Applying For 1 & 5 Year Thai Driving

[Freddy]

Great , thanks. Will confirm after visit tomorrow.

[Beer Leo]

I did car and motorbike a few weeks ago.
Temporary driving license is valid 2 years now.

1. I had Yellow book, Thai ID, Passport, European driving licence and two medical certificate. Still had to go to the local police station and get a document (hand writen to verify my address) Two copies of each document signed by applicant required.

2. You need to book a time.

3. First day: Theory lessons on TV, slide shows and verbal, all in Thai some with English text. Color test, break test, 3d vission and wide angle visson test on the same day. Theoretical test in the afternoon, 50 question each test the minimum score to pass is 45 correct answers. Starting 9AM, one hour lunch break, 3PM Theoretical test

4. Second day if you pass theory: Driving test. 80% of the applicants diden't pass and was told to come back next week. Starting 10AM with sign up, first motorbike and then car. If you passed: photo pay and go. I think I paid 505 Bath for both.

5.You might laugh but it's enough to study this questions and memories the tiny pictures, see attached link.
http://thaidriving.info

[Freddy]

Regarding item 1 on the above post.
Two of us attended for lisences today. Both of us had our yellow house books accepted without the additional requirement for a certificate of residence.
Would suggest that possibly some staff are unaware that a yellow Housebook replaces the certificate requirement so maybe worth pushing that one if you should experience the same as Beer Leo.

[Freddy]

Quick isn summary regarding yesterday and today's visits to the Land Transport Office for Bike and car driving lisences.

Two of us went.

Svein - His first time applying for Thai Bike and Car Lisence.
Provided:- Medical Certificate original +Copy , Yellow Housebook & Copy, passport & copy of front page and visa page. Singapore issued lisence for car and bike.

He completed the traffic light, brake, peripheral vision and depth perception tests. 2 year lisences issued for both bike and car.


Myself - I already have a 5 yr car lisence however on last renewal I very stupidly didn't renew my bike lisence as at that time I wasn't riding. Big mistake. Had I renewed at the same time as the car I'd have got a 5 year with only the need to complete the 4 tests the same as Svein.

However, as I had allowed my previous bike lisence to expire for more than a year I had to do the training aspect. 59minute video with subtitles. Mainly focused on being courteous to other drivers. Unsupervised study time. I was provided with a book of all road signs with English translation however no Thai Highway Code book. Afternoon PowerPoint presentation completely in Thai. Worked out about 5% of the content.
Then in for the computerised Theory test.
I failed it. 45 out of 50 required. I missed 11. Told to return 0900hrs today.
 Have to admit I've never studied the Thai Highway Code and just applied English driving rules to the questions, some of which are quite strange with even stranger answers being the correct ones (in my opinion of course).

Fortunately Beer Leo had posted the example test questions. Thank you!

With the application of Thai logic I passed the test this morning 50 out of 50.

5 year bike lisence issued, ( was expecting 2 yr as previous had lapsed).

No practical bike test and noticed none of the other candidates being tested on the bike either. All were issued with lisences having passed the theory.

I have no explanation as to why Beer Leo had to complete the practical riding and driving test or why an appointment had to be made. We just turned up at 0900 yesterday.


Please note, worth arriving at 0900 if you think you will/may be required to complete the classroom training as that is when the groups are put together.

[Woody]

 
...furthermore to this conversation, I was told that I could not transfer a Singapore Class 4 and 5 to Thailand equivalent (large trailer driving License). For that you need a three day course ++. Next available course was not before November.. I.e about 3 months waiting time... will follow up this issue later on...

[iammike]

@svein1969

AFAIK, a Foreigner is not allowed to drive a Large Trailer / Truck here in Thailand.

However I could be wrong about this, and someone who knows will for sure correct me.

Edit: Found this, but it's a bit old

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/379551-bus-or-truck-license/

[DeputyDavid]

Just did renewal of 2 year licenses. I took the following:

ID card and copies
Passport and copies of first page
Tabien Bahn and copies
Doctor note and copies

They didn?t want to see the ID card
They did want copies of passport pages including the visa and latest ?admit until? stamp

Not sure if it had anything to do with the fact my licenses expired while out of the country or not.

