Being asked to produce your driving licence.

[Brer]

I have 10 years of driving experience in Thailand cities and country. In the past as a farang driving, in most police checkpoints I was usually just waved through and very very rarely I ever had to produce a driving licence.

Lately I find I am being stopped far more often and asked to produce a licence and I just hand over my Australian card which in most cases will suffice, now I find I am being asked for international more often. I do have an IDP and I have produced. It does make me laugh when they hold it upside staring at the Russian page though.

The thing is, is there now a deliberate targeting of farangs driving (under national security or some <deleted> just to hassle us) and I am not talking about driving around on a bike in Pattaya?

[Halfaboy]

I do get stopped occasionally but have the impression that if the police man notices that I am a farang he wants to practice his English language skills (and I play the game). Sometimes they ask me for my driving licence but it is hardly checked.

 

Once in a while the police man is more interested in my girlfriend as she get questions as where are you from where do you live and in one case the man asked for her phone number (!).

 

[worgeordie]

Why not get a Thai drivers license ?,nobody is targeting Farangs. 

regards worgeordie

[jackdd]

I've driven all over Thailand, stopped at check points more than a hundred times, they nearly always asked for a driving license. They might not seriously check it, but they ask to see it.

Only the check points which you might encounter in the evening or night where they specifically check for drunk drivers don't ask for a driving license.

[NCC1701A]

the reason they want to see a drivers license is because if you don't have one they will fine you.

 

on my scooter i get stopped at check points in town. no license? baht please. it has been that way for six years.

 

since the election there is a feeling here in Hua Hin that the police are setting up more illegal roadblocks at night and shaking down Thai and Farang alike.

 

be happy the police normally only mess with you when you are in the wrong.

 

but that is not always the case.

 

[Jip99]

It’s been like in all my 13 years here.

 

Since the coup I noticed much less random checks on my trips from the boonies to Pattaya/Bangkok - and elsewhere around Thailand.

 

Maybe ‘democracy ‘ has it’s price.

[KhaoNiaw]

24 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

since the election there is a feeling here in Hua Hin that the police are setting up more illegal roadblocks at night and shaking down Thai and Farang alike.

 

This. Our area of outer Bangkok is the same. It's like they're making up for lost time.

[NCC1701A]

4 minutes ago, Jip99 said:

Since the coup I noticed much less random checks on my trips from the boonies to Pattaya/Bangkok

Me too. After the coup they dropped to almost nothing in Hua Hin but since the election it feels a little different now. at least in Hua Hin.

[DavisH]

In Nonthaburi I've noticed no difference in almost 20 years. Been stopped once a few years ago at a U-turn under a bridge- trying to catch unsuspecting drunks from the local beer garden. He saw me, I have him a wai and he waved me on:) I like their reactive attitude to policing. Only seen them pulling over old trucks and overleaded pickups. 

[Henryford]

You live in Thailand for 10 years and don't have a Thai licence duh !!!!!

[Brer]

My initial point was being asked to produce ID, as previously I found it rare to be asked to produce. If I was stopped it was where are going.

Definitely along the Mekong seems to be more checkpoints now, might be for yabba though.

[Brer]

11 minutes ago, Henryford said:

You live in Thailand for 10 years and don't have a Thai licence duh !!!!!

Never felt the need too go through the letter of residence, medical certificate, hospital, copies of passport, visa, immigration, land office and whatever else, suppose I could pay someone 5k baht to do. 

No I will get off my <deleted> and do it as I am totally bored today thanks for promting me.

[thaiguzzi]

16 minutes ago, Henryford said:

You live in Thailand for 10 years and don't have a Thai licence duh !!!!!

This.

 

Moved here 16 years ago.

First year i was here, got both my Thai driving licenses.

No officialdom like to see IDP's - so very touristy....

Not rocket science.

[Brer]

6 minutes ago, thaiguzzi said:

This.

 

Moved here 16 years ago.

First year i was here, got both my Thai driving licenses.

No officialdom like to see IDP's - so very touristy....

Not rocket science.

Yes cos they cant read Russian, isnt Thailand about Tourists though?

[Beggar]

Often I watch the checkpoint on the Beach Road in front of the police station. Mostly they check foreigners but Thais too. I would do the same. Every foreigner driving here without a valid license will have no insurance coverage. If they cause an accident it will be hard to get compensation. On top of it their health insurance might refuse to pay for them. But also the shops renting out cars and bikes need to be punished if they don't check the drivers license. 

[jackdd]

1 hour ago, Beggar said:

Every foreigner driving here without a valid license will have no insurance coverage.

About which insurance are you talking? Many rental bikes don't have any insurance, if you are lucky they have compulsary insurance, but the compulsary insurance also pays if you don't have a driving license

[Beggar]

10 minutes ago, jackdd said:

About which insurance are you talking? Many rental bikes don't have any insurance, if you are lucky they have compulsary insurance, but the compulsary insurance also pays if you don't have a driving license

Normally the insurance companies will refuse to pay anything if you drive without lisence and cause damage. The other thing is that you knowingly drive a vehicle without insurance. Doesn't make the situation better... 

[Jip99]

1 minute ago, Beggar said:

Normally the insurance companies will refuse to pay anything if you drive without license and cause damage. The other thing is that you knowingly drive a vehicle without insurance. Doesn't make the situation better... 

 

 

In the UK insurance is invalid if you don't have a valid driving license....... I believe the same is true in Thailand.

