Blogs on Teaching and Living in Thailand
Obtaining A Thai Driver's License
As an expat, you need to be 18 years old to have a driver's license. A Thai driver's license is valid in all ten ASEAN countries.
To take the written test for the driving license, it will take some time due to the cheer number of expats in these centers, especially in popular locations where most expats turn up. You need a copy of your passport, your visa, a medical certificate, which is easily and cheaply obtainable at any neighborhood clinic, and a copy of your international driver's license if you have one. This means that you don't need to take driving lessons in a car or on a motorbike if you are already in possession of an international driver's license!
It's often a two-day affair to get your license. Get a proof of residency with you, for this you will need to go to immigration to get them to validate where you're living. There are some forms to fill in of course. The test itself at the center will be a color-blindness test, it's very simple, plus a reflex test, a peripheral test and a depth perception test. There is a theory test you take and it's on a computer. This test I found hard to be honest, you need to get a good pass rate to get through that. This is one of the reasons I would recommend getting an agency because they'll show the questions that you'll be asked, not necessarily in that order, though. This was very beneficial for me as I would have otherwise failed. During the theory test, you'll have to answer several questions regarding the rules of the road in Thailand.
A Thai driver's license is renewed every five years. It took a friend of mine seven hours to get a residence certificate from immigration (2 trips in). Then 2 trips to the transport office to first book the appointment then the second trip to actually renew. In his words: "absolutely painful!".
Remember, An international driving license is accepted to drive on Thai roads as long as it is valid, but a foreign license isn't. If you are a resident and eligible i.e. you're an expat with a non-immmigrant visa in you passport, my advice is to get a Thai Driver's License and use a legit agency to help you prepare the paperwork, make apointments on your behalf and practice the theory test!
A two-year Thai driver's license will set you back at 300 Baht and a five-year one at 600 Baht. Ridiculously cheap, I'd say! Tourists can also get a Thai driver's license, but this I wouldn't recommend since taking your international driver's license to Thailand saves you a lot of extra hassle.
Some of you may wonder about the the practical driving test, well, not to fear any. This is probably the easiest and least stressful part. You will need to rent a car and drive a vehicle around a small track outside of the test center. you will be watched by an official from the Land Transport Office from a distance. You will have to demonstrate your driving skills by reversing between a set of poles, pulling up as close to the curb, parking etc. But trust me, it ain't nothing like in our homecountries where it is expected you show off your driving skills by driving through cities and on highways at full speed!
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Blog by Nigel Freedman
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Note that the author of the blog is expressing personal thoughts and musings, which do not necessarily reflect those of KruTeacher. Therefore, KruTeacher.com cannot be held responsible for any potential inaccuracies that may be present in the blog.