Tourism Minister: International Licenses A Must For Phuket Car, Bike Rentals

[webfact]

Tourism Minister: International licenses a must for Phuket car, bike rentals
Phuket Gazette


Tourism Minister Somsak Pureesrisak said he would return to Bangkok to review the many issues raised by representatives of Phuket, Krabi and Phang Nga at the meeting on Saturday. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: -- Tourists will need to have a valid international driver’s license to rent cars and motorbikes, the Minister of Tourism and Sports announced on Saturday.

The news came as Tourism and Sports Minister Somsak Pureesrisak sifted through a slew of issues facing the state of tourism in the Andaman provinces of Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi at a meeting at the Radisson Blu Plaza Resort Phuket at Panwa Beach.

“I have discussed the situation with the Phuket Land Transportation Office and they will take charge from here,” Mr Somsak said.

“This is for tourists’ own good, because they will be protected by law if they are in a road accident,” he explained.

With tourism revenue estimates in Thailand for 2013 coming in at 1.1 trillion baht from foreigners and 5 billion from the domestic market, the importance of private and government organizations focusing on protecting tourists and their belongings was paramount, Mr Somsak said.

“We are well on our way to hitting our target figure for 2015, which is 2.2 trillion,” he said.

In attendance at Saturday’s meeting was Phuket MP Anchalee Vanich Thepabutr, who reinforced the idea that Phuket was still in need of better-developed infrastructure to handle the growing number of visitors to the province.

“Phuket still needs to develop a mass-transportation system, sufficient public utilities and adjust much of its infrastructure to support the growing number of tourists visiting the island,” MP Anchalee said.

Representatives from Krabi and Phang Nga, Krabi Tourism Association Adviser Tharat Thanitnon and Phang Nga Chamber of Commerce President Sitthichote Thongchumnum, suggested that more of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports’ budget be allocated to protecting the environment in the Andaman region, thus preserving the natural beauty of popular tourist destinations.

Mr Somsak confirmed that he would discuss the issues raised at the meeting with other members of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports when he returned to Bangkok.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Tourism-Minister-International-licenses-a-must-for-Phuket-car-bike-rentals-20966.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2013-05-07

[Chrisswe]

What about Thai driver's !!??

[eezergood]

I am sure it was law anyway, as the provider is breaking the law by renting a vehicle to an unlicensed operator?

[NamKangMan]

"This is for tourist' own good, because they will be protected by law if they are in a road accident" he explained.

Not if they are intoxicated at the time of the accident, which seems to be the cause of many of the serious accidents involving tourist and expats on Phuket.

Certainly, no travel insurance policy covesr you if you are intoxicated.

The OP heading is: "Tourism Minister" International licences a must for Phuket car, bike rentals." - I would like to ask the Minister WHY it's a must ONLY on Phuket????

In the other large tourist desinations in Thailand, you have no reason to even hire a car or a bike for your holiday - only on Phuket is it a MUST. That's what he really needs to be addressing.

[madmitch]

Surely it must be a nationwide mandate if it is to be enforceable and if that's going to be the law then so be it.

How will it be enforced? Fines for drivers, definite! Fines for anyone renting a bike or car to a tourist without the correct licence? Probably not.

The winners if this happens: the police, the tuktuks and taxis.

The losers: the tourists and the bike rental shops.

So nothing new there then!

As always, nobody in power has the guts to get to the root cause of this situation.

[nev]

And anyone renting one of the big bikes, should show proof that they can ride and have a overseas licence to ride anything over 250cc, seen to many taking off after hiring big bikes and look like they have never ridden anything that size before.

[andreandre]

“This is for tourists’ own good, because they will be protected by law if they are in a road accident,” he explained.....

So by simply having an international driving licence, the law will protect you after an accident??

Yeh..right..

This guy is in cuckoo land on all his comments..as in this example;

'We don't want to increase the number of tourists any more,'' he said. ''What we need is better quality tourists.

''We need tourists who have strong power to purchase. Right now, the problem is that non-quality tourists have gone into the area where high-quality tourists stay.

''So the environment, which high-quality tourists try to conserve, has been destroyed by cheap tourists.''

[Payboy]

What about Thai driver's !!??

Both of them have licenses. The rest are working towards getting theirs soon.

[andreandre]

“This is for tourists’ own good, because they will be protected by law if they are in a road accident,” he explained.....

So by simply having an international driving licence, the law will protect you after an accident??

Yeh..right..

This guy is in cuckoo land on all his comments..as in this example;

'We don't want to increase the number of tourists any more,'' he said. ''What we need is better quality tourists.

''We need tourists who have strong power to purchase. Right now,'We don't want to increase the number of tourists any more,'' he said. ''What we need is better quality tourists.

''We need tourists who have strong power to purchase. Right now, the problem is that non-quality tourists have gone into the area where high-quality tourists stay.

''So the environment, which high-quality tourists try to conserve, has been destroyed by cheap tourists.''

