Applying For 1 & 5 Year Thai Driving

[Admin]

Obtaining a 1 Year Licence

What you need is:

1. Passport with a non-immigrant visa
2. Photos for each licence you intend to apply for
3. Medical certificate, from any small clinic - costs about 100 baht
4. Letter from Immigration confirming your address in the area. Just bring your rental agreement alt. house book (if you own your own home) with you.
5. 105 baht for car licence / 55 baht for motorbike - valid 1 year.

It is best if you already have an International Driving Permit,
otherwise you will have to take a written test and a driving test,
in you own vehicle.
(Depand on the mood of the officer).
Local driving licence translated to Thai language is also acceptable.

After the first year you will be entitled to a licence for 5 years.

It is a very simple proccess which we reccomend to all the long term stayers (expats) in Thailand to do so and get your local thai driving licence.

Few reasons to obtain local thai drivince license:

1) You can use the driving license when police stops you and its more clear and fast for the police officer to understand.

2) You are less vulnerable in case of accident and in time police check your documents.

3) Can use the licence as id-card whenever needed (hospitals,goverment offices,hotels).


*All the above can make your life here when driving more easy,that doesn't mean you can't drive with your International driving licence nor your local driving licence.

[dave the dude]

Obtaining a 1 Year Licence

What you need is:

1. Passport with a non-immigrant visa
2. Photos for each licence you intend to apply for
3. Medical certificate, from any small clinic - costs about 100 baht
4. Letter from Immigration confirming your address in the area. Just bring your rental agreement alt. house book (if you own your own home) with you.
5. 105 baht for car licence / 55 baht for motorbike - valid 1 year.

It is best if you already have an International Driving Permit,
otherwise you will have to take a written test and a driving test,
in you own vehicle.
(Depand on the mood of the officer).
Local driving licence translated to Thai language is also acceptable.

After the first year you will be entitled to a licence for 5 years.

It is a very simple proccess which we reccomend to all the long term stayers (expats) in Thailand to do so and get your local thai driving licence.

Few reasons to obtain local thai drivince license:

1) You can use the driving license when police stops you and its more clear and fast for the police officer to understand.

2) You are less vulnerable in case of accident and in time police check your documents.

3) Can use the licence as id-card whenever needed (hospitals,goverment offices,hotels).


*All the above can make your life here when driving more easy,that doesn't mean you can't drive with your International driving licence nor your local driving licence.

All good clear advice above.
I have never been asked for an IDP and when given to the police, they just hand it back as its not in Thai.
I have had one year licences in the past and now have both 5 year car and motorbike licences. In Surin you no longer have to provide photo's as they take them themselves and digitally add them to new style 5 year plastic DL cards.

Dave

[Admin]

Obtaining a 1 Year Licence

What you need is:

1. Passport with a non-immigrant visa
2. Photos for each licence you intend to apply for
3. Medical certificate, from any small clinic - costs about 100 baht
4. Letter from Immigration confirming your address in the area. Just bring your rental agreement alt. house book (if you own your own home) with you.
5. 105 baht for car licence / 55 baht for motorbike - valid 1 year.

It is best if you already have an International Driving Permit,
otherwise you will have to take a written test and a driving test,
in you own vehicle.
(Depand on the mood of the officer).
Local driving licence translated to Thai language is also acceptable.

After the first year you will be entitled to a licence for 5 years.

It is a very simple proccess which we reccomend to all the long term stayers (expats) in Thailand to do so and get your local thai driving licence.

Few reasons to obtain local thai drivince license:

1) You can use the driving license when police stops you and its more clear and fast for the police officer to understand.

2) You are less vulnerable in case of accident and in time police check your documents.

3) Can use the licence as id-card whenever needed (hospitals,goverment offices,hotels).


*All the above can make your life here when driving more easy,that doesn't mean you can't drive with your International driving licence nor your local driving licence.

All good clear advice above.
I have never been asked for an IDP and when given to the police, they just hand it back as its not in Thai.
I have had one year licences in the past and now have both 5 year car and motorbike licences. In Surin you no longer have to provide photo's as they take them themselves and digitally add them to new style 5 year plastic DL cards.

Dave

Thank you for your comment, international driving licence usually not being asked by the police but once someone want to "check your documents" he can make a claim.
Also in Buriram the cards are also on the "high-tech" side ..

Any comments and corrections are welcome! 

[claus31130]

I have made both 1 year and 5 year license in Buriram,and helped a few friends to make a drivers license as well
....here some small tips as well

The police in Buriram will make an address attest for you(but i don't know if it its good for first time,i got it made there for my 5 year) , at least they did that last year...in through the front door , to the right al the way through the room to the staircase ....then i don't remember but i think it is on the first floor on the left......
If you have a drivers license from your country the will say to you that you need to have it translated into thai(even the international one)...so there we go......Then off to someone who can translate your license.......
At the roundabout in front of the railroad station,in the CAT Telecom building,there's this guy who does translations he at around 300 baht pr page as i remeber it......He normally take about an hour or so to translate things,he does translate marriage certificates , birth certicates and everything as well ...dont remember his name right now though.....
As for the medical  certificate,it only cost around 50 baht pr sheet and is made ready in a few minutes...usually we use one of the clinics near the above mentioned roundabout........
Last i helped a friend make this for a friend was a few months ago...we made both car and motorcycle license for him.....


