Guest lvdkeyes Posted December 23, 2008 Posted December 23, 2008 Does anyone know if having a Thai driver's license is necessary to buy a car here and to get it insured? Quote
Gaybutton Posted December 23, 2008 Posted December 23, 2008 Does anyone know if having a Thai driver's license is necessary to buy a car here and to get it insured? You can buy the car without the license, but you will need it in order to be insured. That's my understanding of it. Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted December 23, 2008 Posted December 23, 2008 You can buy the car without the license, but you will need it in order to be insured. That's my understanding of it. Thanks Quote
Guest joseph44 Posted December 24, 2008 Posted December 24, 2008 You don't need a Thai drivers' license if you would like to obtain what ever vehicle. Depending on the police officers' mood, your national driver's license will do and even in case of an accident, a Thai drivers' license is not necessarily needed. OFFICIALLY: you must carry a driver's license as soon as you ride a motorbike or drive a car. Another matter, I found out some months ago: If you buy a car in your name, you'll be responsible for it, even if your bf is driving the vehicle. Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted December 24, 2008 Posted December 24, 2008 Another matter, I found out some months ago: If you buy a car in your name, you'll be responsible for it, even if your bf is driving the vehicle. This is useful information, thanks. Quote
Guest travelerjim Posted December 24, 2008 Posted December 24, 2008 I have been advised that... If the driver is not properly licensed...and in an accident... the auto insurance you have is NO good...and will not pay! Driver must be properly licensed! I believe that is also true for motorbikes...but not sure.. and most Thais are not licensed for motorbikes...farangs too! Thailand has separate licenses for auto..and motorbike. One license does not cover both types of vehicles. TIT and who knows! tj Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted December 24, 2008 Posted December 24, 2008 Thailand has separate licenses for auto..and motorbike. One license does not cover both types of vehicles. TIT and who knows! tj This is true in the US also. Quote
PattayaMale Posted December 24, 2008 Posted December 24, 2008 Here is something I just found out while talking to a Belgium expat at Oud's. He had a international driver's license. When he went to get his Thai drivers license he was also able to get his Thai motorbike license off the same international driver's license. He told me that the people processing the license said he could get the motorbike license (even though he only had car marked on the international license). The office did not volunteer the information but he had filled out both applications. Of course the color and reaction test was required twice but no written or driving test. He showed me both licenses. Has anyone else done this? Quote
Gaybutton Posted December 24, 2008 Posted December 24, 2008 It's really very simple. You can buy a car or motorcycle in Thailand whether you have a Thai driver's license or not. You cannot buy insurance for a car or a motorcycle without a valid Thai driving license. If an unscrupulous insurance agent sells you insurance anyway, but you don't have the Thai driving license, then if there is an accident the insurance company will not pay. If you do have the Thai driving license and insurance for your vehicle, then if an accident happens you call the insurance company immediately and they will send an adjuster over. If you are involved in an accident in which you are injured and rendered incapable of contacting your insurance company, then that's why your vehicle is required to show an insurance sticker on display so the police both know you actually have insurance and can contact your insurance company for you if you are rendered incapable of doing so. If it's a minor one-vehicle accident, such as denting your car on one of those too-high curbs, then you can drive over to the insurance company office. If you are involved in an accident with another vehicle, do not leave the scene. Call both the police and your insurance company. There are 3 levels of car insurance available. The first class insurance covers everything, liability and collision. There are limits set as to how much the insurance company will pay, but there is no deductible. The second class insurance also covers both, but only if the other driver is blamed by the police. If you are blamed, they pay nothing. The third class insurance is liability only, with no collision coverage. As a farang driver, I recommend the first class insurance. If you are buying a new car, then your auto dealership will probably set you up with insurance. You do have the option of obtaining insurance on your own. I highly recommend the Viriyah Insurance company. There are several offices around town, but I suggest going to their main office on Sukhumvit, north of Pattaya in Banglamung. See the Viriyah web site at: http://www.viriyah.co.th/english/Edefault.asp You can call Viriyah by simply dialing 1557. When driving, you are required to carry both your Thai driving license and your passport. Most of the time, when the police stop your vehicle they will ask to see the license, but rarely ask to see the passport. But if you're not carrying it and they do ask, you'll see more of a smile appear on the police officer's face because he now has grounds to give you more of a fine. Remember, the police do not have to accept a copy of your passport and when driving, that's when there is more chance of being stopped by a police officer and asked to produce your papers than any other time. By the way, the stuff the message board "experts" post about how if an accident occurs, then the farang will automatically be blamed whether it's his fault or not is absolute, total nonsense. That is simply not true. I can tell you from personal experience that I was involved in two accidents in which the other driver, each a Thai, was at fault and he was the one who was charged and fined, not me. Other farang drivers out there have told me similar stories. Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted December 24, 2008 Posted December 24, 2008 What I didn't make clear is I am thinking of buying a car; I want it in my name, but I will not drive. My BF will be the sole driver. Will this present problems for me? Quote
