Driving license in Thailand

If you would like to drive a motor vehicle in Thailand, you obviously need a driving license. In your homeland, you can apply to be issued with an international driving license. Unfortunately this driving license is temporally limited in its validity (e.g. 3 years for Germany). If you want to stay in Thailand longer, then you should request a Thai driving license with the "Department of Transportation". This authority is represented in the entire country.

In Bangkok: 1032 Paholyothin Road Bangkok 10900
Tel. 272-3100 und 272-3601-9 , Fax: 272-5343

You need the following documents:

• International driving license of the homeland
• Passport with Non-Immigration Visa
• Photocopies of the passport.
• Passport photos (approx. 35x35 mm)
• Health certificate (practical physician)
• Residence certificate (Consulate or Immigration)
  For this certificate by the Immigration you need:
  2 passport photos more. The price is 500 Baht. download form

The fees amount to 105 Baht for the driving license and 55 Baht for the motorcycle driving license. It is possible that a international driving license is required but also possibly a translation of the native driving license.

This driving license is only valid for one year!

Before this driving license expires, you should request a new driving license with 5 years validity. This improvement was introduced in the summer 2003. Please avoid renewing the driving license only once it has expired. In this case you would have to take your driving examination again.

For the driving license with 5 years validity you need:

• The old expired driving license
• Passport with Non-Immigration Visa
• Photocopies of passport
• 2 new passport photos (approx. 35x35 mm)
• Health certificate (practical physician)
• Residence certificate (Consulate or Immigration) download form

Whether the photos are really new photos is checked, by comparing the new ones with the archived old photos.

The fees for the driving license with 5 years validity amount to 505 Baht for the driving license and 275 Baht for the motorcycle driving license.

The driving licenses for motorcycle and motor vehicle are issued separately in each case.

The practical thing about the Thai driving license is that it is usually accepted as general personal identity papers, (like ID card). Therefore you can show that you wish to remain in Thailand permanently and thus avoid the elevated admission fees for tourists.

When driving a motor vehicle, you should under no circumstances rely upon the adherence to any traffic rules by other road users. Do not under any circumstances try to enforce your “right of way” rights. Sufficient driving experience and a good knowledge of the Thai way of thinking is a valuable thing when sitting behind the wheel in Thailand.

Starting from January 2002 Thailand introduced a point system for traffic offences. This is graduated depending upon severity of the offence with a point assignment between 10 and 40 points. If 60 points are given, a driving ban of 90 days is enforced. Drivers who receive the ban twice or more in the same year with the same offences, must participate in driver training.

In the future, the traffic police want to come down harder on drink driving and speeding. In addition, alcohol breath tests and radar pistols were purchased. Speeding can lead to a fine of up to 10,000 Baht. Drivers under the influence of alcohol can incur high fines, and in extreme cases, be sentenced to up to 3 months in prison. Drivers who are caught for similar offences twice or more in one year must take part in driver training.

Helmets are also a legal obligation for motorcycle drivers in Thailand. Motorcycle passengers must also wear a helmet. Certified motorcycle helmets are recognized by the initials TISI (Thai Industrial Institute of Standards) and have a certification number. Seat belt laws exist for car passengers. Adherence to these regulations is recommended for your own safety.

In Thailand it is also illegal to drive while speaking on a mobile phone.

See also the columns Police and Car Insurance

All data is provided without guarantee