EDIT

I'm struggling to comprehend these lines..;

Right now, the problem is that non-quality tourists have gone into the area where high-quality tourists stay.

''So the environment, which high-quality tourists try to conserve, has been destroyed by cheap tourists.''

Edited May 7, 2013 by andreandre

[Thai at Heart]

“This is for tourists’ own good, because they will be protected by law if they are in a road accident,” he explained.....

So by simply having an international driving licence, the law will protect you after an accident??

Yeh..right..

This guy is in cuckoo land on all his comments..as in this example;

'We don't want to increase the number of tourists any more,'' he said. ''What we need is better quality tourists.

''We need tourists who have strong power to purchase. Right now, the problem is that non-quality tourists have gone into the area where high-quality tourists stay.

''So the environment, which high-quality tourists try to conserve, has been destroyed by cheap tourists.''

At least the insurance from the bike will cover you if you have an international license. Of course, no one ever bothered to point this out to millions of people every year who come to Thailand rent cars. Thailand is not a signatory to various agreements, and so you either should have an international license or get a Thai one.

My boss learnt this much to his distress, when he knocked a woman off her cycle, and she needed 3 operations and 2 months in hospital, but he didn't have an international or a Thai license. The insurance DID NOT PAY.

[lee b]

When you are in another country and wish to drive, you should have an international driving licence. Mind you its a step up in phuket where i have rented bikes without even being asked to show any licence !

[JetsetBkk]

Tourists will need to have a valid international drivers license to rent cars and motorbikes, the Minister of Tourism and Sports announced on Saturday.

Yay! Great news. Let's get those wobbly bike-riding tourists off the road so we expats can drive our pickups at 80 kph.

Flame on!

[stevenl]

“This is for tourists’ own good, because they will be protected by law if they are in a road accident,” he explained.....

So by simply having an international driving licence, the law will protect you after an accident??

Yeh..right..

This guy is in cuckoo land on all his comments..as in this example;

'We don't want to increase the number of tourists any more,'' he said. ''What we need is better quality tourists.

''We need tourists who have strong power to purchase. Right now, the problem is that non-quality tourists have gone into the area where high-quality tourists stay.

''So the environment, which high-quality tourists try to conserve, has been destroyed by cheap tourists.''

At least the insurance from the bike will cover you if you have an international license. Of course, no one ever bothered to point this out to millions of people every year who come to Thailand rent cars. Thailand is not a signatory to various agreements, and so you either should have an international license or get a Thai one.

My boss learnt this much to his distress, when he knocked a woman off her cycle, and she needed 3 operations and 2 months in hospital, but he didn't have an international or a Thai license. The insurance DID NOT PAY.

IDP or Thai license are not required provided the driver has a valid home license in English.

[ferguston]

Somebody should tell Mr Pureesrisak that there is no such thing as an International Driving License.

It's an "International Driving Permit" which is supposed to be carried along with the license issued by your original country of residence.

The IDP is merely a translation of your original license. There is no Thai translation. Before I obtained my Thai Driving license the police and even the Department of Transport in Chonburi thought my IDP was a fake.It's a grey booklet, the UK version is issued by the AA and is usually the holder's details are handwritten.

I doubt whether any car or bike rental shop has ever seen an IDP.

[JulesMad]

BS! Nobody is enforcing the law anyway... If you pay, you can rent ANY bike anywhere (in Thailand)

[ChrisY1]

“This is for tourists’ own good, because they will be protected by law if they are in a road accident,” he explained.....

So by simply having an international driving licence, the law will protect you after an accident??

Yeh..right..

This guy is in cuckoo land on all his comments..as in this example;

'We don't want to increase the number of tourists any more,'' he said. ''What we need is better quality tourists.

''We need tourists who have strong power to purchase. Right now, the problem is that non-quality tourists have gone into the area where high-quality tourists stay.

''So the environment, which high-quality tourists try to conserve, has been destroyed by cheap tourists.''

Quite right.....another example of the "outstanding" quality of Thai ministers......a bunch of limp dicks who do little and achieve nothing!

But also, what a slap in the face for the "non-quality tourists"......which no doubt includes backpackers and good people on tight budgets....like my Aussie kids!

Just a

[surfinglife]

Whenever I have rented a bike, ranging from mopeds to big mother Harleys, I have never been asked to show a license and have even been told by the vendor on one occasion that "the police want to see money, not your license".

About time to enforce this basic step towards road safety. I 'm sick and tired of having to share the road here in Pattaya with the Russian girls on the mopeds, who definitely don't have bike licences and have never ridden a bike before, particularly on the wrong side of the road. At any given time Bangkok Pattaya Hospital has a few of them recovering from smashes but I don't want to be the one those brainless blond bimbos smash into.

[terryp]

More bull, anyone staying in Thailand over 30 days requires an International DP (this is clearly shown on the Thai Gov website , anyone
staying under 30 days can provide an Internationally recognised Country of Origin DL ..ie UK, EU, US, Canada, OZ etc etc

These idiots don’t even know what day it is let alone the
Laws of TH

Edited May 7, 2013 by terryp

[mortenaa]

I can use my Thai driving license in Norway while on holiday (tested and proved in police checkpoints), but a Norwegian on holiday in Thailand can't use his Norwegian "EU-standard" driving license??

