Driving Licence

[KruAlastair]

Hi there, am new to the forum, I've been teaching around Isaan for about 3 years just have a question regarding driving.

First off, being from the UK I don't have a valid drivers' licence, just a provisional. I did have one but it was revoked in my youth and was too pissed off to bother getting a new one. Since I've been in Thailand, I've been driving a motorcycle, whenever I hit a police checkpoint they usually just look at my white face and pointy nose and wave me off, the ones that do stop me end up asking me for English lessons or talk about football. Or whatever. Even when I had a serious accident when a car hit me, they didn't even bother checking my driving provisional licence and the bike i was renting still shelled out the insurance. Point is I never had any problems, I was told to act dumb and only speak English to them and it works.

But that was in ISAAN, am moving to Bangkok next month and am planning on buying a motorcycle. So being Bangkok and all I thought about getting a licence. I know I'd have to do the whole test including the practical as I don't have a valid UK or International one. AND I'd have to bring a Thai along to help with the written part. ( I can get by pretty well with thai usually but this is a Test and can't take any risks). Paperwork/visa is fine. Good thing is it only takes a day and am told is very cheap (anyone have an idea of the price of taking the whole test from scratch?) All this I can do.

Thing is...is it really worth it I mean getting one?

There ARE perks of getting one (such as not paying "farang" prices at tourist hotspots)

But do the Bangkok police act like the Isaan police when stopping farang?

Am told they can speak more English and are less lenient.

Any advice would be appreciated...especially from those who already have one. I want to know about the test procedures for car and motorcycle and whether it really is worth it. After all, am planning to stay here for quite a while...

Also does anyone know if I have to use my own motorcycle to take the test or does the test centre have their own for candidates to use?

[greg71]

1st if i was you i be looking at the search button ,this answers all your questions.This question gets asked at least once every 2 weeks buddy.

[KruAlastair]

Sorry, like I said, am new to this forum.

[falkan]

1 hour movie - test - drive up

you cant fail

[Bangkokhatter]

The Theory test is multi-choice translated to English and you take on your own. Can hire a bike there and i believe now you cannot do it in 1 day. Best to have a licence in BKK.

[falkan]

The Theory test is multi-choice translated to English and you take on your own. Can hire a bike there and i believe now you cannot do it in 1 day. Best to have a licence in BKK.

wrong

09.00 hand in papers

09.30 can you see red,yellow,green and take a break

10.00 movie

11.00 computer test

13.00 drive up

14.00 pick up your licence

hire bike cost 100bath car is 200bath

if you fail you are retarded..

[doontp]

The Theory test is multi-choice translated to English and you take on your own. Can hire a bike there and i believe now you cannot do it in 1 day. Best to have a licence in BKK.

wrong

09.00 hand in papers

09.30 can you see red,yellow,green and take a break

10.00 movie

11.00 computer test

13.00 drive up

14.00 pick up your licence

hire bike cost 100bath car is 200bath

if you fail you are retarded..

my wife is retarded, but she has a nice body:)

[KruAlastair]

Thanks for the replies guys, you've been most helpful, will definitely take it can anyone recommend a good test centre in Bangkok? I heard the chatuchak branch is good for English tests.... right?

[Bangkokhatter]

The Theory test is multi-choice translated to English and you take on your own. Can hire a bike there and i believe now you cannot do it in 1 day. Best to have a licence in BKK.

wrong

09.00 hand in papers

09.30 can you see red,yellow,green and take a break

10.00 movie

11.00 computer test

13.00 drive up

14.00 pick up your licence

hire bike cost 100bath car is 200bath

if you fail you are retarded..

[jimmiejackson]

The police here used to accept my UK Car license when I was driving a bike with no questions asked. In the last 6 months or so they seem to have gotten wise to it, so I went to get a proper bike license.

I did mine in the center in Bangkok which I think is Sukhumvit 99/1/101 (can't remember exactly).

Can't do it in one day, this was about a month ago.

8am - hand in papers

10am - do the simple reaction tests

12pm Lunch

1pm - 2 hours reading of worst translation from Thai to English I have ever read (complete with graffiti from years of frustrated farang drivers) - traffic rules

3pm - 1 hour video where the sound wasn't working, so no idea what that was about

4pm - multiple choice written test. Bearing in mind the shocking translation and nonsensical questions I think you would have to be retarded to pass! (well I would think that, as I failed)

next day

9am - retake written test (and hopefully pass)

1pm - Bike test (10 minutes)

2pm - License issued

Good to have some ID to use for banks, hotels, attractions etc and great to shove it in the BIB face when they are smugly waiting to "issue" a ticket (don't you just love that whole song and dance with them pretending to issue the ticket while you are trying to find 100 Baht in your pocket)

[Bangkokhatter]

The Theory test is multi-choice translated to English and you take on your own. Can hire a bike there and i believe now you cannot do it in 1 day. Best to have a licence in BKK.

wrong

09.00 hand in papers

09.30 can you see red,yellow,green and take a break

10.00 movie

11.00 computer test

13.00 drive up

14.00 pick up your licence

hire bike cost 100bath car is 200bath

if you fail you are retarded..

