Officials to mandate international driving licence for foreigners

[petedk]

What about foreigners holding Thai driving licenses? It reads ALL Foreign Drivers...

Exactly - needs some clarification about foreigners holding Thai DLs. I can only assume that a Thai DL is acceptable ... ??

Don't be so sure.

Many Thais cannot think outside the box. (I don't mean to be a Thai basher)

They receive orders and follow them to the letter.

[petedk]

Why don't we have IDL which is valid for longer then a year? I get tired of renewing it all the time.

I would get me a thai DL is they could speak english and don't let me wait many hours for nothing.

Many hours?

Mine took 1 hour.

I speak Thai, but there were some foreigners who couldn't. They got licenses.

[SpokaneAl]

Why don't we have IDL which is valid for longer then a year? I get tired of renewing it all the time.

I would get me a thai DL is they could speak english and don't let me wait many hours for nothing.

I did not find it to be a particularly big deal or hardship to obtain a Thai driver's license.

[Johnsy]

"In an effort to protect tourists, renters and business owners, as well as to lower road accidents and fatalities" BS!

How about ensuring Thai people and in particular Thai public transport drivers have a licence, insurance, registration, road legal vehicle and comply with traffic laws in an effort to protect tourists, customers, as well as to lower road accidents and fatalities!

If you keep persecuting foriegners and let Thai's get away with murder you will soon realise that foriegners won't come here and most will leave!

[khwaibah]

OK this is just for Phuket. What about the rest of Thailandia And this is just a brain fart at the time and has not been discussed let alone made law so every one keep your knickers on.

"Additional details on new rental regulations will be chalked out at the committee’s next meeting, which has yet to be scheduled."

[overherebc]

I was always under the impression that if you are on holiday here in Thailand you should have your own valid licence and an IDP with the description of what you can drive in the local language, obviously Thai in Thailand.

The IDP could be used for 90 days. You could I suppose argue the point and use the IDP for a year if you leave Thailand and enter again for another 90 days etc for the year.

If you stay here longer, eg you are on an O B OA visa or extension of those then you should have a Thai licence, because 'technically' you are no longer a tourist, working retired, married or whatever.

The points raised about using your own county's licence to show the police at a roadside check are valid as most times the local cop won't know any english or other language so easier for him to just wave you on.

How things would pan out if you were involved in an accident that resulted in a big money loss or death of another or others and the insurance company decided you were at fault and did not have the correct licence for your circumstances or reason to be in Thailand at the time is something to be carefully considered.

Regards all above I don't understand why people don't just go and get a Thai licence, it is so much easier than most think and only takes one day out of your life, not a lot for peace of mind as far as I'm concerned.

[NamKangMan]

It would be nice if the officials making these statements knew what they were talking about.

Australia does have a treaty with Thailand - Geneva Traffic act 1949

Section 42

But does Australia have a treaty with Phuket????

[eddie61]

yes my international licence, out of date since 1988 has its uses. You can hide a couple of red pictures of you know who in there, since it is a ragged cardboard 3 fold, When I am shaken down by the BIB it always comes back with a salute and I am on my way.

[sandgroper2]

IDL onlly valid for 3 months in thailland. After that, have an accident and insurance co wont pay out.

[KMartinHandyman]

"Always trying to shift the blame! Please examine your own farce of licences."

You mean no licenses I assume.

I just recently convinced my wife it would great if she would retest to get her expired motorbike license reinstated after more than 1 year without it.

It took some time to work through her resistance as it's "not so important in the country Honey, Bangkok maybe yes"

I'm real proud of her because she studied hard, was tied up many hours at the dmv over 2 days only to fail with only 44 correct answers. She took it well, studied over the weekend and went in Monday and scored 46 correct,passed.

I think the drawn out process,the fear of failing the written portion, the idea that it's unnecessary in rural areas and little punitive enforcement may explain the Thai people who have no license.

If it was awarded based only on driving from point a to b every Thai would pass with their eyes closed.

[NamKangMan]

I'm sure this guy knows that if Phuket had a baht bus system, similar to Pattaya, there would be no need for tourists to hire motorbikes, and way less driving / riding whilst intoxicated by everyone, thus greatly reducing the road fatalities here.

Now, indirectly, we have the Phuket transport mafia even changing the driving / riding licensing laws here.

What a disgrace.

[madmitch]

A few points:

Does this apply to both motorbikes and cars?

Will the police soon be rubbing their hands together in anticipation of bumper paydays?

Will a rental shop be prosecuted if they rent a bike or car to someone without an IDP?

Point three is important as the rental business is quite a money-spinner of for many small Phuket operators. My guess is that there won't be any comeback on the renter and it'll be business as usual, simply more unsuspecting tourists being fined for not having a legal, valid licence.

[dotpoom]

What about foreigners holding Thai driving licenses? It reads ALL Foreign Drivers...

