1 year driving license on TR visa?

[MaeJoMTB]

No more 1 year license, they just changed temporary license to two years.

[Walter Travolta]

Haha sorry stevenl thank you and thank you all. Wise advice . . .

[BKKdreaming]

Anyone know a drivers license "expeditor" a guy who knows a guy who can get it done

Since it sounds like you could waste a lot of time without a "guy"

if you know an "expeditor" that can get it done around BKK send me a PM

Thanks

[Frawley]

Haha sorry stevenl thank you and thank you all. Wise advice . . .

Just got my 2yr temp a few days ago in BKK (Branch 3, Sukhumvit, near Bangjak BTS). I did get a notarized certificate of residency from the U.S. Embassy but could have gotten such a certificate, with several more weeks and far less money invested, from Thai Immigration instead. U.S. Embassy won't certify a U.S. DL because they are State Dept. & will only notarize/certify their own documents. I tried. Wouldn't do it. So it's absolutely untrue, unless there are different rules for different nationalities, that they require anything from an embassy certifying any document unless you elect to go the embassy Residency Certificate route.

Now I did read where I'd need to have so-called certified copies of my passport/visa/stamp/departure card along with a certified copy of my U.S. DL (and the originals to show). Turns out you can do the certification yourself...sort of like taking an oath on paper, I suppose. You draw two parallel lines through the photo/heart of the document and then enter wording to the effect "certified copy of original document", print your name, note the date and sign your name. That's it. My wife is Thai and was familiar with this self-certification process. She wrote the "official certified copy" language in Thai for me. English would be fine, too. My bank had me do this on a copy of something or other. If the DL & passport docs are in English, you shouldn't need translated copies. But, of course, as has been pointed out, rules can be quite different from bureaucratic branch to bureaucratic branch.

One nice surprise at Branch 3 in BKK is that the new application form just requires you to fill in your printed name as it appears on your passport. Guy at the reception/triage desk handed it to me and sent me to the appropriate window/line. They took the application and my materials and filled it all in on their computer. I suppose it's easier for them to fill your form out for you than to correct the one you'd attempt on your own. Does mean you have to check over their work, however, before heading off for the eye/reaction testing. Better to get it corrected then than trying later in the process.

Chok Dee!

[Walter Travolta]

Haha sorry stevenl thank you and thank you all. Wise advice . . .

Just got my 2yr temp a few days ago in BKK (Branch 3, Sukhumvit, near Bangjak BTS). I did get a notarized certificate of residency from the U.S. Embassy but could have gotten such a certificate, with several more weeks and far less money invested, from Thai Immigration instead. U.S. Embassy won't certify a U.S. DL because they are State Dept. & will only notarize/certify their own documents. I tried. Wouldn't do it. So it's absolutely untrue, unless there are different rules for different nationalities, that they require anything from an embassy certifying any document unless you elect to go the embassy Residency Certificate route.

Now I did read where I'd need to have so-called certified copies of my passport/visa/stamp/departure card along with a certified copy of my U.S. DL (and the originals to show). Turns out you can do the certification yourself...sort of like taking an oath on paper, I suppose. You draw two parallel lines through the photo/heart of the document and then enter wording to the effect "certified copy of original document", print your name, note the date and sign your name. That's it. My wife is Thai and was familiar with this self-certification process. She wrote the "official certified copy" language in Thai for me. English would be fine, too. My bank had me do this on a copy of something or other. If the DL & passport docs are in English, you shouldn't need translated copies. But, of course, as has been pointed out, rules can be quite different from bureaucratic branch to bureaucratic branch.

One nice surprise at Branch 3 in BKK is that the new application form just requires you to fill in your printed name as it appears on your passport. Guy at the reception/triage desk handed it to me and sent me to the appropriate window/line. They took the application and my materials and filled it all in on their computer. I suppose it's easier for them to fill your form out for you than to correct the one you'd attempt on your own. Does mean you have to check over their work, however, before heading off for the eye/reaction testing. Better to get it corrected then than trying later in the process.

Chok Dee!

Hi Frawley . . . couple of questions if you dont mind?

1) Do you live in BKK

2) Which document are you talking about that you draw 2 lines through where you write "certified copy of original document"

Cheers

[Walter Travolta]

Well - hopefully I can now bang the final nail in this driving license coffin!!

I decided to go to the Laem Chabang office today and was again driven there by my thai friend (just in case no English was spoken). Good job I did. The scenario is as follows . . .

Arrived maybe 10-10:30 and took my number and seat. After maybe 30-40 mins I was called to the desk accompanied by my pal. He kind of enticed me to speak to the lady so I told her I was there to apply for my 1st thai license ever and handed over my application form. She then started asking questions about Pattaya DLT nr Regents school and why I had not gone there (she was now speaking in Thai so I let my pal converse with her).

Now, anyone who followed this saga from the beginning will know that when I went to Pattaya DLT I was told I had to go to the embassy in BKK to 'have my UK driving license verified'

Apparantly, the application form which I downloaded and filled out BEFORE my attempt in Pattaya DLT must have had their details on because she pointed out that this form was for there and just scrumpled it up and threw it in the bin. At that point I thought this is curtains! She again asked why we were not applying at Pattaya DLT and my pal said " because it is too busy "

She asked why I wanted a DL and he told her I had been stopped by the cops and they told me I need a thai DL as my UK one would not suffice in the future (this was a spoof btw)

So, she started looking through my photocopies, passport, UK license and started marking them and turning them over, I was still not sure if at this point she was just going to put them to 1 side and have someone check them, so we were asked to take a seat again. About 20 mins later I was asked through to the next room to take my colour test, depth test and reaction test which I passed, and took paperwork back to lady at desk and asked to pay 205 baht!!

Paid that and sat and waited for my number to be called to have my photo taken FOR MY LICENSE!!

I now have a 2 year license and was out of there in around 2 hours. Had to cross my mates palm obviously cos 1) he drove me there and back, would have been 1000baht in cab, and 2) He did a lot of the talking which I would not have understood otherwise.

Thanks for everyones input and I think this topic just proves that most things beaurocratic in Thailand do not have 1 rule for 1 thing, it proves that if the said person providing that service on that day wants to be kind enough to help, they will, if not they wont? Judging by most people's posts on here that certainly seems to be the case

Oh I forgot to mention, I went today with the most negative thoughts about getting my license, I wasnt even going to bother but certificate of residence runs out on the 29th so I thought I would give it 1 last shot. Thank bhudda I did