{"id":22071,"date":"2019-08-15T02:00:18","date_gmt":"2019-08-15T01:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saporedicina.com\/english\/?p=22071"},"modified":"2022-02-18T12:00:41","modified_gmt":"2022-02-18T11:00:41","slug":"driving-license-thailand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saporedicina.com\/english\/driving-license-thailand\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Get or Convert your Drivers License in Thailand"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Drivers<\/p>\n

\n

Drivers license in Thailand – Index<\/h3>\n
    \n
  1. Who can apply for a Thai license?<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. Why convert your license into a Thai one?<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. Necessary documents<\/a><\/li>\n
  4. The whole process<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n

    <\/p>\n

    In order to legally drive in Thailand, you need to have an international license recognized by the Geneva Convention of 1949<\/a>, or convert your home country’s license so that you can drive in Thailand. <\/p>\n

    In fact, according to local laws, no foreign license can be recognized as a legal document in the Thai state, and driving with a foreign license is prohibited.<\/p>\n

    If you have already been to Thailand<\/a> you probably know that most of the time when a local policeman stops a car or scooter driven by a local with a foreign license (not an international one!), they’re rarely given a ticket for not having an international or Thai license.<\/p>\n

    The same thing happens when you rent a scooter: you’ll almost never be required to show your license, and the few times that you are, they’ll even accept those from your home country. <\/p>\n

    This though doesn’t mean that it is recommended to drive with a foreign license, because if you get into an accident and don’t have an international or Thai license, your insurance won’t shell out a penny<\/a>. <\/p>\n

    At this point, if you don’t have the money to cover the expenses, they might even throw you into jail. <\/p>\n

    <\/strong><\/p>\n

    Who can apply for a Thai license?<\/h2>\n

    Those who have a single or double entrance tourist visa<\/a>, cannot apply for a Thai license, but they can use an international one, which you can apply for in your home country. <\/p>\n

    A Thai license can only be applied for by those who have a non-immigrant visa (here<\/a> you’ll find a list of categories of people who fall under this type of visa) or a work permit. <\/p>\n

    Obviously converting a foreign license into a Thai one is only done for the category of transportation of which you already have a license. Unlike other countries, in Thailand a motorbike license and an automobile license are two distinct documents. <\/p>\n

    Why convert your license into a Thai one?<\/h2>\n

    Besides the legal factor and the insurance coverage mentioned earlier, converting your license into a Thai one has a few important advantages: <\/p>\n