learning to drive

[Smithy]

Buriram office : Can get driving licence with tourist visa and even exempt stamp.

Residence letter can come from police station.

All offices : no photos required.

Korat office :  (going by an example last week) no medical certificate required.

Office are only a phone call away. Always best to check with them first.

Yes I renewed mine last year at Rattanaburi Office . no medical certificate wanted or Letter of Residence  ,just my Yellow house book and passport ....what they require for a new Licences is anyone's guess

[gotlost]

Buriram office : Can get driving licence with tourist visa and even exempt stamp.

Residence letter can come from police station.

All offices : no photos required.

Korat office :  (going by an example last week) no medical certificate required.

Office are only a phone call away. Always best to check with them first.

Yes I renewed mine last year at Rattanaburi Office . no medical certificate wanted or Letter of Residence  ,just my Yellow house book and passport ....what they require for a new Licences is anyone's guess

DLT requirement very from office to office.

[Starman]

I once went into Rattanaburi office to renew. I was working just opposite(ish) so decided to try my luck there even though my documents were for Buriram.

I had my expired licence and a copy of my wife's house book.

They were prepared to do it until they noticed that my licence had house number 62 and the house book was 63. A mistake on the licence that I had never noticed before.

Very laid back in that office.

[Smithy]

Residence letter can come from police station.

My first LoR in koh Samui cost 500 baht ( 15-16 years ago )

My first LoR from Surin Immigration I was told it was a FREE service ( 13 years ago ) ......but a few years later it was 500 Baht

At Rattanaburi Department of Land Transport Office in the past they have excepted a letter from our local Tambon Office, in fact they told me to go there to get one as it was closer than SI !!!

[Smithy]

I once went into Rattanaburi office to renew. I was working just opposite(ish) so decided to try my luck there even though my documents were for Buriram.

I had my expired licence and a copy of my wife's house book.

They were prepared to do it until they noticed that my licence had house number 62 and the house book was 63. A mistake on the licence that I had never noticed before.

Very laid back in that office.

When I renewed my Motorbike DL 13 years at Rattanaburi they issued it with my old Koh Samui address even through all the paperwork I had given them showed my new Surin address.
When I told them they had made a mistake they replied "never mind '...I drove around for 5 years with the wrong address on my DL ( an offence in the UK ) and got it changed on the next renewal .

[notrub]

Thank you for all the replies.  Is an actual riding the bike driver's test required to obtain the 2 year provisional permit?  Or is it simply the written part?

BTW I got my Thai permit and looked b4 at the several sites offering help with the written part.  I thought I had it down pat but failed the written part and the driving part, on site, and had to take the tests a 2nd time.  One of the problems is that the multiple choice questions seem to be contradictory but they do give you a chance to see the correct answers at the end of the test.  I still got the maximum wrong answers on the 2nd go and got special treatment on the practical part.  This was not my first driving experience in life.

[Jeroen1]

Yep same here about 7 years ago..No test at all.. Pull the string for depth vision, push a brakepedal for reaction and confirm you can tell the difference between red and green..That's it..medical statement  ( 50 THB no examination) and there it is . Motorbike as well as car.....Did have motorbike license already though as well as all the other ones. Car Bus Truck etc.

[notrub]

Yes, so I have one now and keep trying to get a policeman to look at it on the various check points near Buriram.  They just wave me on without even glancing at it.  I suppose it would be different if I get a speeding ticket or worse, have an accident.  Pretty easy to do and glad to have taken the time to get it done.

[PBarnfeather]

I don't get out here very much but I imagine all police departments do it differently. In the years I've been here I have seen very few Thai's who didn't need serious driver training.
I think any British or American driver who cares about his work might start a driving school. The trick would be to get your local police department to let you do it.

[Starman]

I don't get out here very much but I imagine all police departments do it differently. In the years I've been here I have seen very few Thai's who didn't need serious driver training.
I think any British or American driver who cares about his work might start a driving school. The trick would be to get your local police department to let you do it.

And immigration and Ministry of Labour.

[DeputyDavid]

And who would give up hard earned baht for that?  The only way is if the traffic courts sentenced offenders to.....oh never mind.....TIT!

[PBarnfeather]

I agree -- you understand why I never tried.