PattayaMale Posted December 25, 2008 Posted December 25, 2008 Where does someone get an International Driver's License if they only have a Thai Driver's License? Unfortunately my California State driver's license expired since retiring here. Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted December 25, 2008 Posted December 25, 2008 Where does someone get an International Driver's License if they only have a Thai Driver's License? Unfortunately my California State driver's license expired since retiring here. I would be interested to know also. My CA license expired too and I don't have Thai license. Quote
Guest GaySacGuy Posted December 25, 2008 Posted December 25, 2008 Without a valid driver's license of some kind, you won't get an international drivers license. If you CA license wasn't expired, you can go to any AAA office in CA and get the International license for $25 in about two minutes. Quote
Gaybutton Posted December 25, 2008 Posted December 25, 2008 I think, but am not certain, that with a valid Thai driver's license the better travel agencies can issue them. If not, they can probably point you in the right direction. If you are able to find out, please let the rest of us know. Quote
Guest joseph44 Posted December 26, 2008 Posted December 26, 2008 Check this out: http://phuketdir.com/intlicense/index.htm This is an example located in Phuket, but there are possibilities in BKK and PTT too. Quote
Gaybutton Posted December 26, 2008 Posted December 26, 2008 Check this out: http://phuketdir.com/intlicense/index.htm The first thing that grabbed my attention was "We have two different licenses available: A ten-year license priced at 5,500 Baht and a twenty-year license available for 6,500 Baht. This license is valid in over two hundred countries around the world, listed below on this page." Until now I never knew an International Driving Permit is available for greater than one year. In the USA, the only place I know of to obtain an International Driving Permit is AAA. As far as I know, they only issue the permit with a validity of one year. If they have ten and twenty year permits available, they never told me. Of course, the one year permit is much less expensive than what is being advertised on that web site. Quote
Guest GaySacGuy Posted December 26, 2008 Posted December 26, 2008 The first thing that grabbed my attention was "We have two different licenses available: A ten-year license priced at 5,500 Baht and a twenty-year license available for 6,500 Baht. This license is valid in over two hundred countries around the world, listed below on this page." Until now I never knew an International Driving Permit is available for greater than one year. In the USA, the only place I know of to obtain an International Driving Permit is AAA. As far as I know, they only issue the permit with a validity of one year. If they have ten and twenty year permits available, they never told me. Of course, the one year permit is much less expensive than what is being advertised on that web site. You have to be very careful of the fine print. The one year license issued in US by AAA is for one year, but in Thialand only valid for 90 days. I was able to place the activation date on the license when I bought it for the day of my arrival in Thailand. Don't count on the long term of the license in every country. Quote
2lz2p Posted December 26, 2008 Posted December 26, 2008 You have to be very careful of the fine print. The one year license issued in US by AAA is for one year, but in Thialand only valid for 90 days. I was able to place the activation date on the license when I bought it for the day of my arrival in Thailand. Don't count on the long term of the license in every country. As I understand it, the 90 days is a Thai limitation, i.e., anyone staying in Thailand for longer than 90 days is required to possess a Thai Driving License. Many states in the USA also have requirements that you must obtain their State Driving License if you take up residence there (time period and circumstances will vary). Britney Spears ran into that problem in California. That said, it seems to me if you present the International Driving Permit, the officer would also have to look at your passport for the last entry into the country to determine if you have been in country longer than 90 days (unless the driver "volunteers" the information to the Officer). However, if you are staying in Thailand on a long-stay visa (retirement, spouse, etc.), why not go ahead and get the Thai Driving License - with an International Driving Permit, there is no movie to watch or written test - the initial one year license used to cost 105 Baht, but may be more now since they started the new license with digital photograph. The Thai license can also come in handy as several people I know have shown it at National Parks and other tourist spots to get the "Thai" admission price. Quote
