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Can you drive in Thailand on a UK license?


ChipButty

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25 minutes ago, wobblyjohn said:

IDPs are £5-50 if issued at a post office on production of a valid UK licence 

 

Half your luck, robbing bastards charge us AU$42. Although I do it online and get it in 3-5 working days.

 

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I believe that if your stay is longer than 90 days you must apply for a Thai drivers license when I took out my original Thai drivers license out some 13 years ago I had to show my U.K. drivers license plus an international drivers license which I got from a UK post office I think the cost was £5 now when I renew the Thai License I just take my yellow house book and passport and wait in the queue and that I will be doing in the next couple of weeks as my current license expired 12 days ago but they won’t allow you to renew until after it expires and I believe you have up to 12 months to renew it 

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8 minutes ago, transam said:

If it lapses for more than 1 year you start again..

Is that a recent change? As far as I'm aware from the last I looked into it for a friend you had to start from scratch after 3 years.

 

Edit:

 

REMARK :

  1. 1
    IN CASE OF DRIVING LICENCE EXPIRED MORE THAN 1 YEAR
    - TAKE A THEORY TEST
  2. 2
    IN CASE OF DRIVING LICENCE EXPIRED MORE THAN 3 YEARS
    - TAKE A THEORY TEST AND PRACTICAL TEST
 
Edited by Salerno
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7 hours ago, ChipButty said:

According to Using a Foreign Driving Licence in Thailand

To drive or lease a car in Thailand as a tourist or visitor it is necessary to have either a Thai driving licence or a valid foreign driving licence with a photograph. The foreign licence must either be in English, or be accompanied by an official translation into English or Thai. The licence needs to have been issued by a country that has a treaty with the Thai government allowing the mutual acceptance of driving licences.  Most countries, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the USA have this agreement with Thailand under the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic or the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic.  Those in doubt should contact their embassy for advice: Click here

Quote from the British Embassy (Bangkok) website - Advice on driving in Thailand...

 

"To drive a car or ride a motorcycle in Thailand, under Thai law you must have the correct licence and appropriate insurance for the category of vehicle you’re using. You will need to apply for a Thai driving licence or, if you already hold a UK licence, an International Driving Permit. If you drive a car or ride a motorcycle in Thailand without a valid licence, your travel insurance may be invalidated in the event of accident or injury".

 

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Does the IDP (obtained from UK) now include a translation into Thai ? if not ( and I think not) what's the point,  your licence is already in the international language of English and has a photo of you the the holder and is for the category of vehicle you are driving then it should be enough for a tourist visit..just like its perfectly acceptable (though quite a shock) to use a Thai licence in the UK for up to a year !

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IDP AND solid travel insurance making sure that the policy covers every aspect of driving in Thailand.

If you live here for more than 2 months its mandatory you get a Thai license (well that I was what in was told by a few 'helpers' here when I first came to reside anyways, was confirmed by Thai licensing in Phuket ... nicely and helpfully I might add).

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2 hours ago, 007 RED said:

Quote from the British Embassy (Bangkok) website - Advice on driving in Thailand...

 

"To drive a car or ride a motorcycle in Thailand, under Thai law you must have the correct licence and appropriate insurance for the category of vehicle you’re using. You will need to apply for a Thai driving licence or, if you already hold a UK licence, an International Driving Permit. If you drive a car or ride a motorcycle in Thailand without a valid licence, your travel insurance may be invalidated in the event of accident or injury".

 

Yes, many embassies copy information from aa's, who offer the idp's.

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1 hour ago, pdtokyo said:

but also words to effect that i must hold a motorbike licence in the country of use i.e a Thai bike licence. Which would make the policy useless to me of course. This company call centre also said ''oh don't worry about that" when i questioned it ... so to point (3) ...

 

(3) The policy wording defines the cover provided. Read it before signing and riding. 

I would be letting consumer affairs know about that one, because it makes the policy pointless, I mean it's supposed to be travel insurance and we know unless one resides in Thailand, they wouldn't otherwise have a Thai riders license like myself and I couldn't get travellers insurance to cover me here from Australia because I reside here.

 

Like you said, read the policy thoroughly and if it don't sound right, F it, next !

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4 hours ago, stevenl said:

Scare mongering. Unless you can give an example where someone had a valid foreign license with photo and in English, but was denied coverage by a Thai insurance company?

 

Legally see one of the first posts, number 3. No IDP required, but bib might still fine without idp.

 

Please read #44 (1)

 

(1) the IDP (or International Driving License) is not any form of legal or insurance document ... it is simply a widely-accepted translation document for your home license. If you do NOT have one, chances are your home insurer or local rental insurer will use that fact to weasel out of a claim or as posted above, police may use it's absence against you in the event of an accident.

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Ok I'm in Thailand for  around 6 months of the year on and off. Have been through endless checkpoints and as long as you have a copy of your passport and UK driving licence there's been no problem.

The car hire companies just want a copy of the driving licence and have never mentioned the IDP.

I make an assumption the checkpoint police don't even know about a IDP, let alone being able to understand it as most can't read English.

Never been fined except by the camera where the speed sign showed 120, but fined 500 baht for doing over 90kph.

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10 hours ago, phuketcouple said:

 

Please read #44 (1)

 

(1) the IDP (or International Driving License) is not any form of legal or insurance document ... it is simply a widely-accepted translation document for your home license. If you do NOT have one, chances are your home insurer or local rental insurer will use that fact to weasel out of a claim or as posted above, police may use it's absence against you in the event of an accident.

As per my post, no examples.

9 hours ago, dayo202 said:

Can you drive in the UK with Thailand license ? Planning to hire a car from Heathrow 

Yes, for a set period of time, officially provided it is a 5 year or longer license.

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