See Jimmiejackson's post above...

[barryofthailand]

_{I wouldn't be driving a motor cycle in Bangkok. The chances of having a serious accident is pretty good.}

_Barry

[falkan]

The Theory test is multi-choice translated to English and you take on your own. Can hire a bike there and i believe now you cannot do it in 1 day. Best to have a licence in BKK.

wrong

09.00 hand in papers

09.30 can you see red,yellow,green and take a break

10.00 movie

11.00 computer test

13.00 drive up

14.00 pick up your licence

hire bike cost 100bath car is 200bath

if you fail you are retarded..

See Jimmiejackson's post above...

in phuket you do it in one day, old farts in bkk need more time i guess..

[Bangkokhatter]

The Theory test is multi-choice translated to English and you take on your own. Can hire a bike there and i believe now you cannot do it in 1 day. Best to have a licence in BKK.

wrong

09.00 hand in papers

09.30 can you see red,yellow,green and take a break

10.00 movie

11.00 computer test

13.00 drive up

14.00 pick up your licence

hire bike cost 100bath car is 200bath

if you fail you are retarded..

See Jimmiejackson's post above...

in phuket you do it in one day, old farts in bkk need more time i guess..

Another keyboard warrior, next time read the OP, wanted info on BKK, if you knew anything about the place you would know most Government offices apply the various rules as they see fit and it differs vastly from region to region, office to office and in some places day to day sometimes....old fart ? is 44 the new 70 ?

[pigeonjake]

can i just ask the OP how old he is,??

havnt got a uk license,

that will be the next scam, have a holiday in thailand and get a license, car or bike dosnt matter,,lol

or HGV, bloody hell dosnt bare thinking about

[Kwasaki]

can i just ask the OP how old he is,??

havnt got a uk license,

that will be the next scam, have a holiday in thailand and get a license, car or bike dosnt matter,,lol

or HGV, bloody hell dosnt bare thinking about

No scam I think, you need a Thai 5 year car licence for the UK, 1 year no good.

Can only ride a bike as provisional up to 50cc in UK on Thai 5 year car licence.

I can drive a Tank but they won't let me in Thailand, or a HGV or PCV.

[KruAlastair]

_{I wouldn't be driving a motor cycle in Bangkok. The chances of having a serious accident is pretty good.}

_Barry

I'm not afraid, already had a serious accident in Chaiyaphum last year. TIT happens everywhere..

[KruAlastair]

can i just ask the OP how old he is,??

havnt got a uk license,

that will be the next scam, have a holiday in thailand and get a license, car or bike dosnt matter,,lol

or HGV, bloody hell dosnt bare thinking about

I'm 25, was wondering about how weird would it be if i were to return to the uk and get stopped only to show the coppers a thai driving license. Guess they'd have to make do with it haha

[transam]

1st if i was you i be looking at the search button ,this answers all your questions.This question gets asked at least once every 2 weeks buddy.

He is welcome here to ask a question . I never use the search button . Sorry.............

[Kaoboi Bebobp]

can i just ask the OP how old he is,??

havnt got a uk license,

that will be the next scam, have a holiday in thailand and get a license, car or bike dosnt matter,,lol

or HGV, bloody hell dosnt bare thinking about

I'm 25, was wondering about how weird would it be if i were to return to the uk and get stopped only to show the coppers a thai driving license. Guess they'd have to make do with it haha

Just FYI: You'd need an International Driver's Permit (500 baht) issued by Thailand, which you can only get with a 5-year Thai licence.

[Kwasaki]

# I'm 25, was wondering about how weird would it be if i were to return to the uk and get stopped only to show the coppers a thai driving license. Guess they'd have to make do with it haha

Just FYI: You'd need an International Driver's Permit (500 baht) issued by Thailand, which you can only get with a 5-year Thai licence.

As said many times first Thai licence issue is 1 year can't use in UK only a 5year one.

Don't need IDP in UK.

[mogandave]

For my 1 year, all I had to do was sign. For my first 5-year renewal, the brake test and sign, the same for the second renewal. Last time, I didn't even have to go to the office, my office manager picked it up for me.

[Kwasaki]

For my 1 year, all I had to do was sign. For my first 5-year renewal, the brake test and sign, the same for the second renewal. Last time, I didn't even have to go to the office, my office manager picked it up for me.

Yep !! many things can happen in good old TiT, not always what you know it's what Thai person you know.