Thailand Driving License: Tough new tests from 1st June 2014

[jfconaghan]

I am not sure anyone will reply to this post as it is quite old.

Just today I went to the Transport Office near Pattaya. I have everything, trust me. When I produced my Australian (Queensland) Driver License, without even looking at it the woman told me I needed a Translated and stamped letter from the Australian Embassy (only in BKK). No-one I had spoken to had ever needed to do this.

Second part of my question, I know there is no Embassy nor consulate in or near Pattaya. Does anyone know anywhere else it can be certified? Or is it only the Australian Embassy in BKK?

I look forward to any comment that might help. Cheers.

[tekka8]

What is the situation in my case?

UK national with full eu driving licence(car and m\bike) and also uk issued int.driving permit.

Non O visa multi entry.

I live in najomtien and wish to apply for a car and motor cycle licence.

What should I have with me when I apply and what is the cost?

will it be a 1 year licence?

thankyou.

[johng]

tekka,

You'll need a " certificate of residency" from Jomtien immigration they try to make you get 2 but if your doing car and motorbike at the same time at the driving licence center ( DLT ) they accept one original and one copy. ( 200 baht per copy + - depending on )

(depending on = the sun, moon star alignment some one's bad hair day how farang you look etc etc)

Take some proof of where you live and some passport photos

DLT is next to the Regents school

https://www.google.co.th/maps/place/Banglamung+%28Pattaya%29+Motor+Vehicle+Registry+Office/@12.968275,100.972569,17z/data=!4m7!1m4!3m3!1s0x0:0x0!2zMTLCsDU4JzA1LjgiTiAxMDDCsDU4JzIxLjIiRQ!3b1!3m1!1s0x0000000000000000:0xae9da8949e4e20bd

copy of your driving licence and copies from your passport. take the originals.

a doctors certificate which can be obtained from almost any clinic ( 50 - 200 baht depending on)

You shouldn't have to do the theory or pratical test as you are " converting your EU licence

they will test you for color blindness depth perception and reaction time.

First licences are allways provisional 1 year if/when you go back with long term visa after first year they'll give you 5 years

if you don't have long term visa you get another 1 year licence

Temporary car licence 105

Temporary motocycle licence 55

+ 100 baht for each photo that they put on the licence ( they take the photos there so no need to bring one )

good luck !

[rotorbreeze]

Can they please include in the new teaching scheme 'how to use a roundabout'.

The Round About at the intersection of Nakula and Pattaya Nua (north) and entry onto beach road and Second road has been modified THAI way...a pillar blocking the clockwise entry prevents such logical use of Round About...reason...from what I heard is that a young lady was killed either by not knowing whom has the right of way while entering this well developed European system...

I have a 5 yrs motorcycle Thai license that took three days to get...yes all of the comments are true about written/observation test...yes it is comical and corrupt...noticed while in Q setting on issuing license bench on the final day of passing all test/ written/roadtest with others...a group of "french nationals" along with a official looking officer with a handful of money was allowed to get in front of the Q ... the french nationals did speak in french to themselves and looked around at us...not seeing either of these fellow prior to the written or road test which WE had passed...getting their photo taken and issuing of a THAI license with in 15 minutes..time for each to get a photo issued laminated license. The french group give body signs of looked guilty with no eye contact leaving as fast as they arrived...

I thought NOW that is the way to get a license, pay for less frustration and waste of time..MONEY TALKS...for those whom want a motor cycle license check out most agencies that provide a Retirement Visa...same corruption used for Immigration applies at the MVB.

[b2bme]

I failed today. 43 out of 50. Need 45. Got the same parking question wrong 3 times. Guess I should have paid attention to those red and white curbs after all these years. There is 50 questions but my guess is that really it is 30 as a number of the questions get repeated through the test. The Thai test actually looks harder. Will try again tomorrow. Note to all, don't let your license expire. I was out of Thailand for a year and it expired end of 2013. If I renewed it before or close to expiry then I would not have to do the written test. I vaguely recall trying to renew it before it expired but was told I had to wait. Some woman today was renewing it 2 months early so it must be possible. Bit crazy as I've had a license here for 11 years 1+5+5 (never did a written test though). Probably the same rules back in Oz. If renewing you still have to watch a one hour video in Thai. Good attempt but if you ever get to see it too bad they still let the kids be in the back with no seat belt.

A website driving in Thailand.com has some downloadable questions which are useful. Should have read them first. Was going to paste the link but they had a copyright disclaimer and I don't need a law suit. Some questions in the test are ambiguous to the point of being wrong.

What was concerning was the amount of locals that could not do the depth perception test. They still get to pass though cause everyone around them is telling them when to stop.

I'm sure most of you that drive have experienced their poor judgment of distance vs speed here.

