1st 5 year license renewal - Nong Chok DLT's initial refusal to renew

[cliveshep]

Where possible we go to the DLT in Nong Chok, out in the sticks a bit so not as busy as Mo Chit which is manic. It is still part of Bangkok, and is where we both got our 2 yr temporary licences and tax and test bike and car.

 

They refused to renew mine with a 5 year licence. Reason - my "visa" has nearly expired. In these circumstances I am as calm as a box of frogs and I was angry and demanded to see a supervisor. My wife wanted me to accept another 2 yr temp which they offered but I refused. I pointed out that the actual visa expired years ago, that I lived here and what they were looking at were annual renewal stamps, and truly the 1 yr extension is due to expire in April but I'd renew as usual. Also we'd be having the same argument in 2 years time because once again the extension would expire a couple of months after the licenses. Also asked what about the thousands of farang who live here with Thai wives and have 5 year licenses - were they wrongly issued? No answer!

 

My comment was "so what", a visa has sod all to do with a driving licence because if I leave Thailand I won't use the licence anyway until I return and that might be with another visa etc. but in reality I extend every year. I said I'd go to Mo Chit for my renewal because they understood the law.

 

So eventually after being led down one floor, up one floor, down two floors, back up 2 floors, down to ground floor we find the top man and as my arthritic legs were aching as was my head you can be sure I was sweetness and light and couldn't be arsed to talk to him, demanded my papers back with the intention of going to Mo Chit. My wife explained all this whereupon he asked us to wait, and phoned Bangkok who made it quite clear that he was wrong, and the women upstairs were wrong and that irrespective of time left as I lived in Thailand with my wife on an Non Imm OA visa extension I was entitled to the 5 year. Back up 8 flights of stairs again.

 

So if you go to Nong Chock and have a OA extension and the clots have refused to renew your licence be advised to complain!

 

Karma though - I failed the "line up 2 lolly-sticks test". Got to go back tomorrow and do it again. My eyes were watering after driving the bike there, and the light in the lolly-stick box was very dim. Stupidly they have 2 boxes and one was properly lit so of course don't use it. Helpfully you press a green button to bring one little stick towards you and then a red button to push away. When the button was pressed the light dimmed even more. Any kid in the UK would see these two little sticks as "lolly-sticks) in a little box with a 8" square window. You don't see too many out on the main roads of Bangkok I have to say. The peripheral vision test my wife and I both dreaded and I could see nothing through watering eyes so took off glasses and managed to wing it. My wife passed all ok but I am in my 70's. Reactions still good though. Trouble is I have asthma and Bangkok being polluted over the last few weeks plus they are building a new twin three lane overpass just down from the DLT building with loads of wind-borne dust my eyes constantly water at the moment.