Was thinking the same thing myself but I think a full Thai licence can only be held by a foreigner who lives here, tourists can only hold a temporary one, which used to for 1 year but now 2.... I believe...soif you hold a "full" Thai licence you should be covered...I guess.

[chicowoodduck]

Well, that should clear the roads for the local drivers...?

[Thian]

IDL onlly valid for 3 months in thailland. After that, have an accident and insurance co wont pay out.

So if you go for a visarun they start counting 3 months again for the IDL i guess.

I always hear it takes many hours of waiting and frustration to get a Thai DL.

[SpokaneAl]

IDL onlly valid for 3 months in thailland. After that, have an accident and insurance co wont pay out.

So if you go for a visarun they start counting 3 months again for the IDL i guess.

I always hear it takes many hours of waiting and frustration to get a Thai DL.

I found the process pretty easy and not a big deal.

[JAG]

Good idea, and I'm amazed they've never thought of it before. No IDP, no hire.

I've only just sent off my IDP renewal today. Had one for six years ever since I started riding a motorbike.

Only had to show it once, the cop just glanced at it (there's no Thai on it) and gave it straight back and let me go.

an IDP is only valid for one year and is not valid in the country it is issued in. Sounds as if you might have a phony one

Don't think an IDP is valid for more than 6 months here in Thailand, after that you must apply for a Thai DL.

But I must admit it's all as clear as mud ...

IDP is valid for a year. I've just converted my IDP ( issued Jan 2015 ) and UK licence into 2 year Thai car and motorbike licences. I had to provide a letter from immigration, medical certificate, and take a colour vision and peripheral vision test. Very straightforward

[JAG]

Why don't we have IDL which is valid for longer then a year? I get tired of renewing it all the time.

I would get me a thai DL is they could speak english and don't let me wait many hours for nothing.

Maybe if you made the effort to ask in Thai, they would probably make the effort to find someone who speaks some English to help you. I expect you wouldn't have to wait ( longer than the Thais do) either.

[Estrada]

The International Driving Permit(IDP) does not allow you to drive a vehicle, it is a translation in multiple languages of your valid driving licence. You show the IDP together with your valid driving licence to the police on demand. You are allowed to drive as long as you have a valid driving licence from your own country. For insurance reasons you need to get a Thai driving licence after 3 months in Thailand.

[maderaroja]

Good idea, and I'm amazed they've never thought of it before. No IDP, no hire.

I've only just sent off my IDP renewal today. Had one for six years ever since I started riding a motorbike.

Only had to show it once, the cop just glanced at it (there's no Thai on it) and gave it straight back and let me go.

So, how and where does one secure an International Driver permit if one is in Thailand?

[craigt3365]

A valid Europe licence is all you need in Thailand to drive if your a tourist, same as a valid thai licence if you drive in the UK.

All part of some Vieanna agreement I believe Thailand and western countries signed up to.

As with many things here, it all depends on the officer officer on the scene. Sometimes your home country's license is fine. Other times it's not. Welcome to Thailand.

[gyrosman]

How about Thais having a license and yea! all those 8year old kids 2-3 on a bike no problem. Another excuse to control us and get more fine money.

[Ocicat]

I keep my original IDP (issued in Canada) in the glove box. It has been expired for about 8 years. Every time I get pulled over in one of the many road check points I just hand it to the cop who looks at it as if it were a three headed monkey, hands it back to me and says "go". Duh.

[SpokaneAl]

I keep my original IDP (issued in Canada) in the glove box. It has been expired for about 8 years. Every time I get pulled over in one of the many road check points I just hand it to the cop who looks at it as if it were a three headed monkey, hands it back to me and says "go". Duh.

And what happens if you get into an accident, or, heaven forbid, kill or injure someone?

[keithcresswell]

I still find it amazing that a Thai driving license is valid in the UK for 12 months.

[Ocicat]

I still have my regular Canadian drivers licence in my wallet. The last time I showed it to a cop, he wouldn't give it back until I gave him 200 baht. I also carry photocopies of my licence and if he diesn't like the IDP I'll show one if the photocopies, leaving the real original licence as a last resort and holding it up to the window so he doesn$t get his tea money hands on it. All the while being polite and courteous to the officer.

[Ocicat]

Where do you get an IDP in Thailand?

[bark]

So if a tourist goes to Phuket for a 3-4 holiday and want to rent a 125 cc motorcycle they need to have IDP ? They would need to apply in their home country ? Cost to do is more the the rental. Then if they come the next next, they need to apply again .....

I'm thinking it will not happen.

[Rimmer]

Spelling police post removed, please do not attempt to hijack the topic.

[DGS1244]

There is no such thing as an International Driving Licence it is a only a 'Permit' which is a translation of your own current home driving licence. It is illegal to use it to drive with unless you have a current full licence from your country. If you get one from the UK it does not even have a Thai translation from English, so why on earth do they want you to have one here. In Thailand if you have a Thai licence then they will issue you a international permit if needed anyway.