Cop thiefs on narawat bridge!

[MAJIC]

Well good luck Bangkok Blue,with your very own interpretation of Thai Road laws.My wife has several Thai friends who remind me of you,and think they don't have to pay Taxes in the UK (they lie about it)on their income returns,just like they did in Thailand. Two things to remember you are not in the UK now,and neither are my wife's friends in Thailand.

[jaapfries]

no driving licence.

failing to stop when told to.

you have broken the law twice.

pay 500bht.to pass go.

hopefully they will have your car reg.no.

6months in the slammer.

what do you think about that.

Apparently; very few people are aware of the fact that, when driving in Thailand on a license OTHER THAN a Thai license, is only valid for 6 months (from date of last entry into the Kingdom). This means that after the expiry of 6 months, you MUST HAVE a Thai License. If you don not - and you are involved in an accident, you may find yourself neck-deep in serious trouble; both of a financial - and a legal kind. Insurance companies will NOT pay-out if you find yourself in this situation: be warned ! ! !

[bristolgeoff]

if you chose to live in chiang mai (Thailand) a thai driving license makes sense and saves a lot of hassle.i have one and i.am glad I did years ago.it gives you discount on gov things too.hotels for id too,no passport.easy to get as well.

[MAJIC]

I find it amusing that someone who has never passed their test in the UK could come to Thailand and get a Thai licence, then when in the UK, drive in the UK!!

Sent from my GT-I9300T using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

When a Thai first comes to reside in the UK ,on a Settlement Visa,they have a 1 year dispensation, using their Thai Driving Licence,and then they have to pass a UK Test on a Provisional Driving Licence before they can continue to drive.

Can you supply the evidence that a returning Ex Pat to the UK can use their Thai Driving Licence? to continue to Drive in the UK? for at least 1 year ? the same as a Thai Spouse,even though they didn't pass their UK Test before they went to live in Thailand? which is what you seem to be suggesting.

I await your answer?

Edited November 24, 2013 by MAJIC

[FolkGuitar]

Thai law requires a person to have a valid drivers license from their home country PLUS an International Drivers License to legally drive in Thailand.

Thai law further states that this combination is only valid for 6 months from date of entry into the Kingdom, after which a valid Thai license is required.

Violation of either of these laws is punishable by fines usually amounting to less than the price of a Big Mac, fries, and a coke.

Japan has the same requirements

Violation is punishable by ONE YEAR IMPRISONMENT AND/OR DEPORTATION WITH NO FURTHER RE-ENTRY INTO THE COUNTRY.

If you feel that the laws of the country you choose to live in are not suitable for you, you always have the option to leave.

Whining and complaining about established laws or customs is not one of the viable options.

[fcgprg]

But there's a reason for why a Thai license wouldn't be accepted in England.

A 5 year Thai driving Licence is accepted in the UK, even for rentals. For up to 12 months , I believe.

That's right - handy when your UK licence has expired.

If that's the case it makes it even more of a farce that they're fining / scamming foreigners who are in possession of a valid license from their home country!

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

If you have been in Thailand for more than 6 months your UK license is not valid No scam you just do not have a valid licence for Thailand . If you have not been here for more than 6 months take the ticket and explain that at the police station . You will need to take someone who is fluent in thai with you.

[MAJIC]

If a policeman caught me doing something illegal red-handed and then gave me a chance to pay 200 baht instead of 500 baht, I would not be complaining. That is one of the best things about Thailand.

Yep! Human Nature will prevail!

Of course some will complain,even though they are getting off lightly.But how about :

1.Pay the Fine unconditionaly.

2.Partial Fine and the rest to Charity?

3. Argue the point,which could have been have spent on more worthy causes

[meatboy]

b.b.to save yourself time and maybe money check with the licencing dept.that they will except confirmation of your place of residence via the british embassy.when i renewed my 5yr.tdl.they would not except, letter from embassy 5yrs.old but it had the same address as my 1yr.tdl. my thai tax id.card which has my name and address on,even a letter from the tax dept.which was only 3months old.they said only confirmation of your address would be excepted from where all my records are at the immigration offices where i do my 90day report

and extensions.

cost 500bht.no receipt so b.b.keep cool,smile and as your walking out of the door under your breath [fking theives].

