Thai car driving's license validity in UK ?

[welshlady]

The information I gave earlier was off my works site as I work for DVLA, regarding an expired licence, everyone had to renew their licence every 10 years so unless its age related you still be able to get a new one, as long as you have an address in UK also

The license does not expire, the picture does, who do you say you work for!

And it's easy to renew using the government gateway, as long as you have a UK passport, they can copy the picture from that - a UK address is required for the license to be mailed, I did the above myself about a year ago.

Thats only depends how recent your passport photograph is, and it's rather a long winded way of doing things going through the government gateway, things have changed a lot and now their net services are more secure they don't need the gateway

[welshlady]

Best place for you to look is Directgov.uk/dvla

[Brit_Doggie]

If you have a driving licence issued within the European Economic Area (all EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway), you can drive within the UK for as long as your licence remains valid.

If you have a driving licence issued in one of the so-called ‘designated’ countries (listed below), you need to exchange your licence for a British license to be able to drive in the UK for more than 12 months.

The designated countries are: Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland and Zimbabwe.

If you hold a driving licence issued by any country not listed above, then you will need to pass a British driving test in order to continue driving in the UK beyond the initial 12-month period

[chiang mai]

The information I gave earlier was off my works site as I work for DVLA, regarding an expired licence, everyone had to renew their licence every 10 years so unless its age related you still be able to get a new one, as long as you have an address in UK also

The license does not expire, the picture does, who do you say you work for!

And it's easy to renew using the government gateway, as long as you have a UK passport, they can copy the picture from that - a UK address is required for the license to be mailed, I did the above myself about a year ago.

Thats only depends how recent your passport photograph is, and it's rather a long winded way of doing things going through the government gateway, things have changed a lot and now their net services are more secure they don't need the gateway

I've lived in Thailand for the past ten years, using the government gateway was my only option to renew and keep my UK license up to date. And UK passports don't last that long in Thailand before they are full hence chances are that most folks will have a useable photograph - visa stamps, re-entry permits, Somchai's love of a new page for his stamp alone (!) plus a 32 page passport only has usable pages from page 6 to page 31, a few out of country trips and a 32 pager is easily done in under five years.

[Anon999]

The proviso is that your Thai licence is valid for a least a year from the time of your arrival in the UK. If you intend to hire a car in the UK most insurers will accept a Thai licence but not all and they may charge a higher premium, it's also age dependent too.

[Jaggg88]

When I go back to visit the UK I rent a car using my Thai License. No problems with the rental company and I think it also helps with speeding tickets.

Chris

You will hardly be issued a speeding ticket by a cop on the roads in the UK. Instead, the car rental company will get one through the mail and your credit card will be charged with the fine.

yes you are liable for the fine but they cannot put endorsements on your Thai licence

[SOMeTOM]

The information I gave earlier was off my works site as I work for DVLA,

Wouldn't you happen to know how does it works?

On the website i could not find an answer to my questions, i did sent them an e-mail, but i doubt i will get an answer, nowadays we are surrounded from gimmicks and the likes....

Specifically referring to this:

As a visitor you can drive any small vehicle (eg car or motorcycle) listed on your full and valid licence for 12 months from when you last entered Great Britain.

So does that means that one can just get "unlimited" 12 months periods, as long as it get out in time?

And there is also a specific amount of time to stay out to "reset the clock" ???

Edited October 14, 2014 by SOMeTOM

[SOMeTOM]

Ah ahh, that's hilarious, just a few seconds after i wrote my last post here, i got a "reply" from the DVLA, basically it bounced back, the e-mail address listed on their website it's not working anymore.....

Rcpt To:   <[email protected]>Repeated:  <7>Last Try:  <10/14/2014 7:58:58 AM>The reason of the delivery failure was:Can not connect to SMTP server <gtnet.gov.uk>.

[nglodnig]

I learned to drive in Bahrain, got my license there, and then after returning to the UK drove for a year on it and then took my test to get the UK driving licence. During that time I managed to rent a car with no problem on a Bahraini licence (not an international one). Howver, my policeman brother told me that this only works for foreign nationals and not for UK citizens. Still he's a stickler for the rules and luckily no-one pulled me up about it (he didn't arrest me so that's something). Tip - I did the test after six lessons or whatever it was for the maneuveres - reverse round a corner, emergency stop, park and all that sort of stuff - cos I had road sense already as I had been driving for three years. Do the maneuveres and don't crash into anything and the examiner will pass you - because he will see you know how to drive a car, which is what they look for. As my instructor put it, when we got blocked on a narrow road and I reversed back to allow the other car out "I wouldn't have allowed another of my students to do that". But driving on Arab roads for a couple of years giives you you some survival instincts.

