Getting Thai driver licence - which documents?

[VBelt]

I need to change my driver licence to a Thai driver licence. Can anyone please tell me, which documents I need to bring in addition to:

- photos

- driver licence

- international driver licence

- passport

- permission letter from Immigration office

- application form

and copies thereof?

Thanks in advance!!

[ubonjoe]

Moved to the Thailand motor forum.

[KhunBENQ]

- permission letter from Immigration office

-> certificate of residence that is

photos -> not needed (they do that by cam)

- driver licence

- international driver licence

A valid international driver license will be enough.

National driver license would need to be translated.

Additionally needed: "health certificate" from a physician.

Usually no examination at all, a formal thing, small fee (forget how much).

Edited October 3, 2014 by KhunBENQ

[MikeN]

I got my thai license 2 weeks ago at the Phra khanong office, they were not interested in my Australian license, just the international drivers permit. And I used a statutory declaration made at the Australian embassy rather than the certificate of residence. Your passport, with departure card, data, visa and current extension stamp pages photocopied and signed, and a medical certificate. If getting car and motorcycle license, remember they are separate and you will need 2 lots of papers.

[VBelt]

Thank you for the info! I had forgotten about the certificate. I'll go see a doctor then ...

Thanks again!!

[RBOP]

I rented a car in Canada with my Thai Drivers license. When I went to renew my Canadian drivers license they wanted me to hand over my Thai Drivers license for cancelation. Because Canada and Thailand have a treaty, they only allow you to hold one license. I kept the Thai.

[gjoo888]

This is a good website containing the information you need: http://driving.information.in.th/driving-licence.html

You can use either your international driver's permit or a valid license to apply. The license must be in English, any other language must to translated to Thai or English. I don't know about other Dept. of Land Transport offices, but the main office in Bangkok does not require photos, they take the license photo for you. The letter from immigration is called a Certificate of Residence, or you can get a residence certificate from the embassy of your country. In Bangkok at the immigration office, you apply for the certificate and they mail it to you. They told me it would take 2-3 weeks, but I received mine in 1 week. Don't forget the medical certificate too.

[Eaglekott]

Another good tip, at least for the Bangkok offices, be there in the afternoon 14-14.30, then there is almost no queues, If you go there early you might be there all day, but if you arrive late its more like an in/out procedure.

Edited October 4, 2014 by Eaglekott

[rotorbreeze]

I rented a car in Canada with my Thai Drivers license. When I went to renew my Canadian drivers license they wanted me to hand over my Thai Drivers license for cancelation. Because Canada and Thailand have a treaty, they only allow you to hold one license. I kept the Thai.

I too was appling to up grade my Cdn drivers Class 5 licence to include a Class 6 MotorScooter licence. With lots of experience in driving my scooter in Thailand, I wanted to show my scooter Thai licence for insurance purpose when I purchased my SilverWing Honda. ICBC said "I could not hold two divers licences" I know in North America that is the law..great respect that. Knowing the great effort in optaining my Thai licence I was not about to surrender this document (as you know it is ID in Thailand..no need to carry a valuabel passport..a copy is always in my pocession)

Before I could do the three tear system ... first being the 40 computer questions...then the Skills test....then finally the Road Test!...aw the Cdn road test...were their going to be for example...traffic going the wong diretion? or stray dogs crossing street...or venders pushing carts in the way of my progress..or even better have someone with a water hose spraying water?.....no that is the real test on ROAD TEST!

I contact ICBC in headoffice in Victoria BC and explained the value of having a Thai licence...no you must surrender this document first before allowing my 40 question on road knowledge....dam!

I did submit my Thai drivers licence...smerk smerk...I was asked is this a copy laminated as she inspected licence..I said "NO"... do you have a cataloge like the money exchangers have in banks to varify the authentisity of the licence?....well NO we do not...just N. America....well you see I explain..."Thailand is a very newly developing country..not like Canada...and this is what I was given. OK...now you can write the test!

I finally accomlished a Class 6 on my Cdn licence.... honesty the best policy... I did speak to the tourist whom are at ICBC in Cdn while they too whom stay 6 months and want a Cdn drivers licence are HONEST in that THEY DO NOT HOLD a foreign drivers licence. Words Words do creat problems with authority whom have no experiences in International travel...say the incorrect "Yes" or "NO" will save you hours of trouble..the NO answer means ON ward less paper work and frustration. I hope you enjoyed this insight and BE HONEST ...ok?

[rct99q]

As an aside Canada does not recognize the Thai drivers license and uf caught driving on one by law you can be fined. If in an accident the consequences could be worse. For residents of Canada not as a tourist, and you will need to prove you are a tourist (return ticket, etc), as spoken to me by ICBC in Vancouver, and police. True? have not tested the theory as i live in US.

[Greg Nixon]

In Mukdahn they were not interested in my International drivers license but wanted to send me for a medical check up.

So what is more important the ability to drive well or a certificate that says you are allowed to drive ? I have over 1,600,000 kms of driving without a serious accident and no one has ever been injured while I was behind the wheel.

Keep on trucking.

[petercool]

post promoting an illegal act was removed

[eeeya]

dont forget to photo copy passport, med cert.. everything. Might save you a few minutes scrambling around the motor registry when you could have prepared beforehand

[sandyf]

Licence requirements vary between offices and even within offices.

I went to Chonburi and they were not very interested in the national licence, just the IDP. In fact I was told that I needed a legalised translation but my wife challenged that and the manager said it was not necessary.

A friend of mine went to Pattaya and because he did not have the paper part of his UK licence he had to do an actual driving test. He hit a cone and failed the first attempt but they let him do it again in the afternoon and passed ok.

Never expect anything to be straightforward.

[VBelt]

Thanks to everybody for all the info.

I've been there now only to find out that my international driver licence, issued this year in April, is somehow obsolete and will not be accepted. Given the choice to have my national driver licence translated and come back a few days later, or try to get the Thai driver licence by doing the theory and driving test, I opted for this choice, because given the circumstances it seemed faster (I'd have to go to Bangkok to get the translation stamped).

But I wonder about one thing - if I cannot pass the test, can I then still proceed having my national driver licence translated and getting the Thai driver licence this way, or will failing that test disqualify me for getting my national driver licence converted to a Thai licence?

I think I can pass the test, if they stick to what they've shown in the training videos it should be possible. But I don't want to ruin my chances by taking an unnecessary risk.

Does anybody know about the rules regarding this - getting a national European driver licence converted to a Thai licence after failing to pass the Thai driver licence test? Unfortunately the lady at the office was in a bit of a hurry the entire day, so I didn't dare to ask her.

[sandyf]

I would suggest you try another office.