Claus

[Lourens]

And just to add to this: The test is not so bad at all. It is an electronic device that you sit in front off and answer multiple choice questions on a screen. You do the same test for both car and motocy but one for each license. And you get three chances (per day) if you happen to fail. If you answer a question wrong, the machine will ask the same question again later in the same test. If you fail this test then we're better off if you're not on the road.  I didn't have to do a driving test for either the one or five year licenses. I think it depends how the testing officer feels on the day. And there's a vision test as well. Learn how to say red, green, yellow in Thai. Also left and right and you should be OK.

[den Buut]

What's a European drivers licence worth in Thailand, do I have to get a Thai licence or international licence?

[Admin]

What's a European drivers licence worth in Thailand, do I have to get a Thai licence or international licence?

Please read information above , its so easy to issue a Thai driving licence.

European driving licence is also acceptable here in Thailand, but if you are going to live here or staying here for long periods, so why not issue a Thai driving licence?
First time it will be valid for 1 year.
Later just before expire you will have to go back to the Transportation office in Buriram and get it extended for additional 5 years!   

[nookiebear]

What's a European drivers licence worth in Thailand, do I have to get a Thai licence or international licence?

Please read information above , its so easy to issue a Thai driving licence.

European driving licence is also acceptable here in Thailand, but if you are going to live here or staying here for long periods, so why not issue a Thai driving licence?
First time it will be valid for 1 year.
Later just before expire you will have to go back to the Transportation office in Buriram and get it extended for additional 5 years!   

Sorry ,to disagree,IF YOU TRY TO GET YOUR 5 YEAR LICENCE BEFORE YOUR ONE YEAR ONE  EXPIRES YOU WILL ONLY GET ISSUED WITH ANOTHER 1 YEAR

[nookiebear]

The cost has risen since they have been issuing the 'new' type licences where they take your photo

[Admin]

Sorry ,to disagree,IF YOU TRY TO GET YOUR 5 YEAR LICENCE BEFORE YOUR ONE YEAR ONE  EXPIRES YOU WILL ONLY GET ISSUED WITH ANOTHER 1 YEAR

You are right, need to wait until it get expired, I remember now it was weird for me this thing, and I just waited for the day later..

After the first year you will be entitled to a licence for 5 years.

About the cost..its not that much. Its worth to have it anyway.

[Starman]

What's a European drivers licence worth in Thailand, do I have to get a Thai licence or international licence?

Please read information above , its so easy to issue a Thai driving licence.



European driving licence is also acceptable here in Thailand, but if you are going to live here or staying here for long periods, so why not issue a Thai driving licence?
First time it will be valid for 1 year.
Later just before expire you will have to go back to the Transportation office in Buriram and get it extended for additional 5 years!   

European driving licenses are NOT acceptable. From personal experience.

You need to get ether Thai license or international license.

[EastFife4Forfar5]

What's a European drivers licence worth in Thailand, do I have to get a Thai licence or international licence?

Please read information above , its so easy to issue a Thai driving licence.



European driving licence is also acceptable here in Thailand, but if you are going to live here or staying here for long periods, so why not issue a Thai driving licence?
First time it will be valid for 1 year.
Later just before expire you will have to go back to the Transportation office in Buriram and get it extended for additional 5 years!   

European driving licenses are NOT acceptable. From personal experience.

You need to get ether Thai license or international license.

I agree - it almost cost me a 400 Baht fine.

Before I got my Thai licence I had an International Driving Permit - GBP  7.00 from the AA.

[Dave the Dude]

What's a European drivers licence worth in Thailand, do I have to get a Thai licence or international licence?

Please read information above , its so easy to issue a Thai driving licence.



European driving licence is also acceptable here in Thailand, but if you are going to live here or staying here for long periods, so why not issue a Thai driving licence?
First time it will be valid for 1 year.
Later just before expire you will have to go back to the Transportation office in Buriram and get it extended for additional 5 years!   

European driving licenses are NOT acceptable. From personal experience.

You need to get ether Thai license or international license.

Thai Police have no idea what an International Driving Licence is, as Thai is not one of the languages printed in it. You might as well give them a Tesco Club Card.

I have many times produced my EU licence and it has been no problem with the BIB. In saying that, I do agree that it's a good idea to get either a Thai Motorcycle Licence or a car one or both and don't forget you will need a Residence letter from Immigration(500b) plus Doctor cert(about 50b). 

[teppo42]

My experience is completely the opposite from Dave's. I got stopped and first handed over my Finnish license. The man gave it back immediately so I gave him the IDP, after which everything was OK and I was waved off.

[Admin]

My experience is completely the opposite from Dave's. I got stopped and first handed over my Finnish license. The man gave it back immediately so I gave him the IDP, after which everything was OK and I was waved off.

No doubts that by the THAI LAW you need a Thai driving licence or International Driving Licence.