Where to get a driving licence

Where can I get a driving licence and what paperwork do I need? Someone told me I need to go out of town???

I'd like to know too...

The licensing place is a fair way out of town. You need to turn left at the Benjama intersection. Proceed about 5-6 km, and look for one of those gaint police helmets on the right hand side. It's up the nearest street to that helmet. It's quite a busy intersection. It's an official government looking building about 200-300 meters off the main road. Unfortunatley there is no English writing, so most foreigners who go there find it a bit of an adventure. Be prepared before you go, though. You need, photo copies of your work permit, passport, doctor's medical clearance, your driver's license from your original country (if you have one), and if possible, an interpreter, because no one speaks any English. Even though they take your photo there, I'd still play it safe and take 3 one inch photo's as well. Lunch is between 1200 -1300 and the office is closed during that time. If you are getting a license for the first time they will usually only give one for one year. After that you can get a 5 year one. I hope this helps. Bare in mind that it's been a while since I've been there, and I'm not 100% sure that the gaint helmet is still there.

You will also need a letter available from Immigration showing proof of where you live. This letter will need to be signed by the landlord of the property.

Good luck. I think I have a year or so left before I need to renew mine and I'm not looking forward to it after the carry-on last time.

Just renewed after my last 5yr one expired last month.

For renewal, you'll need for each licence applied for (motorcy/car):

Copy of main Passport ID page
Copy of current visa page
Copy of last extension in WP
Copy of main WP ID page
Medical certificate (Christian Hospital, B65)
Current Driver's Licence from home country (if you don't have one, you'll do a test)
Letter from your place of work (signed by Principal/boss)
Have original passport/WP/DL so they can look at it if need be.

and that's it.

Best to arrive before 9:30 am, go to counter No3 on the ground floor and then follow the flock.

Expect the whole process to take around 2 - 3 hours.

Just as an aside, when I got my original I didn't need WP (copies or original), Medical Cert., letter from my employer or my landlord. Your millage may well vary. Also, I must have chosen a good day because I was out in less than one hour. I think the cost was @ 250B.

Yes, it probably does depend on the day and whether the staff had a good night the night before .....

Those are only guidelines for those who want to renew.

Sister in law had a boyfriend working there, she didn't even have to go! A couple of times ago when I went there, I was dragged into the A/C office and treated like someone special.

This time, even after driving from over 30 years, I and the others had to watch a safety video and have an eye test. Haven't had to do those before.

Cost was B960 - Motorcycle and car licence for 5 years.

it is a good thing to get in this country.. if,, you do have an accident this will help you alot..
if you have a licence already.. just pop down to this place and they wil issue you with a 1 year licence.. you only have to do a few tests.. which are very easy.. e.g. what colour is that? line up two poles and a brake test.
not rocket sicence../

Gold member wrote:it is a good thing to get in this country.. if,, you do have an accident this will help you alot..
if you have a licence already.. just pop down to this place and they wil issue you with a 1 year licence.. you only have to do a few tests.. which are very easy.. e.g. what colour is that? line up two poles and a brake test.
not rocket sicence../

When you renew the first annual licence you are then given a choice, 1 or 5 years.

time for me to go and get one... Since i am going up north next month...driving my pick up...

Maybe I can chip in with a slightly different experience on this topic. It does appear to depend on who you see, and what documents you take.

Last year I got my "temporary" car license (a 1 year car license). I took photocopies of WP, Passport, UK license, and a medical certificate.
They made me do 2 reflex tests and a colour test. They then asked me to drive my car past their window so that they could see me drive.
Cost was about 100 baht for the license and 150 baht for the photo they took.

Went a few weeks ago to get the renewal (5 year license).
Again copies of WP and passport, along with a medical cert were required. This time they were not interested in my UK license (even though I printed off a booklet that explained all the driving codes etc). "You have a Thai license now, thats all we need", was what they told me.
I was directed to a room where they were watching a safety movie (all in Thai), and the lady handed me a Thai version of the highway code (multi-lingual version). She said their would be a test after the video (there wasn't).
I was then directed to drive round to the test circuit and observe others until I felt confident enough to do it myself.
Many were failing! Why? for not wearing their seatbelts (having just watched the video on it!).
Others failed for not stopping at the stop sign, and being unable to drive along a straight line - beggers belief really.
You have to wait for the official to signal you to go at the stop sign - so just sit there and wait.

After about 5 mins of watching, and the que had gone down, I jumped in the car, wound down the windows and fastened my seat belt.
A 1 minute drive around a tiny circuit (drive between some cones, then reverse out again etc), I was finished.

Back at the counter, the head officer came and applolgised to me for making me do the driving test.

Basically, if you already have a full license (UK seems to be very well received), then its just a case of jumping through a few hoops to please em. They are well aware of the testing standards that we have to go through back home (not sure about other countries but UK is now about 5 tests).

She did hint at their being more changes in the future - such as a license for automatics only (same as uk).

Just remember, seatbelt and follow the line..... and take your time!

They never asked for any letter from the school or rent etc.
Address is in your WP, I figure thats enough.

i walked inn there at 1140, was ushered into the big boss and she glanced at my papers (work permit/passport) and then i paid 500b...
I sat down to flirt with the women and after 5 min i took my picture...

I was out of there at 1200 sharp... What are you guys doing in there?

Am i that ugly? And you that handsome?

Snowflake wrote:i walked inn there at 1140, was ushered into the big boss and she glanced at my papers (work permit/passport) and then i paid 500b...
I sat down to flirt with the women and after 5 min i took my picture...

I was out of there at 1200 sharp... What are you guys doing in there?

Am i that ugly? And you that handsome?

Hit the nail on the head there I think.

Paying 500b might have had something to do with it, think I paid 350b for the lot.
Also, due to some of my more obvious physical features, they were unsure of my ability to drive - despite holding a UK license for so long.
In my case, I guess they were just covering their backs.
I once again made a point of reverse parking right outside their office while they were watching. Impressed? I should say, her office is on the 3rd floor!

Also, depends when you got your license, apparently these are new rules they are working to.

It was quite busy when I arrived - lots of people taking/failing/retaking their test.
So, as stated, get there early.

Bottom line is, if you already hold a full license from you home country then you should have no problem getting a Thai license.

best to go at 11.30am before lunchtime ,, this meens they will put you through the system and you will be finished within 1 hour.. easy peasy , lemon squeezey..

hear hear...
Be there before lunch, then you can take them all out and forever be in their good books...

For renewal, you'll need for each licence applied for (motorcy/car):
.
.
.
.

Current Driver's Licence from home country (if you don't have one, you'll do a test)

Even if you have had a Thai driver's license for 5 years you still have to take a test to renew?

up country wrote:

For renewal, you'll need for each licence applied for (motorcy/car):
.
.
.
.

Current Driver's Licence from home country (if you don't have one, you'll do a test)

Even if you have had a Thai driver's license for 5 years you still have to take a test to renew?

At the moment, I think it is down to their descretion. But, the big boss woman did say there would be many changes in the licensing very soon and some form of test may be involved. Actually, a good idea in my opinion. Although she got her license a number of years ago, she who must be obeyed did not know what a yellow box junction was or how it works - I had to show her the one near Ocean before she realised what I was talking about.

I guess us "qualified" drivers will be ushered through another door when the time comes. They only made me redo the test for physical reasons
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She was physically attracted to me!