Thai Driving License from scratch

[sandrabbit]

6 hours ago, mikiea said:

if so easy i wonder why so many people opt for buying a permit .

so they don't have to sit through the videos now .............

[seancbk]

7 hours ago, mikiea said:

if so easy i wonder why so many people opt for buying a permit .

Yeah I'd rather just pay double and avoid all that hassle.

I can already drive, but my licence from home expired before I moved here.

 

[williamgeorgeallen]

7 hours ago, Billy Bloggs said:

Funny I used a queensland license here in Chiang Mai, first for my bike no tests required just the colour one and it was done, then when I was renewing it I got my car one as well(got caught and had to watch an hour video for that one) this was a few weeks back.

queensland licence i used was quite old. was laminated and did not have much info on it. when i handed it over the thais behind the counter asked each other in thai where they thought i had bought it.

[brewsterbudgen]

Yeah I'd rather just pay double and avoid all that hassle.

I can already drive, but my licence from home expired before I moved here.

 

If your home licence has expired your IDP is no longer valid.

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[seancbk]

1 hour ago, brewsterbudgen said:

8 hours ago, seancbk said:

Yeah I'd rather just pay double and avoid all that hassle.

I can already drive, but my licence from home expired before I moved here.

 

If your home licence has expired your IDP is no longer valid.

I've never had an IDP

[brewsterbudgen]

I've never had an IDP

Oh. Your comment was in reply to a comment about buying a International permit, so I assumed you meant paying for that.

What were you referring to?

[seancbk]

1 hour ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Oh. Your comment was in reply to a comment about buying a International permit, so I assumed you meant paying for that.

What were you referring to?

Mikiea said "If so easy I wonder why so many people opt for buying a permit"

I though he was talking about people just paying for their licences.

I'd rather just pay for the licence and not bother with the hassle of a load of tests.

[BEVUP]

Hello all

Well hears food for thought

Lets say you go out & get a yellow book then you want to purchase a car with a bit of finance still owing on it after buying it from the dealer as new

Yellow book will no doubt be proof of Residence, but as well one wouldn't have a Thai License as they are not here for long periods 

So why couldn't one own the car - & yes as i have heard it's something to do with insurance - could my wife put it on as she has Thai license 

[johng]

You don't need a drivers licence to purchase a vehicle.

[BEVUP]

1 minute ago, johng said:

You don't need a drivers licence to purchase a vehicle.

Thanks but would still like to know by any of the followers about the insurance side of it as the car dealer (finance provider) may require it since part of the purchase shall be under finance (can my wife put it on since she has Thai Lisc. ) 

[johng]

If the car is new the finance company often requires "first class" insurance
The car is insured anyone with a license to drive a car can drive it
You can drive with foreign licence for upto ( I believe ) 3 months then you're supposed to get a Thai licence....if you ofyen leave and then re enter the country then the 3 months starts again
I dont think there is an option of 2 owners of the car in the registration book...its unnecessary in your case anyway as you're wife driving won't be a problem ...she can drive any car...her name doesn't have to be in the blue book.

[BEVUP]

3 minutes ago, johng said:

If the car is new the finance company often requires "first class" insurance
The car is insured anyone with a license to drive a car can drive it
You can drive with foreign licence for upto ( I believe ) 3 months then you're supposed to get a Thai licence....if you ofyen leave and then re enter the country then the 3 months starts again
I dont think there is an option of 2 owners of the car in the registration book...its unnecessary in your case anyway as you're wife driving won't be a problem ...she can drive any car...her name doesn't have to be in the blue book.

Ok thanks all sounds good

[hatewaitin]

On 13/07/2017 at 6:32 PM, chezy86 said:

Well I'm going to have to beg to differ on that one. If using a standard UK driving licence they will require a certified translation of that licence to issue a Thai licence. I guess it could also depend on who and where you apply but that was the info we got from DMT in Bangkok.