[naboo]

In Thailand, a foreign licence is acceptable WITHOUT international licence so long as:

- the licence is in English (if not in English, an international driving licence IS required.

- the holder is not on a short term visa/visa exemption up to 6 months.

Only thing I'm not sure of is whether this applies to all countries or selected ones.

A Thai licence is valid throughout ASEAN. It also counts as ID meaning you are not breaking the law re. carrying ID at all times and must only be able to produce a passport within a reasonable time if requested. The licence also gets you local rates at all national parks and many other places.

It is easy to get (comparatively) and is even easier if you have a home country licence.

[iainiain101]

A UK driving test may be very hard to pass, but as the UK does not have Identification Cards, there is no proof that the person who passed the test is actually the person issued with the license.

Try using your photo card UK license to get into a European casino and you will find that you need a valid UK passport. Other European nationals can enter using their driving licences.

So if European countries are sceptical of the UK driving license it is only fair that the Thais are too.

[bangkok blue]

b.b.to save yourself time and maybe money check with the licencing dept.that they will except confirmation of your place of residence via the british embassy.when i renewed my 5yr.tdl.they would not except, letter from embassy 5yrs.old but it had the same address as my 1yr.tdl. my thai tax id.card which has my name and address on,even a letter from the tax dept.which was only 3months old.they said only confirmation of your address would be excepted from where all my records are at the immigration offices where i do my 90day report

and extensions.

cost 500bht.no receipt so b.b.keep cool,smile and as your walking out of the door under your breath [fking theives].

Thanks for the advice!

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[hanno]

Just curious if you were in the UK driving with a Thai drivers license would you be so upset about them saying you should have a UK one?

Situation would not occur. You can drive with a 5 year Thai license in the UK for 12mths. Here they don't even give you one day's grace. despite the fact the test standards are far superior. It's another way to extract money, whichever way you look at it, IMO unfairly.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

It doesn't matter. You are in Thailand, it does not matter what they do or do not do in the UK. You are basically moaning because you got caught breaking the law. Oh, and good luck with driving through a police check; I hope you are bullet proof.

[bangkok blue]

Just curious if you were in the UK driving with a Thai drivers license would you be so upset about them saying you should have a UK one?

Situation would not occur. You can drive with a 5 year Thai license in the UK for 12mths. Here they don't even give you one day's grace. despite the fact the test standards are far superior. It's another way to extract money, whichever way you look at it, IMO unfairly.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

It doesn't matter. You are in Thailand, it does not matter what they do or do not do in the UK. You are basically moaning because you got caught breaking the law. Oh, and good luck with driving through a police check; I hope you are bullet proof.

I always wind the windows down and play this when passing through the rip off points!

[urlhttp://youtu.be/Kk8eJh4i8Lo][/url]

Edited November 24, 2013 by bangkok blue

[taotoo]

Can you supply the evidence that a returning Ex Pat to the UK can use their Thai Driving Licence? to continue to Drive in the UK? for at least 1 year ? the same as a Thai Spouse,even though they didn't pass their UK Test before they went to live in Thailand? which is what you seem to be suggesting.

I await your answer?

I've returned to the UK before, realised I didn't have my UK licence counterpart, and instead shown my Thai licence and successfully hired the car with that. (I also put my country of residence as Thailand, and got the car for about a third less than the price it offered when UK was entered as place of residence. This was with one of the big car hire places.)

[FolkGuitar]

Can you supply the evidence that a returning Ex Pat to the UK can use their Thai Driving Licence? to continue to Drive in the UK? for at least 1 year ? the same as a Thai Spouse,even though they didn't pass their UK Test before they went to live in Thailand? which is what you seem to be suggesting.

I await your answer?

I've returned to the UK before, realised I didn't have my UK licence counterpart, and instead shown my Thai licence and successfully hired the car with that. (I also put my country of residence as Thailand, and got the car for about a third less than the price it offered when UK was entered as place of residence. This was with one of the big car hire places.)

You can rent a car in almost any country with almost any license. The rental companies don't care. They get paid no matter what.

