cavanami Posted December 25, 2005 Report Share Posted December 25, 2005 http://www.idlicense.com/drlprice.asp # International Driver's License (Booklet & Plastic Card for 10 Year validity) - $85.00 This is a higher price than what I paid, but they are available for ten years. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 25, 2005 Report Share Posted December 25, 2005 I believe you'll find out that if you reside, full or part time as a visa holder, you need to get a Thai DL....IN realithy you are FAR better off with a Thai DL....the old hands will agree, I expect! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavanami Posted December 25, 2005 Report Share Posted December 25, 2005 Agree that a Thai DL is the best if you have a visa for Thailand. For me, the Intl DL is OK, as I only putt-putt on a motorscooter and I carry my "Bangkok wallet", which has only 40 Baht for any required "tea money" for the boys in brown. My friend here, driving a new Honda Civic or something gets a regular request for 500 Baht "tea money" and he has the Thai DL but the new car is the problem...he looks too rich! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.. Posted December 25, 2005 Report Share Posted December 25, 2005 cavanami said:http://www.idlicense.com/drlprice.asp # International Driver's License (Booklet & Plastic Card for 10 Year validity) - $85.00 This is a higher price than what I paid, but they are available for ten years. This is *exactly* what I referred to when I wrote: ...an "international DL" is nothing more than a translation of your existing home country DL and is worthless without that DL. And even more worthless in Thailand if you hail from an English-speaking country, as a DL in English is accepted for visitors to drive with at face value (meaning that no translation is necessary). Do not delude yourself that you have something special. It is exactly as described above! Cheers, SD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.. Posted December 25, 2005 Report Share Posted December 25, 2005 TabMule said:I actually live in two places so I keep as lic from the U.S. and Thai both. did try and get by with showing the coppers a Thai lic but was advinsed that if I hold a US produce it now... Suadum.....did you have to bring a med/residence paper for renewal. You must live in the zone covered by that office??? Head office 1032 Phaholyothin Road Lardyao, Chatuchak district. tel: 02-272-5322, 02-272-5493. Covers the districts: Pomprarb Satruphai, Samphanthawong, Patumwan, Bangrak, Dusit, Phayathai, Bangsue, Huay kwang, Bangkhen, Bangkapi, Don muang, Chatuchak, Din daeng, Lardprao, Saimhai and Rachathevee Before, my employer covered this so I never got involved. This latest one I did myself and since the previous one lapsed a few years back, it was a new issue. But I understand you do need the med cert & addy confirmation to renew. I could use two addys in Bangkok (Samphantawan or Bang Kapi), so both are covered by that office. I have rented cars in the US using my Japanese and Malaysian licenses with no dramas and would surely use my Thai license this trip to give to the coppers if ther were any issues while in the States. No sense in making the insurance go up for my wife or daughters if I get a ticket since I am on the insurance policy (highly unlikely for that to happen tho') . Cheers, SD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavanami Posted December 25, 2005 Report Share Posted December 25, 2005 When I checked with the US Embassy here in BKK last year, they said that my US DL was not valid in Thailand, thus the need for the Intl DL. Yes, the Intl DL is a translated DL but it is valid for use here in Thailand, if you are here on a tourist visa, not a resident visa. When I checked into the cost to actually get a Thai DL, it rang up to like $200 USD, with the medical exam, this form, that notorized, etc. Being a CHeap Charlie...I go for the Intl DL :: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavanami Posted December 25, 2005 Report Share Posted December 25, 2005 Interesting about using the Japanese/Malay DL to rent a car in the USA. I tried that once with my Taiwan DL and the gal at the counter freaked! I will have to give it another go...excellent idea to keep the insurance rate down!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.. Posted December 25, 2005 Report Share Posted December 25, 2005 US license was legal here back in the 90s when I had a lot of temp employees rotating in and out of country. Just not legal for a resident (duh!). And since it is in English, no need for a translation or IDL to get the Thai license. Have rented cars multiple times from Hertz & Budget at LAX and they did not even bat an eye! Just looked in a book that shows pix/translation of the license and took details from my passport. As easy as with a US license, but then again LAX gets a ton of Asian tourists, so I am sure they have seen them all before. You were highly mislead on the cost of a Thai DL. My costs were: Addy confirmation (notorized by US Embassy) - $30 or B1230 (one doc was good for both car & motocy licenses) Med cert - ~B150 from any Thai doc office (one good for two) DL fee - (forget the actual cost, but) no more than ~B400 ea Motocy rental for road test - B30 (my US license did not have a motocy endorsement) Taxi home-embassy-doc-Mochit office-home - ~B200 TOTAL - B2260 or US$55 for both (US$45 for just one). Cheers, SD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 25, 2005 Report Share Posted December 25, 2005 Teh auto is 105 Bt and motor bike like 50 Bt...very cheap...I would expect to save that in tea money alone. Not to mention the better shake you get off a crash or whatever when mototring on a thai Dl.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.. Posted December 25, 2005 Report Share Posted December 25, 2005 Thx. I knew it was cheap, but could not remember how much. The other prices were accurate tho'. Cheers, SD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.