International Driving Permit - New Law?

[kevden]

Has anyone come across anything 'official' about a recent change of Law in Thailand concerning International Driving Permits no longer being accepted in this Country? 
In the last week I met a couple of people have been informed (and fined) by Traffic Police that International Driving Permits are only acceptable for three (3) days. (This 'new Law' apparently started in June 2017). They were told they had to obtain Thai Driving Licenses. Unfortunately, since they held visas for tourism (short periods), staff at the Department of Land Transport will not issue Thai Licenses. 

The International Driving Permits produced were validly dated, for the correct class of vehicle driven and listed Thailand as a Country that acknowledged such Permit. Valid Driving Licenses from their countries had been produced alongwith the Permit. Thanks in advance. 

[Kwasaki]

7 minutes ago, kevden said:

Stopped by Thai Traffic Police that International Driving Permits are only acceptable for three (3) days.

That will be 400 baht fine.  

[transam]

You can get a Thai license on a Tourist Visa, but, why would a tourist have to do so when his own countries license is good for 90 days..Thai folk on holiday abroad can use their Thai license, same in any country we want to visit..Sounds like crap to me...

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, kevden said:

In the last week I met a couple of people have been informed (and fined) by Traffic Police that International Driving Permits are only acceptable for three (3) days. (This 'new Law' apparently started in June 2017).

They were conned. 

[kevden]

I have now spoken with an official from the Department of Land Transport, Hang Dong, Chiang Mai. I was informed there had been no change to the Law in relation to International International Driving Permits (IDP) in Thailand. The current Law allows IDP to be used for up to one (1) year.

It was also confirmed that a Thai  licence would not be issued to a person on a 'Tourist visa'. 

It appears this story is being told around Chiang Mai at a time when more people seem to be wearing helmets and carrying IDP. This cannot be good for tourism, even of it were legal. 

[transam]

Just now, kevden said:

I have now spoken with an official from the Department of Land Transport, Hang Dong, Chiang Mai. I was informed there had been no change to the Law in relation to International International Driving Permits (IDP) in Thailand. The current Law allows IDP to be used for up to one (1) year.

It was also confirmed that a Thai  licence would not be issued to a person on a 'Tourist visa'. 

It appears this story is being told around Chiang Mai at a time when more people seem to be wearing helmets and carrying IDP. This cannot be good for tourism, even of it were legal. 

You can get a 2 year provisional license on tourist visa, but cannot get a 5 year one on renewal, another 2 years....

[Kwasaki]

6 minutes ago, kevden said:

The current Law allows IDP to be used for up to one (1) year.

Up to 90 days within a year in Thailand then you need a Thai DL if you wish to continue driving.

Edited June 19, 2017 by Kwasaki

[kevden]

Thanks transam, but in Chiang Mai they said they will not issue any license to a person holding a tourist visa. That includes renewal of an existing Thai licence. May I ask which province you are in? 

[transam]

1 minute ago, kevden said:

Thanks transam, but in Chiang Mai they said they will not issue any license to a person holding a tourist visa. That includes renewal of an existing Thai licence. May I ask which province you are in? 

It seems like most stuff in LOS nothing is constant.....Where I am it don't matter cos I have never applied with a tourist visa, but I know you can, that is unless the "law" has changed, but I doubt it...

[kevden]

Thanks Kwasaki. I remember reading (a long time ago) about 90 days being relevant to Insurance matters. 

 

As transam infers, somethings are consistently inconsistent. 

[Kwasaki]

2 hours ago, kevden said:

Thanks Kwasaki. I remember reading (a long time ago) about 90 days being relevant to Insurance matters. 

 

As transam infers, somethings are consistently inconsistent. 

Yeah follow 90 day rule because of insurance.

Thai DL's can be got on tourist visa's in Pattaya by all accounts,  l not know of others DLT offices though.

They would need a valid DL from there own country,

Don't think someone can do the test from scratch though on a tourist visa but you never know here.

[overherebc]

On 2017-6-19 at 0:22 PM, Kwasaki said:

They were conned. 

For financial reasons 3 months has been mis-translated to 3 days.

??

[0815]

On 6/19/2017 at 10:44 AM, Kwasaki said:

That will be 400 baht fine.  

1000 baht !

[Kwasaki]

2 hours ago, 0815 said:

1000 baht !

Not where I live, guess your in con city Pattaya. ?

[0815]

4 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

Not where I live, guess your in con city Pattaya. ?

No mate.
That's the fee in Chiang Mai.

[Kwasaki]

2 hours ago, 0815 said:

No mate.
That's the fee in Chiang Mai.

Your not negotiating properly. ?

[dave moir]

On 6/19/2017 at 10:44 AM, Kwasaki said:

That will be 400 baht fine.  

I think the Thai police are confused between days and months! After 3 months you should have a Thai licence.

[Kwasaki]

38 minutes ago, dave moir said:

I think the Thai police are confused between days and months! After 3 months you should have a Thai licence.

3 months or the 90 day to be exact is attached to certain things, if you stay in Thailand for any length of time and want to drive the consensus is get a Thai DL it's an easy process with many home DL's or home DL's with an IDP. 

[jackdd]

On 7/11/2018 at 3:17 PM, dave moir said:

I think the Thai police are confused between days and months! After 3 months you should have a Thai licence.

There is no 3 months or 90 days limit

[Kwasaki]

49 minutes ago, jackdd said:

There is no 3 months or 90 days limit

You just can'i leave it alone can you, on the ground and going about Thailand the consensus is living or staying in Thailand for any length of time if you want to drive/ride in Thailand, is get a Thai licence, why don't you stop with your rhetoric and let people drive in Thailand without any aggro. 

[wgdanson]

On 7/12/2018 at 5:42 PM, jackdd said:

There is no 3 months or 90 days limit

Yes there is.

[jackdd]

2 hours ago, wgdanson said:

Yes there is.

Provide an official source that says there is a 90 days / 3 months limit

[stud858]

On 6/19/2017 at 1:18 PM, Kwasaki said:

Up to 90 days within a year in Thailand then you need a Thai DL if you wish to continue driving.

There is no official 90 day rule.

I've visited police station and read all the official Thai and international documents.

If you get fined you need to return to the police station and state your case. 

Some police will try it on and sometimes the only way out is to pay the blackmail money.

Personally, I use international for the year, and take the risk of a blackmail situation. 

As for insurance, when you apply for insurance make sure you give them a copy of your IDP with own country licence and correspond through email so you have proof that they accept your IDP .

 

 

Edited March 10, 2019 by stud858

[Kwasaki]

14 minutes ago, stud858 said:

There is no official 90 day rule.

I've visited police station and read all the official Thai and international documents.

If you get fined you need to return to the police station and state your case. 

Some police will try it on and sometimes the only way out is to pay the blackmail money.

Personally, I use international for the year, and take the risk of a blackmail situation. 

 

 

" There is no official 90 day rule."

Up to you.

 

I refer to a previous post. 

You just can't leave it alone can you, on the ground and going about Thailand the consensus is living or staying in Thailand for any length of time if you want to drive/ride in Thailand, is get a Thai licence, why don't you stop with your rhetoric and let people drive in Thailand without any aggro.