It's the police who will be demanding to see the proper licensing required by the country's laws. If you don't have it, you pay.

[akampa]

bristolgeoff, on 24 Nov 2013 - 07:22, said:

if you chose to live in chiang mai (Thailand) a thai driving license makes sense and saves a lot of hassle.i have one and i.am glad I did years ago.it gives you discount on gov things too.hotels for id too,no passport.easy to get as well.

yes ,yes,and yes

they at the driving license place are friendly and at the front desk speak a little English .

When in Rome.

[Beetlejuice]

so lets presume you have insurance on your car/bike.

Good luck when someone causes the accident and you need to claim, believe me they want too see it.

Remeber the article about 500bht on arrival next year....cause...people like you.

Only bought my car in the last month. TP only insurance has its a cheap 2nd hand one. I thought I'd wait and see if this new regulation was properly enforced. Now I know they are I'll sort a Thai driving license.

I thought this post would provoke many responses. I'm not against this law. But I'm against those enforcing it using it as an excuse for personal gain. If the reason for having an international / Thai driving license is to cut down on accidents, then they should also spend more time on enforcing the no helmet law too.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

It`s all very easy.

If you don`t believe in the police making tea money, then just insist on going to the police station, making an official report and paying the full 500 baht or whatever else they accuse you of doing.

Problem solved.

Edited November 24, 2013 by Beetlejuice

[taotoo]

I've returned to the UK before, realised I didn't have my UK licence counterpart, and instead shown my Thai licence and successfully hired the car with that. (I also put my country of residence as Thailand, and got the car for about a third less than the price it offered when UK was entered as place of residence. This was with one of the big car hire places.)

You can rent a car in almost any country with almost any license. The rental companies don't care. They get paid no matter what.

It's the police who will be demanding to see the proper licensing required by the country's laws. If you don't have it, you pay.

I had a look at Budget UK's terms and conditions, and oddly, under "Drivers Licence Requirements" it doesn't say "We don't care", rather "Residents of EC countries can use own licence from country of origin. Non-EC residents can use own licence for max 12 months after entry to UK."

[bangkok blue]

I've returned to the UK before, realised I didn't have my UK licence counterpart, and instead shown my Thai licence and successfully hired the car with that. (I also put my country of residence as Thailand, and got the car for about a third less than the price it offered when UK was entered as place of residence. This was with one of the big car hire places.)

You can rent a car in almost any country with almost any license. The rental companies don't care. They get paid no matter what.

It's the police who will be demanding to see the proper licensing required by the country's laws. If you don't have it, you pay.

I had a look at Budget UK's terms and conditions, and oddly, under "Drivers Licence Requirements" it doesn't say "We don't care", rather "Residents of EC countries can use own licence from country of origin. Non-EC residents can use own licence for max 12 months after entry to UK."

I shall be writing a strongly worded letter to my MP, insisting that the 12mth probation period for a Thai license in UK is revoked on the grounds it isn't reciprocated here.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[sustento]

I've returned to the UK before, realised I didn't have my UK licence counterpart, and instead shown my Thai licence and successfully hired the car with that. (I also put my country of residence as Thailand, and got the car for about a third less than the price it offered when UK was entered as place of residence. This was with one of the big car hire places.)

You can rent a car in almost any country with almost any license. The rental companies don't care. They get paid no matter what.

It's the police who will be demanding to see the proper licensing required by the country's laws. If you don't have it, you pay.

I had a look at Budget UK's terms and conditions, and oddly, under "Drivers Licence Requirements" it doesn't say "We don't care", rather "Residents of EC countries can use own licence from country of origin. Non-EC residents can use own licence for max 12 months after entry to UK."

I shall be writing a strongly worded letter to my MP, insisting that the 12mth probation period for a Thai license in UK is revoked on the grounds it isn't reciprocated here.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

I'm sure your MP will be willing to bring the might of Parliament to bear on behalf of a British citizen who chose to remain wilfully ignorant of the laws of a country he chose to live in and who also said that he would be willing to ride through any legal checkpoints that he disapproved of. Let us know what he says.