Guest GaySacGuy Posted December 24, 2008 Posted December 24, 2008 What I didn't make clear is I am thinking of buying a car; I want it in my name, but I will not drive. My BF will be the sole driver. Will this present problems for me? It shouldn't present any problems if you bf is a licensed driver and drives the car with your permission. I would note his name on the insurance if possible. Also, I would provide some kind of written permission for him to drive the car is he travels without you. That way he can prove he is supposed to have the car. If you are not going to drive at all, then the insurance can probably be in him name...but I am not sure about that. Quote
Gaybutton Posted December 24, 2008 Posted December 24, 2008 My policy with Viriyah allows any licensed driver to drive the car. As long as it's a licensed driver, the policy fully covers it. Quote
Guest lester1 Posted December 24, 2008 Posted December 24, 2008 Worth noting, and you probably already know this, is that you can only buy a car in your name if you possess a certain type of visa (dont know which one). I can also remember a thread on one message board or another about the fact that as owner of the car, the buck stops with you if the car is involved in any problems. (legal and financial). If there comes a time when you dispose of the car, make sure it is fully clear on paper that you are no longer the owner. Quote
2lz2p Posted December 25, 2008 Posted December 25, 2008 It shouldn't present any problems if you bf is a licensed driver and drives the car with your permission. I would note his name on the insurance if possible. Also, I would provide some kind of written permission for him to drive the car is he travels without you. That way he can prove he is supposed to have the car. If you are not going to drive at all, then the insurance can probably be in him name...but I am not sure about that. My situation is just the opposite. The car is in the bf's name, but I am the sole driver. My bf does not have a driving license. I do have a Thai driving license and the insurance covers any licensed driver. Based on recent news articles about highway police announcing that they would have checkpoints on Sukhumvit and would be checking for insurance and ownership, we made a document to keep in the car, which has a picture of his ID card and main page of my passport with his written permission (in English and Thai) for me to drive the car anywhere at anytime (gone through the checkpoints a couple of times, but haven't been stopped, so never had to use). As I understand it, for a foreigner to register a car, he must obtain certificate of address from Thai Immigration, which I believe requires a non-immigrant visa (any type -retirement, business, Thai spouse, etc.) - so, it appears that anyone with a tourist visa or visa waiver (30 day stamp at airport) cannot obtain the required certificate. Same type certificate is required when obtaining a Thai driving license. Also, it is again my understanding that folks having a tourist visa/visa waiver can legally drive cars in Thailand provided they have a valid license from their home country/state and a current International Driving Permit (from various reports I have read, the enforcement of this requirement by car rental agencies and police is haphazard - haphazard enforcement of rules and law in Thailand - really? ). Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted December 25, 2008 Posted December 25, 2008 My situation is just the opposite. The car is in the bf's name, but I am the sole driver. Thank you for this useful information. Quote
Gaybutton Posted December 25, 2008 Posted December 25, 2008 When he went to get his Thai drivers license he was also able to get his Thai motorbike license off the same international driver's license. He told me that the people processing the license said he could get the motorbike license (even though he only had car marked on the international license). Has anyone else done this? That's a new one to me. I've taken many people to get both licenses and they were denied the motorcycle license without an International Driving Permit that had motorcycle marked on it. Maybe the trick is to do just what your friend did; just fill out the applications and go for it. Obviously, until we know for sure that it can be done that way as a matter of policy, it's still best to have an International Driving Permit that specifies both. Actually, as long as you fulfill all the other requirements, you can get a Thai driving license, one for car and one for motorcycle, without an International Driving Permit at all, but you will be required to sit through the movie, take the written test, and take the "road" test, which is really only driving around a small obstacle course. It's an all-day affair, but at the end of the day you will have both licenses. Quote
