Help! Horrendous bureaucratic obstacle to driving

[jrmaanda]

I am a British national with a French driving license living mostly in Thailand with a non-immigrant "O" visa.  For eighteen years I have driven in Thailand and other countries using a succession of IDPs obtained from France.  Now France has changed its system and won't give IDPs to non-resident foreigners. Britain won't give them to any non-residents, nor will it allow a non-resident British national to obtain a British driving license.  So how can I continue diving here or in other non-EU countries?  Please help if you can, as it's a huge disaster for me.

[Slip]

Use your French licence to get a Thai licence.  (Assuming that it works the same way as the Brit one).  Admittedly my knowledge is old, but when I got my first Thai licence I didn't have to do any tests- they just issued my Thai licence on the basis of my UK one.

[stevenl]

You have been lucky so far, a Thai DL has been required for you for a long time already.

 

So solve all your problems and get a Thai DL.

[VocalNeal]

Yep. Get a Thai license with an IDP and problems solved.

[madmax2]

Just obey the Thai law about driving in Thailand and get a Thai driving license like you should have done many years ago

[steve187]

is you latest idp still valid, if so change it  for a Thai licence, should have been done years ago, if not valid try and change your french licence for a Thai one, if not then start the process for a Thai licence without a swop.

[HarrySeaman]

Go to and the Pattaya City Expats Club web site and search for "Thai Driving License".  The up to date requirements will be listed.

[dotpoom]

I often wonder why a lot of Farangs depend so much on an IDP.

   If you want a Thai driving lucence why not just do the test like you did in your own country?

   PS. Was up there yesterday getting my "new and improved" one.

[Crash999]

Go get a Thai license. Helps to have someone to guide you as not much English but the process is straightforward. Prepare documents. Prepare pics. Then fill out forms, watch a video, take some simple tests and there you go. 

[connda]

Use your foreign license and IDP to get a Thai DL.  

[hugh2121]

Renewed my British licence on line by giving my daughter's address in UK. No problem.

[cracker1]

Get a Thai driving licence and when you go to an other country, most will allow you to use this licence for 2 or 3 months.

[NorthernRyland]

Can you get a Thai drivers license on a tourist visa? I never had one here since 2005 and just in the last 2 years they started to ask for one (in Chiang Mai).

[richard_smith237]

Your French Driving License supported by an IDP has permitted you to drive for 90 days beyond which you were required to obtain a local license in Thailand.

 

For 18 years you've being doing it wrong.

 

You can use your French License and IDP to obtain a Thai License (if your IDP has not expired). The process is fairly simple, takes a few hours (perhaps half a day, commonly less, just an hour or two). 

 

*You will receive a 1 year (Temporary) Thai License, after which you will renew for a 5 year License. 

*The duration of license you receive may vary based changing regulations (but its still better than renewing an IDP every year and still being in breach of the regulations).

 

 

To obtain your Thai Drivers License (read the pinned thread !) you will need..

1) Affidafit of confirmation of Residence (from your embassy)

or Confirmation of Residence (address) from Thai Immigration.

2) Medical Certificate (from almost any hospital).

3) Home DL + IDP

 

 

 

[ujayujay]

13 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

Yep. Get a Thai license with an IDP and problems solved.

No. With a IDP you can't get a Thai DL. 

[ujayujay]

59 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Your French Driving License supported by an IDP has permitted you to drive for 90 days beyond which you were required to obtain a local license in Thailand.

 

For 18 years you've being doing it wrong.

 

You can use your French License and IDP to obtain a Thai License (if your IDP has not expired). The process is fairly simple, takes a few hours (perhaps half a day, commonly less, just an hour or two). 

 

*You will receive a 1 year (Temporary) Thai License, after which you will renew for a 5 year License. 

*The duration of license you receive may vary based changing regulations (but its still better than renewing an IDP every year and still being in breach of the regulations).

 

 

To obtain your Thai Drivers License (read the pinned thread !) you will need..

1) Affidafit of confirmation of Residence (from your embassy)

or Confirmation of Residence (address) from Thai Immigration.

2) Medical Certificate (from almost any hospital).

3) Home DL + IDP

 

 

 

Temporary Thai DL is for 2 Years. Only need the Home DL. 

[Janner1]

3 hours ago, ujayujay said:

Temporary Thai DL is for 2 Years. Only need the Home DL. 

Sorry but in my experience the first DL you get after the test  ( if you have to take one ) is for one year, Then the second one  is for two years or five if you are very lucky and you smile nicely at the DL issuing officer.

 

if you are unlucky then next time the two year one will be issued for five years on presentation of you immigration document,  a medical note proving that you breath and home book proving you are resident.

 

so in the first instance go to an driving school with your passport fill in the docs they give you ( application for DL) go back next day and get your passport and papers back, the school should then take you to the government offices for your first DL, you take a test for reaction and colour blindness, then you go to the issuing officer and get your licence.

