OnMyWay2 Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 I need to get a motorbike. From what I understand I will need my own bike in order to take the driving test. But how can I have my own bike without a drivers license? Should I just go get a bike a risk tickets until I get my license? I do have a USA drivers license but not an international one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATF Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Do you have a USA bike license? If you do no problem you don't need to do the written or practical test. Just get the other papers Medical Cert, Cert of Residency from Immigration and you'll be in and out in a few hours. Get a car license at the same time if you have a USA car license. Buying the bike is no problem but you won't be covered by insurance if they find out you have the wrong license. All first time Thai Licenses are one year for Thais too. You will need a one year visa/extension to get a five year when you renew but you can apply now on an entry stamp or tourist visa. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdwilko Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 (edited) Hi you can rent motor bike opposite the driving license centre, 150 baht for the time of your test . I did my test there in dec not rode a bike for 43 years but test very easy john Edited October 10, 2014 by Rimmer Fonts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smileplur Posted October 10, 2014 Share Posted October 10, 2014 I'm not sure how the Department of Land Transport is down there in Pattaya, but here in Bangkok you can rent their bikes to use for the test. For the bike test, they had crappy little Honda Waves. Having my own automatic bike that I'm used to driving daily made the test much easier for me. They have cars for the same purpose. I don't know if the car they provide is automatic or manual. Again, having my own car helped, as I am used to driving it. The rest sensors came in handy for the parallel parking; although, I'm sure I would have passed without them. You don't want to stall for a simple clutch issue during the test when you might be nervous. In my case, I can't take several days off work to retake tests. I had to pass on my first shot. My own vehicle certainly helped. I bought both my car and motorbike prior to obtaining a license. Yes, they let me drive off of the lot with a brand new car and absolutely no license!!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardog Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 Agree rent a Honda wave or similar if you don't have a valid U.S.bike endorsement & take the test on the small bike. Definitely get your auto license while you get your bike Lic. so you can drive a car legally here if needed-or wanted. it is cheap & you will avoid having to come back & retest for the car. If you have a U.S. drivers Bike lic. you already have an auto lic. Just trade in your class 3-4 lic for both Thai licenses. If you do not have certification for the bike you need to get a intl. lic. first. At least I had to in 2004. Hawaii screwed up & never issued me my Motorcycle endorsement or my 18 wheeler endorsements. It was way cheaper to just retake the bike tests for me than fly to Hawaii to straighten out my U.S. licenses. I don't care bout the truck lic. I am not planning to work here hauling anything anyway. Good luck. The great part of taking a test on a small bike you can purchase any size bike you want & it is way easier to do the test on a noodle bike opposed to a big bike. It is pretty easy. Remember your 2 copies of your residence you will need them for your licenses & it is a drag to have to ride back to Pattaya immigration to get them. If you have a house here you can get a yellow book which suffices as your residency certificate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emilymat Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 I thinkOnmyWay2 in post 1 has it right. I've had both a motorbike and car licence here for years. All I did initially is to take a colour blind test and reaction test and, bingo, Thai licence for 1 year then renewal for 5. The lady at the centre told me "If your home licence is in English then no problem!. What would happen if I was, say, Polish I don't know. You should be OK as the USA has English licences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayned Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 The US does not have a driver's license. Each Sate in the US issues their own license, so there are 50 of them, and the rules differ from state to state. Some states require a motorcycle endorsement on your license but some don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smileplur Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 The US does not have a driver's license. Each Sate in the US issues their own license, so there are 50 of them, and the rules differ from state to state. Some states require a motorcycle endorsement on your license but some don't. I don't mean to nit-pick too much here, but there are more than 50. For example, did you include the District of Columbia in your calculation? How about Puerto Rico? Guam? You get the point, but you are correct that licencing for motor vehicles is done at the state level and is not done federally (with the exception of federal territories and land like DC). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emilymat Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 The US does not have a driver's license. Each Sate in the US issues their own license, so there are 50 of them, and the rules differ from state to state. Some states require a motorcycle endorsement on your license but some don't. I don't mean to nit-pick too much here, but there are more than 50. For example, did you include the District of Columbia in your calculation? How about Puerto Rico? Guam? You get the point, but you are correct that licencing for motor vehicles is done at the state level and is not done federally (with the exception of federal territories and land like DC). I take your point as US citizens. The point I wanted to make to the OP was if it was written in English. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnMyWay2 Posted October 11, 2014 Author Share Posted October 11, 2014 Thanks guys. I have a CA bike license. Gonna take it there and hopefully I don't have to take any tests. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bartender100 Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 Thanks guys. I have a CA bike license. Gonna take it there and hopefully I don't have to take any tests. Just make sure you have all the correct paper work in order before you go, or you will have a wasted journey. There is a pinned thread telling you what you need Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardog Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 Thanks guys. I have a CA bike license. Gonna take it there and hopefully I don't have to take any tests. You should be fine mine was a Cali license I traded in Class 3 & yours will be a class 3 & 4 if you have motorcycle endorsement. The complete state is on the same endorsement. If you have both it is a slam dunk Just as everyone said have all the proper paperwork & plenty of copies so you do not need to go to the shops in the front for copies(that being said they will still find something that you have to copy) I believe the DLT has a vested interest in the copy shops. Even with 4 copies of everything they usually make me copy something extra. Not that big a deal. Be ready for a most boring video. I prefer any of the red asphalt videos in the U.S. it drives the point home on the consequences of screwing up as the bullsht video they show teaches more to be a nice guy on the road cause hotheads harm their family LOL. No wonder Thais never seem to get a descent education in learning to drive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rimmer Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 Believe the question has been answered so before this develops into another driving licence topic I am going to close it and refer further questions to the pinned topic at the top of the page HERE //CLOSED// Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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