[jackdd]

2 minutes ago, Beggar said:

Normally the insurance companies will refuse to pay anything if you drive without lisence and cause damage.

You talked about the check point at beach road, so i assume we are talking about motorbikes.

I've never seen a motorbike rental place which has any insurance for the bikes, other than the compulsary insurance

So it just doesn't make a difference if they have a valid driving license or not

[Beggar]

5 minutes ago, jackdd said:

So it just doesn't make a difference if they have a valid driving license or not

It will make a big difference for instance if you hurt people and end up in court. 

[neeray]

12 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

Me too. After the coup they dropped to almost nothing in Hua Hin but since the election it feels a little different now. at least in Hua Hin.

I spent a week in Hua Hin in 2015. GF and I travelled a lot on scooter. Never stopped once.

 

Great place NCC. Loved the "clean" beach. Even enjoyed the monkeys who stole my bag of donuts off the bike when we arrived (temple on top of mini mountain at end of beach).

[jvs]

13 minutes ago, jackdd said:

You talked about the check point at beach road, so i assume we are talking about motorbikes.

I've never seen a motorbike rental place which has any insurance for the bikes, other than the compulsary insurance

So it just doesn't make a difference if they have a valid driving license or not

It makes no difference at all,ofcourse you are right.It is all a big laugh,until you get into a serious accident then it is time for crowdfunding.

Compulsary insurance will only pay a small amount,not enough if you kill someone or even to pay your hospital bill.

I had to pay road tax this morning and the place was packed!!All Thai people trying to get a drivers license,things are slowly changing.Lets hope for the better.

[cleopatra2]

13 minutes ago, Jip99 said:

 

 

In the UK insurance is invalid if you don't have a valid driving license....... I believe the same is true in Thailand.

In Thailand it is not unlawfull to drive without a licence if the conditions set out in section 57 of the motor vehicle act is adhered to.

In such circumstances would the mandatory insurance become invalid ?

[NCC1701A]

1 minute ago, neeray said:

I spent a week in Hua Hin in 2015. GF and I travelled a lot on scooter. Never stopped once.

 

Great place NCC. Loved the "clean" beach. Even enjoyed the monkeys who stole my bag of donuts off the bike when we arrived (temple on top of mini mountain at end of beach).

were you here before or after the oil spill covered the beach? that was some fun with everybody's feet tracking oil all over everything. 

 

yes the monkeys stole my honda service booklet out of my Click back in 2014 before i knew about the ways of the monkey kings.

[Beggar]

5 minutes ago, cleopatra2 said:

In Thailand it is not unlawfull to drive without a licence if the conditions set out in section 57 of the motor vehicle act is adhered to.

In such circumstances would the mandatory insurance become invalid ?

Don't understand your comment because section 57 has nothing to do with a normal driver. This section 57 says

 

Section 57
When practicing to drive a motor vehicle, the learner must be under the instruction of a driver who has had the license for that vehicle for at least 3 years.

During the driving lesson, no other person than the learner and the instructor may stay in the vehicle.

The instructor is responsible for any damage or accident during a lesson, unless it is proved that the learner refused to obey his instruction.

[cleopatra2]

5 minutes ago, Beggar said:

Don't understand your comment because section 57 has nothing to do with a normal driver. This section 57 says

 

Section 57
When practicing to drive a motor vehicle, the learner must be under the instruction of a driver who has had the license for that vehicle for at least 3 years.

During the driving lesson, no other person than the learner and the instructor may stay in the vehicle.

The instructor is responsible for any damage or accident during a lesson, unless it is proved that the learner refused to obey his instruction.

The office council of state has a slightly different english translation

 

They imply if more than 2 persons present in vehicle the controller is responsible for damage

[neeray]

4 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

were you here before or after the oil spill covered the beach? that was some fun with everybody's feet tracking oil all over everything. 

 

yes the monkeys stole my honda service booklet out of my Click back in 2014 before i knew about the ways of the monkey kings.

I know nothing about an oil spill so it must have been after our visit. It was January 2015. Hua Hin rates high with me, I will return.

[KhunBENQ]

13 hours ago, Brer said:

The thing is, is there now a deliberate targeting of farangs driving

No, just easy money (with people like you).

Call yourself happy if they let you slip through with the IDP.

Guess it is expired long ago and you are not entitled to use it for more than 3 months or so.

 

Last time I was stopped was on a motorbike in Pattaya.

I opened the seat and began to finger for Thai DL and pink card.

Cop saw that, made a sour face and without even checking waived me to get away

[jackdd]

41 minutes ago, Beggar said:

It will make a big difference for instance if you hurt people and end up in court. 

If you had a driving license you don't have to compensate the victims?

Or where exactly is the difference in court and do you have any sources for it?

[DannyCarlton]

13 hours ago, jackdd said:

I've driven all over Thailand, stopped at check points more than a hundred times, they nearly always asked for a driving license. They might not seriously check it, but they ask to see it.

Only the check points which you might encounter in the evening or night where they specifically check for drunk drivers don't ask for a driving license.

YMMV. I've never been stopped in my home city of Pattaya but have been stopped 4 times in other provinces and of course driven through countless police checkpoints, here and elswhere. I've never been asked for my driving licence, even though, on the 4 occasions that I have been stopped, it was because I had committed a legitimate driving offence. Usually, as soon as they see that I'm a farang, with my Thai family, they wave me through. I never ride a scooter/ motorbike in Thailand.