I just renewed my Thai driving license this morning (at the transport department in Dao Khanong) and have been told something very interesting:

- if you renew your driving license a few days BEFORE the expiry date you'll get only an extension for another year

- if you renew your driving license a few days AFTER the expiry date you'll get an extension for another 5 years

By the way, the price was 505 THB for the 5-years extension.

Did anybody else make the same experience ?

- if you renew your driving license a few days BEFORE the expiry date you'll get only an extension for another year

- if you renew your driving license a few days AFTER the expiry date you'll get an extension for another 5 years

By the way, the price was 505 THB for the 5-years extension.

there may have been a misunderstanding on your part.

I renewed my DL also at Dao Khanong last November four days before expiry and was asked if I like to have a one or five year DL. Of course I took the 5 years.

No problem and 505.-Baht was all I had to pay.

opalhort

- if you renew your driving license a few days BEFORE the expiry date you'll get only an extension for another year

- if you renew your driving license a few days AFTER the expiry date you'll get an extension for another 5 years

By the way, the price was 505 THB for the 5-years extension.

there may have been a misunderstanding on your part.

I renewed my DL also at Dao Khanong last November four days before expiry and was asked if I like to have a one or five year DL. Of course I took the 5 years.

No problem and 505.-Baht was all I had to pay.

opalhort

Mine was a lttle early too...no problems...5 years and 505 baht

this does seem to represent a change in policy though, doesn't it? a number of friends have reported getting a 5 year instead of the usual 1 year ... yet i haven't seen any policy change being gazetted.

my guess (take it with a pinch of salt) ... with the ict ministry's new smart id cards in the process of being issued, (these contain the driver's license info), here's a rival ministry making use of the opportunity to stake out its territory by issuing longer lasting paper ...

(one smart card manufacturer i know claims they won this contract from the government over 12 mths ago, though the "official" (online) tender is to be held in the next few days; another will be held for the required readers - the high procurement budget set for these being an indication of the price padding opportunity that this latest technological investment represents to certain parties).

Interestingly, the medical profession has already raised the spectre of big brother (today's edition of the nation) - unjustifiably - by saying that the inclusion of dna information on the cards will be used insurance companies to deny people with genetically inherited tendencies towards critical medical conditions.

This in a country where the magnetic stripe id cards hitherto issued have yet to be programmed with any magnetic data whatsoever.

I wonder if anyone following this thread has had a similar choice when renewing at the Chiang Mai transport office. I've always been given a one-year extension, may try asking for a 5-year when I come up for renewal again in May. If they say no, next time I'll try Dao Khanong ....

I wonder if anyone following this thread has had a similar choice when renewing at the Chiang Mai transport office. I've always been given a one-year extension, may try asking for a 5-year when I come up for renewal again in May. If they say no, next time I'll try Dao Khanong ....

The 5 year license only became available mid 2003. You just missed out last year.

opalhort and dr Pat Pong, many thanks for your replies. But believe it or not, I went there together with my secretary on Thursday, 4th last week since the expiry date on my DL was the 6th of March. And if the translation of my secretary was right - which might not be always the case - they told us to better come back after the 6th to get the 5 years DL. If we would have extended at the 4th they definitely would have given me the DL for one year only at about 100THB.

The 5 year license only became available mid 2003. You just missed out last year.

well that explains everything ...

I wonder if anyone following this thread has had a similar choice when renewing at the Chiang Mai transport office. I've always been given a one-year extension, may try asking for a 5-year when I come up for renewal again in May. If they say no, next time I'll try Dao Khanong ....

Where is the CM transport office ?

What papers do I need to get a Thai DL ?

Until now I've always shown my French DL when asked by the police. They don't seem to care.

Where is the CM transport office ?

What papers do I need to get a Thai DL ?

Until now I've always shown my French DL when asked by the police. They don't seem to care.

You are a lucky guy!

But than I read in a Thai tourist magazine, that 'nearly everybody speaks basic English and a 'lot of Thais do undrstand French'. Perhaps, the police is fluent in reading Franciase.

Jokes aside, click on Thai Visa, it's written there what you need to get a Thai DL, and get one, for insurance.

Where is the CM transport office ?

What papers do I need to get a Thai DL ?

Until now I've always shown my French DL when asked by the police. They don't seem to care.

You are a lucky guy!

But than I read in a Thai tourist magazine, that 'nearly everybody speaks basic English and a 'lot of Thais do undrstand French'. Perhaps, the police is fluent in reading Franciase.

Jokes aside, click on Thai Visa, it's written there what you need to get a Thai DL, and get one, for insurance.

More likely the cops won't admit that they do not understand foreign languages.

And if the translation of my secretary was right - which might not be always the case - they told us to better come back after the 6th to get the 5 years DL. If we would have extended at the 4th they definitely would have given me the DL for one year only at about 100THB.

This kind of makes sense.

If renewed it would be at the old condition of one year but if you let it expire they can give you a "new" licence for five years.