Renewal date June 2023.

[BillH52]

Just did renewal of 2 year licenses.

Your renewal is for 2 years or 5 years?

[DeputyDavid]

Renewal for 5 1/2 years to expire on birthday in June. Oh and they did not have me watch the video.

[smoooth2]

Just a little confirmation and update on some of the above posts.

Renewed my Thai driver licence yesterday at DLT in Muang Buriram. Docs required were ...

1.  Medical certificate from your wife's favourite clinic anywhere in town. 50 baht.
2.  Passport
3.  1 x copy passport front page
4.  1 x copy current visa/extension page
5.  1 x copy Yellow Tabien Baan (or Police Res Cert if you don't have YTB)
6.  Current, recently expired Thai licence. DLT keeps this, so kiss it goodbye.
7.  No photos, as DLT will take your picture

I did the depth perception test, the peripheral vision test and what colour is red,green,yellow

This was all finished in less than 10 minutes. Bewdy .... 8.40am. All I need now is my photo taken, and immediate issue of new licence. I'll be home by 9am

Nah ....... the 2 photo guys finally decided to arrive for work around 9.20am, then both fiddled around with their i-phones for another 15 minutes. Is there anything more frustrating for 60+ people sitting patiently waiting ?

9.40am. Mr Smoooth .... smile at the camera please. 5 minutes later I had my new licence.

505 baht total for DLT. Licence expires Jan.2024 (5yrs 11mths)

[iammike]

@Smooth2  Congrats.

Was this a renewal of a 2 year driving license to a 5 year one ?

I renewed my 5 year license last month we and had to watch a video on road safety (most of the people were playing on their phones instead of watching the video) for well over an hour before waiting in line to have my photo taken.

[smoooth2]

thanks iammike ... yes, my previous licence was the 2 year temporary car licence. This is the first time I've had the 5 year one. I wasn't asked to watch videos etc. Perhaps that's something they only do when renewing 5 year licences ? Or maybe I just got lucky.

[Starman]

I have renewed my licence 3 times. Once I was asked to watch the video. There doesn't seem to be any fixed rule when it comes to Expats.

[Smithy]

A new form of medical certificates to be introduced March 1 for driving license applications



Starting March 1, applicants for a driving license will be required to produce a new form of medical certificate from qualified doctor certifying that he/she is free from five diseases namely elephantiasis, tuberculosis, alcoholism, leprosy and drugs addiction.

On top of that, Land Transport Department director-general Sanit Promwong said applicants for a driving license must fill in his/her medical record, record of accidents and surgeries and treatment in hospitals.

Also, he said the doctors who issued the certificates to the applicants must certify that the applicants are not disabled to the extent that they cannot perform their duties; do not suffer from mental illness or being mentally disabled or showing symptoms of drug abuse or chronic alcoholism and do not have symptoms of leprosy which are communicable and symptoms of tuberculosis in dangerous stage.

Mr Sanit added that any motorists who have already had driving licenses but who might suffer from seizure disorder or symptoms from high blood pressure which might cause accidents, might have their licenses revoked the registrars for public safety.

Meanwhile, Medical Council deputy secretary-general Dr Itthiporn Khanacharoen said that the Medical Council had endorsed the new form of medical certificates which has two parts.

One of the two parts is to be filled in by the applicants specifying his diseases that are not detected by doctors. The second part is to be filled in by doctors certifying the diseases examined.

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/new-form-medical-certificates-introduced-march-1-driving-license-applications/

[fishy]

My experience today renewing my Car and Motorbike Licence which was originally 2 years.

You need copies of passport + Copy Extension of stay x 2. One copy for each licence.

Photo's x 3. One each for car/motorbike + 1 for police proof of residence
[/list] Letter from Police confirming your address. Other half showed House book + ID card. Ummm 200bht thank you money.

Letter from Dr confirming health?? 100bht... I passed.

Old licence handed in. (In my case they changed passport numbers on licence as I had renewed my passport since the original licence was issued)

No test/video. Licence is good for 5 years even though renewed before expiry by 2 weeks. I know there are many comments about this in previous posts and renewing licence after it has actually expired to get the 5 years. This is Nang Rong.

I think cost was 740bht for car/bike licence.