Mandatory: Thai Driver's License

[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.

You can't be that dim.

Out of 200+ GPS misguidances .. I consider 1 mistake only pretty good track record.

At least I don't drive with only a foreign country license. Try that in Japan or Korea ... never mind the US .. you will be arrested on the spot. They guy was lucky he is in LOS (land of stupidities) where thai police are not very well educated.

I was stopped in Bali for no helmet on a motorcycle and they were hiding around the corner .. officers spoke fluent English and lectured me for 30 mins before I gave them the supposed "fine", which was still peanuts in comparison to what I thought it would be ...

It comes down to this ... I have consistently maneuvered around every Thai Immigration change, laws, regs, etc... and you don't see me on here complaining about border runs, cuz I stay LEGAL, when it's necessary.

[toptuan]

...I have used my Tabien Ban for identification...

I'm lost. How did your Tali Ban connection help?

[ABD]

...I have used my Tabien Ban for identification...

I'm lost. How did your Tali Ban connection help?

Well, Osama and I go way back

Hmm, you keep interrupting my online booking for Jan in South Africa

[pampal]

International drivers licenses are valid if you are here as a tourist for a total of 6 months. If you visa status is other than tourist, then you need a thai drivers license.

[jumbo]

International drivers licenses are valid if you are here as a tourist for a total of 6 months. If you visa status is other than tourist, then you need a thai drivers license.

If that is true, how come my carinsuance company doesn't require nor mention it and why during my 2nd carregistration in 4 years nobody informed me about this as well

Couple of months ago I as stopped and they checked my DL and nothing was said as well

J

Edit; I am too lazy to get my Thai DL

Edited December 14, 2006 by jumbo

[Thaddeus]

International drivers licenses are valid if you are here as a tourist for a total of 6 months. If you visa status is other than tourist, then you need a thai drivers license.

If that is true, how come my carinsuance company doesn't require nor mention it and why during my 2nd carregistration in 4 years nobody informed me about this as well

Couple of months ago I as stopped and they checked my DL and nothing was said as well

J

Edit; I am too lazy to get my Thai DL

Have you had an accident and tried to make a claim on your insurance yet?

[jumbo]

International drivers licenses are valid if you are here as a tourist for a total of 6 months. If you visa status is other than tourist, then you need a thai drivers license.

If that is true, how come my carinsuance company doesn't require nor mention it and why during my 2nd carregistration in 4 years nobody informed me about this as well

Couple of months ago I as stopped and they checked my DL and nothing was said as well

J

Edit; I am too lazy to get my Thai DL

Have you had an accident and tried to make a claim on your insurance yet?

Yes I did in 2004, no issues (fineprint on the insurancy policy)

J

[corkscrew]

International drivers licenses are valid if you are here as a tourist for a total of 6 months. If you visa status is other than tourist, then you need a thai drivers license.

If that is true, how come my carinsuance company doesn't require nor mention it and why during my 2nd carregistration in 4 years nobody informed me about this as well

Couple of months ago I as stopped and they checked my DL and nothing was said as well

J

Edit; I am too lazy to get my Thai DL

Have you had an accident and tried to make a claim on your insurance yet?

Yes I did in 2004, no issues (fineprint on the insurancy policy)

J

If it had been a major accident and you were at fault to the extent of several hundred thousand bahts the insurance company might claim that you were not covered.

All it takes is about 90 minutes to get a Thai DL. First one is good for 1 year and the second one is good for 5 years. You can also get a Thai IDP. That way if you are driving in your European or American state you can show that one instead of your original foreign license and probably avoid a ticket OR at least avoid points.

[JimGant]

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.

Ah, yes, a forged IDP expiration date. I hadn't thought of that. You lawyers are so sharp. However, could be problematic, especially in an accident with fatalities..........

What the world doesn't need anymore of are 'clever' lawyers, especially ones who tout knowing colonels.

Poster is one more reason for justifying all those lawyer jokes -- if he really is a lawyer(?).

[oxymoron]

Agree one should have a Thai Licence. Try getting one in Chiangmai. The problem proving where you reside. I have a heavy vehicle licence from Australia and am here on a Non O visa, Immigration will no longer issue a cerificate of where you reside unless you are on a Married or Retirement Visa Extension. The traffic people will not accept a letter from the Obertor of our village where we have lived at the same address (albiet off and on) for the last 20 years.

[jumbo]

If it had been a major accident and you were at fault to the extent of several hundred thousand bahts the insurance company might claim that you were not covered.

All it takes is about 90 minutes to get a Thai DL. First one is good for 1 year and the second one is good for 5 years. You can also get a Thai IDP. That way if you are driving in your European or American state you can show that one instead of your original foreign license and probably avoid a ticket OR at least avoid points.

Yes it probably takes 90 minute to get the Thai DL

But first you will need to get a health certificate and an international drivers license or a declraration from the embassy about your current DL and you might need to get the address verification

So it takes a lot more than 90 minutes I guess

I pick up my Thai DL anayway next month or so

J

[DrFisher]

Thailand does except international drivers permits for a period of 90 days. This depends on the country the international permit was issued in; for example if you have an international driving permit from the USA Thailand is listed as a country you are permitted to drive in (for 90 days).

If you have a tourist visa it is impossible to get a Thai drivers license (legally any way) because you have to prove residency here in Thailand, as a tourist you can not be a resident.

If you have:

1) A visa good for at least one year.

2) Proof of residence (a copy of a lease will do, for the immigration office).

3) Current drivers license from your country.

4) An international driver’s permit from your country you can get a Thai

driving license with out a problem (motor bike and car are separate licenses).

5) Pass a vision test and color test.

6) As always a physical showing you are the perfect human specimen.

You have to go to the immigration office for a letter to show proof of residency and as usual that requires a few photos, as I recall the letter was free. You will also need many copies of many documents for the licensing office and more photos. You can pick up a list of the things you need but to spite all the paper work it is a very simple process and can be done in a day license in hand.

[Axel]

I thought I read in TV that immigration does not issue residence-proof anymore, not sure though.

Anyway, can get from your own embassy, price examples

German Baht 950, issued on the spot, Japanese Baht 780 issued within 24 hours.

[ABD]

International drivers licenses are valid if you are here as a tourist for a total of 6 months. If you visa status is other than tourist, then you need a thai drivers license.

If that is true, how come my carinsuance company doesn't require nor mention it and why during my 2nd carregistration in 4 years nobody informed me about this as well

Couple of months ago I as stopped and they checked my DL and nothing was said as well

J

Edit; I am too lazy to get my Thai DL

Have you had an accident and tried to make a claim on your insurance yet?

You are looking at an out of date law ... it has been changed and modified.

Yes, I have been hit 7 times in 4 years, and claimed with insurance on essentially the same IDP and never was a problem. Same goes for 100's of stops by police ... which, never win with me anyway..

[jing jing]

....Yes, I have been hit 7 times in 4 years....

Apparently even clever lawyers can't talk themselves out of "bad karma"