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An IDP is a translation  of your drivers licence.  You are required to produce your current drivers licence from your native country  and the IDP if asked. 

[brewsterbudgen]

An IDP is a translation  of your drivers licence.  You are required to produce your current drivers licence from your native country  and the IDP if asked. 

And if your national driver's license is in English it's unlikely you will need an IDP.

[Schuimpge]

On 7/13/2017 at 1:22 PM, GLewis said:

Nice post detailing the process. But in reality it is a joke, just not enough time on the road at all to really understand what driving is. 

GL, I sure agree, but the story is not about what a joke Thai Driving (and license is).. its about how to get it... and sure, the story is confirming what a joke it is in the first place.

 

Cheers,
Luc

[Schuimpge]

On 7/13/2017 at 1:41 PM, chezy86 said:

Could have saved a lot of hassle by getting an international driving permit from your native country (if you have a valid licence for that country) then you only have to do the traffic light, reaction and peripheral vision tests, sit through the Thai video and I paid Baht 500 for motorcycle and car licence valid for 2 years in and out in 2 hours here in Bangkok.

Fully understand your point and that's what I had when I left the Netherlands 19 years ago. I then converted that to a SG license, drove in the UK for a year another stint in SG and then in Texas.

Went to Thailand after that, now residing her for 12 years already but never bothered to get a license as in my original post.

 

Could go back to my country and get an international license, but hold on: 4065 Baht doesn't buy me a return-ticket last time I checked.

 

You're missing the point of the story here. Simple as that. Plenty of people here who don't fly back and forth every other week. 

 

Cheers,
Luc

[Schuimpge]

On 7/13/2017 at 3:24 PM, KhunBENQ said:

10 hours ahead of most drivers in this country

That gave me a good laugh.... thanks for the 10 seconds it added to my life (or so it seems)...

 

[Schuimpge]

On 7/13/2017 at 5:13 PM, ThailandLOS said:

The 1000 THB up front without receipt sounds fishy - I did my bike & car license 2 years ago and didn't have to pay a satang at this stage. Total cost incurred per license was less then 1000 THB including med cert, residence cert and payment to the Transportation department after the exams.

 

On a side note - the driving test is definitely joke. A more realistic test would involve cars/bikes/people randomly coming out of adjacent sois as well as dodging opposite traffic coming at you at full speed on the wrong side of the road. In fact some kind of video game would be more useful.

 

The traffic situation in Thailand will not improve no matter how much they extend the 'educational' video sessions or how many questions they put into the theory tests.

fully agree and confirmed with my daughter later on for the 1000b. That was just tea money out of a farang..

 

but for me (without wanting to sound like a snob) I look at it as a part of life here. I just ignore it, as it's not worth arguing over it. I just choose for the easy way and condemn me for it if you want, but it's a part of life here..

 

could have saved me lots of money if and when.. but as the saying goes in the Netherlands: If and When is for Stupid Men (free translation on my side.. for the Dialect abled Dutch here: "as en woll'n is voor de gekken en doll'n"

 

Cheers,
Luc

 

[Schuimpge]

On 7/14/2017 at 0:30 AM, sandrabbit said:

so they don't have to sit through the videos now .............

Well, I can only relate to my experience: 5 hours of Thai videos...

[Schuimpge]

Sure enjoyed so many comments. Quite surprised actually, as the first couple times I checked I didn't see any.

Thanks all, always enjoy bringing up a good discussion.

 

Will check back in the coming days, but anything beyond the driving test itself is really out of my scope for discussion.

 

For anyone thinking: I just buy my license.. sure if you know your way around, what stops you. But for those who just want to get it done through the 'normal and legal' system, I hope this helps a bit.

 

Edit: That sounds a bit too negative, as there's lots of legal shortcuts as described by posters earlier on. so it should read: anyone who needs a Thai license for whatever reason and needs to go through the normal 'Thai System', here's how it's done"

 

Cheers,
Luc

 

Edited July 17, 2017 by Schuimpge

[JaseTheBass]

Just walk out after your name has been marked on the roll call. They don't care.

