Changing International license to a Thai license

[bigston]

Please advise if this extract from an Expat website is correct...

If you already have an international driver’s license, you can use it to get a Thai driver’s license at any Department of Land Transport.

All you need to do is to bring a signed copy of your passport, a medical certificate, and a resident certificate.

After that, they will ask you to do a few tests for color blindness, peripheral vision, reflexes, and depth perception, and then they will give you a two-year temporary driving license, which can be extended to five years after that.

Some Department of Land Transport offices may ask you to watch a video about how to drive in Thailand before giving you the driver’s license.

Thank You

[HHTel]

Firstly, there is no such thing as an International Driving License. It's an International Driving Permit which has to be backed up with the driving licence issued in your home country.

IMPORTANT: You must bring all of the following documents to the Department of Land Transport (no copies allowed):

Passport
Original driver’s licence from home country (in English language OR with an official translation certified by your home country’s embassy)
Proof of residence (work permit with residential address OR a certificate from either Thai Immigration or your home country’s embassy)
Medical certificate (no older than 1 month)

Upon applying for a Thai license, you will receive a temporary 2-year driving permit. After those 2 years, you must return to the Department of Land Transport in order to secure a regular driving license valid for the next 5 years.

[bigston]

Thank You.

[Robinhood]

Hi Bigston,

You probably have all the info you need, but there was another thread on the same subject I used in 2019.

viewtopic.php?f=44&t=37780&hilit=driving+license+2019

I was in the same situation as you then, but now I need to renew my temporary license and change to the five year one. I have a couple of supplementary questions.
1. Do you still need to take passport photos?
2. Are the Land Transport Offices open now. I heard there was a break for covid.
I plan to use the Ch-am office.

[joelle]

Firstly, there is no such thing as an International Driving License. It's an International Driving Permit which has to be backed up with the driving licence issued in your home country.

Although I agree with you, in France it is called "Permis international de conduire" International driving license
I suppose it depends on the countries as to what it is called

[KhunLA]

OP's example was my experience. Too easy. Told at DLT, in not having IDP, then I'd need to take the written & driving test. This in Udon Thani for my first 1 yr license. 5 yr on renewal, and same minor testing of eyes & reflexes (foot) along with watching vid.

[HHTel]

Firstly, there is no such thing as an International Driving License. It's an International Driving Permit which has to be backed up with the driving licence issued in your home country.

Although I agree with you, in France it is called "Permis international de conduire" International driving license
I suppose it depends on the countries as to what it is called

This is going to sound terrible especially talking with a French person, but in my simple schoolboy French, surely literally translated it means a 'permit' not a 'licence' which I believe is the same in French and English.

Reminds me of Peter Sellers in the Pink Panther movies - "Do you have a licence?"

[joelle]

Firstly, there is no such thing as an International Driving License. It's an International Driving Permit which has to be backed up with the driving licence issued in your home country.

Although I agree with you, in France it is called "Permis international de conduire" International driving license
I suppose it depends on the countries as to what it is called

This is going to sound terrible especially talking with a French person, but in my simple schoolboy French, surely literally translated it means a 'permit' not a 'licence' which I believe is the same in French and English.

Reminds me of Peter Sellers in the Pink Panther movies - "Do you have a licence?"

ok fair enough so in fact in France we don't have driving licences but only permits

[HHTel]

The things I do when I'm bored..... lol
Apparently, in France, originally you were required to have a 'Certificate of Competence' to drive a motor vehicle. This then changed to a 'Driving Permit' which today is generally accepted as a 'Driving Licence' without changing the wording.

We're both right. That doesn't change the requirement for an IDL/IDP to be backed up with a licence/permit from the issuing country.

[joelle]

The things I do when I'm bored..... lol
Apparently, in France, originally you were required to have a 'Certificate of Competence' to drive a motor vehicle. This then changed to a 'Driving Permit' which today is generally accepted as a 'Driving Licence' without changing the wording.

We're both right. That doesn't change the requirement for an IDL/IDP to be backed up with a licence/permit from the issuing country.

way before my time 1893 to drive in Paris and vicinity and "The certificate of capacity" was then extended to the whole of France on March 10, 1899, the maximum speed was at the same time increased to 30 km / h in the open countryside and to 20 km / h in town.
Pleasant evening to you

[HHTel]

I don't know about France but the first motors in the UK had to follow a guy waving a red flag!!!

And, NO, I wasn't around at the time!!

155 years ago, Lord Palmerston's Liberal government passed a law that, according to one writer, "effectively stopped innovation in powered road transport in Britain for over a quarter of a century". The Locomotive Act 1865 became known as the Red Flag Act, thanks to its extraordinary stipulation that any self-propelled road vehicle had to be preceded by a person walking at least 60 yards ahead, carrying a red flag.