[lemoncake]

Its funny, very funny, but not just this announcement.

Following years of trouble in Phuket, they finally found a solution, which is to do anything and everything possible to get rid of tourists every possible way.

I mean Phuket will not have any trouble if it does not have any tourists-excellent thinking and planning.

First get rid of Russians, then hit up Chinese and finish up with everyone else.

Once the island is empty, all problems solved.

PS. Specifically on topic, The so called International license, is a translated paper which requires nothing more than few bucks. Not to mention there is no international license just international permit.

[stevenl]

More bull, anyone staying in Thailand over 30 days requires an International DP (this is clearly shown on the Thai Gov website , anyone

staying under 30 days can provide an Internationally recognised Country of Origin DL ..ie UK, EU, US, Canada, OZ etc etc

These idiots don’t even know what day it is let alone the

Laws of TH

Sorry Terry, not correct.

For tourists a home DL is sufficient, provided in English and valid of course, for non-tourists a Thai DL is required.

[HarryMilton]

Somebody should tell Mr Pureesrisak that there is no such thing as an International Driving License.

It's an "International Driving Permit" which is supposed to be carried along with the license issued by your original country of residence.

The IDP is merely a translation of your original license. There is no Thai translation. Before I obtained my Thai Driving license the police and even the Department of Transport in Chonburi thought my IDP was a fake.It's a grey booklet, the UK version is issued by the AA and is usually the holder's details are handwritten.

I doubt whether any car or bike rental shop has ever seen an IDP.

Someone should tell you about pedanticism.

A licence, by definition, is a permit; a permit, by definition, is a licence. It's all in the translation from Thai.

[stevenl]

Somebody should tell Mr Pureesrisak that there is no such thing as an International Driving License.

It's an "International Driving Permit" which is supposed to be carried along with the license issued by your original country of residence.

The IDP is merely a translation of your original license. There is no Thai translation. Before I obtained my Thai Driving license the police and even the Department of Transport in Chonburi thought my IDP was a fake.It's a grey booklet, the UK version is issued by the AA and is usually the holder's details are handwritten.

I doubt whether any car or bike rental shop has ever seen an IDP.

Someone should tell you about pedanticism.

A licence, by definition, is a permit; a permit, by definition, is a licence. It's all in the translation from Thai.

The problem is there are online International Drivers Licenses sold, which are a scam. From their local AA's people can buy a International Drivers Permit, which is legit, and in reality is only a translation of the home license.

[Boatfreak]

an International driving PERMIT is as many people pointed out, is just a piece of paper handwritten by your local AA. Mine is falling apart of being folded in my pocket. It is written in English (just as my regular European driving licence) in Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, Greek, Russian and in Chinese, is there really any policemen that knows any of these languages? Last time a police ask me for my international driving he was holding it upside down and said it was alright.

[HerbalEd]

It's already the law, albeit an unenforced one. Given that the vast majority of tourists arrive without an "international" drivers licenses, it will be near impossible to enforce that law, and, if it is enforced, it will devastate the businesses who rent motorcycles.

[stevenl]

It's already the law, albeit an unenforced one. Given that the vast majority of tourists arrive without an "international" drivers licenses, it will be near impossible to enforce that law, and, if it is enforced, it will devastate the businesses who rent motorcycles.

No, it not already a law.

[Dr Wanchai]

What about Thai driver's !!??

What have Thai drivers got to do with this news ?

Totally irrelevant post.

[lemoncake]

What about Thai driver's !!??

What have Thai drivers got to do with this news ?

Totally irrelevant post.

That they drive without any license at all may be

[axact]

Whenever I have rented a bike, ranging from mopeds to big mother Harleys, I have never been asked to show a license and have even been told by the vendor on one occasion that "the police want to see money, not your license".

About time to enforce this basic step towards road safety. I 'm sick and tired of having to share the road here in Pattaya with the Russian girls on the mopeds, who definitely don't have bike licences and have never ridden a bike before, particularly on the wrong side of the road. At any given time Bangkok Pattaya Hospital has a few of them recovering from smashes but I don't want to be the one those brainless blond bimbos smash into.

Wow, lets get a Bash the Russian post in. I'm amazed you can tell a Russian bimbo from a bimbo from a number of other countries or even decide in the few seconds you see them that they are infact Russian and a bimbo. Personally I would rather avoid a Russian bimbo than a fat drunk westerner wobbling around on their overladened mopeds, could that describe you ?

The reality is that its more likely to be you who causes the crash as you lose attention being so busy oggling the girl !

[britpop]

The transport ministers, what a joke, it must be, you mean they have a person responsible for the driving abilities of Thai's and the new road system in patong, best to have a international licence for sure, just another excuse for your holiday insurance companies or the other party in a accident not to pay out, stay safe and legal