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[mikiea]

On 7/14/2017 at 1:45 AM, seancbk said:

Yeah I'd rather just pay double and avoid all that hassle.

I can already drive, but my licence from home expired before I moved here.

 

yea samo samo

[Joinaman]

Got my license in Nakhon Phanom
Had a medical, if you could call it that. Blood pressure, height and weight
Then 100 baht and got paperwork
Go to test centre
Did the colour test, red green etc
Then go into room to watch Thai videos, but spent the time talking and looking at phone, like most of the others on the room
Came out, paid 150baht, photo taken and new 2 year Thai driving licence issued
Total time about 3 hours
Had uk and international licence, but only needed the uk one, even though they did not know what it meant
Not sure if it covers me for my Honda bike like my UK licence would but everything easy and simple to do


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[BEVUP]

4 hours ago, Joinaman said:

Got my license in Nakhon Phanom
Had a medical, if you could call it that. Blood pressure, height and weight
Then 100 baht and got paperwork
Go to test centre
Did the colour test, red green etc
Then go into room to watch Thai videos, but spent the time talking and looking at phone, like most of the others on the room
Came out, paid 150baht, photo taken and new 2 year Thai driving licence issued
Total time about 3 hours
Had uk and international licence, but only needed the uk one, even though they did not know what it meant
Not sure if it covers me for my Honda bike like my UK licence would but everything easy and simple to do


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Some here just got car license at Jo Ho in Korat

Medical at Hospital but included Colour Chart 200 bht

Copy o relevant paper work & CoR

Did Reaction / Depth / Colour & Side Vision tests

Only ended up watching part of the video (30 min)

300 bht (due to being temp ) 4 hrs - They were confused about my Auss Lic. since they had not seen one like that before 

No IDP

[nrasmussen]

Not sure if it covers me for my Honda bike like my UK licence would but everything easy and simple to do

It doesn't. You need a separate license for motorcycle.

[inThailand]

Is this the only country in the world who can't issue one DL with both a car and motorcycle endorsement?

[chris26be]

On ‎13‎/‎07‎/‎2017 at 8:41 AM, chezy86 said:

Could have saved a lot of hassle by getting an international driving permit from your native country (if you have a valid licence for that country) then you only have to do the traffic light, reaction and peripheral vision tests, sit through the Thai video and I paid Baht 500 for motorcycle and car licence valid for 2 years in and out in 2 hours here in Bangkok.

The DLT only accepts an international driver's license model 1949 and NOT model 1968. Went to DLT in Ubon a few hours ago.

Problem is most countries issue model 1968.

[chezy86]

The DLT only accepts an international driver's license model 1949 and NOT model 1968. Went to DLT in Ubon a few hours ago.
Problem is most countries issue model 1968.

Hi yes I researched before I came. You can order either but if you look at the countries Thailand is 1949 so that's what I got from the AA in the U.K. .


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[johng]

If you have a UK licence....then there is no need to get an IDP.

The police and DLT except a UK plastic part drivers licence,

If staying more than 3 months then one should obtain a Thai licence which is quite easy to do by presenting your UK licence (medical certificate ,residence certificate) at the DLT and doing some eyesight and reaction tests...IDP not required.

 

 

[BEVUP]

5 minutes ago, johng said:

If you have a UK licence....then there is no need to get an IDP.

The police and DLT except a UK plastic part drivers licence,

If staying more than 3 months then one should obtain a Thai licence which is quite easy to do by presenting your UK licence (medical certificate ,residence certificate) at the DLT and doing some eyesight and reaction tests...IDP not required.

 

 

Done exactly the same with a Aussie DL - Had Thai DL 4 hrs later

If the DLT is requiring a IDP they are either giving you a hard time or don't realize that certain countries may only need to present one of these