Mandatory: Thai Driver's License

[corkscrew]

I found this on the Thai Elite page on this forum:

Driver's License

As Thailand does not accept international driver's licenses from overseas, Members wishing to command their own motor vehicle here will need to have a Thai driver's license. Thailand Elite assists Members to make sure they have all the proper documentation and guides them along with the process. This does not exempt the Member from any requisite testing. For most cases, with all the proper documentation available, processing will normally take only one day.

[toptuan]

Does this outfit service all of Thailand, or only Bangkok?

[corkscrew]

Does this outfit service all of Thailand, or only Bangkok?

It is a quasi government agency that covers all of Thailand.

[Eff1n2ret]

........"to command their own motor vehicle here"......

I drive the wretched thing. The littlemissis sits alongside and issues commands at various intervals. I suppose she really ought to learn to drive and get a licence sometime.

[Totster]

As far as I am aware you can drive using an international driving license up to a certain amount of time (not sure whether it's 30 or 90 days).

Before I had my Thai License I was stopped a couple of times with no problems, although one time the officer said to the wife " what can i do, i can't read what it [the license] says "

totster

[Crossy]

Corky (thanks for the PM).

The Elite site is the ONLY place I've ever seen this information.

The AA and RAC in the UK say an IDP (International Driving Permit) is fine for Thailand.

It is well known that the International Driving Licenses available over the net are not valid in Thailand.

That said, TiT, and a nice red pice of paper seems acceptable to Thai cops

[grtaylor]

An IDP is fine here for tourists. If you work here you are supposed to then get a Thai Driving Licence. My understanding.

[taxexile]

whilst an international driving licence might placate the highway and traffic police , i have heard that in the event of an accident , insurance companies will not accept an international licence , (unless you are driving a rental car from one of the major companies , in which case their insurance will cover you) , and so your policy will be invalid , and you could find yourself with a huge bill to pay or worse.

the thai drivers licence is easy to obtain if you have a licence from your own country to show them , takes an hour or so and is pretty straightforward.

[grtaylor]

True - easy to get one. I hadn't thought of the insurance angle, but you're very probably right.

G

whilst an international driving licence might placate the highway and traffic police , i have heard that in the event of an accident , insurance companies will not accept an international licence , (unless you are driving a rental car from one of the major companies , in which case their insurance will cover you) , and so your policy will be invalid , and you could find yourself with a huge bill to pay or worse.

the thai drivers licence is easy to obtain if you have a licence from your own country to show them , takes an hour or so and is pretty straightforward.

[corkscrew]

True - easy to get one. I hadn't thought of the insurance angle, but you're very probably right.

G

whilst an international driving licence might placate the highway and traffic police , i have heard that in the event of an accident , insurance companies will not accept an international licence , (unless you are driving a rental car from one of the major companies , in which case their insurance will cover you) , and so your policy will be invalid , and you could find yourself with a huge bill to pay or worse.

the thai drivers licence is easy to obtain if you have a licence from your own country to show them , takes an hour or so and is pretty straightforward.

Yes, our auto insurance company said I would not be covered unless I had a Thai driver's license. So, I got one. The next year I renewed it for a 5 year one.

[Loz]

MY IDP is good for 1 year from date of issue. I've provided it on the occasion I was stopped ( illegal U turn - oops!) and had no problem. However, as my thai friend says, "if you have a problem, the king can help you. Sometimes all you need is a picture of him on some red paper and this is enough to make all problems go away...".

Sounds good to me!

[Meerkat]

We got specific riders added to our insurance policies covering me under an IDP. Nothing extra to pay. As others have already posted, I've heard stories that insurance companies may otherwise use the lack of a Thai license as a convenient way of reneging on cover in case of an accident.

[bubba]

I have seen it written somewhere that if your license is in English, that is acceptable and you do not need an IDP. And then there is defacto versus dejure requirements. I have lived in Thailand for eight years and never got round to getting a Thai license. During that time, I have been involved in two minor traffic accidents with property damage. I might add that both were ajudicated by the responding police officer to be the other driver's fault (both were Thai), so there goes the theory that the farang is always at fault. In one case, the police officer never even asked me for a license. In the other case, I produced my home license and that was acceptable to him.

I have been stopped for the usual traffic "infractions" maybe six times. In every case where the officer asked to see my license, my home license was OK, even the time where he didn't accept "on the spot fine payment" and I had to go to the cop shop to pay my fine and collect my license.

Are other long-term residents experiences similar?

BTW, my insurance company has told me in writing that they will cover any claim so long as I have a valid licence from any country.

I'm wondering why I should get off my lazy backside and go to the trouble of getting a Thai license!

[Berty]

A library card with your photo will usually do the trick. IDP or Thai License is fine either way.

Thai Elite talking rubbish.

