Thai motorbike licence?

[expatsupreme]

If I have valid EU European licence, do I have to do the test again?

I am just doing bike licence here in EU, and already have car licence for years. Do I have to do a test in Thailand all over again?

[papa al]

Likely not.

Depends on where you go &c.

[mal60]

In Mae Taeng they weren't interested in my UK licence, only my International Driving Permit. Because I had that I only had to do the colour blindness test.

[NomadJoe]

In Mae Taeng they weren't interested in my UK licence, only my International Driving Permit. Because I had that I only had to do the colour blindness test.

Judging by reports here on Thaivisa and my personal experience, most LTD's dont require an IDP to skip the driving and written portion, just your home license. Phuket did not require it when I did mine. IDP's don't translate anything into Thai but they do explain the class of vehicle the bearer is allowed to drive perhaps more clearly than your license does. For example, my US license says "class c and m1". The LTD doesn't know what that means so they asked me to print out the DMV webpage explaining it. If I had an IDP I wouldn't have had to do that. Your EU license should have the silhouette of the class you can drive on the back so this or and IDP shouldn't be necessary.

[expatsupreme]

In Mae Taeng they weren't interested in my UK licence, only my International Driving Permit. Because I had that I only had to do the colour blindness test.

Judging by reports here on Thaivisa and my personal experience, most LTD's dont require an IDP to skip the driving and written portion, just your home license. Phuket did not require it when I did mine. IDP's don't translate anything into Thai but they do explain the class of vehicle the bearer is allowed to drive perhaps more clearly than your license does. For example, my US license says "class c and m1". The LTD doesn't know what that means so they asked me to print out the DMV webpage explaining it. If I had an IDP I wouldn't have had to do that. Your EU license should have the silhouette of the class you can drive on the back so this or and IDP shouldn't be necessary.

we have A for bikes and B for cars, so I get it. Ok I will make IDL here in my country and thanks god I will not have to do the theory, if they have such stupid questions

[horsewell]

I just recently helped someone get a driver licence in Phuket, before the increased regulations. They needed a international permit and even though they had a bike licence on their home licence they didn't have it on their international permit and had to do the full test. Some people can "swing" things that others can't but having an international permit with your home country licence will assure you a licence without having to do the test.

[somchy]

expatsupreme....if you have to take the theory test...just remember, it is OK to drive a tank or a formula 1 race car on the street.. just not

a regular car with a broken taillight.

[surfinglife]

In Pattaya they require IDP. If you have one you just need to take a colour, depth perception and reflex tests.

[moogradod]

What is the way to go if I don't pass the colour blind test (I know I will not pass the ishihara test although I see red and green separetely as I recognize all other colours) ? Hiring a chauffeur ? Pass over money ?

I have 40 years driving experience without one single incident in Switzerland. I have a Swiss licence and an international permit.

[sandrabbit]

I have UK car & motorcycle licences and Rayong licence centre accepted both so only had to do the colour blindness, reaction & depth perception tests. I was told that if you have a licence in English it is acceptable and an international permit required for non English licences just for the translation. I just missed having to sit through the 2 hr movies when I got my 5yr licence so will have to sit through them in 5 yrs time.

[expatsupreme]

expatsupreme....if you have to take the theory test...just remember, it is OK to drive a tank or a formula 1 race car on the street.. just not

a regular car with a broken taillight.

ok so let me buy a small little Panzer then

wha tis depth and perception test? Can I use contact lenses for that?

[oldsailor35]

No you don't have to, but don't have an accident or it will be your fault for sure and also any insurance company will use the lack of a current Thai license as a way not to pay out................Up to you !

[FreddyFubar]

I had both my UK driving license and IDP, a couple of weeks back here in Pattaya. The Tourist Police took my IDP away and said that I should go and pay the 400THB fine if I wanted to see it again... Obviously, that was useless and insulting advice seen as they were at their mobile checkpoint most of the day and attending the station would be pointless due to the French guy clearly stuffing it in his pocket. Before the day was over, the Thai's from a different spot took my UK license away and said that I should go to the station to pay my fine, because I didn't have an IDP. But I don't mind, because these are the 'good guys'. F*cking theft!