[meechai]

I shall be writing a strongly worded letter to my MP, insisting that the 12mth probation period for a Thai license in UK is revoked on the grounds it isn't reciprocated here.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

I'm sure your MP will be willing to bring the might of Parliament to bear on behalf of a British citizen who chose to remain wilfully ignorant of the laws of a country he chose to live in and who also said that he would be willing to ride through any legal checkpoints that he disapproved of. Let us know what he says.

Would also be common courtesy to ask the MP to afford all Thai's a 30 day stay

visa same as Thailand offers all the UK citizenry

Edited November 24, 2013 by meechai

[Rob8891]

I shall be writing a strongly worded letter to my MP, insisting that the 12mth probation period for a Thai license in UK is revoked on the grounds it isn't reciprocated here.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

I'm sure your MP will be willing to bring the might of Parliament to bear on behalf of a British citizen who chose to remain wilfully ignorant of the laws of a country he chose to live in and who also said that he would be willing to ride through any legal checkpoints that he disapproved of. Let us know what he says.

Would also be common courtesy to ask the MP to afford all Thai's a 30 day stay

visa same as Thailand offers all the UK citizenry

"I shall be writing a strongly worded letter to my MP...." Get them to send a gunboat to sort out that dashed Johnny Foreigner, eh what, Colonel Blimp??

Good luck with that..... and don't expect a reply from the Thai gov't anytime soon, as I hear they've got their hands full dealing with a wee traffic snarl-up in Bangkok right now.

It will be much easier on you to just follow the law, get a licence, and stop whining like a spoilt school child "But...but ...but HE did it first, and it's NOT FAIR...."

BTW Thanks for the laugh. You're a real cracker!

Edited November 24, 2013 by Rob8891

[FolkGuitar]

I've returned to the UK before, realised I didn't have my UK licence counterpart, and instead shown my Thai licence and successfully hired the car with that. (I also put my country of residence as Thailand, and got the car for about a third less than the price it offered when UK was entered as place of residence. This was with one of the big car hire places.)

You can rent a car in almost any country with almost any license. The rental companies don't care. They get paid no matter what.

It's the police who will be demanding to see the proper licensing required by the country's laws. If you don't have it, you pay.

I had a look at Budget UK's terms and conditions, and oddly, under "Drivers Licence Requirements" it doesn't say "We don't care", rather "Residents of EC countries can use own licence from country of origin. Non-EC residents can use own licence for max 12 months after entry to UK."

Golly! Can you imagine that! They chose words that amounted to the very same thing! Having rented cars in many different countries, I don't believe any of them asked to see my passport or entry permit. My wife used her license that had absolutely no English writing on it, to rent a car in Florida. The clerk just asked her to spell her name so she could enter it into the computer. The rental companies don't care. They get paid no matter what.

[FolkGuitar]

I've returned to the UK before, realised I didn't have my UK licence counterpart, and instead shown my Thai licence and successfully hired the car with that. (I also put my country of residence as Thailand, and got the car for about a third less than the price it offered when UK was entered as place of residence. This was with one of the big car hire places.)

You can rent a car in almost any country with almost any license. The rental companies don't care. They get paid no matter what.

It's the police who will be demanding to see the proper licensing required by the country's laws. If you don't have it, you pay.

I had a look at Budget UK's terms and conditions, and oddly, under "Drivers Licence Requirements" it doesn't say "We don't care", rather "Residents of EC countries can use own licence from country of origin. Non-EC residents can use own licence for max 12 months after entry to UK."

I shall be writing a strongly worded letter to my MP, insisting that the 12mth probation period for a Thai license in UK is revoked on the grounds it isn't reciprocated here.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Be sure to let him know that you were more than willing to violate the Thai laws while you were here. That should help solidify your position...

[taotoo]

I've returned to the UK before, realised I didn't have my UK licence counterpart, and instead shown my Thai licence and successfully hired the car with that. (I also put my country of residence as Thailand, and got the car for about a third less than the price it offered when UK was entered as place of residence. This was with one of the big car hire places.)

You can rent a car in almost any country with almost any license. The rental companies don't care. They get paid no matter what.

