Old UK licence not accepted - what is involved for the MC test

[drbrit]

I was unable to get a 1st time motorcycle licence today at Chonburi DLT because I had the old style UK driving licence (I have lived in Thailand a very long time!).  They only accept the newer UK card based licence.

 

So now I have to come back to do training and test.   Can you tell me what I need to prepare and what to expect?

[chezy86]

Don't know about test but I've just got my licence using an international driving permit issued in U.K. By the AA and they never even asked to see my UK driving licence  this end.Just had to do a few easy tests, traffic light colours, peripheral vision test then watch a video after which a 2 year licence was issued. Could you get someone in UK to get you an international permit £8 I think I paid and then Baht 250 here it would be the easiest route rather than a full bike test I reckon.

[DGS1244]

If you are out of the UK for more than 3 months then you are suppose to surrender your UK licence which you need to obtain an International Driving Permit. And yes they can find out, they knew I was out of the UK for more than 3 months from information supplied from the UK Immigration department. 

[HarrySeaman]

I suggest you do as chezy86 suggested and get an international driving license if possible.  Look for a way to get one online.  Do be aware that they will check to see if you had a license for motorcycles.

 

In Thailand you have to pass several physical tests - eyesight, color blindness, reaction time, and depth perception.  The last two only if the equipment is working.

 

Next are some videos.  One room for a video had charts on the wall of what signs, painted lines on the street, and painted curbs mean - study them because you will need to know some of them for the test.  After the video is  a test on a computer and a driving test.   The written test is presented in English for farangs. 

 

Here is one on-line site where you can practice the computer test.  I think the questions are the same but I can't guarantee that since it is from 2015.  You can Google for other sites.

 

Thailand Driving License Online Test

 

Here is another site.

 

Thai Driving License Exam Test Questions: Exam One

 

The driving test basically has two hard parts, weaving around pylons and traveling about 60' down a 8" wide x 3" high concrete "plank" at slow speed.  Fall off the plank and you fail.  The rest is just driving around a few corners and stopping and going when you should.  Don't forget to use your turn signals, and to turn them off after you turn.  Be sure to wear a helmet (I noticed the tester arrived by motorcycle wearing a Western Hat, not a helmet, but he had a helmet when he demonstrated).

 

YouTube - Motor bike road test in Pattaya Thailand

 

 

 

 

Edited July 4, 2017 by HarrySeaman

[SpeakeasyThai]

1 hour ago, DGS1244 said:

If you are out of the UK for more than 3 months then you are suppose to surrender your UK licence which you need to obtain an International Driving Permit. And yes they can find out, they knew I was out of the UK for more than 3 months from information supplied from the UK Immigration department. 

You must be born to be unlucky. 

[MW72]

1 hour ago, SpeakeasyThai said:

You must be born to be unlucky. 

Very unlucky! I've been working overseas for almost 12 years. Last time I was in the UK for a visit was 2 years ago. Never heard a peep from DVLA and I've had a new photo card license and 2 international driving permits issued over the years.

[VocalNeal]

2 hours ago, chezy86 said:

Just had to do a few easy tests, traffic light colours, peripheral vision test then watch a video after which a 2 year licence was issued.

drbrit,

 

You'll have to do a PC based multiple choice road safety test, in English. Then you do as chezy says above and if you pass all that which you will. Then you in theory ride around a small road course with a junction where you have to stop and turn. A bridge where you have to stop and do a hill start and a small cone slalom section.  You can watch other do it while you wait. You can borrow/rent an m/bike to do the test

 

Allow a whole day to do it. "written" test, video and eyesight tests in the morning and road test in the afternoon.

[drbrit]

Great information - thanks everyone!

[whatawonderfulday]

apparently it is 1500 baht to clear the problem up

[aslimversgwm]

1 hour ago, SpeakeasyThai said:

You must be born to be unlucky. 

I renewed my UK driving licence, which includes m-bikes and cars, on-line, no problem and quite recently. Their system connects with the passport and tax offices to use the passport picture and to verify your UK address. If the tax people have your address here rather than the UK then that would be a problem. The new licence is sent to your UK address obviously so you'd need someone to send it registered post to your Thai address.

[aslimversgwm]

1 minute ago, aslimversgwm said:

I renewed my UK driving licence, which includes m-bikes and cars, on-line, no problem and quite recently. Their system connects with the passport and tax offices to use the passport picture and to verify your UK address. If the tax people have your address here rather than the UK then that would be a problem. The new licence is sent to your UK address obviously so you'd need someone to send it registered post to your Thai address.

forgot to add: it works on-line using your passport number and NI number. you must have both of these.

[NoshowJones]

Depends on where you go, they all make up their own rules. This is Thailand.

[topt]

3 hours ago, DGS1244 said:

If you are out of the UK for more than 3 months then you are suppose to surrender your UK licence which you need to obtain an International Driving Permit. And yes they can find out, they knew I was out of the UK for more than 3 months from information supplied from the UK Immigration department. 

You may want to have a leisurely read through the many, many arguments about your statement contained here -

However as MW72 stated above (and many others mention in the thread) what you have quoted does not seem to be the "normal" practice...........

Maybe you are just unlucky     

 

[drbrit]

43 minutes ago, aslimversgwm said:

I renewed my UK driving licence, which includes m-bikes and cars, on-line, no problem and quite recently. Their system connects with the passport and tax offices to use the passport picture and to verify your UK address. If the tax people have your address here rather than the UK then that would be a problem. The new licence is sent to your UK address obviously so you'd need someone to send it registered post to your Thai address.

Cool - I will do that regardless.   My paper licence is turning to dust!

