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UK driving license + CBT -> Thai motorcycle license

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I want to legally ride a scooter in Thailand. I hold a full UK car driving license and have passed my CBT (+ certificate) so am legally able to drive up to a 125cc scooter (and a car) in the UK.

 

I understand the next step is to get a UK International Driving Permit. Will it show my CBT status on it? If not, what will I need to do to get a Thai Motorcycle license? Take the test?

 

Thanks

  • Author

Further research seems to reveal:

 

  • An International Drivers Permit has an "A1" category on it, showing you can ride bikes up to 125cc
  • This is not the same as having a CBT (on the international permit, or indeed on the UK permit)
  • Therefore, I'll need to take and pass the Thai motorcycle test, and the CBT is of no use

You can get a car 2 year Thai DL with your Full photo-card type UK DL without a IDP.

 

Your motorcycle CBT is no good in Thailand you will have to do the full test at a Thai DLT office.

And once you have your license you can return to England and ride any size bike you like for a year. With insurance of course.

20 minutes ago, tahaan said:

And once you have your license you can return to England and ride any size bike you like for a year. With insurance of course.

 

Are you 100% sure about that ??      seems to make a mockery of the rather hard to pass UK  bike tests.

23 minutes ago, tahaan said:

And once you have your license you can return to England and ride any size bike you like for a year. With insurance of course.

 

Not with his 1st Thai motorcycle DL he won't, you'll land guys in big do-do with posts like that. 

I returned in 2009 without a bike entitlement on my UK license. I went through CBT, theory and hazard perception and the first part of the test before failing the road test for not cancelling an indicator. While I was waiting for a retest, someone suggested I could ride on a Thai license and after checking that this was so I bought a Fazer 600. I was able to do the retest on this bike having been told by the test centre (Farnborough) that I must fit L plates before and during the test. A few heads were turned when I rode into the centre car park and taped these on.

 

Anyway, my understanding was that a foreign license can be used for up to a year. I can't recall the the process of purchasing and insuring the bike but I don't think anyone actually checked the license, maybe the dealer? The premium was not much more than I paid after I'd got a full UK license.

 

I wouldn't expect anyone to follow suggestions on a board without doing their own research. My apologies for any misinformation.

Thanks for the first hand information tahaan.

 

 I still find it hard to believe  they make UK riders pass a very strict test

but someone with a rather easy to pass Thai license can drive any size bike no problem !

 

Kwasaki  was pointing out that the first ( 2 year ) Thai licence says "temporary"  I think that can be compared to  a provisional UK licence.

3 hours ago, johng said:

Thanks for the first hand information tahaan.

 

 I still find it hard to believe  they make UK riders pass a very strict test

but someone with a rather easy to pass Thai license can drive any size bike no problem !

 

Kwasaki  was pointing out that the first ( 2 year ) Thai licence says "temporary"  I think that can be compared to  a provisional UK licence.

 

A Thai 5 year DL for a car can be used up to 1 year in UK.

 

I do remember something here on TV about a Thai 5 year motorcycle DL can be used as well but reading elsewhere it was viewed as a provisional and restricting cc. 

 

The DVLA in Swansea UK or Traffic police UK may confirm or best would be a UK insurance company.

 

 

It could have changed---as it was a quite a few years back----but I never took a test in the UK they just issued a UK licence  on me producing a NZ licence, they would not give me the Heavy duty that was on there just the car/bike.

In Australia I had to sit just the written test----to change over.

In NZ the driving age used to be 15......I don't know if that's changed.

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