Hi guys. I was about to rent a motorcycle but was told I shouldn't do so as there are regular police checks to see if farangs have an international drivers licence, which I don't. Is it true about the checks? I was going to rent the bike anyway, but thought it might be worth getting some information from any of you who ride a bike in Pattaya.
arsenal (January 6th, 2020)
I rent a bike every time I am in Pattaya. I have a UK bike licence and an International Driving Permit also for motor bikes. I have probably been stopped about 4 times in the last two years and show the licences and drive on.
If you don’t have a licence then you are usually fined a small amount (about 400 baht) and nothing more is said.
The only inconvenience is that you have to go to the Police Station on Soi 9 (I think) to pay it. In the mean time they keep the bike until you return with the receipt.
Yes there are a lot of police check points but they are usually always in the same place. The favourites are the junction of Pattaya Tai and Second Road (where the Song Tows queue up near Boyztown) and at the top of the hill on the main road to Jomtien.
They used to often stop you near Tukcom but I haven’t seen them there for a year or two.
Maybe Arsenal will be along soon as I believe he also rides a bike and is often fined!
Having been the recipient of many a fine as outlined above and I can confirm that if stopped then yes it is much easier and you are expected to wave an international drivers permit / licence at them and then you are simply waved on - BUT - I should add a few caveats to that :
1) An international drivers licence / permit is just simple admin and is just basically someone in the post office here confirming that you do have a valid licence in this country, nothing more than that. There's no test to take or any thing like that.
So, if you're in the Uk ( or I guess any Country ?) you simply go to your main post office and I think for around £8? they can provide you a permit instantly over the counter while you wait. You just need to bring two passport photos and your UK licence fill out the form they'll give you when there. Depending on how easy going the post office staff member is thats serving you there is from memory a section where it's meant to be stamped by the police or something ( maybe in the Country your intending to drive or something, sorry I cant remember what it said on the form just now) BUT in all my years I've never yet ACTUALLY had had that carried out and the staff member ( who usually couldn't care less anyway) just stamps all the required boxes for me.
2) BUT more important / the most important point for when it REALLY matters (i.e if you've had a accident etc) IF in the UK you do NOT hold a full MOTORBIKE licence then your international drivers permit does NOT cover you to driver a motorbike when overseas anyway !!! So if you have a serious accident and that fact is checked it could end up having serious repercussions for you insurance wise etc - so if you do do the quick and handy post office get a permit thing just be aware that you still actually aren't licensed to drive a bike if you dont hold a UK bike licence here in the first place away !!
That being said IF all you care about is being quickly waved through the average Thai police check point then the international licence will be fine. I've also gone through a few times on just my usual UK car drivers licence and whilst the police did start to flap a bit about "ahhh your licence not show bike code" I put up enough of a "oh nonsense of COURSE that licence covers me" that he gave up his quest for his "fine" and just let me go with a dirty look and nothing more said as I think he just couldn't be arsed arguing the point ( which he would have won ultimately).
My own annoyance is that usually even after me going to the trouble of getting my permit in tadvance of my trip and carrying it to Thailand, I STILL end up forgetting to put it inside my bike seat and so when I get stopped I end up having to do the whole "yes officer I DO HAVE a licence BUT it's in my hotel room" and you can just imagine how far I get with THAT line in Thailand ! That then usually resorts in me either having to "ask for help" OR if the police man is a particularly nasty piece of work I just say "no, fuck ya, just write me the ticket mate !" and then have to go to Soi 9 to pay it. But as Gerefan has pointed out by the time you go on the motorbike taxi ( which funnily enough is sitting right there parked up and waiting to take you) then you pay the driver for his TWO JOURNEYS that he charges you for and then fine, if can be an expensive and inconvenient "fuck you" - but as I'm on holiday and doing nothing else usually then just sometimes it IS worth it just to ensure the fucker that pulled you over in the first place doesn't get what he stopped you for going into his own pocket.
Also dont forget that if you get your ticket then that's you covered for 24 hours as you cant get a ticket again in that 24 hours for the same offence and if stopped again just wave the existing ticket at them and you're on your way.
Accordingly much easier of course just to go to the post office before you go and pay the few quid for your permit, which is as I said purely nothing more than basic administration process anyway. Have two say that for me it's usually little odds as even on the rare occasion that I DO have my licence in my bike I've then usually inevitably forgotten to put my helmet on and end up getting pulled and fined for that anyway ! lol
goji (January 6th, 2020)
As the IDP is only valid for one year I have to go to the nearest issuing Post Office to get one. This used to involve a 30 mile return journey and all that Nirish has described.
HOWEVER when checking last month I discovered that ALL post offices near me now issue them,so my 30 mile drive is reduced to 5!
In addition there is now no form to fill in. Just hand the guy your UK licence, a pic and £5.50 and it’s all done in less than 5 minutes.
I was gob smacked!
I have since read that the AA and the RAC no longer issue them, so maybe that’s why all my local POs do.
So nowadays there’s really no excuse for not getting one and it certainly avoids a lot of aggro in Pattaya.
HA ! You and me both as after years traipsing the 50 mile round trip to Belfast and having to "hope" that the staff at the desk played ball with the forms I finally discovered just last year that my local post office 5 minutes from my office, with my local post mistress who'll stamp anything I hand her in a heartbeat also can issue the bloody things ! I'm guessing / hoping that this is actually a recent change and that my previously long trips went me just being bloody thick !Originally Posted by gerefan2
I do look forward to your fascinating trip reports
you all must rent a bike with insurance.
I would be worried about getting an imaginary scratch or getting bike stolen.
dinagam (January 6th, 2020)
I have never been offered, told to get, or voluntarily bought any insurance. No police man has ever asked to see it . I doubt any Thais have bike insurance. I have no idea how you would go about it anyway.
You have to leave 1000 baht deposit against damage, which in my case has always been refunded. Quite what would happen if you did more than1000 bahts worth of damage I have no idea!
TiT
You want a report about every “bike” I have ridden inThailand? Pervert.
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