Obtaining a Thai driving license

[Chongalulu]

So many conflicting views of what should be a simple procedure from which I can only conclude that you can have a different experience depending on where you are. I'm 2 months into my non im o visa by marriage with uk car license but IDP stamped all categories. Got medical certificate but need residency certificate. Can I get this from my local korat immigration office before my 3 month extension? If not how do I stand with the supposed 3 month validity of IDP uk license. ? Im currently driving motor scooter,is my IDP covering this and will I be able to use it to get motorcycle and car license without taking motorcycle test.? ...or am I just going to have to wait and see what actually happens to find out the truth?

[Sviss Geez]

Why do I need a damn Thai driving License? I have a German one.

you'll find out if you have a bump if you dont have an international driving permit to drive here technically/legally you dont have insurance or driving license unless of course you hold a Thai license, now I for one wouldnt want to find out the hard way weather or not this would be the out come if I did have a bump, or worse.

In Thailand, if you have a bump and you are a farang, you are guilty no matter what kind of license you carry with you.

Why would you post such unadulterated nonsense?

[BobTH]

So many conflicting views of what should be a simple procedure from which I can only conclude that you can have a different experience depending on where you are. I'm 2 months into my non im o visa by marriage with uk car license but IDP stamped all categories. Got medical certificate but need residency certificate. Can I get this from my local korat immigration office before my 3 month extension? If not how do I stand with the supposed 3 month validity of IDP uk license. ? Im currently driving motor scooter,is my IDP covering this and will I be able to use it to get motorcycle and car license without taking motorcycle test.? ...or am I just going to have to wait and see what actually happens to find out the truth?

Hopefully someone from your Korat reporting area can answer you better since I live in Bangkok and report here at Changwattena Immigration Office. When I recently got my certificate of residence here the first question they ask me was if I did my 90 day reports at this office, which I do, and I also had to give them the following copies. Application Form Residence Certificate In Thailand, copy of the main page of my passport, copy of last entry stamp, copy of extension of stay (for me based on retirement) , last arrival card (in my case mine actually says departure card), a copy of my last 90 day report and 200 baht.

So I am thinking maybe you have to do at least one 90 day report first but you kind of answered your own question when you said every office does it differently, which is true. Also just to be on the safe side you might want to check how current your medical certificate needs to be, they can be kind of picky on small details like that also, perhaps your wife can call and talk to someone and get these small details answered if someone from Korat does not reply and good luck to you.

[stevenl]

So many conflicting views of what should be a simple procedure from which I can only conclude that you can have a different experience depending on where you are. I'm 2 months into my non im o visa by marriage with uk car license but IDP stamped all categories. Got medical certificate but need residency certificate. Can I get this from my local korat immigration office before my 3 month extension? If not how do I stand with the supposed 3 month validity of IDP uk license. ? Im currently driving motor scooter,is my IDP covering this and will I be able to use it to get motorcycle and car license without taking motorcycle test.? ...or am I just going to have to wait and see what actually happens to find out the truth?

Wait and see.

Your IDP is only valid for categories your home license is valid for, so no, motorbike is not covered. Will you get a motorbike license without doing the test based on your IDP, probably yes.

[padsterj]

As promised heres an update ! I went back to immigration to pickup my stamped translated letter of residency which I left there 2 days ago, I arrived at 10am got a number and sat to be called,eventually I was called at 10 30 am only to be told there was something wrong with the translation ! so off we went to see the guy that did it, he took it from us and went away and corrected the errors and gave it back to immigration,we asked immigration how long it will take they said come back in 3 hours so we did this and we waited for my name to be called, 4 hours later as it was closing we got called, so I spent another full day wasted and more expense on taxis,taxi home took 2 hours to go 12 miles I've just got in now so now I am up early tomorrow to go to land transport office,see what fun I have there,what a joke 3 days to get a piece of paper stamped

[padsterj]

last update, today I went to land driving office in Bangkok with my IDP and a few photo copies of passport and IDP and medical certificate and letter of residency, sat waited, then do depth perception test and colour blind test and a peripheral vision test using colours, pass them,took a ticket and waited again,was called to a cubical and some forms stamped and car license handed to me,confused I asked where is motorcycle licence? she said you want I said yes, she got me to photo copy some forms also the 1 letter of residency I had and the medical then sent me back to the testing line to get stamps strangely enough I never had to redo the tests accept the last one ? took ticket again waited and called back into cubical stuff stamped ect and licenses handed to me, took about 3 hours to get both.I have car and motorcycle stamped on my IDP not once was I asked for my UK license.

so after all the hassle all done bear in mind this is only my experience I am not saying my way was right or wrong just what happened to me,hope it helps someone

[padsterj]

So many conflicting views of what should be a simple procedure from which I can only conclude that you can have a different experience depending on where you are. I'm 2 months into my non im o visa by marriage with uk car license but IDP stamped all categories. Got medical certificate but need residency certificate. Can I get this from my local korat immigration office before my 3 month extension? If not how do I stand with the supposed 3 month validity of IDP uk license. ? Im currently driving motor scooter,is my IDP covering this and will I be able to use it to get motorcycle and car license without taking motorcycle test.? ...or am I just going to have to wait and see what actually happens to find out the truth?

probably need to go to embassy to get letter of residency 3080 baht as you havent done any 90 day reports to immigration,and yes if you have the stamp on your IDP for motorcycle they will give you it I was never asked to see my UK license even though I have motorcycle on it.At least thats how it was for me nothing in Thailand ever seems the same information wise, Also as I found out even going to them and asking what you need just got me wrong info, but had to plod on

[Apiwan2]

Umm.

So to sum up I'm in Bangkok , with non O never reported.

Need doctors cert,

Letter from embassy 3K

Then down to transport office ?

But before I went to immigration and asked for residency letter and got it,

That was 4.5 yrs ago and in udon,

Thinking now to go and get a yellow book,

That can't be that diff , can it ?

[padsterj]

Umm.

So to sum up I'm in Bangkok , with non O never reported.

Need doctors cert,

Letter from embassy 3K

Then down to transport office ?

But before I went to immigration and asked for residency letter and got it,

That was 4.5 yrs ago and in udon,

Thinking now to go and get a yellow book,

That can't be that diff , can it ?

yellow book will do it so i'm told

doctors cert need

letter from embassy need (unless yellow book) also if you get the letter it needs translating to Thai and official stamp at immigration

also International driving license unless you want to do all the tests

passport need

then to transport office

personally if immigration is pretty close to you id go there first and see if they give you letter, no harm trying (thats what i did) no luck for me though 500 baht as opposed to to 3080baht is quite a saving

[Apiwan2]

Umm.

So to sum up I'm in Bangkok , with non O never reported.

Need doctors cert,

Letter from embassy 3K

Then down to transport office ?

But before I went to immigration and asked for residency letter and got it,

That was 4.5 yrs ago and in udon,

Thinking now to go and get a yellow book,

That can't be that diff , can it ?

yellow book will do it so i'm told

doctors cert need

letter from embassy need (unless yellow book) also if you get the letter it needs translating to Thai and official stamp at immigration

also International driving license unless you want to do all the tests

passport need

then to transport office

personally if immigration is pretty close to you id go there first and see if they give you letter, no harm trying (thats what i did) no luck for me though 500 baht as opposed to to 3080baht is quite a saving

Thanks mate