Driver license appointments suspended

Wow that's great news. Mine expired on January. I also have everything done but I didn't want to go to the crowded DMV. Until I get my shots.

Is there a benefit to having a Thai drivers license? I have been pulled over many times and always showed my Colorado license and it has always been accepted.

I'm not a Thai citizen if that matters. I got an international license this time but have not been pulled over yet to use it

International driver's licenses are fine. Police seem to respect them more than a Thai driver's license. Not sure why, but I have my ideas. I wouldn't get a Thai driver's license if you already have an international one. Of course, I haven't been pulled over for years so it's hard to say what has changed if anything.

If you country dont have a agreement with Thailand about drivers license.
Then it is not valid.

International Driver license is only valid for 90 days per entry.

So if you stay longer the 90 days, You ned to get a Thai driver license.
This is very clear in the law.

If no valid license then Insurance might not pay out if you in a accident.

Some benefit with a Thai License is:

Can use for check in hotel, To fly inside Thailand.
Can get you in many place for Thai price at entertainment, event, Park and so on.

Many people have gotten of with no fine show home country driver license.
And there is many reason why that might be.

They think it valid here.
Not sure about, And dont want to lose face by asking.
Dont really care about it.
And i am sure many other reason.

Kindly.

Hi guys,

My license was expired since June 2020 and yes they expended the delay for renewing it for a year (I didn't come TL for 2 years).
I am back to TL since 2 weeks and went to the admin to renew it. Took 10min (actually it was empty because officially cannot get appointment as farang). Payed a bit more than the usual fee and got license renewed 5 years


Concerning if thai license is useful or not I can't say, got controlled once in 10 years, they saw farang driving and didn't even discuss and let me go, guess they didn't want speak english.

Good luck guys

I have heard that if your drivers license is expired and you get caught you pay 500 baht fine. I've been here 8 years and never got pulled over. When they see am white they wave me though. Very few police can speak English. But I obey the laws better than most Thai people do anyway.

JayEsCee wrote:

International driver's licenses are fine. Police seem to respect them more than a Thai driver's license. Not sure why, but I have my ideas. I wouldn't get a Thai driver's license if you already have an international one. Of course, I haven't been pulled over for years so it's hard to say what has changed if anything.

Funny, I have been driving here in Thailand for more than 20 years,2 motorcycles and a car and have never shown my Thai license to the police. I guess it is only good if you have accident. When you live in northern Thailand as I do, the police don't stop you as much as the big cities.

I think the police stopping you and asking to see your license only really happens in Bangkok. The only times I can remember it happening was in Bangkok before 2002. So, 20 years is a long time so I might be out of touch, but when I drive outside of Bangkok I've never gotten pulled over.

Happened to me near Hua Hin. BKK plates on car. Random stop check (No MTO).  Showed Thai licence / insurance. AIO. Six plus BIB at road check. Complied with request to wind down windows / look in back of car. Refused search request.
Things got heated until I informed them I was a retired UK Officer. Showed my IPA identity. (Shouldn't have to).
Stopped car a few hundred metres down road and found a silver foil wrap in the rear footwell.....planted by you guessed it BIB. Outraged!
My advice video record every interaction with RTP.

Nothing exciting like that ever happens to me. They were clearly looking for drug smugglers or illegal alien smugglers. Can you imagine a country that actually calls illegal aliens...well,...illegal aliens? I have seen those random stops by police looking for Burmese smugglers in Tak or Mae Hong Song, but once they saw a farung in the car they just let me go and never asked to see anything.

JayEsCee, I wouldn't call been set up with a drugs plant exciting at all. It was and is downright criminal, corrupt and dishonest behaviour by RTP. They were imho looking to score a quick 20k bonus for their tea fund.
Another corrupt practise I'm aware of up country...when you fill your tank with gas. The attendant places a small package behind your filler cap. One drives down the road and low and behold RTP stop you and find said package. Demands for cash or threats of arrest are made until you pay up. Remedy always get out and check your filler cap before you leave a strange petrol station. (Try not to punch the attendant if you find something as he / she has friends in RTP).