police crackdown

[MadMac]

And you certainly have a valid source for that. ASEAN is a paper tiger, nothing more.

[slerickson]

I guess when I'm in Nam in 10 days I'll put it to a test. You may believe as you see fit.

[MadMac]

Little bit of research reveals that although it was agreed in general to accept DLs within ASEAN, it was never properly implemented. Particularly in Thailand it is not accepted besides in some border regions.

So this will be a hit and miss game and a local policeman will have no clue about that, but he may have heard something about an international license. Please keep us posted, but probably they wont stop you. I personally would not drive in this crazy country. But perhaps you are Italian?

Edited January 31, 2016 by MadMac

[FolkGuitar]

Local policemen usually have no idea of anything beyond their daily experience.

I was stopped by an American policeman, a state trooper, in fact. He refused to believe that my license was real.

My US driver's license was issued IN that state, but issued by mail as I was living abroad at the time. The license that is issued by mail looks completely different than ones issued by the state's Motor Vehicle Department. There is no photograph in it, and it looks like something cobbled up by a home computer, and this cop had never experience it before. He was going to write me up for driving without a license, but I was able to convince him to call his troop commander and ask for verification. Had I needed to try to convince him in some foreign language it would have been a lost cause. I wouldn't have had to pay the ticket, but it would have involved a great deal of lost time. As it was, that traffic stop took 30 minutes just to resolve.

When I travel to a foreign country and plan to drive there, I make sure to have an IDP. It may not be needed, but it may also save time and energy. Considering that you can get them by mail, it's 10 minutes spent to avoid potential problems on a vacation.

[slerickson]

Little bit of research reveals that although it was agreed in general to accept DLs within ASEAN, it was never properly implemented. Particularly in Thailand it is not accepted besides in some border regions.

So this will be a hit and miss game and a local policeman will have no clue about that, but he may have heard something about an international license. Please keep us posted, but probably they wont stop you. I personally would not drive in this crazy country. But perhaps you are Italian?

not Italian. Crazy I'm sure. Can't be worse than Indonesia!

[MadMac]

Been in both countries for a longer time on projects. In Indonesia life es relaxed and people like to queue in long traffic jams. Completely the opposite in Vietnam, mostly aggressive drivers. Thailand is somewhere in between.

[slerickson]

Been in both countries for a longer time on projects. In Indonesia life es relaxed and people like to queue in long traffic jams. Completely the opposite in Vietnam, mostly aggressive drivers. Thailand is somewhere in between.

I was in Bali and Pulau Lombok. Thailand roads feel calm and serene by comparison . I won't drive in Saigon for sure or Bangkok.

[MadMac]

Jakarta has only a few expressways and virtually no public transport, besides some buses with their own lane, that is blocked by other responsible participants, that make sure speed does not reach 20km/h

Bangkok, yes agree, a car there is a nitemare. So it is in Hanoi.

[Janner1]

I come here on a 30 day visit every other month and last February I decided to try to get Thai driving licenses but as I was staying in a Hotel I did not think I was possible it tried anyway.

So off to the driver training school showed my passport and paid the fee, next day returned to the school picked up my passport and a very nice lady (pity she was married could have given her one she was that nice) escorted me some 17 kilometres to the government department where I sat in front of three lights and jumped on a piece of wood when one light turned red.

I was then asked to go to another room where I was photographed and my licenses were issued for one year.

It is February again so I thought I would try to get the 5 year update,so still in a hotel but a different one in the same city I went and asked the kind lady manager if she would give me a letter to tell immigration that ii was staying in the hotel,and to my surprise she did!!!, the letter just said I was staying,no mention of how long or when I will check out because I asked her not to.

Now I am off to immigration where a very nice man looked at my medical paper and my existing licences and issued the needed paperwork to take to the license issuing department.