[stevenl]

I learned to drive in Bahrain, got my license there, and then after returning to the UK drove for a year on it and then took my test to get the UK driving licence. During that time I managed to rent a car with no problem on a Bahraini licence (not an international one). Howver, my policeman brother told me that this only works for foreign nationals and not for UK citizens. Still he's a stickler for the rules and luckily no-one pulled me up about it (he didn't arrest me so that's something). Tip - I did the test after six lessons or whatever it was for the maneuveres - reverse round a corner, emergency stop, park and all that sort of stuff - cos I had road sense already as I had been driving for three years. Do the maneuveres and don't crash into anything and the examiner will pass you - because he will see you know how to drive a car, which is what they look for. As my instructor put it, when we got blocked on a narrow road and I reversed back to allow the other car out "I wouldn't have allowed another of my students to do that". But driving on Arab roads for a couple of years giives you you some survival instincts.

Your policeman brother is wrong. Of course if the UK national has a UK license (valid or revoked) that is the one to use (or not use if revoked, foreign one won't be valid ion that case).

[chiang mai]

I learned to drive in Bahrain, got my license there, and then after returning to the UK drove for a year on it and then took my test to get the UK driving licence. During that time I managed to rent a car with no problem on a Bahraini licence (not an international one). Howver, my policeman brother told me that this only works for foreign nationals and not for UK citizens. Still he's a stickler for the rules and luckily no-one pulled me up about it (he didn't arrest me so that's something). Tip - I did the test after six lessons or whatever it was for the maneuveres - reverse round a corner, emergency stop, park and all that sort of stuff - cos I had road sense already as I had been driving for three years. Do the maneuveres and don't crash into anything and the examiner will pass you - because he will see you know how to drive a car, which is what they look for. As my instructor put it, when we got blocked on a narrow road and I reversed back to allow the other car out "I wouldn't have allowed another of my students to do that". But driving on Arab roads for a couple of years giives you you some survival instincts.

Your policeman brother is wrong. Of course if the UK national has a UK license (valid or revoked) that is the one to use (or not use if revoked, foreign one won't be valid ion that case).

+1

[Kwasaki]

The information I gave earlier was off my works site as I work for DVLA, regarding an expired licence, everyone had to renew their licence every 10 years so unless its age related you still be able to get a new one, as long as you have an address in UK also

The license does not expire, the picture does, who do you say you work for!

And it's easy to renew using the government gateway, as long as you have a UK passport, they can copy the picture from that - a UK address is required for the license to be mailed, I did the above myself about a year ago.

I read on the DVLC web site that if you stay out of the UK for more than 2 years your UK driving licence is terminated, if you have a UK address you can use I suppose they don't do anything.

On a UK licence I think it says you must inform them of your change of address, maybe they are not as bothered as HMRC or DWP.

[chiang mai]

The information I gave earlier was off my works site as I work for DVLA, regarding an expired licence, everyone had to renew their licence every 10 years so unless its age related you still be able to get a new one, as long as you have an address in UK also

The license does not expire, the picture does, who do you say you work for!

And it's easy to renew using the government gateway, as long as you have a UK passport, they can copy the picture from that - a UK address is required for the license to be mailed, I did the above myself about a year ago.

I read on the DVLC web site that if you stay out of the UK for more than 2 years your UK driving licence is terminated, if you have a UK address you can use I suppose they don't do anything.

On a UK licence I think it says you must inform them of your change of address, maybe they are not as bothered as HMRC or DWP.

Except they are not interested in knowing a new address that is outside the UK.

I've been out for over ten years and renewed via the government gateway last year, no problem, they treated me as they would a resident.

[casualbiker]

The information I gave earlier was off my works site as I work for DVLA, regarding an expired licence, everyone had to renew their licence every 10 years so unless its age related you still be able to get a new one, as long as you have an address in UK also

The license does not expire, the picture does, who do you say you work for!

And it's easy to renew using the government gateway, as long as you have a UK passport, they can copy the picture from that - a UK address is required for the license to be mailed, I did the above myself about a year ago.

I read on the DVLC web site that if you stay out of the UK for more than 2 years your UK driving licence is terminated, if you have a UK address you can use I suppose they don't do anything.

On a UK licence I think it says you must inform them of your change of address, maybe they are not as bothered as HMRC or DWP.

Except they are not interested in knowing a new address that is outside the UK.

I've been out for over ten years and renewed via the government gateway last year, no problem, they treated me as they would a resident.

Because you used a UK address hence as far as they were concerned you were a resident.

[Overandout]

When you apply for a UK licence renewal you are signing to declare that you are a UK resident. If you are not resident at the address you use then you are making a false declaration.

But how do you define resident? Does it mean tax resident? It is not clear. I had this argument with DVLA and I lost! No new UK licence for me!

[Kwasaki]

When you apply for a UK licence renewal you are signing to declare that you are a UK resident. If you are not resident at the address you use then you are making a false declaration.

