Driving Licenses

See my post #20
As GL is saying that now they won't accept a yellow book confusion reigns (as usual with Government Offices).
I will have to get my first 5 year licence in February so I will be interested to see further posts on this subject.

To Colin {if I have the right Colin},
If you are sincerely worried - just bring Wud with you as being with a Thai will smooth most everything over.
Basically he acts as your Thai 'sponsor' stating you are responsible. He may have to bring copy of his Thai ID card.
(just a thought).
 
Sorry GL ,You are still incorrect...........I'm just coming to the end of my 3rd 5 year licence...The 'can apply early' has always been in force during that period.Likewise with taxing M/c's & PICK-UPS/CARS,When it is up to 3 months early.

I renewed my five year early n Surin, no problem. As said it all depends..
 
To Colin {if I have the right Colin},
If you are sincerely worried - just bring Wud with you as being with a Thai will smooth most everything over.
Basically he acts as your Thai 'sponsor' stating you are responsible. He may have to bring copy of his Thai ID card.
(just a thought).

Bear said n post 42 that he had both a letter and his yb and was told that they would accept the yb. The problem is we need to see some go in there with just their yb and no letter. Hopefully the old regime has moved on.
 
Update from Nang Rong

I don't know about anywhere else but I went to Nang Rong with all my paperwork to obtain a license today and the whole thing turned into a goat rope.. I've been constantly told that if you had a license from your home state or country that it was accepted in Thailand and all you had to do was pass the depth perception, color blindness test, peripheral vision test, and braking test.. Well that is no longer the case.. If you have an international driver's license you're OK.. If not then you have to go through the whole magilla like any Thai that's getting their license for the first time... I just spent the whole day there going through classes and taking the written tests for both car and motor bike.. Tomorrow I have to go back and take road tests on both vehicles.. If I pass, then and only then will they issue me a 1 year license.. Starting next year we have been told that even for renewals you will have to sit though the classes and take the written test.. The only thing you won't have to do on renewals is the road test.. Things are changing really fast and so far, much of what I've been told is no longer up to date info.. So the only way to know about anything, for sure, is personal experience, but always make sure you have a Thai with you.. I would have never gotten through today if it weren't for my wife being a translator for me.. Just some food for thought guys..
 
I thought that a valid international license was always a pre-requisite voodoo? I got my first Thai DL around 6 years ago and i remember them asking me if my DL was international, its just a plain old UK one, but thats not what i told them, i told them it was international and they went along with it.
 
I got my first dl with NO IDP, only a Nevada dl. Only color, depth and reflect test 2006 in Chiang Mai. Just goes to show you what one government agent does the same office in Nackon BumFcuk does different. Ever so true TIT//flag
 
Got mine about 7 yrs ago Pattaya, AZ driver license, take the 3 stooges tests and was done. When I come back in 2014 have to get mine renewed, they expire, understand have to set and watch Hell Highway, and take the 3 stooges test to renew...
 
I thought that a valid international license was always a pre-requisite voodoo? I got my first Thai DL around 6 years ago and i remember them asking me if my DL was international, its just a plain old UK one, but thats not what i told them, i told them it was international and they went along with it.

Thanks for the info FB but that's what I tried to do.. Evidently, the people I had to deal with in Nang Rong know what they're looking for now and what I tried to give them wasn't it.. As for sitting through the films GL.. If it was one of them it would've been OK.. The whole thing was 2 films, break for lunch, then come back and go through a 2 hour presentation/lecture, much like you do for the defensive driving courses in the states.. Then it was on to the tests.. I go there at 8:30AM and didn't get out of there until 3:00PM.. How much of this you'll have to go through on the renewals I don't know.. Note: That I'm only talking about Nang Rong in Buriram Province.. Who knows what they're going to do..
 
