So the plastic will be up 2 standards but the drivers are still the worst in the world.

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Better to have smart signals installed...

2 hours ago, kaiyaibob said:

In March of this year I used my 2yr thai driver licence in the UK in fact the girl in the hire company asked if I had an overseas licence as it was less hassle than having to register on the .gov website and having to get a reference number to allow the hire company to access my driving history..

Same for me at Heathrow, just used my 2 year Thai licence without any questions. A "Temporary" Thai licence does not equate to a "Provisional" UK licence, it does not carry the same restrictions.

4 hours ago, canopus1969 said:

The licenses may be Smart(?) but will the drivers be....

no way no way no way they need to be educated in a very big way to be smart on the roads....many do not even know that there is a Thai highway code and if they did they WOULD NOT EVEN READ or UNDERSTAND IT

4 hours ago, Khun Robert said:

As long as I read daily:

You can rent motorbike in Thailand without License, but drive slowly and carefully,

Stupid Police, they fined me 500 Thb because I had no helmet,

Corrupt Police, they fined me 10.000 Thb for driving under influance,

 

I disagree.

So YOU broke the law twice? Stupid is as stupid does.

 

As for drinking and driving- stay off the road before you kill yourself or someone else. I don't want to be crossing the street when you come along.

LOL!!! Just thought they would improve driving skills to international standard, but misunderstood the headline.

Sort of trying to put the cart before the horse !

Summary: Licences will cost more soon.

Smart and driving should never be used in the same sentence in some parts?

I would really like to see a combined license for car and motorbike.. I hate having to lug around two separate licenses.

 

Kurt

Everyday the same, it is not driving it looks like going to war. Can you bring it up to international standards❓?

I don't think so. ?

Just now, Foozool said:

Everyday the same, it is not driving it looks like going to war. Can you bring it up to international standards❓?

I don't think so. ?

In my opinion I really don't want to see it up to international standards.. I came here for the wild west.  If I wanted red light cameras, speed cameras and a nanny state I would go home.

 

Kurt

The license might look smart but the Thais drivers are not Besides most of them dont even have a license

sounds like the Thai government is getting ready to run via radio voice/data link what we call in the USA "wants and warrants" on the NCIC system. Instant info on your police radio or in vehicle data terminal:

 

https://www.fbi.gov/services/cjis/ncic

 

That means no more not paying your traffic fines without the system flagging you for arrest.

 

Linking to the immigration data base will follow.

Edited August 15, 20178 yr by NCC1701A

5 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Having smart licenses is all very well, assuming of course you can get the millions of Thais who don't have a license, to be bothered to actually get one.

....hoping that actually buying one will also make them smart...555

 

1 hour ago, kbelyeu said:

In my opinion I really don't want to see it up to international standards.. I came here for the wild west.  If I wanted red light cameras, speed cameras and a nanny state I would go home.

 

Kurt

Then you just found your kind of world that fits you. ????

Edited August 15, 20178 yr by Foozool

International Standard.  

 

 

How might this term be defined, pedantically?

 

 

I was always under the impression that Thailand lead the world in International driving standards.

5 hours ago, khwaibah said:

This is not new news the 5 year Thai DL has been a smart card for about 10 years and is the only Thai DL that can be used overseas. Thais have been able to exchange their old paper licenses for the 5 year DL for the pass 10 years. You can put the 2 year temporary DL in this same catogory as being a smart card. To my knowledge a paper DL has not been issued for 11 years.

It is news. The current DL does not include a QR code which you will see if you look at the picture above.

 

 

As long as I read daily:

You can rent motorbike in Thailand without License, but drive slowly and carefully,

Stupid Police, they fined me 500 Thb because I had no helmet,

Corrupt Police, they fined me 10.000 Thb for driving under influance,

 

I disagree.

I think a few adjectives were mixed up there. Don't be an idiot and drive sober wearing a Pi55 pot. I did for many years and no real hassle - licence never made a difference (pink UK card).

 

The police play games catching mostly people stupid enough to try to ride past with no helmet... They don't catch the ones who do a U-turn!

 

If they stop you, give a visual access to a licence. If they can't grab it then they never seem to take more action - keep it sealed in a card holder (I glued that pocket shut...)

Does that mean that they will,finally,accept international smart card drivers licenses from ie. Europe instead of always asking for the old international paper version?

Next up hands free steering wheel so you can text and talk to your friends a family without getting nicked

"Old paper licenses can be exchanged for the new ones at a cheaper rate from today."
    What old paper licences. I'v had the plastic credit card size type  for the last 14 years?
 

I've had plastic ones for maybe 15 years but before that they were laminated paper ones. My wife got her first license about five years ago and that is laminated paper.

Not sure why the difference but there you go...

8 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Having smart licenses is all very well, assuming of course you can get the millions of Thais who don't have a license, to be bothered to actually get one.

 

Or ever get the same millions who drive regularly without ever having actually learned the rules of the road to ever be instructed in them.

 

A probably well-intentioned change that totally misses and fails to address the biggest problems with driving in Thailand -- drivers who don't know and/or don't care about the rules, and cops who can't be bothered to enforce them.

 

As long as those problems remain, the country will NEVER be "up to international standards."

 

 

I have had a plastic licence with a magnetic strip for about 15 years which is valid for my lifetime.  I think I had a paper one before that but they haven't issued paper ones for many years.     

Following trend but the brains lack behind!

8 hours ago, Khun Robert said:

As long as I read daily:

You can rent motorbike in Thailand without License, but drive slowly and carefully,

Stupid Police, they fined me 500 Thb because I had no helmet,

Corrupt Police, they fined me 10.000 Thb for driving under influance,

 

I disagree.

And your problem is???????

 

You are lucky in most countries they would have hauled you into jail.

An intelligent step to modernise the issue would be to simplify the process for farangs to obtain a Thai licence on presenting their homeland driving permit.

9 hours ago, Khun Robert said:

As long as I read daily:

You can rent motorbike in Thailand without License, but drive slowly and carefully,

Stupid Police, they fined me 500 Thb because I had no helmet,

Corrupt Police, they fined me 10.000 Thb for driving under influance,

 

I disagree.

Knowing how a motor exam is in Thailand, yes you can. As Thai (sorry) cant drive motor bike.

Many Thai have no helmet, driving in wrong direction, with whole family and never get fined.

The latter i agree, ANY stupid alcoholic should be fined 10000 bath , aswell the Thai.

But im afraid many Thai are drunk all time in the way you see them drive.

Same for me at Heathrow, just used my 2 year Thai licence without any questions. A "Temporary" Thai licence does not equate to a "Provisional" UK licence, it does not carry the same restrictions.

So a Thai person get on the road in the UK with just there Thai driving licence. Wow that's terrifying. And I bet a nightmare for them. I sure following the rules must be a right pain in the ass and a unique experience at the same time.

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