rflusser Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 I've got a strange situation and wonder if anybody has suggestions - it would be greatly appreciated! I've got a NY state license for car and motorcycle use and a AAA issued international drivers permit which I've been using for the past few months here in CM. I've been stopped countless times on my scooter in the routine roundups around the square and it's been no problem showing my IDP and driving off. But today, they really inspected and pointed out that I don't have stamps in the IDP for use of motorcycle, which was quite a surprise and of course I had to cough up the standard 400 baht. So the error was with AAA and I have no idea how to fix this. I've got the proper IDP, just missing a stamp for motorcycle use. Any thoughts?! Btw, I'm totally okay with out of the box solutions - i.e. stationary store stamp / tattoo place making a copy of it or something if there's no legitimate way to deal with this quickly, but wouldn't have a clue where to go for these things.... Thanks!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DGS1244 Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 How long have you been driving here? I ask only in the fact that after three months you need a Thai driving licence. Interestingly in over 40 years of having an IDP I have never been asked to show it in any country. You can apply here, not sure where, for an IDP but I believe only after you have got a Thai licence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
realenglish1 Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 They just wanted your tea money Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EnlightenedAtheist Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 10 minutes ago, realenglish1 said: They just wanted your tea money Tea? Really? Is that what you call it? LOL Does that mean that if that is called "tea" I can get it between 2 and 5? LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maejo Man Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 21 minutes ago, DGS1244 said: How long have you been driving here? I ask only in the fact that after three months you need a Thai driving licence. Interestingly in over 40 years of having an IDP I have never been asked to show it in any country. You can apply here, not sure where, for an IDP but I believe only after you have got a Thai licence. As stated by DGS1244 after 3 months you have to apply for a Thai licence. If you have a current US licence, the process is painless, and if you are planning on staying here any longer, this is something you need to address. You can get both car and bike licences on production of your US licence along with the usual passport and immigration letter of residence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyfez Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 Why don't you just get a Thai motorbike licence? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recom273 Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 3 minutes ago, Andyfez said: Why don't you just get a Thai motorbike licence? Got to be said .. Just take your NY License in to the DLT, do the sight and reaction test and exchange it for Thai licenses - that you can also use as proof of ID. The police don't care, but, If you ever have an issue with an insurance company they will check your passport and see your license is invalid ( after 3 months in Thailand ) and just walk away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetruth revealer Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 (edited) 13 minutes ago, Andyfez said: Why don't you just get a Thai motorbike licence? Why not just driving without licence AT ALL , they cant even revoke...NOW they start demanding silly BS . Ok , im taking the Superhighway ! Edited December 9, 2016 by thetruth revealer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rflusser Posted December 9, 2016 Author Share Posted December 9, 2016 Thanks for all the advice guys - I'm not a resident, have been in and out of thailand for the past few months doing academic research. I'm only here for another 2 months and not trying to go through the hassle of getting a Thai drivers' license if I don't have to. I'm tracing the logo onto paper and will be taking it to a stamp maker...we'll see how that goes haha... And yeah, that must be some special tea for 400b... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamini Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 1 hour ago, DGS1244 said: How long have you been driving here? I ask only in the fact that after three months you need a Thai driving licence. Interestingly in over 40 years of having an IDP I have never been asked to show it in any country. You can apply here, not sure where, for an IDP but I believe only after you have got a Thai licence. Correct, but you can't use it in Thailand. Is for use overseas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KhunBENQ Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 43 minutes ago, rflusser said: Thanks for all the advice guys - I'm not a resident, have been in and out of thailand for the past few months doing academic research. ere for another 2 months and not trying to go through the hassle of getting a Thai drivers' license if I don't have to. So there is not much to advise except drive carefully until the next 400 Baht are due. 400 Baht is not tea money but the official fine for driving without license. Just think what would happen in your home country when driving without valid license? 12 Dollars and off you go? I don't think so. Converting your NY license(s) to Thai driving licenses for car and motorbike is not rocket science. The biggest hurdle is getting an acceptable proof of residence. For probable further discussion I move this to the appropriate forum (Thailand Motor..). To the OP: if you are not interested in discussing Thai DL tell me to close the thread. Thai DL threads are countless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rflusser Posted December 9, 2016 Author Share Posted December 9, 2016 2 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said: In this case there is no alternative than getting a correct/complete IDP from home. 400 Baht is not tea money but the official fine for driving without license. Just think what would happen in your home country when driving without valid license? 