Thai Driving license - the latest

[Trongpai]

I'm not surprised, although I'm sorry you were treated so badly. The procedure is probably different in every one of Thailand's provinces. The common denominator is no matter where you go it's a miserable experience.

I have been to the same office in Bangkok for renewals four different times over the years and each time the procedures has changed significantly.

We had different movies -- his was a series of traffic situations; mine was a little school drama with two fathers, one a good driver and one bad.
I was the only person watching, everyone else was on their mobiles in spite of a warning on the wall against phones

Ahh yes, it makes 'Plan Nine from Outer Space' seem good. I loved the not-too-subtle subtext: The good family were all light skinned and the bad family were all dark skinned. Scenes with the good family had light melodies and the bad family had ominous sounding music. The good family were taking a trip to the Thai countryside to view nature. The bad family were going to Pattaya, where bad people go, of course! The father in the bad family had a mustache and smoked. The good family sipped tea and ate finger sandwiches. Of course, it does not end well for the Pattaya trip.

[Gaybutton]

good family

Nothing like insulting everyone's intelligence.

Ahhhh yes. Boys from a "good" family are the best kind. But what I'm looking for is the worst kind . . .

[Alex]

You are only entitled to a yellow tambien baan if you own a condo, live in a house owned by your Thai wife, or have a 30-year lease.

You should tell my district office in Bangkok. They had no problem issuing me a yellow book, renting (!) a condo. I needed two Thai witnesses, I took my landlady - whose participation was required anyway - and my condo manager. Any generalization such as yours is nonsense given the context, each and every Thai government office is essentially a fiefdom with its own set of rules. Same as with immigration or driving license requirements, any information provided is useless without stating which office it applies to.

A funny aspect is that I had to provide the personal details of my parents, in Thai script, for their records. Never mind they've never been to Thailand, that's what they asked for and that's what they got.

Regarding the usefulness of the yellow book, or lack thereof, from my experience my work permit has proven more useful. So I'd say the yellow book is most useful for those who don't have a work permit and can get the yellow book without too much hassle (again, that depends on the district office in question).

[mahjongguy]

Any generalization such as yours is nonsense given the context...

I was careful to say who is entitled to a yellow book. Who can actually get one? Yes, that is a different thing entirely.

So I'd say the yellow book is most useful for those who don't have a work permit and can get the yellow book without too much hassle

Well put.

[Gaybutton]

I completely forgot to mention that if you're applying for a first time license, in Pattaya, maybe in all the provinces, you're also going to have to take a driving test. For renewals you don't have to take the driving test, so I didn't check to see if the procedure is the same as it was several years ago. At that time I took a friend who was applying for a first time license, so I did see the test then. Whether it's the same now, I have no idea. It probably is, but you never know.

You have to supply your own car or motorbike. Of course, if you're applying for both a car and motorbike license, you probably drove out there in a car. So, how do you also test with a motorbike? Unless you are capable of driving two vehicles at once, I saw a couple farang offer Thais, who were there for their own motorbike test, a few hundred baht to borrow their motorbike for the test. They had no problem getting Thais to accept the offer. Sorry, I don't remember how much they offered.

Here's how it worked - in Pattaya. Behind the main building there is a vehicle obstacle course. It's the same obstacle course for both car and motorbike testing. You'll be in your vehicle alone. The examiner simply sits at a table and watches you drive through the obstacle course. Once in awhile the examiner actually pays attention to the person driving. The only part where I saw the examiner paying close attention to everyone was at the end of the course - for cars. That's where they have a couple poles set up for your parallel parking test. If you knock one of the poles over or park too far from the curb you just flunked the test.

It's really quite simple. There were dozens of people there. Nobody failed the test. They, of course, are now among the same people who are on the road driving like idiots, perhaps also drunk or on drugs - or both, trying to commit vehicular suicide - and take a few other drivers and pedestrians with them.

There were three little problems. The first was they didn't start the driving test until 1pm - hours after you've already been through the rest of the procedure and have completed everything except paying for and obtaining the license. The second was they tested all the Thais first. Farang had to wait until all the Thais had been tested. We were there at 1pm. They didn't get to my friend until close to 2:30. The third problem was once you complete the test and have passed it, the examiner sends you back to the building to pay and receive your license. That's good for another hour.

If for some reason you fail the test - and you have to be the world's worst driver to fail - you have to wait a minimum of 30 days before you can retest.

One last thing. I had always been "Mr. Nice Guy" about taking people who don't have a car out there to get their license. I'm sorry, but I'm all done with that. I'm not going to go through it again for anybody, so please don't ask. From now on my answer is NO. If you need a ride out there or need a car, you'll have to find someone else, hire a taxi, rent a vehicle, or get there with the Expats Club.

[Up2u]

GB, you are saying your friend had a valid driver's license from his home country and/or an IDP and was still required to take a driver's test (behind the wheel)? Then this is big news and a major change. I (or my friends) have never taken a driving test for the first time license or any renewals (5 yr, 10 yr, etc.) here in Pattaya. I didn't even need an IDP for my very first visit, just my valid California Driver's License.

[Gaybutton]

GB, you are saying your friend had a valid driver's license from his home country and/or an IDP

I never asked. I don't know what he had, but he did have to take the driving test. The first time I got a Thai driving license I had to do the driving test too, and I did have both a valid license and an International Driving Permit. But that was many years ago. I did not have to take the written test, though. However, I have friends who did have to take the written test. I think that is done on computers now.

My advice is to go out there prepared for anything. You probably know as well as I do that every two minutes the procedures and rules change. Just like immigration - what is required today could easily be much different tomorrow.

As it stands now, no driving test is required for renewals. For first timers your guess is as good as mine.

[Alex]

People who have a valid driving license from another country (again the specifics vary, sometimes a national one is sufficient and in other cases only in combination with an IDP) don't need to do the tests. But only if that license covers what you want to get licensed for here. My DL from back home was good for a Thai DL for cars, for example, but not for a Thai DL for motorcycles.

[Up2u]

I mentioned this briefly Sunday at the PCEC and confirmed what GB posted but apparently there is no consistency in application (surprise!). I personally took a falang friend there at the end of last year for his temporary license and like me he only provided his California license and no driver's test required. Other club members have had to take the test and also needed an IDP. Go figure.

[Gaybutton]

apparently there is no consistency in application (surprise!)

That comes as no surprise to me. It's the same at immigration. If it's not a rule change without prior notice, it's the whim of the agent you happen to be dealing with, despite the rules. If you try to argue about it with them, you're wasting your breath and only making things worse.

RichLB told me when he went to submit his latest 90-day address report at immigration, there were two officers handling the submissions. One was going over that new information form with a fine toothed comb. The other wasn't even glancing at them - just took them and put them in the pile.

It seems to me to be quite the same when getting a driving license. You're either lucky or you're not. Right here on this topic we have people saying there is no driving test required if you have the right documents and some saying there is whether you have the right documents or not.

All any of us can do is report the experiences we had at the time we went, but there is no guarantee that it will be the same when somebody else goes. That's why I'm saying to be prepared for anything. You can never be certain what to expect.

I also should mention - when you go for the driving license make sure to dress decently. Best to wear long pants and a decent shirt. Don't wear a tank top. If you wear shorts, make sure they're at least knee length. If they don't like the way you're dressed they will kick you out.