But how do you define resident? Does it mean tax resident? It is not clear. I had this argument with DVLA and I lost! No new UK licence for me!

Don't worry about buddy if you have your Thai licence your OK, no worries.

[SOMeTOM]

Best place for you to look is Directgov.uk/dvla

There is no answer to my question there, plus their e-mail address is not working anymore and i am not getting an answer from you either....

[Kwasaki]

Best place for you to look is Directgov.uk/dvla

There is no answer to my question there, plus their e-mail address is not working anymore and i am not getting an answer from you either....

When you get UK get on the blower and sort it, simple easy no problem, maybe.

[SOMeTOM]

How could anybody who has lived in Thailand long enough to get a Thai driving license, stand being in the U.K. for more than a week anyway?

Last time I went I left after 5 days, and that was too long.

Almost endless reasons, i will start from a few that tends to go unnoticed.

Lets start from the nature, back in the old continent, we are surrounded by thousands of different nice fragrances, from flowers to the breeze coming from the woods, i still remember the Thoys wondering about all the different odours they never experienced on these shores, plus the sun here it's really deadly (and apparently not just the sun).

Here there are also some good fragrances around, but compared to the vastity we have back home, they are really really limited.

Sometime i miss the winter too, whom has never appreciated the cold weather we have in EU at least once?

The food also it's a big issue, locals have a few very good tasting dishes, but generally, they put into anything edible way too much spices, to the point you can't really taste any flavours, they literally love to burn their own palates, hygiene also it's a big issue, and not just about food, it brings me to the brink of phuket just to think about it....and i have been around for more than a decade now.

All the crawling insects and wild, lethal beasts you randomly see around are another big no-no, i have never been beaten by so many mosquitoes in my entire life, and the itch it's so intense and last many weeks (!) plus you can't even hear them when they fly around you, the exact opposite of our EU mosquitoes.

The attitude of the people it's also one of the major issues, the famous "thainess" that foreigners can't understand (ah ahh).

I have no problems at all in admitting that at first i was so attracted by all those smiles and caring manners, but start to feel disgusted when i finally understood what was really behind it, just a wish to cheat, pure ignorance for which the way they are been brought up have many responsibility, starting from their very own family "rules" to the school system in place.

The fake sentiments they show towards their own pets it's not to be diminished too, have you ever seen all those happy people be so enthusiastic about their new "living prides" to show up and play with, just to let them die as soon as they get bored of them, without showing any mercy? What sort of human beings are these????

You show them kindness and respect and they take that as a sort of weakness and get the idea you are bowing to their superiority and start to take advantage of whatever they can? (!@#!) really, i had enough, in our lands we have many problems, but i think i had enough of what i have seen in these years here, you just have to look at everyday news to see that a 3 years old would make more sense than the generally apparently accepted "common sense" , really, a genuine swearing would be more refreshing than these stories apparently materializing from a different universe...and to stay on topic, a more strict adherence to road's safety and regulation would not hurt

Thailand it's still good for short holidays though, but make sure that if you come with your gf, as the new PM said, she's ugly, or it will not be safe here...and as the recent facts re-confirmed, it's not just her that would not be safe, it's getting increasingly more violent and hostile around, so , maybe better to have a stroll inside our zoo's wild beasts cages, not many burmeses to take advantage of there...

[SOMeTOM]

get on the blower and sort it,

Yes that's sounds good, the chit-chats at the hairdressers's parlours are notoriously an almost endless source of informations, but wouldn't having hairs no more gets somebody suspicious ?

[diggledunc]

Having made enquiries to eight hire companies in the UK I would advise the following from the replies I received:-

1. Some companies and I could dig out the names said they won't accept it.

2. Some that said they would accept it also wanted an IDP which is easy to get at Chaeng Wattana but not many other places if any.

I suggest checking with a company before you go. I know many TVers have hired in the UK but although I have asked the question previously they never quoted the companies.

The legality of driving is as above but if you need to hire then you also need to consider the hirers requirements or rules.

I was told by Kendall car rental (ash) that I didn't need an IDP (but got one anyway) on hiring they weren't interested in it. I got the IDP at my local transport office in Nakhon Pathom. I have the newer license that has English script and a photo. I also no longer have a UK license (expired)

Thanks for the name, never heard of them but will look them up.

[Kwasaki]

get on the blower and sort it,

Yes that's sounds good, the chit-chats at the hairdressers's parlours are notoriously an almost endless source of informations, but wouldn't having hairs no more gets somebody suspicious ?

Sorry cockney slang dog and bone some Londoners say blower for telephone but seriously don't take for granted stuff read on forums, don't want to see you in trouble.

[SOMeTOM]

That's okay Kwasaki, i was just kidding, as long as you don't reply to me in welsh, i should still be able to understand it

Strange that with so many members, nobody really knows, maybe i will be the first to come up with an answer at some point...possibly a positive one.