[oldsailor35]

When i was renewing my Thai driving licenses early in the year. They were telling Russian, French, Swiss and Germans that they would have to do the test regardless of having their national license or not !....................................OH! and come back tomorrow properly dressed

[Guitar God]

I have a couple EU licenses and a U.S. one. In Bangkok I had to take the color, depth perception and reaction time test. I didn't have an international license. One DL said "motorcycle" and "car" and another had pictures of a car and a big bike. I heard Phuket was easier than that. That could explain why there are more accidents there if one-eyed, color-blind drivers with the reaction times of a sloth can just show an old license and pay a fee.

[BWPattaya]

I had both my UK driving license and IDP, a couple of weeks back here in Pattaya. The Tourist Police took my IDP away and said that I should go and pay the 400THB fine if I wanted to see it again... Obviously, that was useless and insulting advice seen as they were at their mobile checkpoint most of the day and attending the station would be pointless due to the French guy clearly stuffing it in his pocket. Before the day was over, the Thai's from a different spot took my UK license away and said that I should go to the station to pay my fine, because I didn't have an IDP. But I don't mind, because these are the 'good guys'. F*cking theft!

I am guessing, as it is not clear from your post, that you were stopped and because you had committed an offence were told to pay the fine at the Police Station in Soi 9. There you would have been given a receipt for the payment of said fine. Then you would have been able to go back to recover your IDP. That is standard practice.

If you were stopped later the same day at a mobile checkpoint and fined then they were correct. You didn;t have an IDP nor a Thai licence so they were correct in fining you. If you had paid your fine earlier and retreived your IDP you wouldn't have been fined.

Edited June 9, 2014 by BWPattaya

[stoli]

expatsupreme....if you have to take the theory test...just remember, it is OK to drive a tank or a formula 1 race car on the street.. just not

a regular car with a broken taillight.

ok so let me buy a small little Panzer then

wha tis depth and perception test? Can I use contact lenses for that?

Yes, and you will pass it, if you are not color blind. Many people are.

[Guitar God]

Whenever the traffic police try to get money off of me they say the options are to go to the station, pay a fine and get my license back next week, or pay them cash.

[FreddyFubar]

I am guessing, as it is not clear from your post, that you were stopped and because you had committed an offence were told to pay the fine at the Police Station in Soi 9. There you would have been given a receipt for the payment of said fine. Then you would have been able to go back to recover your IDP. That is standard practice.

If you were stopped later the same day at a mobile checkpoint and fined then they were correct. You didn;t have an IDP nor a Thai licence so they were correct in fining you. If you had paid your fine earlier and retreived your IDP you wouldn't have been fined.

Have you driven around Pattaya on a scooter recently? There was no offence committed. I was stopped 'randomly' along with all of the other falangs around me with helmets donned, as the Thai's scuttled past with nan, granddad, daughter and dog onboard (oh, and of course the shopping etc)...

Yes, I received a ticket and was told to retrieve my freshly stolen/confiscated IDP from the station on Soi. 9, but alas, my IDP was NOT AT SOI. 9, was it!? Because they hadn't finished collecting for the day. This is where the 'standard practice' fails.

The last bit is puzzling to me... How are they correct by pointing out the fact that I now do not hold an IDP? (A.) It was taken from me the very same day FOR NO REASON AT ALL. (B.) Even if I had've been in the wrong, I had not been given a chance to retrieve it, seen as it was still in the French man's pocket.

The ultimate con. What do you not understand about that?? They don't even instruct the public on how to rectify these issues when you are getting your wrist slapped.

[DGS1244]

Not sure what you mean by European Licence, there is no such thing, do you mean a licence from a Euro country. If so the get a certified translation into Thai and take that to the driving centre. They prefer that to an 'International' permit, which really doesn't mean anything. all I had to do then was take the coloured blindness test and ten minutes later walked out with a Thai licence, both car and motorcycle.