[45slap]

Oh, twelve hours? Whoops! First of all, you have to know how to drive before you can teach someone else how to drive. Screw this farce. You want to reduce fatalities? Limit the speed on all vehicles to 60 kph.

[Jimbolai]

My first 1 year Thai motor bike and Car licenses expire March 4th.

When is the earliest I can go for the next 5 year licence? i.e. during the month of February or need to wait till March?

When is the latest after March 4th that I can still renew the licences? i.e one or 6 month after the expiration?

Also what do I need to bring this time besids the 2 licenses. Passport and what else?

Thanks

[markt41]

Tried to take my test in Phuket town but could not pass the colour blind test so cant have a licence!!! I have 20/20 vision by the way.

[wilcopops]

Tried to take my test in Phuket town but could not pass the colour blind test so cant have a licence!!! I have 20/20 vision by the way.

That doesn't mean you have perfect vision and color blindness is a serious impairment for drivers too.

[spirit1ness]

If you want to study test questions for a Thai drivers license go here

http://phuket.dlt.go.th/index/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=98&Itemid=65

Edited April 9, 2015 by spirit1ness

[joeyg]

I had a friend visit recently and was shocked to see a toddler standing on the floor board of the scooter and another small child sitting behind the driver.

I explained that they were not children. They are air bags...

[Taxi]

OK, to share my experience today, I am on a retirement visa with an Australian (NSW) license. So I'm converting a current Australian license to a new Thai License

Went to Immigration and got 2 letters of residence as I need car and bike license. In and out 25 minutes

Went to Doctor and got certificate x 2. 5 minutes

Copied IDL, NSW License, Passport name page and visa pages dont think I needed the IDL as they handed the copy back to me.

Completed Drivers license application for x 2 from Internet

At the LTO office you need to take a number from the machine that's at the foot of the stars then wait for the number to come up on the screen them proceed upstairs. If you go up before your number is called they send you back down to wait.

Once upstairs they checked my documents, took my original Australian drivers license and my passport, asked me to print name and phone number on a Thai language form. Gave me a number and sat inside, they told the girlfriend to wait downstairs.

Once inside, called up for reflex, depth perception and colour tests, takes all of 1 minute, sit back down again, wait for lady to call my name, name called, go pay 360 baht, wait for photo, name called take picture, wait about 2 minutes collect license then on my way. License for both car and bike are valid for 2 years.

All in all I was in and out in about an hour, most of that waiting for the photo. I would have struggled a bit if I didn't have a Thai with me, but it's easy enough if you know the process. Thought this may help as I checked this forum previously for help on the process. Cheers

[Taxi]

I should have mentioned, this was about 8.45am.

[rwdrwdrwd]

If you want to study test questions for a Thai drivers license go here

http://phuket.dlt.go.th/index/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=98&Itemid=65

Just passed mine and can confirm these are pretty up to date, only encountered 5 or 6 questions that are not covered, and only a couple of them were bizarre ones with no obvious answer.

Someone has gone to the trouble of creating an online test with the questions from Phuket DLT, and it's quite handy - thaidriving.info

[sendintheclowns]

I am stuck in a Kafkaesque situation (nothing unusual there, TIT). My wife is applying for a renewal if her Thai driving license. Step 1 is to get a letter certifying her residential address from Immigration. The officer turned her away, last week. She did have proof of address (Thai medical ins policy). But officer asked for a copy of either a yellow book or a blue book. We built our house - but local Obador refuses to issue a. Yellow book. Not only have They never heard of yellow books. Nor do they be, I've that Farang can own a house ( but not land, I know). Don's living in Thailsnd website/ blog lists a letter from the landlord as being acceptable. What do I do? Write a letter as owner, saying my wife lives in the house? There is a form at Immigration - 'Report by house master of who is residing in the house' . Question: is there anybody else here who is married to a non-Thai and has built their own house? Thanks!

Living in Nakohn Si THAMMARAT.

[sendintheclowns]

I am stuck in a Kafkaesque situation (nothing unusual there, TIT). My wife is applying for a renewal if her Thai driving license. Step 1 is to get a letter certifying her residential address from Immigration. The officer turned her away, last week. She did have proof of address (Thai medical ins policy). But officer asked for a copy of either a yellow book or a blue book. We built our house - but local Obador refuses to issue a. Yellow book. Not only have They never heard of yellow books. Nor do they be, I've that Farang can own a house ( but not land, I know). Don's living in Thailsnd website/ blog lists a letter from the landlord as being acceptable. What do I do? Write a letter as owner, saying my wife lives in the house? There is a form at Immigration - 'Report by house master of who is residing in the house' . Question: is there anybody else here who is married to a non-Thai and has built their own house? Thanks!

Living in Nakohn Si THAMMARAT.

Auto correct curse there: I meant to post that " local Obador does not believe that a Farang can own a house".. ...........