How to get a Thai driving license in Pattaya 04/08/2009
If you wish to drive legally in Pattaya and throughout Thailand you can obtain an international driving license/permit, normally from your country of residence, but if plan on staying longer than 3 months you are better advised to get a Thai driving license. This is due to certain insurance companies stipulating in their small print that you are not fully covered unless you have a full Thai drivers license. Don’t be put off though, it is quite easy to get a Thai driving license in Pattaya. Having a Thai drivers license has other benefits as well, you can use it as i.d, and you can get some discount entrance prices in some of the tourist attractions.
What do i need to get my Thai driving license.
- The legal age at which you can apply for a Thai drivers license is 18.
- You must be of sound mind and body.
- Your international drivers license, or your original driving license.
- You must have a non immigrant visa, (you can not get a Thai driving license with a. tourist visa)
- Passport with visa inside, or a work permit if you have one, better with both.
- A letter from immigration ‘Jomtien Soi 5’ to verify your address, or from your embassy, letter must not be older than 30 days old, you will need to take with you a rental agreement, utility bills or anything you can which includes both your name and address. The more the better.
- Signed copies of your passport front page, visa page, entry stamp and T.M. card, (arrival & departure card)
- A doctors certificate (not more than 30 days old) you can get this from any clinic, just tell them you are applying for a Thai driving license
- 2 recent 1″ x 1″ passport photos (you can get them outside ), you actually may not these now due a new digital system they have, but take them anyway.
- It is a good idea to take Thai person along with you to translate the paperwork and instruct you with the tests..
Where in Pattaya do i get my Thai driving license
You get your Thai drivers license from the Eastern Verification Center. (Open Monday – Friday 0830 to 1600)
As well as issuing Thai drivers licenses they deal with vehicle registration, road worthiness and taxation etc.
Go north on the sukhumvit highway, after about 8 kilometers you will see the overpass on your right, here you turn right underneath the overpass, this takes you onto highway 36 heading to Rayong. Go 9 or 10 kilometers down the 36 and you will see the school of the regents on your right hand side. At the next ‘u’ turn, turn around back in the direction of the school, just a few meters after you pass the school on you left you will see a road, turn left along this road and go for 2 -3 hundred meters until you see the photo copying booths and small cafes on your left, the licensing center is immediately on your right. You apply for your Thai drivers license upstairs.
See a map get directions to the Eastern Verification Center
- You will be required to sit and watch a video introducing you to the Thai highway code and Thai driving regulations. You may have to do some basic colour blind, depth perception and reflex tests.
- The cost your first Thai driving license, at the time of writing is about 300 Baht for Thai Car driving license, 200 baht for Thai motorcycle driving license. Your first Thai driving license is valid for one year, where after you will receive a five year Thai drivers license upon application.
- If you do not have either an international driving license or your original driving license you will have to do both the theory and the practical driving tests.
- If you want to apply for a Thai motorcycle driving license, the same rules apply, you must already have the correct license, otherwise you will have to do the theory and the practical driving test.
Good luck to you and remember to keep your cool while you are applying for your first Thai driving license, then go and enjoy the benefits of having a Thai driving license in Pattaya.