How to Get Your Thai Driving License?

The Thai driving license is an essential document for everyday life. Obtaining a driving license is compulsory when you stay more than 3 months in Thailand. It is important to note that traffic conditions in Thailand are completely different from those applied on French roads. Also, the foreigner must try to get used to it on his own.

The route for the Thai driving license by equivalence

Obtaining a Thai driving license requires some fairly simple administrative procedures.

Medical visit

To begin, the candidate must go to a clinic, hospital or private medical office to have a medical examination. The driving license consultation costs nearly 200 baht and generally lasts around fifteen minutes if you do not have any proven imbalance that would actually prevent you from driving. The health professional issues a medical certificate at the end of the consultation. The validity of the medical certificate will be 1 month, because after this period, you will have to do it again.

Obtaining the “yellow tabien baan”

The candidate for the conversion of the driving license must present an administrative document which certifies that he lives in Thailand. This may be a letter of residence or a yellow Tabien Baan. Foreign workers can instead provide their Work Permit.

The yellow tabien baan is a certificate of residence mentioning the exact address of the person concerned. The administrative paper is issued by the town hall of the city where the person concerned is established. The list of necessary files varies depending on the capital. In general, the authorities require at least the following documents:

• Copies of passport pages + presentation of the original
• Copies of international driving license (recommended)
• Copy of residence permit + presentation of the original
• Lease contract or title deed with the exact home address

The foreigner must go to the town hall office with 2 Thai people with their national identity card. These two people will act as witnesses to certify that the person concerned actually lives at the address provided.

The time to obtain the yellow tabien baan varies from 10 days to a few months.

Immigration Service

Those who do not have a Work Permit or a yellow tabien baan must go to the Immigration Service office to request a residence letter.

The person concerned must provide:

• 2 identity photos (passport type) but not obligatory because your photo will be taken on site
• Copies of passport pages: identity page, visas, arrival card (+ presentation of the original)
• Document attesting that you reside in Thailand (lease contract, title deed, housing invoice)
• Application form completed in English or Thai (download from the Immigration Service website)
• Fees: around 200 baht
• Copies of important pages of the passport (identity, visa, Arrival Card) + presentation of the original
• Copy of French or international driving license (legalized by the French embassy) + presentation of the original
• Medical certificate less than one month old.
• Letter of residence
• Fees: 300 to 700 baht.

The document (generally in 2 copies) is sent directly, by registered letter sent to the applicant’s home address, within 2 weeks following the date of submission of the application.

Transportation Office

The Transport Office is responsible for issuing the Thai driving license. The application file includes:

A series of tests is planned by the Thai administration if your international license has not expired for more than 1 year:

• The test of recognizing the colors of traffic lights (on a machine or traffic light simulator)
• the reflex test (Simulator with brake pedal and accelerator in a chair)
• A one-hour video on distance perception and the ability to concentrate on driving and observing the environment. (You are in a room where people don’t even watch the video because it’s just a prevention video)
• Beyond 1 year of expiration of your international (or national) license you have additional tests: 5 hours of video and 1 questionnaire of 100 questions. (80% correct answers will validate your Thai license)

Those who fail the tests can retake them immediately by regaining a place in the long queue. Once the test has been passed, the candidate is photographed on site and must pay the tax of 200 baht. The Thai driving license is immediately issued. It is strongly recommended to go to the Transport Office office as soon as possible. The driving license service always receives a large number of applicants.

Validity of Thai driving license

The first Thai driving license is valid for 2 years. At the end of this period, you are invited to renew the document by providing the same documents as for obtaining the first Thai permit. The file will, this time, be accompanied by a copy of the expired 2-year license. You must also repeat the same tests: taking the test, taking a photo… The granting of the new driving license will be valid for 5 years this time. Thailand is a country where you have to be patient to obtain your papers but the license is produced on site immediately.

Steps to pass your Thai driving license

Foreigners who pass their driving license in Thailand must follow all the formalities provided for the conversion of the French license or the international license and provide the same administrative documents. To improve their knowledge, they must enroll in the coding course and take the coding exam.

Thai motorcycle license

The formalities relating to the conversion of a motorcycle license as well as the terms linked to the validity of the document are the same as the procedures established for the conversion of a car driving license. A driving test on a defined route is planned as part of the motorcycle license exam, for those who do not have a French or international motorcycle license. The Thai motorcycle license is valid in all ASEAN member countries. Helmets are mandatory for both passengers even if you see Thai people without helmets on the streets.

NB: If you want a car and motorcycle license, all the above documents must be provided in duplicate.

Upcoming change to driving license

Coming soon in 2018 without giving a precise date, you will have 15 hours of compulsory driving to complete. However, the problem is that currently there are only 95 driving schools in 60 provinces in Thailand that have been approved by the Ministry of Land Transport. The Transport Minister defended these proposed new requirements saying the ministerial regulation was a necessary and essential step towards improving driving standards in the country, in order to reduce road accidents. Thailand must meet international standards of conduct governed by the Moscow agreement.

Video risk reminder

Thailand is the second deadliest country in the world on the roads. Here is a video which shows you an impressive accident in Thailand. Filming in Phuket.

 

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