[toptuan]

For four years, I've used my expired license from my home country. Probably been stopped 12 times in that amount of time. Each time they look at my farang face, my English-language license, listen to my English "Good morning, officer! Can I help you?" After a bewildered moment, they always smile and wave me on. Not too many English-major graduates working the highways.

[Berty]

Only problem is when you have a scrape and need to make an insurance claim. Can get sticky then.

[ltdknowledge]

My girfriend can drive but she doesn't like too. I was stopped in Kanachanburi, is that right. I only have my uk licence, the guy looked at it, looked at me and told be to have a nice trip. I lost 2lbs in my pants but my girlfriend assured that they don't really care.

[toptuan]

Only problem is when you have a scrape and need to make an insurance claim. Can get sticky then.

Not in the "rest of Thailand" (non-Bangkokian regions).

Police? Insurance? What's those?? Everything is settled at the accident, usually at the direction of the kangaroo-court which convenes on the spot.

[chuchok]

Only problem is when you have a scrape and need to make an insurance claim. Can get sticky then.

Not in the "rest of Thailand" (non-Bangkokian regions).

Police? Insurance? What's those?? Everything is settled at the accident, usually at the direction of the kangaroo-court which convenes on the spot.

So what happens if you have a major ding...and your fault?say you rear end a new merc.Damage THB300K.A call to your insurance company might be in order.Wonder what they would do,if you didn't have a Thai licence?

[toptuan]

Only problem is when you have a scrape and need to make an insurance claim. Can get sticky then.

Not in the "rest of Thailand" (non-Bangkokian regions).

Police? Insurance? What's those?? Everything is settled at the accident, usually at the direction of the kangaroo-court which convenes on the spot.

So what happens if you have a major ding...and your fault?say you rear end a new merc.Damage THB300K.A call to your insurance company might be in order.Wonder what they would do,if you didn't have a Thai licence?

A Mercedez? In Isaan? Are you joking?

Seriously, since my major transportation is motorbike, I'm not worrying about totaling out a bus, pick-up, or "Merc" and being found at fault. Here, the larger vehicle is ALWAYS at fault (whether you are found that way by the kangaroo court OR police). If I ran over a pedestrian and broke their neck, I would undoubtedly resort to the Thai-government-mandated insurance which comes with my annual bike license.

[Totster]

Some of you are so blasé about this..

Using just your UK driving license is not legal, yes, you may have no problem with a police officer that hasn't a clue.. but in the event of any major problems and under closer scrutiny from someone who does have a clue, you will have been driving illegally.

Getting a IDP is very easy and inexpensive, better to have that base covered right ?

Those of you here long term.. getting a Thai license is so easy as long as you have all the correct paperwork.. if you have one of those and you have a major accident, your insurance will be valid and everything is covered.. just think of the consequences of your insurance not paying because of the small print.. big hit on the bank balance... damage to car, compensation for injury, fines..

totster

[chuchok]

Only problem is when you have a scrape and need to make an insurance claim. Can get sticky then.

Not in the "rest of Thailand" (non-Bangkokian regions).

Police? Insurance? What's those?? Everything is settled at the accident, usually at the direction of the kangaroo-court which convenes on the spot.

So what happens if you have a major ding...and your fault?say you rear end a new merc.Damage THB300K.A call to your insurance company might be in order.Wonder what they would do,if you didn't have a Thai licence?

A Mercedez? In Isaan? Are you joking?

Seriously, since my major transportation is motorbike, I'm not worrying about totaling out a bus, pick-up, or "Merc" and being found at fault. Here, the larger vehicle is ALWAYS at fault (whether you are found that way by the kangaroo court OR police). If I ran over a pedestrian and broke their neck, I would undoubtedly resort to the Thai-government-mandated insurance which comes with my annual bike license.

I was making a point.

[toptuan]

OK, I've played devil's advocate long enough. I'll check out a legal license. Thanks.

[ABD]

whilst an international driving licence might placate the highway and traffic police , i have heard that in the event of an accident , insurance companies will not accept an international licence , (unless you are driving a rental car from one of the major companies , in which case their insurance will cover you) , and so your policy will be invalid , and you could find yourself with a huge bill to pay or worse.

the thai drivers licence is easy to obtain if you have a licence from your own country to show them , takes an hour or so and is pretty straightforward.

Not true.

I have been driving here for 4 years on an IDP ... and, let's say for sake of realsim .. it's not truly up-to-date.

I have been stopped by HiWay police (and argued my way out of any such fake radar gun ticket which they were not using .. and there were more Thai drivers pulled behind me to get bribes from/, local police (whom do not even know their own traffic laws or outright lie, such as the "50 meter signal before turn rule" I was recently given and I told the officer to F-off) ... and more.

