Pattaya Police Arrest German In Fake Driving License Scam

[simple1]

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.......

No, I obtained a Thai driving license after being one month in Thailand as I bought a car in my name & didn't want any potential hassles with an insurance claim.

[jcb2001]

I do not have a thai driver license. Don't plan on getting one either. I have been stopped 3 times at police checkpoints around Ubon and asked for my driver license. I handed them my Nevada license and it works just fine. No one has ever challenged it.

[crazykopite]

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

1,000 baht you were robbed here on Samui my 1st license which was for a year cost 150 baht plus 100 baht for photo then when I renewed it my 2 nd license cost 600 baht and lasts for 5 or 6 years !!!!!!!! and as I had an international license I did not even have to do any of the tests Happy Days !!!!

[crazykopite]

I do not have a thai driver license. Don't plan on getting one either. I have been stopped 3 times at police checkpoints around Ubon and asked for my driver license. I handed them my Nevada license and it works just fine. No one has ever challenged it.

I think you will find that your insurance would be invalid the law is any farang who stays in the Kingdom for more than 3 months requires a thai license and that is for both a 4 wheel vehicle or a two wheel vehicle they are seperate lincenses it is so easy and takes about 3/4 hours. why pay 20 k for car insurance when your not prepared to pay less than 1,000 baht for your driver license. Years ago I went to the states for two years the 1st thing I did was get a Virginia drivers license it was a quick multi choice tick box questionaire followed by a ride around the block which took all of five minutes, wherever country I go to I always make sure I get the driving license !!!!!!!

[crazykopite]

Fogot to mention if I stay in hotels or visit national parks I always show my Thai license and get better rates I even get discounts on the ferry boats from the mainland to the islands try it this is amazing Thailand and also as your license has your passport number on it where the thai ID number should be there is no need to be carrying around your passort just a photo copy is good enough

[Arkady]

The two things I can't understand are:

1) Why would anyone bother to pay 15,000 baht to a farang he met in a bar when just about anyone knows knows you can pay a much smaller bribe direct to the Transport Ministry official to get the licence, if you can't pass the basic test, and, if you can pass it, the cost is only 100 baht?

2) Why would anyone go to the trouble to report the scamster to the police after he had already decided not to pursue the ridiculous deal?

[phuketjock]

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

There is also a village in peninsular Malaysia called New Zealand, Apparently the villagers there changed their village name to New Zealand after the Kiwis built a bridge for them there!!

Edited December 12, 2012 by phuketjock

[brianP]

That <deleted> charged me ,,,well more than the 15 grand, glad he got caught, anyone who looks like me can get a discount for mine,up for sale immediately, OK?

[bobo42]

For all you guys wondering why anyone would pay 15K for something you can get for a fraction?

1) Time spent in the test center and chasing down documents would cost many expats here more than 15K in lost wages. (Yes, some do- a lot in fact. Get over it)

2) Not everyone has the documents required to get a license. Heck, not everyone here has a valid passport, much less a valid visa (and willing to darken the door of their embassy and a Thai government office for other needed papers).

I'd gladly pay someone 15K to bring me a legitimate Thai DL with no fuss or bother. Sadly, it wouldn't be legitimate if I got it that way.

Totally agree with your points. I would totally pay 15k to somebody who could facilitate the process without hassle on my part - for a legit license. BUT, as this guy didn't actually have a deal with the MoT, I'm happy to see he got caught. If I knew what he was offering (fake license), I might have even reported him myself, just so other expats don't get in trouble for having fake docs.

[peecee]

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.

How can any country accept a Thai driving licence when it involves driving around the test centre car park and reverse parking once?

[stoli]

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

I paid 150 baht for my car license, and 100 for my motorcycle license. This was at the Land office, took all tests, everything legal. Took three hours, start to finish. Why did you & your wife pay so much?

[stoli]

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

International drivers licenses issued in the US expire after 12 months. At least mine does. It is so much easier with a Thai license. The Thai police are very happy to see it, and you get Thai prices at so many different attractions.

[LeCharivari]

For all you guys wondering why anyone would pay 15K for something you can get for a fraction?

1) Time spent in the test center and chasing down documents would cost many expats here more than 15K in lost wages. (Yes, some do- a lot in fact. Get over it)

"a lot" make 15K for a morning's work? That's a salary of about 500K a month. Somehow I doubt if that applies to "a lot" of those living in Pattaya.

2) Not everyone has the documents required to get a license. Heck, not everyone here has a valid passport, much less a valid visa (and willing to darken the door of their embassy and a Thai government office for other needed papers).

.....

Now there I'd agree with you - that's why some pay agents 12 - 15,000 baht to get a proof of pension letter and retirement extension for them, as they can't produce the genuine documents required themselves as they don't have the money required; there's probably "a lot" more of them than there are expats here making 500K a month.

[phuketguyhere74]

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

In Phuket I only paid B160, altogether B320 for both a motorcycle and car licenses.

