As usual on our next visit to Udon we will be staying at my wifes parents house. As I am considering applying for a Thai driving licence this time I will need to provide information about where I am resident ( I have a non immigrant type O visa). Obviously I dont pay rent or have a rental agreement so would the parents need to notify that I am staying at the house? I'm unclear about this rule as it applies to a spouse staying with family. Has anyone gone down this route recently?
John

I don't know for sure - no doubt one the experts will give you the correct answer but wouldn't it just be a case on get you put on Tien Bahn ( house list)

- good luck Skippy

Hi Skippy,
I dont think it's possible to have a foreigner registered on the house book. In the near future we (she ) will have our (her) own house and then I can get a yellow house book. Until then we just stay at the family home.
John

Is'nt there some rule about telling immigration where you are staying in LOS?
I put down the hotel I stay at in Bangkok for the first two days and do not update when I go to Chiang Mai.I am sure somebody will know.

From my own experience, I had to go to Thai Immigration Office to get a 'letter of permission' to have a driving licence. Here is where I established my address. The householder, in this case, my wife, confirmed to them that I was living at said address. Your wife's parents could do this. You need 2 passport photos and 200 Bt fee to obtain this letter. You then have to get a doctor's letter to say you are fit. You present these at local Driving Test Centre, along with your UK licence, and after sitting 3 basic reaction and judgement tests, and paying a further 105 Bt fee,you will be given a 1 year Thai Driving Licence. The next one is a 5 year licence. Also, if you have a Thai bank account, get the account address changed to your in-laws address, and this might be enough proof of your address, to immigration. I hope this makes sense. Good Luck!

Hi jhon
can confirm my licence was obtained in the same way as the above post, collected the documents and medical certificate on 1 day and went to driving test center the next day .

good luck

Thanks for the info people. I will get my father inlaw to go with me to the immigration office the morning after I get there to get things in motion.ddwjg thanks for the tip about the bank account, I'll get that done as well.
Cheers
John

Chaps,
My wife was looking into this for me recently and she found some info on the net that said you could present your UK licence at the legalisation department at Laksi for official translation then present at the driving test centre and a licence would be issued. No mention of addresses, doctors notes or otherwise. Sorry can't give specific details as it was a Thai government website all in Thai!

quote:

John_Tuk

for a short stay how about obtaining a international licence over here before you go?


International Driving Permit

£4 and easy to get

Here goes...... two important points.

1. Before you leave the UK, get an IDP (international Driving Permit) this contains your photo and need no translation.

2. When you fill in the TM card on arrival in Thailand, put down your in-laws address as the place you will be staying.


Every hotel and guest house has to notify Immigration of a new arrival, so it is very important to have a Thai household named as your primary residence.

Immigration will provide you with a 'Letter of Residence' (not permission) you have to be careful here, as they should only give them to foreigners who have 1 year visas or annual extensions....... this can also be obtained at the local Amphur, if they know how to do it, most don't.

You need to visit any small clinic, let them take your blood pressure and tap you on the knee, they will then give you a letter saying that you are not going to die tomorrow for 30Baht.

Take the Residency letter, the health check letter, your IDP, your wife, her Tabien Ban and her ID card to the local driving center..... they will then test you for colour blindness and your reaction speed using a device made on Blue Peter.

No need to take either the written or practical Thai driving tests.... not that you probably wouldn't pass them anyway, you would have to be blind or lame in all your limbs to fail.

Just to clear up a couple of earlier posts.

You cannot have your name on the Tabien Ban (Blue book) well, you can, but it takes years.

The letter of residence is free, but some offices do like you to grease the wheels.

Having a Thai bank account is of no benefit in this situation.


//edit/ forgot, get a few passport sized pictures. But these will still be the wrong size for the test centre, don't worry there will be a man next door who will do the right size

quote:

You cannot have your name on the Tabien Ban (Blue book) well, you can, but it takes years.

If you have a non-O, with a 12 month extension or two under your belt, you can get your own Yellow Tabien Bahn:



The rules state you must have lived in Thailand for a few years before you qualify for the above and, officially, there's a whole host of other major hoops to jump through before you can get one; but rules in Thailand can often be flexed if you offer the right blend of beans to the right person. Possession of a yellow tabien bahn eliminates the need for a letter of residence from immigration.

Failing that .....

quote:

The letter of residence is free, but some offices do like you to grease the wheels.

Again, technically, you should have a twelve month extension before they're obliged to provide you with this but, once again, a small contribution to the office pension fund may overcome such an obstacle (be very careful when dealing with immigration though; don't offer, only provide if asked.) You'll need the head of the household with you, together with their blue tabien bahn and ID card, as they need to sign a form granting you permission to stay there.

quote:

Before you leave the UK, get an IDP (international Driving Permit) this contains your photo and need no translation.

I did this, but it was a complete waste of time. My UK (credit card style) driving license was readily accepted by the police at all times and also by the local test centre to exempt me from the written and practical tests for a Thai license.

Here's my Thai one:

Some local Driving Test Centres have stopped accepting the address verification letters issued by Immigration and Embassies.
My own Dept of Land and Transport will only accept a letter from my local Amphur as proof of my address.
Great for me as it is the closest and cheapest(free)!