Guest GaySacGuy Posted December 26, 2008 Posted December 26, 2008 That said, it seems to me if you present the International Driving Permit, the officer would also have to look at your passport for the last entry into the country to determine if you have been in country longer than 90 days (unless the driver "volunteers" the information to the Officer). However, if you are staying in Thailand on a long-stay visa (retirement, spouse, etc.), why not go ahead and get the Thai Driving License - with an International Driving Permit, there is no movie to watch or written test - the initial one year license used to cost 105 Baht, but may be more now since they started the new license with digital photograph. The Thai license can also come in handy as several people I know have shown it at National Parks and other tourist spots to get the "Thai" admission price. Your International License will have an effective date...and the license is void in Thailand 90 days from that date...no matter how long you are in the country. If you license was effective on April 1 and you traveled in other countries for 3 months before coming to Thailand, you license would be void upon your arrival. Quote
Gaybutton Posted December 26, 2008 Posted December 26, 2008 If your license was effective on April 1 and you traveled in other countries for 3 months before coming to Thailand, you license would be void upon your arrival. I wonder why they do that. Just another item on my "I Don't Get It" list. Quote
PattayaMale Posted December 26, 2008 Author Posted December 26, 2008 I have now done a little research on this and found out that what is available is a Translation of your countries drivers license. In my case Thai. This is called an International Drivers permit. It is valid only with a country's issued drivers license. The purpose is to help police understand things that are written on your license. The authority for this (is claimed) to be a signing of a UN document by 200 countries. The purpose is to make sure transportation is not impeded between countries. I still want to do more research on this. But that is what I learned so far. Quote
2lz2p Posted December 26, 2008 Posted December 26, 2008 I have now done a little research on this and found out that what is available is a Translation of your countries drivers license. In my case Thai. This is called an International Drivers permit. It is valid only with a country's issued drivers license. The purpose is to help police understand things that are written on your license. The authority for this (is claimed) to be a signing of a UN document by 200 countries. The purpose is to make sure transportation is not impeded between countries. I still want to do more research on this. But that is what I learned so far. That is also my understanding - also that Thailand is a signatory of that UN Document. Although many call it an International Driver License, it is as a "Permit" and must be used in conjunction with your own country/state's driving license. Your International License will have an effective date...and the license is void in Thailand 90 days from that date...no matter how long you are in the country. If you license was effective on April 1 and you traveled in other countries for 3 months before coming to Thailand, you license would be void upon your arrival. I for one would be interested in the source of this information. Not disagreeing, just trying to understand it. Quote
Guest GaySacGuy Posted December 26, 2008 Posted December 26, 2008 That is also my understanding - also that Thailand is a signatory of that UN Document. Although many call it an International Driver License, it is as a "Permit" and must be used in conjunction with your own country/state's driving license. I for one would be interested in the source of this information. Not disagreeing, just trying to understand it. The source is the International Drivers License issued by AAA in CA two years ago. The issuing office warned me that while it was a one year license, it was only valid in Thialand for 90 days after the start date of the license. This information was printed right in the license. So, I used that license to obtain a Thai license, and thus avoided the written test and the driving test. The valkd only 90 days in Thailand was printed on the license, and other countries also had various exceptions to the one year license. Quote
PattayaMale Posted December 26, 2008 Author Posted December 26, 2008 The IDL is not supposed to replace a countries own driver's license. It is only a permit to drive with an out of country license for a period of time. So if I was driving thru France, Italy, etc and had a valid Thia drivers license and a IDL which lists what is on my Thai license, and that license is valid the police would accept that. Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted December 26, 2008 Posted December 26, 2008 The IDL is not supposed to replace a countries own driver's license. It is only a permit to drive with an out of country license for a period of time. So if I was driving thru France, Italy, etc and had a valid Thia drivers license and a IDL which lists what is on my Thai license, and that license is valid the police would accept that. I have driven a rented car in Europe on my US driver's license with no problem. Quote