[indyuk]

I did get my Thai licence through legitimate means, with some help from my GF. I'm colour blind with red and green, which wasn't a problem in Australia because a colour blindness test isn't required, but it is here. When the guy pointed out the colours on the chart my GF whispered what colour it was, so I cheated basically. When my 5 years is up I may have to go to her village and grease some palms.

You can guess the color showing. The Official will give you at least three chances to guess correctly.

[moskito]

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

In Phuket I only paid B160, altogether B320 for both a motorcycle and car licenses.

.....and when was that`?? a hundred or just 20 years ago??? it is 2x 500 baht if not more in the meantime...this is Sparta...sry Phuket

and someone stayed here for a month and can make a driving license??? not without a one year visa and a certain adress and/or the warranty of the thai landlord

not in Phuket

[oldsailor35]

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 .

Just see whose fault it is if you as a foreigner have a driving accident and do not have a Thai driving licence. I have both motorbike and car Thai licence. Had one accident and would have lost , but i produced my licence and the other guy who did not have one (as usual) got his ass kicked !

[raybal5]

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

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

Oh come on! Do you really expect people to waste their time reading the stories before exposing their biased ignorance in posts?

[bunnaag]

What's with the Germans these days...first the sock caper and now the license scam...like pattaya, their getting a bad reputation.

they already have one.Naam lives there

[tingtongfarang]

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.

Same here...did both the motorbike and car licence in bkk in the same day some years ago and dont think it even cost 1000bht.

[ALFREDO]

He's still laughing on this photo. I'm wondering how long.....

The guy laughing and sitting with his Thai GF, is the Swiss "snitch - rat" !

[MILT]

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.......

You can get a one year driver lic. with just 7 days left on a 30 day visa. Thanks for calling me/us clever! Appreciate it! So as far as you really don't know, now you know. "And now for something completely different" I've always wanted to fight a lion!

Edited December 12, 2012 by MILT

[sirchai]

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

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

Thought it was one country until 1945......

[ALFREDO]

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

At least its the same language pool and Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Italian's South Tyrol shares the same cultural and historic roots.

You will recognize, that companionship of that three countries, abroad.

Restaurants abroad share nearly always the specific Countries flag, with the flag of their German speaking neighbors.

Switzerland has also French and Italian parts, but mostly, they belong to the German language pool.

So you snitch as a Swiss on a German or Austrian, you not snitch against your brother, but against your "cousin"!

[sirchai]

I do not have a thai driver license. Don't plan on getting one either. I have been stopped 3 times at police checkpoints around Ubon and asked for my driver license. I handed them my Nevada license and it works just fine. No one has ever challenged it.

You remind me of a very clever American friend, living here for eight or more years. Guess he'd rather sell his grand mom before making his license. I just don't know why.....

450 baht and you'll have both- one for your Moped and one for a car.

You'll understand why it's useful, when you've got an accident. Even if it's not your fault.

Don't look for challenge here, as you'll find it sooner or later---

Edited December 12, 2012 by sirchai

[PoorSucker]

In Phuket I only paid B160, altogether B320 for both a motorcycle and car licenses.

.....and when was that`?? a hundred or just 20 years ago??? it is 2x 500 baht if not more in the meantime...this is Sparta...sry Phuket

and someone stayed here for a month and can make a driving license??? not without a one year visa and a certain adress and/or the warranty of the thai landlord

not in Phuket

Sounds first poster is talking about the 1 year temporary licence while poster two is referring to the five year licence.

Many places issues 1 year temporary licences without 1 year visa but not the 5 year one.

[ALFREDO]

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

Isaan,never pay more than 100 - 200 for speeding, driver license? Most time nobody wants to see!

[ALFREDO]

Who falls for such a scam and pays a lot money for a nearly worthless paper,

most Long Timers can obtain easy legally and not cares the law at all,

deserves it and learns a lesson!

I feel more annoyed to see somebody snitching (for a expensive, but laughable offence) on a man who is even from the same language pool

and has the same cultural roots.

I usually like the Swiss guys, but as older I get, more bad Swiss apples I recognize!

Edited December 12, 2012 by ALFREDO

[jcw]

Why would anyone pay 15k for something that can be got legitimately for a fraction of that?

Maybe they are strange creatures and can't pass a Thai Driving Test.

What about the Thai officers on the other side of the fraud giving them out?

I wonder if the will get in trouble for keeping their criminal money and not sharing it with the boss

Edited December 12, 2012 by jcw

[jackinbkk]

Why would anyone pay 15k for something that can be got legitimately for a fraction of that?

Maybe they are strange creatures and can't pass a Thai Driving Test.

What about the Thai officers on the other side of the fraud giving them out?

I wonder if the will get in trouble for keeping their criminal money and not sharing it with the boss

There are a few people who can't pass the tests but they get to have another go, and another, and another until they do within 10 seconds of the last attempt.

I actually noticed that my driving license expired in 2010. It says temp driving license. I'm no longer an expat. Can I renew it next time I'm in the country? I have a feeling only residents can.