12 Dollars and off you go? I don't think so. Converting your NY license(s) to Thai driving licenses for car and motorbike is not rocket science. The biggest hurdle is getting an acceptable proof of residence. For probable further discussion I move this to the appropriate forum (Thailand Motor..). To the OP: if you are not interested in discussing Thai DL tell me to close the thread. Thai DL threads are countless. I understand it's not tea money, no need for the lecture -- was referring to the joke made in post #3. $12 is totally reasonable, and coming from NY where the typical ticket is $115, certainly not a problem. Just a frustrating situation (regarding AAA, not Thai police) because the IDP is just a translation of my US DL, and my US DL is for motorbikes and cars. I won't be here more than 2 months, so no proof of residency, but am doing research which requires a fair amount of motorbike travel... On a side note -- the fine may be "official" but the logic of it is silly. They give you a receipt as a pass which allows you to continue to be on the road for the day, despite their acknowledgement, with said fine, that you are not certified to be driving a potentially highly dangerous motor vehicle...so it could certainly be interpreted as a bit ill-intentioned...on the other hand, I appreciate how little of a hassle it is to pay 400b and move along... I will not be pursuing a Thai DL so you can close the thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lamkyong Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 1 hour ago, rflusser said: Thanks for all the advice guys - I'm not a resident, have been in and out of thailand for the past few months doing academic research. I'm only here for another 2 months and not trying to go through the hassle of getting a Thai drivers' license if I don't have to. I'm tracing the logo onto paper and will be taking it to a stamp maker...we'll see how that goes haha... And yeah, that must be some special tea for 400b... academic research Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lungnorm Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 17 hours ago, rflusser said: Thanks for all the advice guys - I'm not a resident, have been in and out of thailand for the past few months doing academic research. I'm only here for another 2 months and not trying to go through the hassle of getting a Thai drivers' license if I don't have to. I'm tracing the logo onto paper and will be taking it to a stamp maker...we'll see how that goes haha... And yeah, that must be some special tea for 400b... Academic research you say. I have been in and out of Thailand a few times and I never even thought of that one.lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rflusser Posted December 9, 2016 Author Share Posted December 9, 2016 sorry if I'm missing the humor...??? but I'm actually on a research grant... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lungnorm Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 16 hours ago, rflusser said: sorry if I'm missing the humor...??? but I'm actually on a research grant... It gets more humorous as the story unfolds. You are getting paid for it too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elgenon Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 Question for the OP: Was the license you used to get the IDP a motorcycle license? If it was an auto license that's the kind of IDP you get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rflusser Posted December 9, 2016 Author Share Posted December 9, 2016 Yes, motorcycle and car. In NY state, the standard license is class D, the one that allows motorcycle is class DM. Not spelled out other than that, so easy to miss it, although you'd think the AAA worker in NY would know to look for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMBob Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 40 minutes ago, rflusser said: I will not be pursuing a Thai DL so you can close the thread. Given that's your attitude, why bother posting your comments in the first place. Given you say you've been here longer than 90 days, your IDP isn't valid to drive anything here. And I would think that's your responsibility to have known that (a simple google search would have told you that). And it's hardly fair trying to blame the AAA worker. AAA isn't going to include a motorcycle endorsement on an IDP unless (1) your home state license says you're licensed for motorcycles, (2) you specifically request the motorcycle endorsement, and (3) you pay a small bit extra for that additional endorsement. Not bad, you got one out of three there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belzybob Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 (edited) Why do people insist in perpetrating this IDP myth? Unless you come from one of the few countries that are not party to the treaty and/or the licence does not have the details in English, then you don't need an IDP. The OP was entirely legal due to the fact that he held a US motorcycle licence. So it was tea money. MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY ACT (Thai Law) Section 42 Anyone who wishes to drive a motor vehicle on public roads must possess an appropriate driver licence. The driver must carry the driver licence and a photocopy of the registration book and show them to competent officers upon request. This does not apply to those who are learning to drive a motor vehicle according to the provision of Section 57. If the driver is an alien who doesn't have an immigrant visa, he may drive a motor vehicle with a driver licence specified in the Section 42-2. In such a case, he must carry documents specified by the treaty between the Thai government and the government which issued such driver licence, and show them to competent officers upon request. Section 42-2 In case there is a treaty between the Thai government and a foreign government regarding mutual acceptance of driver licence, an alien who does not have an immigrant visa may drive a motor vehicle with a driver licence issued by such a foreign government, or an automobile association authorised by such a foreign government. Edited December 9, 2016 by Belzybob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rflusser Posted December 9, 2016 Author Share Posted December 9, 2016 6 minutes ago, CMBob said: Given that's your attitude, why bother posting your comments in the first place. Given you say you've been here longer than 90 days, your IDP isn't valid to drive anything here. And I would think that's your responsibility to have known that (a simple google search would have told you that). And it's hardly fair trying to blame the AAA worker. AAA isn't going to include a motorcycle endorsement on an IDP unless (1) your home state license says you're licensed for motorcycles, (2) you specifically request the motorcycle endorsement, and (3) you pay a small bit extra for that additional endorsement. Not bad, you got one out of three there. To clarify - I've only spent about a month in total in Thailand, but on several stints. And I'll be gone in 2. So I don't need the Thai license, nor would I like to try to verify my residency. Furthermore, I said the thread could be closed because the moderator asked me this at the end of his post (# 11). And to address your final comments 1) Home state license IS licensed for motorcycles 2) I specifically requested the IDP for motorcycle and car, as I ordered it by mail 3) IDP at AAA is the same price, car or car+motorcycle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mettech Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 I was checked out last week on my way to Cambodia by Surin so the police officer ask for my license and gave him international license and the wife showed her Thai licence all was ok so police ask who has the wallet answer both of us and we both have our own money so he let us go free on this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seedy Posted December 9, 2016 Share Posted December 9, 2016 At OP Request - CLOSED Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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