Thai Driving Licence

[Kevin1908]

Is a Thai driving licence specific to any car, manual or automatic, or is it like the UK where you can get a licence for automatic only.

Before the wife came to the UK I got her to get a licence. She drove a car along time ago but never got a full licence. She passed her test but her Thai licence in the UK will only be valid for a year so I am getting her to have driving lessons in the UK with a view to getting a full UK licence.

I never thought of this but when she started her lessons if was apparant that she could only drive an automatic. She is learning to drive in a manual car so she get a full licence and drive anything.

I need to know if I get her a car in the UK with a manual gear box can she drive it on her Thai licence or might the licence be automatic only.

[Rooo]

Moved to motoring.

[Gsxrnz]

Go here.

https://www.gov.uk/non-gb-driving-licence

The Thai Car licence is not specific to manual or automatic.

The one year Thai licence does have the words "temporary" on it, so the UK authorities may not consider this to be a full licence. Maybe somebody who has actually tried it might have more info.

Edited December 12, 2013 by Gsxrnz

[Kwasaki]

If your Mrs has a Full Thai Driving Licence then she can drive any car in the UK for 1 year after that she must pass her UK driving test, if she passes a UK car test in an auto she can only drive auto in UK if she passes a geared car UK test she can drive either.

Nice to see you are getting her UK lessons and taking care of her, she might not like it but you never know.

[JAS21]

Kevin, my wife did her test ten years ago in the UK, she had driven for many many years over here. I went the auto route as I wouldn't ever consider a manual car again, anyway I had an auto merc so she had no choice.

I got her lessons, she had six if I recall and her biggest problems were (1) roundabouts, and (2) reversing looking over her shoulder, Thais use mirrors. Also she found out very quickly that driving down the outside of a queue and then flashing the Thai smile to cut in doesn't work!!

Also she studied the highway code for six weeks, almost solid, it has a lot of negatives and Thais find that difficult to grasp. She will also need to practice - practice the hazard perception ... unless it has changed a lot ... plenty on the internet. Thais normally 'fall down' on anticipation .. although I must admit my wife didn't and she is actually quite a good driver ... her only bad point is trying to read what is lying on the rear shelf of the car in front!

Don't worry, bent metal straightens