It's the police who will be demanding to see the proper licensing required by the country's laws. If you don't have it, you pay.

I had a look at Budget UK's terms and conditions, and oddly, under "Drivers Licence Requirements" it doesn't say "We don't care", rather "Residents of EC countries can use own licence from country of origin. Non-EC residents can use own licence for max 12 months after entry to UK."

Golly! Can you imagine that! They chose words that amounted to the very same thing! Having rented cars in many different countries, I don't believe any of them asked to see my passport or entry permit. My wife used her license that had absolutely no English writing on it, to rent a car in Florida. The clerk just asked her to spell her name so she could enter it into the computer. The rental companies don't care. They get paid no matter what.

I've never rented a car without showing my passport, except for in my home country. The hire companies DO care, for reasons such as insurance and liability. You must live on a different planet to the rest of us.

[FolkGuitar]

I've never rented a car without showing my passport, except for in my home country. The hire companies DO care, for reasons such as insurance and liability. You must live on a different planet to the rest of us.

I never have been too sure of which planet I'm on at any particular moment. We travel a lot.

But I know I've never been asked to show my passport when renting a car. I wonder if they ask you for yours because of racial profiling? That seems to be all the rage these days.

[feest monty]

i walk, i need the exercise. never ever been stopped for walking.

[Greenside]

I don't understand the "personal profit" thing. I've never handed a cop cash in Thailand. They've never asked me either. I always pay at the police station where it is accounted for. But I've only had about 4 tickets in 25+ years.

Nor me and I don't know anyone personally who has been propositioned this way in the last four years either. I see the BIB out doing helmet and tax roadblocks all carrying their books and writing tickets which is as it should be. I think the situation about cops taking traffic fine backhanders has changed for the better and we should give them credit for it.

For those who support the 200 baht option, remember that it goes hand in hand with the kind of local government creeps who put bureaucratic obstacles in the path of ordinary folk who want a service that is theirs by right until some kind of gift is proffered. As far as I am concerned corruption is corruption and the average Thai's acceptance of the status quo is at the heart of what is holding this country back in many areas.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

"I shall be writing a strongly worded letter to my MP...."

Get them to send a gunboat to sort out that dashed Johnny Foreigner, eh what, Colonel Blimp??

I stayed out of this so far in silent protest against yet another assault on the legacy of General Prince Kaew Nawarat through misspelling the bridge named after him, but I would like to point out that the comment about 'writing to my MP' makes the OP's position a bit more legitimate in my eyes.

See, if you still consider yourself that much of a UK (or insert any foreign nation) citizen, then you truly still feel like a tourist or visitor, and therefore it makes sense that as a tourist you are not burdened with official requirements that apply to long-term resident expats or retirees.

He's got a point: if a tourist is on a one week visit of Chiang Mai and rents a car at Budget or Avis, will he then be bothered by the constabulary, while not doing anything wrong? That's probably the OP's main train of thought, and one that has merit.

Now, personally I'm not sure I actually WANT Thailand to mature from the perpetual state of 'gray' when it comes to absolutely anything to do with laws, policies and regulations -because it comes in damned handy sometimes- but we can all agree that so far this maturing isn't happening, regardless of whether you consider that good, bad or just wrily amusing. (Most things in Thailand are in those three categories by the way, and the key to expatriate bliss is in one's ability to file events under 'wrily amussing' instead of 'bad'. )

Edited November 25, 2013 by WinnieTheKhwai

[prestburypark]

As a tourist, or recent arrival, an International Driving permit is ok for 3 months, and the police do recognise them, I have had it happen to me on a roadside check and no problem..or tea money requested. In fact I have never been asked for tea money, but I do have both Thai motorcycle and car licences. Not hard to obtain, got mine in Pattaya, the 5 year renewal was easy enough too.

It seems churlish and somewhat spoilt to expect to get a free pass from the legal requirements here on the grounds that you got taught to drive in the UK and are obviously way superior in your driving skill sets to the locals.

To call cops thieves for doing what they are there to do is ridiculous and seems petty and pouting. Man up and do things correctly and you will not have any hassles, then your superior road skills can be admired by all who are fortunate enough to share the highway with you.