He even showed off his prowess to the young girl he was training by spelling in English the word motorbike,( motorbick ) and very proud he was too

Now I know this is a bit long but here is the short I now have two 5 year licences and I am here on 30 day visits but completely legal.

So that will do me, thank you very kindly.

[elgenon]

Janner 1

There is no mention of an actual driving test for a car or a bike. Didn't you have to take one for each?

[slerickson]

Janner 1

There is no mention of an actual driving test for a car or a bike. Didn't you have to take one for each?

I got both licenses last year. No driving test with the car since I had a US license. I didn't have motorcycle license so did have to take driving test for it just like I would have back in US.

[FolkGuitar]

What one 'needs' is all up to the person behind the desk at the time you are standing there.

My wife and I both have the same Japanese licenses with the same endorsements. We went to the Motor Vehicle office on different days.

She was given Thai licenses without any testing or videos. I had to watch the video and take the motorcycle driving test, but not the car driving test.

Same Japanese licenses...

[slerickson]

Yes I guess so in your case. Hopefully the video was in English. I got to skip that boredom as they had no English version here in the province.

[FolkGuitar]

Yes I guess so in your case. Hopefully the video was in English. I got to skip that boredom as they had no English version here in the province.

Not a word of it...

But I did as the Thais in the room were doing; I read my book or slept.

[lazeeboy]

if you dont have a valid license then its not s bribe means you smash my benz your not insured .police at this time are 100%right ..

[kennypick]

If you drive without international license in addition to your local one, you drive without a valid permit. If you had luck in the past with the insurance, congrats. That was pure luck. How one manages to crash 5 times in such timeframe remains an open question

its not pure luck i also drive on a uk license and my insurance paid out.

[jamie2009]

And you believe what an insurance agent tells you . The Thais have that nice saying: "up to you". Good luck!

I went back and he changed his tune, he thinks there might have been changes in the law and a Thai Licence would be required.

[Janner1]

Janner 1

There is no mention of an actual driving test for a car or a bike. Didn't you have to take one for each?

Hi elgenon,

I did say in my post that I was taken to an government test and license issuing centre where I sat in front of 3 lights and stood on a piece of wood when the lights changed to red and that was all I did, and then I was issued with two licenses,car and motorbike.

And that's it nothing more , I now have my five year licenses for both and I am very happy because I can get insurance without difficulty now

[jamie2009]

Janner 1

There is no mention of an actual driving test for a car or a bike. Didn't you have to take one for each?

Hi elgenon,

I did say in my post that I was taken to an government test and license issuing centre where I sat in front of 3 lights and stood on a piece of wood when the lights changed to red and that was all I did, and then I was issued with two licenses,car and motorbike.

And that's it nothing more , I now have my five year licenses for both and I am very happy because I can get insurance without difficulty now

Where abouts was the Test Centre ?

[Ricardo]

Hi elgenon,

I did say in my post that I was taken to an government test and license issuing centre where I sat in front of 3 lights and stood on a piece of wood when the lights changed to red and that was all I did, and then I was issued with two licenses,car and motorbike.

And that's it nothing more , I now have my five year licenses for both and I am very happy because I can get insurance without difficulty now

Where abouts was the Test Centre ?

I used the one near the new Big-C, on the Hang Dong road, at the Southern-end of the airport-runway. No doubt someone else, more technically-gifted, can post a Google-map thingy ?

Last time (several years ago) I renewed my 10-year license, I had to watch an hour-long video on a PC-screen, telling me in English all about how to drive in Thailand.

I was kept awake by the hilarious laughter, from the room next doors, where about fifty Thais were watching the same thing in Thai !

But I must admit that I did learn a few things which were new to me, never to park within 5-meters of a post-box, and that Thai drivers are always polite & give way to one another.

[MadMac]

Since when there was a 10y license? There are lifelong ones (with a red stripe) but they are no longer issued.

