Do you need to apply for Thai license in the province you live?

[Guitar God]

I waded through the (very old) pinned thread about getting a Thai license but still didn't find an answer. The best I've seen is a paper saying if you live in Bkk you may go to one of four transportation offices and if you live outside Bkk you may go to the nearest office in your province.

It says "may", not "must". My closest office is in Bkk even though I live a block off the border in a neighboring province.

Can I apply at any office in Thailand? I've heard it's easier in Ubon, especially if my gf is there to help with the forms.

The instructions say to bring two photos, another page says to bring one for each license you intend to apply for. I have a MC endorsement in my US and an EU country DL.

Do you get a seperate MC license here or is it just an endorsement on your auto license?

Any idea where the definitive source (up-to-date) of info on getting a Thailand license by showing another valid license is?

[Langsuan Man]

Unfortunately the past here in Thailand is no predictor of the present.

I live in Pattaya and got my first 5 year license in Bangkok since Pattaya was such a hassle. But I don't know if Bangkok dealt with me because it made no difference where I lived or because I got my initial 1 year license from them so I was in their computer

[Guitar God]

On orientexpat.com I found :

To obtain one, you must apply in the province you currently live in. For example, if you live in Surin, that is where you should apply.

I think a New Zealand expat site also said the same thing.

I still have found anything on official Thai government sites but it appears you need to apply in the province you are living in.

[Langsuan Man]

There have been posts here on TV where members who live in Pattaya have gone to Rayong DLT to get their licenses. I think the advise to get it in your home province is based upon the need to obtain a residence certificate from Immigration, which you would have to get in your home province. But if you got it (residence certificate) from your embassy in Bangkok would seem that that reason would not apply

Do you get a seperate MC license here or is it just an endorsement on your auto license?

You will initially will get a one year license each for car and motorcycle, which after a year can be extended to a five year license, once again one license for operating a car, and another for operating a motorcycle so long as you have either a work permit or non immigrant visa for the 5 year license

[Guitar God]

My provincial transportation office was just a 10 minute ride from my house so I went there rather than risk a wasted trip to a Bkk office.

It is indeed two separate licenses so they do require two copies of the paperwork. I should know within a few hours if whether they care or not if my European license doesn't have a translation. They took both my applications and haven't complained so far.

[Ace of Pop]

To renew a 5 Year Dont forget to get the form from your Immigration Office. The One where you send the 90 Day to.

[Langsuan Man]

To renew a 5 Year Dont forget to get the form from your Immigration Office. The One where you send the 90 Day to.

Which is called a Residency Certificate

BTW, I have never heard of having to have a drivers license translated into Thai. A passport for a Yellow Book, yes, a foreign drivers license, never

But this is Thailand after all so YMMV

[stevenl]

To renew a 5 Year Dont forget to get the form from your Immigration Office. The One where you send the 90 Day to.

Which is called a Residency Certificate

BTW, I have never heard of having to have a drivers license translated into Thai. A passport for a Yellow Book, yes, a foreign drivers license, never

But this is Thailand after all so YMMV

To get credit for a foreign DL one either needs an IDP or the license has to be in English or pictograms or an Englisg translation has to be provided.