[Top man]

Please forgive my ignorance, but could someone please tell me where you get this  ! International driving permit ! If back in the UK. Many thanks 

[sometimewoodworker]

1 hour ago, Top man said:

Please forgive my ignorance, but could someone please tell me where you get this  ! International driving permit ! If back in the UK. Many thanks 

From the AA or RAC and you don't need to be in the UK as they will accept the form, and return it, to anywhere in the world it just costs a bit more. They don't list this a possible on the website but I called them and got the information about it. IDP from the RAC I've got mine from the RAC sent to me in Japan before I had a Japanese licence.

 

I also happened to know that it was possible as I used to work in the Watford RAC control room at one time.

 

IDP application form PDF

Edited July 4, 2017 by sometimewoodworker
PDF link

[Joinaman]

i went to the post office to get my international licence last year

25 pounds , lasts 12 months

took passport with me, plus UK driving licence, had photo taken in post office and filled out paperwork there, took about 20 minutes

Got my Thai licence  now . Had the lights test, then filled paperwork and had photo taken. Took about 2 hours and cost , i think, 150 baht ? Simple

[Chongalulu]

6 hours ago, Joinaman said:

i went to the post office to get my international licence last year

25 pounds , lasts 12 months

took passport with me, plus UK driving licence, had photo taken in post office and filled out paperwork there, took about 20 minutes

Got my Thai licence  now . Had the lights test, then filled paperwork and had photo taken. Took about 2 hours and cost , i think, 150 baht ? Simple

It's £5.50 at post office AA or RAC

[sometimewoodworker]

• Not quite. At the post office, you must apply in person it's 5.50 if you want it by post then it's a little more.

• . At the RAC
• The correct fee - £8 for one application or £16 for two (£5.50 plus £2.50 processing fee per application.)
• We'll send your IDP first class, please allow up to 10 days before travel for your application to be processed. Your application can be processed within two days if required, we just ask for an additional £6.95 for this service.

At the AA

 

• The cost is £8.50 per permit – the statutory charge of £5.50 plus £3 postal application processing fee.
• Priority fee – if you want your application processed quickly – within five working days of receipt – please include an additional £4 priority fee, and mark the envelope to us with ‘PRIORITY IDP’.
• Overseas mail – you need to enclose a self-addressed envelope, no stamp. For permits to be returned to an overseas address, an additional postage fee of £7 (or a courier fee of £27) is payable. A signature may be required for items returned to an address outside Europe, the USA and Canada.

[drbrit]

13 hours ago, Top man said:

Please forgive my ignorance, but could someone please tell me where you get this  ! International driving permit ! If back in the UK. Many thanks 

I saw that the Post Office, the AA and the RAC offer it.  If you google international driving permit UK online you will see the pages

[Moonlover]

13 hours ago, Top man said:

Please forgive my ignorance, but could someone please tell me where you get this  ! International driving permit ! If back in the UK. Many thanks 

AA, RAC or Post Office. But in my opinion they are of limited value. I've lived in 6 countries and driven in many others. But I've never been asked to present an IDP. 

[Moonlover]

20 hours ago, DGS1244 said:

If you are out of the UK for more than 3 months then you are suppose to surrender your UK licence which you need to obtain an International Driving Permit. And yes they can find out, they knew I was out of the UK for more than 3 months from information supplied from the UK Immigration department. 

 

16 hours ago, topt said:

You may want to have a leisurely read through the many, many arguments about your statement contained here -

However as MW72 stated above (and many others mention in the thread) what you have quoted does not seem to be the "normal" practice...........

Maybe you are just unlucky     

 

DGS, you could, if you wish, leisurely plough your way through 9 pages and 127 posts on this topic. Or you might want to visit:

 

https://www.gov.uk/change-address-driving-licence

 

There is a reference there as to what to do if you go to live abroad. Nowhere does it mention 'surrendering your licence'. 

[topt]

On ‎05‎/‎07‎/‎2017 at 10:02 AM, Moonlover said:

 

DGS, you could, if you wish, leisurely plough your way through 9 pages and 127 posts on this topic. Or you might want to visit:

 

https://www.gov.uk/change-address-driving-licence

 

There is a reference there as to what to do if you go to live abroad. Nowhere does it mention 'surrendering your licence'. 

I don't want to restart the "discussion" in that thread again. Whilst I agree in practice about not surrendering your licence if you had perused the link there are references to statute law which arguably do say that.  hopefully

[chezy86]

Just to chuck something else into the pot an international driving permit although valid for one year is really only usable in Thailand for 90 days. Reading in the small print on my insurance it says insurance is void after 90 days unless a Thai driving licence is obtained. Don't know if all insurances are the same like but might be worth checking if your on an international permit.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

 

[Moonlover]

22 hours ago, topt said:

I don't want to restart the "discussion" in that thread again. Whilst I agree in practice about not surrendering your licence if you had perused the link there are references to statute law which arguably do say that.  hopefully

Emphasis should be on ''arguably''. I was very involved in that link and nothing was ever proved. I still maintain that one does not have to surrender ones licence.

 

Surely, if this was the case, there would be clear reference to this fact on the Gov.UK website. But there isn't. But I agree with you. Enough is enough on that topic. 

Edited July 7, 2017 by Moonlover

[catman20]

why dont you apply for a new up to date driving licence ? problem solved.

[catman20]

On 7/4/2017 at 1:37 PM, DGS1244 said:

If you are out of the UK for more than 3 months then you are suppose to surrender your UK licence which you need to obtain an International Driving Permit. And yes they can find out, they knew I was out of the UK for more than 3 months from information supplied from the UK Immigration department. 

ive lived here 17 years full time and applied and got a new driving licence.