 

Just before the first one expires go to immigration with your home book or a letter proving where you live and the letter from a hospital, fill in the forms and get two photos, they take them, then go to the licence issuing office hand it the docs and your one year licence, they will then give you a licence make sure it is for a car and a motorbike so you are covered if you drive both and that pretty much is it.

 

And to an earlier poster yes you can get a Dl as a tourist one year to start and two year temporary there after . Just get a letter from the hotel if that is where you stay to say you are living there, just make sure they don't put checkin  and checkout dates on it. Good luck

 

you pay the school the hospital the immigration including tea money and the issuing office , just give what they ask for don't argue ok

[Si Thea01]

1 hour ago, Janner1 said:

Sorry but in my experience the first DL you get after the test  ( if you have to take one ) is for one year, Then the second one  is for two years or five if you are very lucky and you smile nicely at the DL issuing officer.

 

if you are unlucky then next time the two year one will be issued for five years on presentation of you immigration document,  a medical note proving that you breath and home book proving you are resident.

 

so in the first instance go to an driving school with your passport fill in the docs they give you ( application for DL) go back next day and get your passport and papers back, the school should then take you to the government offices for your first DL, you take a test for reaction and colour blindness, then you go to the issuing officer and get your licence.

 

Just before the first one expires go to immigration with your home book or a letter proving where you live and the letter from a hospital, fill in the forms and get two photos, they take them, then go to the licence issuing office hand it the docs and your one year licence, they will then give you a licence make sure it is for a car and a motorbike so you are covered if you drive both and that pretty much is it.

 

And to an earlier poster yes you can get a Dl as a tourist one year to start and two year temporary there after . Just get a letter from the hotel if that is where you stay to say you are living there, just make sure they don't put checkin  and checkout dates on it. Good luck

 

you pay the school the hospital the immigration including tea money and the issuing office , just give what they ask for don't argue ok

 

Your experience was totally different to mine but then I am living here on an extension of stay, based on retirement.  May be different for a tourist visa holder.  Came here in 2013 with home country DL and IDP. then after 3 months went to a local medical clinic and for 60 baht obtained a medical certificate, without an examination mind you, then with my letter from immigration (500 baht) should b free, off to the lands and traffic dept.

 

Colour test, reaction test, no video, no driving test and after being photographed I was issued a two year, note, two years,  motor cycle and motor vehicle license.  These are separate and if I did not hold a motorcycle license from my home country and have it included on the IDP, then I would have had to watch the video and do a driving test for the that particular license. After two years and paying the required fees, which was the same as Thai nationals, I was issued with two, 5 year licenses.  This was undertaken in Udon Thani. 

[Keesters]

Need to be resident to obtain IDP or country license is I think you'll find an EU requirement and applies to all countries in the EU. Roll on Brexit when we can make up our own mind about such things.

 

An IDP is only valid in Thailand for 90 days. Best to get a Thai one.

[Keesters]

9 hours ago, ujayujay said:

No. With a IDP you can't get a Thai DL. 

A friend got a Thai DL with his tatty, beer stained, falling apart at the seams with only a few days to being expired IDP while I with my pristine, many years to go British green fold out license, was refused. Reason, his had a photo mine didn't. Britain will not send me a photo card license as I'm resident overseas. Took the test instead.

 

I believe that the British green no photo license is still the real license and the photo ID is just for convenience allowing European travel.

 

 

[JohnC]

The British Green no photo licence has now been discontinued and no longer valid, photo card licence is the only one issued. 

[bazza73]

9 hours ago, ujayujay said:

No. With a IDP you can't get a Thai DL. 

Funny about that. I used my IDP to get the Thai licence.

Testing was almost laughable - identify red, green and yellow traffic lights twice. In English or in Thai.

To be on the safe side, the OP should take his French licence and the IDP when applying.

[shaurene]

I have just  renewed my Thai one. Had to produce the same docs as i did when i first applied.

1: Passport with copy of main identity page. Page with the thai entry stamp.

2: Yelloe house book or a document that will show your placeof residence in Thailand.

3: your current country DL.

4: 2 passport size photos.

If you can take your Thai speaking friend to help you.

Oh.5: you need a medical certificat from a doctor for driving. It only cost around 200B. If your local does not do it he will direct you. They normally show a sign (Clinic) 

[Andrew Dwyer]

Your French Driving License supported by an IDP has permitted you to drive for 90 days beyond which you were required to obtain a local license in Thailand.
 
For 18 years you've being doing it wrong.
 
You can use your French License and IDP to obtain a Thai License (if your IDP has not expired). The process is fairly simple, takes a few hours (perhaps half a day, commonly less, just an hour or two). 
 
