Old Drivers License, New Address

[ZZZ]

My old, 5-year, driver’s license was issued in Bangkok but I have since moved to Pattaya.

How do I proceed, and what is needed to get the address changed on my license?

[Phil Conners]

I think you just go to the motor office with your standard address document (from Immigration or your embassy), your passport etc and let them change it.

[macb]

WQhne I moved up from pattaya to Burriram I went to the licence office the wife filled in a form to have the records moved to this province took about 6 weeks then I went in and renewed my licence, but had to have a 1yr licence again, although I had already completed first year in pattaya.

Hopefully will get 5 yrs licences now.

macburriram

[qualtrough]

I haven't lived at the address on my driver's licence for almost 9 years now. I wanted to change it once but it involved a big hassle so I decided to pass. I don't really think it is a big deal as they are a bit of a joke anyway. Cops don't seem to care if you don't have one when you are pulled over.

[astral]

I changed mine the next time the renewal came up.

[macb]

Well it makes you wonder I think you could show a credit card and they would not know the difference, I just wanted to know I could get THai licence to prove a point.

My mate from Bkk went to a street vendor he took a mug shot then made him an international drivers licence covering him for everything for about 500 bht and the Bkk Police except it.

I will be going to see him soon in Bkk think I will get one, think I could make my own on my comp!!!

macb

[Phil Conners]

This discussion comes up every once in a while:

Cops don't care BUT without a valid DL your insurance does NOT COVER if you make an accident.

Edited August 8, 2006 by Phil Conners

[qualtrough]

I just want to clarify that I do not advocate not obtaining a Thai drivers license. I think they are required for insurance policies and you might find yourself not getting a payout on your policy in the event of an accident if you don't have a valid license. I think that issue has been covered in other threads.

The point I mean to make is that the address is not a critical issue here. I have never changed mine because it meant running back and forth between Sukhumvit and Pathum Thani and chasing bits of paper. Back home I would need a correct address because I would need to use it as a form of ID, e.g. cashing checks, and the address is often checked and verified. I have only been asked to show my license by cops, and that is because it is a required part of the bribe ritual--

Officer: "You can pick up your DL at the station X kilos away and pay the fine"

Driver: "Can I pay the fine here officer?"...

Officer: (Glancing around). "Sure"

[guardian]

Well it makes you wonder I think you could show a credit card and they would not know the difference....................................................

macb

Don't be too sure, Mac. A friend of mine, who's in the habit of loosing or misplacing petty things was too worried about loosing his wallet and made a color copy of his driving license and laminated it exactly the same as the original. He had a license valid for 5 years. He went undetected for more than 2 years using this license while his original was in a safe locker. He must have made at least 4 or 5 copies and probably lost 2 or 3 of them already. His luck ran out one evening when an eagle-eyed cop pulled him up during one of the usual road-blocks in the night to check for drugs / drunk-driving.

The cop figured it was a copy and not an original. How??? Well, the difference being that in the original there is a bulge in the lamination over the photo, but there was no such bulge in the copy. This friend had to wait about an hour while his staff went over to his office to get the original license. The cops would not return the copy license after seeing the original. They were amazed at this copy and wanted to set it as an example to teach other cops to be alert of such thing.

You can even overcome this minor problem by just sticking a photo over the copy and laminating it again. That's what he's doing now.

Guardian