Thanks for the info FB but that's what I tried to do.. Evidently, the people I had to deal with in Nang Rong know what they're looking for now and what I tried to give them wasn't it.. As for sitting through the films GL.. If it was one of them it would've been OK.. The whole thing was 2 films, break for lunch, then come back and go through a 2 hour presentation/lecture, much like you do for the defensive driving courses in the states.. Then it was on to the tests.. I go there at 8:30AM and didn't get out of there until 3:00PM.. How much of this you'll have to go through on the renewals I don't know.. Note: That I'm only talking about Nang Rong in Buriram Province.. Who knows what they're going to do..

Just bad luck. You happen to be dealing with a LTD that wants to be ass holes. Un fortunately this is Thailand. Never seen this happen at the LTD in Prasat or Surin. Get Nookie to put a word in for you..ThumbUp6
 
I got my 5 yr D/L (x2) renewed last week. All the usual stuff plus the movie BUT they didn't want me doctors cert.
I was asked for a UK AND IDL in Surin 6 yrs ago when applying for my first one.
 
According to the rules I read somewhere on the internet, a medical certificate is not required after the first 5 year renewal.
 
According to the rules I read somewhere on the internet, a medical certificate is not required after the first 5 year renewal.

Oh yes it is and every 5 year renewal after. 30 baht at the local clap clinic. That info was probable confused with no medical for retirement extension.
 
Oh yes it is and every 5 year renewal after. 30 baht at the local clap clinic. That info was probable confused with no medical for retirement extension.


That info was what SSK LTD told me last week when they said I had not needed to get a 40b Doctors ticket so they know nothing about Immigration requirements. TGF also got a Bike licence without any test.
 
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That info was what SSK LTD told me last week when they said I had not needed to get a 40b Doctors ticket so they know nothing about Immigration requirements. TGF also got a Bike licence without any test.

If it goes nation wide its a plus.
 
How much of this you'll have to go through on the renewals I don't know.. Note: That I'm only talking about Nang Rong in Buriram Province.. Who knows what they're going to do..

I went to the Surin office today to change my newly expired one-year licenses for five-year ones.

I was in and out of there, mission accomplished, in around 15 minutes, certainly no longer than 20.

They only checked that I had not, by some strange genetic mutation, gone colour blind since last year....no other tests. Everything was done briskly and in good humour with lots of Merry Christmases all round. All the staff were wearing Santa hats!

So those of you worried by Voodoo's recent experiences, as I was, can be reassured that it is still business as usual in Surin....at least for renewals.
 
I went to the Surin office today to change my newly expired one-year licenses for five-year ones.

I was in and out of there, mission accomplished, in around 15 minutes, certainly no longer than 20.

They only checked that I had not, by some strange genetic mutation, gone colour blind since last year....no other tests. Everything was done briskly and in good humour with lots of Merry Christmases all round. All the staff were wearing Santa hats!

So those of you worried by Voodoo's recent experiences, as I was, can be reassured that it is still business as usual in Surin....at least for renewals.

I had the exact same results in April at Surin office, when I exchanged my 1 year license for the 5 year.
 
As it stands selective requirement to have or have not medical certificate for dl.

NANG RONG and SSK NOT required

Prasat and Surin IS required.

Score tied 2 all..
 
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After reading all replies it seems that it's situation normal.. It all depends on what office you go to and who you deal with at the counter when you check in, or who is in charge of that office at the time you go there.. I'm still as confused as ever about the whole thing.. Believe it or not I have 4 more shots at the road test before they give up on me.. I've come this far.. I might as well see the thing through and give it my best shot.. The only time I'll pay for anything is if or when I pass the road test.. They want me back there on Friday to have another go at it.. If he hasn't got something else on tap, I have a brother in law with a small pickup truck and I can use that for the test.. One thing I noticed at Nang Rong.. They did the bikes first, then the cars and the trucks came last.. When they did the cars they moved the cones in and made the box at bit smaller.. When it was time for the trucks you got the full box to work with.. I'm not even going to worry about the bike license.. At my age and the way things are on the road here, finding me on a bike here is about the same as finding a snowball in hell.. The only reason I took the test is , what the hell, they offered me a shot at it.. Again I'm only speaking about what I experienced in Nang Rong.. BTW is there a traffic office in Nong Ki?
 
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