Am I better off applying for drivers license in BKK, Phuket or up country?

[Kenny202]

Back next week and have to organise my driver license. I am going to BKK first and Phuket for a holiday.

I was wondering if I may be better off doing it in one of these more farang friendly towns than up country

where there is very little exposure to farang people and their knowledge of processing stuff for us is usually

limited as you would expect.

On the other hand I'm guessing BKK offices will be very busy. Anyone have any advice?

[lovelomsak]

Do you live in Thailand? If you do just go to the local office and do it. If you live in a more rural area it maybe easy and quick because they donot want to have problems doing it and make work for themselves. If you live in Phuket I know nothing about how it works there sorry. I do know a guy here who failed his written and fell of the motorcycle during the test and hit the curb with his truck,all the same day and they passed him just so he didnot have to come back,

[stevenl]

Most importantly: make sure you have a certificate of residence (obtainable at immigration), you'll need that whereever you go.

[Baa_Mango]

I think it is 200 baht for driving w/o a license. Easier no?

[Kenny202]

Do you live in Thailand? If you do just go to the local office and do it. If you live in a more rural area it maybe easy and quick because they donot want to have problems doing it and make work for themselves. If you live in Phuket I know nothing about how it works there sorry. I do know a guy here who failed his written and fell of the motorcycle during the test and hit the curb with his truck,all the same day and they passed him just so he didnot have to come back,

I am back next week and yes will be living in Northern Thailand after a holiday in BKK and Phuket and will be getting an immigration letter first.

[Kenny202]

I think it is 200 baht for driving w/o a license. Easier no?

Maybe easier until you have an accident and thus have no insurance :-(

[Aussieroaming]

Or just bring international drivers licence.

[stevenl]

Or just bring international drivers licence.

Why? For tourists IDP is not required, provided home license has photo and is in English.

[thequietman]

I think it is 200 baht for driving w/o a license. Easier no?

No license and insurance company don't pay. Easier, def NO.

[Kwasaki]

I think it is 200 baht for driving w/o a license. Easier no?

No license and insurance company don't pay. Easier, def NO.

Compulsory Insurance for the car is required before you can receive the road tax disc, so if the car he drives has a disc it is insured even if the driver has no licence, things not the same in Thailand as the west.

[giddyup]

I think it is 200 baht for driving w/o a license. Easier no?

No license and insurance company don't pay. Easier, def NO.

Compulsory Insurance for the car is required before you can receive the road tax disc, so if the car he drives has a disc it is insured even if the driver has no licence, things not the same in Thailand as the west.

What does that compulsory insurance cover you for? Is it for personal injury to passengers and driver in the event of an accident? If so, to what amount?

[Kwasaki]

I think it is 200 baht for driving w/o a license. Easier no?

No license and insurance company don't pay. Easier, def NO.

Compulsory Insurance for the car is required before you can receive the road tax disc, so if the car he drives has a disc it is insured even if the driver has no licence, things not the same in Thailand as the west.

What does that compulsory insurance cover you for? Is it for personal injury to passengers and driver in the event of an accident? If so, to what amount?

Yes 3rd party cover but amounts cant remember many recent threads on this, do a search.

What I am saying is the car is insured the driving licence is not the issue.

Still always better to get an extra 1st class insurance or we find 2nd class cover is adequate for our needs.

[bill1369]

If it's of any help I have gone to what I think is their main office in BKK - it's a short walk from BTS Mo Chit station. First time I went I had a notarized paper from US Embassy that said I had a valid US driving license. I handed that over to the clerk along with my passport and was directed to take a test that was largely a joke: looking at those color-blindness balls with numbers within and sitting in a chair with a brake & gas pedal and a red/green light I was required to apply an emergency stop which was timed by the machine. Passed those tests and within 20-minutes I had a 1 year Thai license (only car). There was no written test.

Next 2 times I went were to renew when the 1 year license expired (this time they gave me a 5 year license); the next time was to change my passport # on the drivers license after I received a new passport. Both of those times I was in and out all within 20 minutes.

I guess it's a bit more complicated to get a motorcycle license but I have no need for that. I only use the drivers license as ID in lieu of providing (and carrying) my passport - it almost always suffices for ID.

[Kenny202]

Well fellers, I can tell u from first hand experience.....

Got a 45 minute cab to Mo Chit yesterday. I have an international license as well as my Aussie license

and a letter from the local amphur so I thought I'd take my chances. Sent to the wrong office first, no big deal

I wasn't thinking it was going to be completely hassle free. Gets in the queue and this younger girl looked at

everything I had and said it was mandatory I have the immigration letter. Talking to her and this older aggressive

lady gets involved and I thought maybe she can cut some red tape. It got worse! She told me not only would I need

the immigration letter but a full medical. I haven't heard anybody say they needed a medical and its not like Im

old and decrepit or look like I'm in bad shape. Anyway, took it all politely and she gave us a form with the address

to what she said was the place we can get the immigration letter. Another 30 minute cab ride and found the office

but apparently only the Immigration office for renewing visas etc. They gave us another letter with directions to the

immigration office we needed to go to which was back at Mo Chit! Do they do this sort of stuff on purpose or because

they can? I gave it away after that was already car sick from driving around thought it might be easier in Phuket or

at least everything wont be so far away.......Maybe!

[giddyup]

Well fellers, I can tell u from first hand experience.....

Got a 45 minute cab to Mo Chit yesterday. I have an international license as well as my Aussie license

and a letter from the local amphur so I thought I'd take my chances. Sent to the wrong office first, no big deal

I wasn't thinking it was going to be completely hassle free. Gets in the queue and this younger girl looked at

everything I had and said it was mandatory I have the immigration letter. Talking to her and this older aggressive

lady gets involved and I thought maybe she can cut some red tape. It got worse! She told me not only would I need

the immigration letter but a full medical. I haven't heard anybody say they needed a medical and its not like Im

old and decrepit or look like I'm in bad shape. Anyway, took it all politely and she gave us a form with the address

to what she said was the place we can get the immigration letter. Another 30 minute cab ride and found the office

but apparently only the Immigration office for renewing visas etc. They gave us another letter with directions to the

immigration office we needed to go to which was back at Mo Chit! Do they do this sort of stuff on purpose or because

they can? I gave it away after that was already car sick from driving around thought it might be easier in Phuket or

at least everything wont be so far away.......Maybe!

Doctor's certificate is purely a formality, but it is required. You pay the 100 baht (maybe 200 now) the doctor writes out the certificate and that's it. He/she may check your blood pressure, they did for me once.

[Mondy]

My home license has expired and I would like to get a valid Thai license before I go back to the states. What do I have to do to accomplish that....or can I without knowing Thai? I will travel in Europe for several months before returning and have assumed that I can rent a car if I have a valid Thai license. If this is not the case, it is a moot point.

[giddyup]

My home license has expired and I would like to get a valid Thai license before I go back to the states. What do I have to do to accomplish that....or can I without knowing Thai? I will travel in Europe for several months before returning and have assumed that I can rent a car if I have a valid Thai license. If this is not the case, it is a moot point.

You see the header at the top of the page "Applying for a one and 5 year Thai licence"? Read that.