Reshape Your Next Holiday -Poll

[goji]

Choose one

[vnman]

Choose one

one what?

[goji]

one what?

When setting up a poll, it seems necessary to post the new thread and then AFTER that, one gets the chance to add the questions.

[vnman]

When setting up a poll, it seems necessary to post the new thread and then AFTER that, one gets the chance to add the questions.

Got it.

I voted. I had a Thai License for years but that is expired. I'm not getting a new one on this trip but I will get an international license from my country. Were it just for insurance purposes.

[Manforallseasons]

gogi, congratulations on actually starting a thread!!!

[goji]

gogi, congratulations on actually starting a thread!!!

During periods when one particular forum is dominated by high frequency trolls, I will typically choose to start threads elsewhere.

When that problem goes into remission, I'll adjust behaviour in response.

[christianpfc]

I have never hired a motorbike, I have no license, and I have no intention to ever ride a motorbike on my own. As a passenger I do only if there is no other choice. That amounts to about 100 km on a motorbike per year.

[goji]

Participation in this poll is slow, but we have:

3 Expats legally riding with with Thai licenses. (I presume these are expats, as one has to be resident in Thailand to get a license)
2 riding without a license.
1 riding with an overseas license.

[pong]

You forgot one quite likely option: as even I have done that a nr of times
In Thailand my only rides on a motocy were as a back-seater, as the local form of riding in a taxi
I guess der chris also refers to that

[daydreamer]

Expats legally riding with with Thai licenses. (I presume these are expats, as one has to be resident in Thailand to get a license)



Tourists have been allowed to receive a Thai driver's license for a number of years. I have read about this several times in the Phuket News. The following link explains that tourists are eligible to receive a two year Thai license. As for residency, a hotel address is acceptable, according to the Driving Licence Department. This info was provided to the Phuket News by the Chief of the Driving Licence Department at the Phuket LTO.

It's easier to just use an International Driving Permit along with your home country license, but tourists do have the option to obtain a Thai license. I don't know why the authorities in Pattaya don't make this known, given the large number of tourists that stay the winter months.

The linked article is from 2018, but I have seen the subject mentioned in the Phuket News several times in the past:

https://www.thephuketnews.com/no-special-temporary-driver-licences-for-tourists-67553.php

[Dodger]

Tourists have been allowed to receive a Thai driver's license for a number of years.]

Absolutely.

I had a Thai motorbike license for many years before I retired and became an expat. I used my room rental address on the application which was never questioned.

The only difference is that I had to renew it annually, where my license now has a 5 year expiration.

[gerefan2]

In the UK you can now visit any Post Office, present you driving licence and a photo and be granted an IDP in less than2 minutes.

Far preferable than the long winded procedure outlined in daydreamers link.

Of course this may not be suitable for long term expats but is,I think, infinitely preferable for “ tourists “.

[goji]

In the UK you can now visit any Post Office, present you driving licence and a photo and be granted an IDP in less than2 minutes.

I did this last month, ready for the next trip. £5.50. Thailand needs the 1949 version of the IDP, which is an old booklet that looks like it was designed in 1949 and everything they add is by hand or physical stamps.

Even though they stamped the motorcycle part, without a full motorcycle license at home, I doubt it holds much water. I was getting it for car hire.

As for getting a Thai license, I would think most tourists would be put off by reading the procedure. I read it takes several weeks as well. If that's true, then even for my planned long trip, I might spend half the trip to get the license, which would expire part way through the trip the following winter.
I imagine renewal is not easy either ?