I can never understand paying a fixer to get a visa or driving license. The Thai driving license application is relatively straight forward and uncomplicated. Then again, one must make some minimal effort, such as get out of bed, fill out an application form, etc.

A friend of mine paid a fixer 20,000 baht for his retirement extension. I offered to go with him to Immigration and walk him through the process, no charge of course, but no way. "Too complicated, forms are misleading, 20, 000 baht is not that much..." so i left him too it. Didn't see him again for several years and the first thing he said upon our meeting was "Hey, getting a Retirement Extension is a piece of cake!"

:)

[chowny77]

To get a licence for both a car and bike it is less than 500 baht. If you paid more you were conned!

[bigbamboo]

Since when has Germany and Switzerland been the same country, either you are German fro Germany or Swiss from Switzerland?

Some might say not since the Germans were winning WW2..........!

[PoorSucker]

Swedish and/or a folded gray paper (my international DL) seams to work fine so far , 18 month now and no complain yet!

Until you have an accident and your insurance won't pay out.

[NBD]

15,000 THB? I converted from a UK licence for about 300 THB all legit, and a Thai I know "passed" his driving test and got a licence for about 1,000 THB

[astanhope]

I've been stopped while driving with my Massachusetts driver's license several times.

The only time I was hassled about not having a Thai or international license was at a roadblock setup just after the tollbooths northbound across from Don Muang. It was an early Sunday morning and there were 18 motorcycle cops harvesting farang coming out of the tolls. (The farang to Thai ratio on paid highways in the wee hours seems unusually high, incidentally...)

Anyway - having been allegedly caught "on laser" going 90 MPH I was asked for my license.

"Where's your International Driver's License? You're going to have to come down to the station with me... Or..."

I got out 500 baht and handed it to him.

He made a little "come on" gesture with his hand - more, please!

I only had another 500 on me and I gave it to him.

He handed me back one of the 500s and waved me on.

[Potosi]

Read the article before posting - A Swiss guy from Switzerland reported a German guy from Germany - two people - two nationalities - two countries.

Did you read the articles? One of them says the 'Swiss faker will be offered jail time...' Can't blame the reader for careless journalism.

[LennyW]

Read the article before posting - A Swiss guy from Switzerland reported a German guy from Germany - two people - two nationalities - two countries.

Did you read the articles? One of them says the 'Swiss faker will be offered jail time...' Can't blame the reader for careless journalism.

I thought that was such an obvious mistake that it would not confuse anyone......but there you go!

[thaigold]

I used to rent cars at San Francisco International with my Thai drivers license. No problema - then 9 /11 and now you can't do squat.

[RogueLeader]

Can't understand the animosity towards the Swiss man.

You would prefer that another scam artist fleeces a few more people ?

By your definition, anyone reporting a scam or fraud is wrong ?

You don't grass. Ever. Never volunteer information to the police or the government.

Edited December 12, 2012 by RogueLeader

[RogueLeader]

Read the article before posting - A Swiss guy from Switzerland reported a German guy from Germany - two people - two nationalities - two countries.

Did you read the articles? One of them says the 'Swiss faker will be offered jail time...' Can't blame the reader for careless journalism.

I met a Singaporean on a bus in Vietnam a few years ago who swore that New Zealand was in Europe. She laughed mockingly when I told her that it was on the other side of the world and said that she must know better because she went to a "very expensive school in SIngapore".

[hbullinger]

I would never entrust a Swiss with anything! They only apply confidence to moneys foreigners move to their secret bank accounts for tax cheating and money laundering.

[rotary]

Rather than pay B15K for a "real"license it would be cheaper to pay a "purple"note the rare times you were stopped. Sounds like 2 fools.....the one selling and the one buying. ha ha

[saengsureeya]

does anyone think that the Swiss guy was bitter at paying the 15k price tag for a bad, outdated copy and then decided to grass up the german as some sort of revenge??? just a thought

to be honest...........I think that the Swiss guy got caught with a fake DL by the coppers and probably the Swiss guy offered to report the scam to the police in exchange for a waiver of fees, fines and jail time.

Again another example that doing "business" with colleague-farangs most of the time sucks!!

[saengsureeya]

Read the article before posting - A Swiss guy from Switzerland reported a German guy from Germany - two people - two nationalities - two countries.

Did you read the articles? One of them says the 'Swiss faker will be offered jail time...' Can't blame the reader for careless journalism.

I met a Singaporean on a bus in Vietnam a few years ago who swore that New Zealand was in Europe. She laughed mockingly when I told her that it was on the other side of the world and said that she must know better because she went to a "very expensive school in SIngapore".

Not "new" but Zeeland is a Dutch province. She wasn't that far off.

[BWPattaya]

Rather than pay B15K for a "real"license it would be cheaper to pay a "purple"note the rare times you were stopped. Sounds like 2 fools.....the one selling and the one buying. ha ha

It would make more sense to just apply for and obtaon a genuine licence. I accept that paying money, bribing, to a police officer will get yuou past a road block but it won't do any good when you have an acident and your insurance won't pay out. Have a serious accident, or kill someone, without insurance means no bail bond and a "go direct to jail" card.

[moskito]

There must be something missing from this story, 15,000 is outrageous, virtually any of the staff in the office will offer the same service for 3,000 baht!

Every morning an idiot gets up....you only have to find him...

Btw all your clever people at TV forum...not EVERYBODY gets a Thai Driving license...as far as I know, one has to live here, at least for 6month... so tourists without a proper international or any driving license from back home AND too much money.......

[RogueLeader]

There must be something missing from this story, 15,000 is outrageous, virtually any of the staff in the office will offer the same service for 3,000 baht!

Every morning an idiot gets up....you only have to find him...

Btw all your clever people at TV forum...not EVERYBODY gets a Thai Driving license...as far as I know, one has to live here, at least for 6month... so tourists without a proper international or any driving license from back home AND too much money.......

Ah, so it's a classic black market: people will pay extra to circumvent regulations on issue or sale.

[phuketrichard]

My Thai wife pays only 500 baht to get a real drivers license. I paid 1000 and got also a real license

Why would u pay 1,000? I paid 550 baht for a 5 year license last time

AS to a Thai 5 year license being valid in the states, I often travel to Ca an not only is my license valid without an IDP but i have always used it to rent cars at SFO>>

Edited December 12, 2012 by phuketrichard

[RogueLeader]

Read the article before posting - A Swiss guy from Switzerland reported a German guy from Germany - two people - two nationalities - two countries.

Did you read the articles? One of them says the 'Swiss faker will be offered jail time...' Can't blame the reader for careless journalism.

I met a Singaporean on a bus in Vietnam a few years ago who swore that New Zealand was in Europe. She laughed mockingly when I told her that it was on the other side of the world and said that she must know better because she went to a "very expensive school in SIngapore".

Not "new" but Zeeland is a Dutch province. She wasn't that far off.

Ah, that makes sense. She must have been intimately conversant with Dutch geopolitical subdivisions

[Potosi]

Better yet, Zealand is the largest Danish Island.

[unanimosity]

When discussing driving licenses a Thai friend mentioned that he had a royal driving license, whereupon he showed a 100 baht note.

[RogueLeader]

When discussing driving licenses a Thai friend mentioned that he had a royal driving license, whereupon he showed a 100 baht note.

Or 'Pay as you go'.