buksida wrote:You definitely do not have to pay for the proof of residence letter at our local cop shop, that said I don't live in Hua Hin!
When I obtained my 1 year licence at Pranburi a few months ago, I asked what I needed to take when I renewed to a 5 year licence. The answer was that I would need exactly the same as I had taken for my first licence, which is basically in accordance with Sateeb's post.
However, the proof of residence certificate costs about 300 Baht from immigration.
I'm not being offensive to Thais...unfortunately wherever one travels around the world you will come across dimwitted clerks who, when they don't know the Regs will make up their own. Best to be armed with the correct paperwork and politely point them in the right direction. I am happy to report that in most of my dealings with low level civil servants I have been satisfied.
“Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.”
― George Carlin
“The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those who speak it.” -George Orwell.
Unfortunately, this incurs an element of losing face. I've tried to quote web pages several times, both at the Thai Embassy in the UK, and here in Thailand. The answer has always been the same - Internet is wrong.
Nanyang, Mr Plum - this thread is about Drivers Licence renewal. Not who is the most intellectually challenged. Kintergarden posts have been consigned to the bin.
I renewed mine (5 year licence) a little while ago. It was almost one year past the sell by date. Duly obtained the medical ("You feel okay?" which was the extent of my medical), got the proof of address from immigration and all the pranburi office wanted was my old licence and my passport. In and out in less than half an hour!
What the OP mentioned is not a police report. It's proof of address. You can get it at the main police station for 1000 baht or you can go to immigration. The difference is that at the immigration office you have to show paperwork about the house (either proof of ownership or other papers if you rent), while at the police station they won't ask you for anything. Just tell them your address and they'll give you the paper. And yes, the paper is valid and will be accepted as proof of address when you go in to get/renew your license.
HHTel wrote:I renewed mine (5 year licence) a little while ago. It was almost one year past the sell by date. Duly obtained the medical ("You feel okay?" which was the extent of my medical), got the proof of address from immigration and all the pranburi office wanted was my old licence and my passport. In and out in less than half an hour!
So there was no 2+hours listening to some 'instructions' in Thai ?
Courage is grace under pressure and when circumstances change you change your mind.
PET wrote:So there was no 2+hours listening to some 'instructions' in Thai ?
Definitely not when I picked up first licence a couple of months ago. In and out in about 30 minutes - mind you, I think I was fortunate. I timed it just right (coincidence, not planned) to go straight in for my reaction test, which only happens a couple of times a day.
Got my 1 year Drivers License. 500 Baht at Immigration for address verification, same for my wife. They did give me two copies for my 2 wheeler license at no additional charge.
I wouldn't have to manage my anger if people could learn to mange their stupidity!
For my first 5 year licence on expiry of the initial 1 year, Immigration wanted to charge me for 2 residence letters, for car and motorbike licences. Rip-off given they don't actually change anything, so I paid for one and photocopied it. The nice people at the Cha Am driving centre weren't in the least bit interested.
Given I'm in rented accommodation it was a real difficult job getting Immigration to type the letter in the first place. Rental contract and bills in my name insufficient and literally thrown back in my face. I had to plead that the owner and yellow house book were both overseas, so it was impossible for me to go and get them. Then having won that battle I was told that their letter could not be addressed to Cha Am driving centre as I lived in Prachuap Khirikhan so had to go there. This despite me showing my old 1 year licence issued in Cha Am with my same Hua Hin address on the back! So I just asked politely and got a grunted "up to you" back at me.
Probably the worst experience in Immigration I've had in all my time here. But anyway, only had to do the sight/reaction tests at Cha Am, photo taken then away I went. No painful videos to sit through either time I've been there. And they gave me a motorbike licence when technically I should have sat a test. Hence I recommend Cha Am every time. Medical certificates taken on both occasions but nothing said as to whether I needed them both times or not.
Noz wrote:For my first 5 year licence on expiry of the initial 1 year, Immigration wanted to charge me for 2 residence letters, for car and motorbike licences. Rip-off given they don't actually change anything, so I paid for one and photocopied it. The nice people at the Cha Am driving centre weren't in the least bit interested.
Given I'm in rented accommodation it was a real difficult job getting Immigration to type the letter in the first place. Rental contract and bills in my name insufficient and literally thrown back in my face. I had to plead that the owner and yellow house book were both overseas, so it was impossible for me to go and get them. Then having won that battle I was told that their letter could not be addressed to Cha Am driving centre as I lived in Prachuap Khirikhan so had to go there. This despite me showing my old 1 year licence issued in Cha Am with my same Hua Hin address on the back! So I just asked politely and got a grunted "up to you" back at me.
Probably the worst experience in Immigration I've had in all my time here. But anyway, only had to do the sight/reaction tests at Cha Am, photo taken then away I went. No painful videos to sit through either time I've been there. And they gave me a motorbike licence when technically I should have sat a test. Hence I recommend Cha Am every time. Medical certificates taken on both occasions but nothing said as to whether I needed them both times or not.
I've previously posted recommending Cha Am driving centre, so good to see that others have a similar experience. When I went for my first 5 year licence there were no tests at all, just had to provide the relevant paperwork and money.
I too would recommend the Cha'am driving centre; the only problem is that they do not have a photocopier there so if you have forgotten anything you need to drive back to the market where there is a shop that does photocopying.
please