I have been hit in the rear of my cars or trucks 8 times in the last 3 years, each time the Thai driver was drunk or talking on their cell phone w/o a bluetooth, and have always been 100% guilty .. which I often get their signature to if no insurance agent can get to me (yes, I am a lawyer) ...

I have always had first class insurance, and everytime just a old worn-out copy of the IDP suffices, along with my passport. Sometimes I have used my Tabien Ban for identification, and still it works. If that was the case as stated in the quote, I could never buy vehicles (all are financed in MY name) and get a white tabien nor could I get insurance. Right now, my Chevy Z-71 4x4 still has it's red tabien and because they used my Tabien Ban as a residence (yes, even my house is financed in my name through Land & Houses Bank), I have to now submit a WP cuz for some crazy reason, they think the WP is more "secure" than a Tabien Ban ... who the hel_l decided that ??

Anyway, you can use the IDP for at least 1 year from the execution date and if you are even reasonably clever, you can make that ONE document last many years. There is NO need to waste time at the thai driver license crap. Unless, for example me ... if I wanted to go back to the States someday and drive a rental car (sold my last car in the States in 1999) then since my US driver's license expired 2 years ago ... I could use an IDP from Thailand to drive in the US.

Yes, it's true ... 90% of Thai traffic police have no idea they need to see your country driver license as valid AND the IDP. I have very little respect for the thai traffic police due to their overt corruption and making up of laws and rules, and argue even with captains and sometimes tell them I have no documents. Never had a problem in 5 years. Not that I recommend that to all, as I have friends from the ex-Thaksin Admin I did legal work for, and still am friends with military brass, as my ex-gf's brother was a Colonel in the Army and my now wife's dad is a Colonel.

Back to the point - all you need is an IDP.

[Totster]

There is NO need to waste time at the thai driver license crap.

You must a very busy and important person to consider an hour at the licensing centre getting legal a "waste of time"

totster

[ABD]

My girfriend can drive but she doesn't like too. I was stopped in Kanachanburi, is that right. I only have my uk licence, the guy looked at it, looked at me and told be to have a nice trip. I lost 2lbs in my pants but my girlfriend assured that they don't really care.

I was in Kanchanburi for a wedding and then went 4 wheeling in the forest., By accident I went thru someone's yard cuz my GPS said it was a public road, but it wasn't. My roof rack was yanked off by low-hanging tree branches and the entire truck scratched by rose thorns .... the "family" of 20 people came out, trying to help me untangle the roof rack but did not understand how it was installed so they scraped my hood with it until I twisted it out of the gasket lining.

Insurance company guy came to Kanchanaburi area, asked me to draw the pic of the aqccident ... first class paid for everything ... no problem.

However, foreign country driving license only .. woah, big problems. Get the IDP.

[chuchok]

My girfriend can drive but she doesn't like too. I was stopped in Kanachanburi, is that right. I only have my uk licence, the guy looked at it, looked at me and told be to have a nice trip. I lost 2lbs in my pants but my girlfriend assured that they don't really care.

I was in Kanchanburi for a wedding and then went 4 wheeling in the forest., By accident I went thru someone's yard cuz my GPS said it was a public road, but it wasn't. My roof rack was yanked off by low-hanging tree branches and the entire truck scratched by rose thorns .... the "family" of 20 people came out, trying to help me untangle the roof rack but did not understand how it was installed so they scraped my hood with it until I twisted it out of the gasket lining.

Insurance company guy came to Kanchanaburi area, asked me to draw the pic of the aqccident ... first class paid for everything ... no problem.

However, foreign country driving license only .. woah, big problems. Get the IDP.

You can't be that dim.

[ABD]

There is NO need to waste time at the thai driver license crap.

You must a very busy and important person to consider an hour at the licensing centre getting legal a "waste of time"

totster

Nope. Not important. Just know the law better than most. If the Sunbelt guys ever read this ... they know me and how I can make problems go away for me with a phone call most of the time. I just got lucky to get to know lots of government folks and the ex-parliament.

Again, I don't have to get a Thai driver's license to be "legal". Try checking the regulations and laws again.

And, yeah, I waste too much time in traffic as it is due to impatient and drivers who follow no rules of the road ... god, I would love to see for once, a thai driver turn in on a soi and at the same time a thai driver go out ... if I and most Tokyo people can do it on smaller roads ... I think thais need to up their driving skills here.

One hour of my consulting time is worth more than any police problem, even if it was serious ... so, since I do not have to get a Thai driver's license under the current laws ... no way I will waste my time.

[markuk]

dont know why people living here just dont get a license, get the one year and then folow up with the 5 year, thats what i did, peace of mind and all that and just for an hour in the test centre every 5 years!

[chuchok]

Be interesting if your GPS points you to running into somebody that knows a bigger person than you ABD...