*You will receive a 1 year (Temporary) Thai License, after which you will renew for a 5 year License. 
*The duration of license you receive may vary based changing regulations (but its still better than renewing an IDP every year and still being in breach of the regulations).
 
 
To obtain your Thai Drivers License (read the pinned thread !) you will need..
1) Affidafit of confirmation of Residence (from your embassy)
or Confirmation of Residence (address) from Thai Immigration.
2) Medical Certificate (from almost any hospital).
3) Home DL + IDP
 
 
 

Jrmaanda
All the info you need is in the quoted post !

Edit: Your first Thai license ( Temporary ) is now valid for 2 years.

Take your IDP with you ( valid or not ! )

As your DL is in French the IDP will help !

Get your documents together and get yourself down to the DLT !

[Blue Muton]

5 hours ago, Janner1 said:

Sorry but in my experience the first DL you get after the test  ( if you have to take one ) is for one year, Then the second one  is for two years or five if you are very lucky and you smile nicely at the DL issuing officer.

 

if you are unlucky then next time the two year one will be issued for five years on presentation of you immigration document,  a medical note proving that you breath and home book proving you are resident.

 

so in the first instance go to an driving school with your passport fill in the docs they give you ( application for DL) go back next day and get your passport and papers back, the school should then take you to the government offices for your first DL, you take a test for reaction and colour blindness, then you go to the issuing officer and get your licence.

 

Just before the first one expires go to immigration with your home book or a letter proving where you live and the letter from a hospital, fill in the forms and get two photos, they take them, then go to the licence issuing office hand it the docs and your one year licence, they will then give you a licence make sure it is for a car and a motorbike so you are covered if you drive both and that pretty much is it.

 

And to an earlier poster yes you can get a Dl as a tourist one year to start and two year temporary there after . Just get a letter from the hotel if that is where you stay to say you are living there, just make sure they don't put checkin  and checkout dates on it. Good luck

 

you pay the school the hospital the immigration including tea money and the issuing office , just give what they ask for don't argue ok

What? Your advice seems a little odd, to say the least.

 

Why go to immigration to get forms, the DLT has them and there is a DLT in every Amphur.

 

Temporary licences were changed from one to two years a few years ago.

 

There is no need to go to a driving school.

 

There is no need to pay any bribes.

 

There is no such thing as a licence for a car and a motorcycle, they are two separate licences, although they may be obtained at the same time and without the need to take the vision and reaction tests twice.

[stevenl]

6 hours ago, Janner1 said:

Sorry but in my experience the first DL you get after the test  ( if you have to take one ) is for one year, Then the second one  is for two years or five if you are very lucky and you smile nicely at the DL issuing officer.

 

if you are unlucky then next time the two year one will be issued for five years on presentation of you immigration document,  a medical note proving that you breath and home book proving you are resident.

 

so in the first instance go to an driving school with your passport fill in the docs they give you ( application for DL) go back next day and get your passport and papers back, the school should then take you to the government offices for your first DL, you take a test for reaction and colour blindness, then you go to the issuing officer and get your licence.

 

Just before the first one expires go to immigration with your home book or a letter proving where you live and the letter from a hospital, fill in the forms and get two photos, they take them, then go to the licence issuing office hand it the docs and your one year licence, they will then give you a licence make sure it is for a car and a motorbike so you are covered if you drive both and that pretty much is it.

 

And to an earlier poster yes you can get a Dl as a tourist one year to start and two year temporary there after . Just get a letter from the hotel if that is where you stay to say you are living there, just make sure they don't put checkin  and checkout dates on it. Good luck

 

you pay the school the hospital the immigration including tea money and the issuing office , just give what they ask for don't argue ok

First, temporary, license is 2 years now.

[Oxx]

14 hours ago, dotpoom said:

I often wonder why a lot of Farangs depend so much on an IDP.

 

One factor is having to spend most of the day hanging around every 5 years to renew, including the mandatory watching of a tedious video.

[giddyup]

4 hours ago, Oxx said:

 

One factor is having to spend most of the day hanging around every 5 years to renew, including the mandatory watching of a tedious video.

Oh, the horror! Maybe half a day spent at Transport in 5 years.

[sandyf]

15 hours ago, ujayujay said:

No. With a IDP you can't get a Thai DL. 

You can, but like many things over here , subject to local rules.

When I got mine they only wanted to see the IDP, not interested in the national licence.

[Lokie]

16 hours ago, genericptr said:

Can you get a Thai drivers license on a tourist visa? I never had one here since 2005 and just in the last 2 years they started to ask for one (in Chiang Mai).

Yes, I got my new  Temp (2 year) Thai licences for both Car and Bike on a SETV in Phuket last December 2016, on production of UK photo licence and IDP with supporting documentation (as listed in this thread) just done colour and reaction tests, had pics taken filled out forms paid fee, was on my way out after about one and half hour (got there 2nd in que before opening about 07.30)