[Chicog]

These useless keystone kops should look to their crimefighting Pattaya colleagues for advice. THEY know how to do a Crackdown!

http://pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/221251/british-led-card-room-raided-officials-south-pattaya/

Edited February 4, 2016 by Chicog

[TheAppletons]

These useless keystone kops should look to their crimefighting Pattaya colleagues for advice. THEY know how to do a Crackdown!

http://pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/221251/british-led-card-room-raided-officials-south-pattaya/

That story is sadly hilarious. It keeps getting more absurd the farther into it you read. Unreal.

[CMKiwi]

Yes it was quite funny.....I bet the real crooks are laughing into their ill gotten gains over this one.

At least it keeps the heat off them!

I wonder if the BiB actually have a priority system as to the levels of crime? They wouldnt be far off making the Darwin Awards with this one.

[elgenon]

Janner 1

There is no mention of an actual driving test for a car or a bike. Didn't you have to take one for each?

Hi elgenon,

I did say in my post that I was taken to an government test and license issuing centre where I sat in front of 3 lights and stood on a piece of wood when the lights changed to red and that was all I did, and then I was issued with two licenses,car and motorbike.

And that's it nothing more , I now have my five year licenses for both and I am very happy because I can get insurance without difficulty now

Yes, you did. I was so surprised i needed to confirm it. Did you have car and motorcycle licenses from your home country? That seems the only way not to have to take the road test.

[Ricardo]

Since when there was a 10y license? There are lifelong ones (with a red stripe) but they are no longer issued.

My current license was issued August-2006, and doesn't expire until September-2017, maybe they don't do it anymore but clearly they did back then.

[MadMac]

My current license was issued August-2006, and doesn't expire until September-2017, maybe they don't do it anymore but clearly they did back then.

Interesting, first time I hear that. Is that already the same credit card license as we have today (if, what color?) or a previous format?

[Ricardo]

My current license was issued August-2006, and doesn't expire until September-2017, maybe they don't do it anymore but clearly they did back then.

Interesting, first time I hear that. Is that already the same credit card license as we have today (if, what color?) or a previous format?

It's got blue bands top-and-bottom, shows my photo & all the usual information, and is credit-card sized.

I wouldn't know if the format has changed since then, until I go for my next license, in a couple-of-years' time.

[CMKiwi]

I went out last night (Actually it was 3 this morning) into Chiang Mai town to pick up my better half. She had been having a few drinks with the girls and was wise enough to call me saying that it wasnt wise for her to drive home to Mae Rim.

I was glad she called me as the BiB were out in force (Or perhaps I never see them as Im not usually crawling around town at that time!

Big checkpoint down Chang Puak Road just before the Superhighway. Lots of Police, some sort of booze bus and the road was completely blocked off. I was surprised by the amount of cars parked up and an abundance of motorcy too.

When I lowered my window the police officer yelled out 'Falang' but once he saw my Thai Licence and the missus explained that Id come into get her as she was unfit to drive all was fine.

Im glad they are starting to actually do something about the drunk drivers, its at least a start on making the roads safer. Now if they could just start enforcing the road rules with more cops on the road.....and use cops who will do their job instead of turning a blind eye. Wishful thinking?

[freedomnow]

OP get a residency certificate across from Promenda for 500 Baht overnight at the immi office if you are going to be here for a while....there is a list of things you need at the top of the Chiang Mai sub-thread

Get out to driving test place and do the 1-day test.

You CAN get a DL on a tourist visa in CM.

I used an IDP for 90 days, after than you cannot use it technically.....it is kind of hazy no matter what the black and white rules say, as some may be out and back in after 2 days for another 90 days here. If you were in a crash on an IDP on say your 7 month here they would probably go against your IDP saying you should have got a temp license by now....= any way to shake your wallet out. After showing an IDP at license/helmet checkpoints, the question went to "How long have you been here ? " via my g/f translating at that time.

Oh, and get first class insurance...best money you will spend here...just have a few less beers a week to pay for it!

Edited February 8, 2016 by freedomnow