Guest jtrack33 Posted December 27, 2008 Posted December 27, 2008 At the beginning of this thread, Pattayamale asked where to get an International License with only a Thai license. I believe the answer is Mochit government transport centre...where you get a driving license. On the second floor, I noticed a separate office that had a sign on the door saying International Driving Permit/License. The current price for a new Thai one year provisional license is Bht105 still but with a mandatory Bht50 charge for the automated photo. A Thai driving license is valid in ASEAN countries without the need for an International license. The new Thai licenses have all wording in English and Thai and your passport number and address included. Quote
Gaybutton Posted December 28, 2008 Posted December 28, 2008 At the beginning of this thread, Pattayamale asked where to get an International License with only a Thai license. I believe the answer is Mochit government transport centre...where you get a driving license. On the second floor, I noticed a separate office that had a sign on the door saying International Driving Permit/License. Maybe in Pattaya the driving license agency is the place to get one. That never occurred to me. Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted December 28, 2008 Posted December 28, 2008 Maybe in Pattaya the driving license agency is the place to get one. That never occurred to me. Duh!!!! ROFLMAO Quote
Guest GaySacGuy Posted December 28, 2008 Posted December 28, 2008 Anyway you look at it the International License is just a bottomless money pit for those that issue the document. By itself, the IDL is not worth anything...it is simply a document that must have a valid driver's license with it to be valid. There was no advantage to government, security, etc. by AAA handing me an IDL for my $25. It didn't protect anyone, or provide any information not already on the license that has to be with the IDL. Bottom line...another usless document. Quote
Gaybutton Posted December 28, 2008 Posted December 28, 2008 Duh!!!! ROFLMAO While you're rolling on the floor, I don't see any posts from you that suggested the driving license agency as the place to look for the International Driving Permit in Thailand. Considering that in the USA you get them at AAA and some other travel agents, and not at driving license issuing offices, why should it have occurred to me that the driving license office would be the place to check in Thailand? I neither see a reason nor do I appreciate a post from you attempting to make me look like a fool. Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted December 28, 2008 Posted December 28, 2008 I neither see a reason nor do I appreciate a post from you attempting to make me look like a fool. Don't get your knickers all in a knot. It wasn't an attempt to make you look like a fool. It just made me laugh when I read what you wrote. Quote
Gaybutton Posted December 28, 2008 Posted December 28, 2008 Don't get your knickers all in a knot. It wasn't an attempt to make you look like a fool. It just made me laugh when I read what you wrote. I see. Then what an excellent reason you had for writing that post. Maybe one of these days I'll figure out what part of my post was so funny that it inspired you to write that kind of a reply at all . . . the one that wasn't an attempt to make me look like a fool. Quote
Guest jtrack33 Posted December 28, 2008 Posted December 28, 2008 I thought GB's comment was quite reasonable if you don't want to travel to Bangkok to get the IDL. In UK, the AA issues the permit but you can get it at most post offices. The info on this was originally given me by GB. I got an IDL recently as a document to assist getting a Thai license, but they didn't even bother to keep the copy I handed them as the English license was well known to them. They want an IDL for those applying with less-common licenses. It is an ass-covering exercise...as is the embassy-authenticated address letter. Neither the embassy nor the AAA/AA are in a position to really guarantee anything, but at least it is an established authority to blame if your address turns out to be fake or you have zero driving skills. Quote
2lz2p Posted December 28, 2008 Posted December 28, 2008 Well, I just spent a lot of time writing a response based on visiting several web site - and then something happened and I lost it all. So, rather than do all that typing again, here are some websites that may be of interest: From Drivers.com Thailand In Thailand, International Driving Permits are issued by the Department of Land Transport (Tel: 0 2272-5322, 0 2272-5416). Applicants must possess a Thai driver's licence for at least one year to be eligible to apply. The following are required for application: * Valid passport * Work permit * Thai Non-Immigrant Visa * Residency declaration * 2 photos size 2.5" Phuket Land Transport Office offers IDP: Phuket Land Transport Office IDP General information about IDPs from wikipedia: IDPs in general US State Department designation of AAA: US State Dept on IDPs About mid way down the page. Also cautions against buying over Internet from unauthorized sources. Eurocar Rental and Budget Rental agencies on what is required for driving in Thailand (no mention of any 90 days from issue date for IDPs): Eurocar Rental & Budget I did find a site that said drivers staying in Thailand more than 90 days must have a Thai Driving License: EThailand.com I didn't check to see if US or UK Embassies might have something on IDPs -- oh well, something for another day. Quote