[stgrhe]

You need an International Driver's License of the 1949 convention to be correct. If you have that you only need a health certificate and you will have to do a reaction test plus a test for colour blindness.

[luckytrev]

Got both my car and bike Thai driving licences last Friday. Before going I went to the motor forum where the subject is pinned. I followed the advice given there to the letter and had absolutely no problems. Kind courteous service. The colour blindness is only recognising red, amber and green. Much easier than picking out numbers in a heap of coloured dots. If you fail the reaction test you really should not be driving anyway. Felt good walking out with 2 brand new licences in my pocket. Oh, wear a shirt with a collar as the guy in front of me was made to change to get his photo taken.

[robcar]

Probably a silly question but............

After getting your precious new Thai licences in your hand, do you still retain your current EU/UK licence to put back into your wallet?

[DGS1244]

Probably a silly question but............

After getting your precious new Thai licences in your hand, do you still retain your current EU/UK licence to put back into your wallet?

If you reside outside the UK for more than three months then you have to give up your UK licence.

[DGS1244]

You need an International Driver's License of the 1949 convention to be correct. If you have that you only need a health certificate and you will have to do a reaction test plus a test for colour blindness.

It is an international driving permit, not licence, it is just a translation of your normal licence valued in limited countries. Not required here if you have your normal licence translated and certified.

[FreddyFubar]

If you reside outside the UK for more than three months then you have to give up your UK licence.

Well that's news to me! Who is policing this?

[expatsupreme]

Got both my car and bike Thai driving licences last Friday. Before going I went to the motor forum where the subject is pinned. I followed the advice given there to the letter and had absolutely no problems. Kind courteous service. The colour blindness is only recognising red, amber and green. Much easier than picking out numbers in a heap of coloured dots. If you fail the reaction test you really should not be driving anyway. Felt good walking out with 2 brand new licences in my pocket. Oh, wear a shirt with a collar as the guy in front of me was made to change to get his photo taken.

do they have shorts there? I mean Thailand is hot, how can you wear a shirt?

[expatsupreme]

What about if you have normal car licence in EU, and want to do both in Thailand, do you need to take a test for motorbike too? Or not?

[MarkB]

I am guessing, as it is not clear from your post, that you were stopped and because you had committed an offence were told to pay the fine at the Police Station in Soi 9. There you would have been given a receipt for the payment of said fine. Then you would have been able to go back to recover your IDP. That is standard practice.

If you were stopped later the same day at a mobile checkpoint and fined then they were correct. You didn;t have an IDP nor a Thai licence so they were correct in fining you. If you had paid your fine earlier and retreived your IDP you wouldn't have been fined.

Have you driven around Pattaya on a scooter recently? There was no offence committed. I was stopped 'randomly' along with all of the other falangs around me with helmets donned, as the Thai's scuttled past with nan, granddad, daughter and dog onboard (oh, and of course the shopping etc)...

Yes, I received a ticket and was told to retrieve my freshly stolen/confiscated IDP from the station on Soi. 9, but alas, my IDP was NOT AT SOI. 9, was it!? Because they hadn't finished collecting for the day. This is where the 'standard practice' fails.

The last bit is puzzling to me... How are they correct by pointing out the fact that I now do not hold an IDP? (A.) It was taken from me the very same day FOR NO REASON AT ALL. (B.) Even if I had've been in the wrong, I had not been given a chance to retrieve it, seen as it was still in the French man's pocket.

The ultimate con. What do you not understand about that?? They don't even instruct the public on how to rectify these issues when you are getting your wrist slapped.

Freddy.. when the BiB take your Licence you get a fine ticket. You bring this to soi 9 police station and pay that fine where you will get a receipt. You then bring this receipt back to the police man that put your license in his pocket and show the paid receipt to him. He will then return your IDP. Now you have your IDP and Licence and when stopped later that day could produce both documents as required and not have received a further fine..

[FreddyFubar]

Ok thank you. I fancy being a gobs*ite some more, but that makes sense (albeit I've never been told, until now).

I still don't understand why they would take my IDP off me in the first place!