Thai Driving License renewal 2019 to 2025

[berlinmichael]

The cynic in me wonders whether it was an attempt to purloin said uk license!!

I renewed my thai driving license at Pranburi about a month ago and had the reaction test and a test for depth of field of vision. I was not allowed to be accompanied by my wife (corona concerns) and have no spoken Thai, however, the staff could not have been more helpful and friendly. All over in less than 30 minutes

[PeteC]

I have a Thai drivers license from ages ago which is said to be good for life. In any event no one ever told me it's not on the rare occasions I've been stopped.

At this point in time I couldn't pass one of those "Pattern Book" colour tests if you paid me, at least for red and green. What do they do if you can't pass that test?

I can still see traffic lights with no problem, day and night so it doesn't seems to be a serious problem, just a problem with the test patterns with colours dispersed through them into a letter, number or shape that you have to identify.

[HHTel]

The issue of lifetime driving licences stopped in 2003 but still valid for those that have them. I was already living here and would certainly have got one then if I'd known.

Hindsight is wonderful!

[Big Boy]

At this point in time I couldn't pass one of those "Pattern Book" colour tests if you paid me, at least for red and green. What do they do if you can't pass that test?

The answer to that question is simple - this is Thailand. I think I mentioned when I renewed my licence there was a gentleman who could not pass the test. They simply found him an easier test that he could pass.

[PeteC]

Yes, it's rather strange. Although there may be others, Thailand seems unique in making colour tests part of the driver license examination.

[HHTel]

The answer to that question is simple - this is Thailand. I think I mentioned when I renewed my licence there was a gentleman who could not pass the test. They simply found him an easier test that he could pass.

That reminds me of a time when I was accompanying someone for their test. There was a guy on the Red/Green reaction test who just couldn't do it after multiple tries. Everyone else had gone off to watch the video. The operator, to get this guy through, called out in advance and counted down for the guy, 5-----4------3-------2-------NOW NOW!!

[hhinner]

The issue of lifetime driving licences stopped in 2003 but still valid for those that have them. I was already living here and would certainly have got one then if I'd known.

Hindsight is wonderful!

My licence was issued in 1995. No lifetime option available. I know people with lifetime licences but they had PR when they got them.

[lomuamart]

The cynic in me wonders whether it was an attempt to purloin said uk license!!

I renewed my thai driving license at Pranburi about a month ago and had the reaction test and a test for depth of field of vision. I was not allowed to be accompanied by my wife (corona concerns) and have no spoken Thai, however, the staff could not have been more helpful and friendly. All over in less than 30 minutes

Yes, it had occurred to me that someone might have been after a UK licence but the envelope was still at the check-in station maybe an hour after I'd gone upstairs. And it's an old, paper one with a plastic sleeve so maybe the lady simply didn't recognise it as a licence?

I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt on that point but I won't excuse her reaction and downright rudeness. I was happy to see that Thais in the queue were quietly laughing as I got the licence back. As my wife was helping with the discussion, there is no doubt in my mind that they understood how that check-in lady lost face to a farang. I just rolled my eyes and walked away.

[PET]

I am about to renew my 5 year DL and am confused as to whether I need a medical cert. When got my first 1/2 year license I did (at Pranburi) but when I changed it at Pranburi for a 5 year one they did not want a medical cert. Again when I renewed the next time at Cha Am they did not require it. Reading above it seems that it has been asked for so can somebody who has renewed this year confirm if a medical cert is needed. I think I will go to Cha Am again but Pranburi is much the same distance. Thank you

[Don East Stand]

Hi Pet,

I renewed my 5 year Thai license, about 3 weeks ago at Pranburi.

I'd went to the clinic on the opposite side of the main Phetchkasem road from Hua Hin hospital the night before to get the medical certificate. I was really pleased as it only cost 100 baht!

Anyway at Pranburi ...... I'm fairly certain (99%) that the lady helping me with initial enquiry indicated that I only needed the medical certificate for the ONE year licence.

Obviously I already had a 5 year licence, and wanted a 5 year one again. She appeared to discard the medical certificate and not put it along with my other documents.

Unfortunately the reason I'm only 99% certain is my hearing's not so good, although it's still better than my Thai language skills! To be fair the lady did speak good English when I could hear her.

So ..... in conclusion, I really don't think you need it, but for the sake of 100 baht? (I also got my blood pressure checked at same time )

[sateeb]

Renewed my 5 yr at Pranburi a couple of months ago, no medical certificate required.

The only thing different from my last renewal was that I showed up at opening time expecting to get it right away but now,unless you have an appointment the front desk will give you an appointment a few weeks ahead. Bit of a pain if you've travelled some distance.

[hhinner]

Go to this link then scroll down to see 5 year licence renewal.

https://www.dlt.go.th/en/two-year-license/

[PET]

Hi Pet,

I renewed my 5 year Thai license, about 3 weeks ago at Pranburi.

I'd went to the clinic on the opposite side of the main Phetchkasem road from Hua Hin hospital the night before to get the medical certificate. I was really pleased as it only cost 100 baht!

Anyway at Pranburi ...... I'm fairly certain (99%) that the lady helping me with initial enquiry indicated that I only needed the medical certificate for the ONE year licence.

Obviously I already had a 5 year licence, and wanted a 5 year one again. She appeared to discard the medical certificate and not put it along with my other documents.

Unfortunately the reason I'm only 99% certain is my hearing's not so good, although it's still better than my Thai language skills! To be fair the lady did speak good English when I could hear her.

So ..... in conclusion, I really don't think you need it, but for the sake of 100 baht? (I also got my blood pressure checked at same time )

Don
Did you need an appointment which Sateeb says he needed 2 months ago - so perhaps you can confirm this is no longer needed - thanks ?

[Don East Stand]

Hi Pet,

I did NOT have an appointment ........

I arrived about 10:30am and had missed the first group (8:30am I think) however the lady asked me to come back at 12:30

Perhaps a few months ago when they first opened back up they were being very careful etc hence the need at that time for an appointment?

So either go nice and early to catch first group, or get there in plenty of time for 12:30 session.

[hhinner]

I did the dl renewal at Pranburi yesterday. I had been to Pranburi dlt 3 weeks ago to do annual car tax and the driving licence section was very busy. They were not allowing people to go upstairs (where the dl section is) unless they had an appointment.

So last week I made an appointment using the dltsmartqueue app. I also did the online elearning video.

I was in and out in less than half an hour. It would have been faster if I hadn't had to go outside to do the required copies, and therefore had to get a new queue ticket.

Once at the counter things moved quickly. Documents checked, application form printed and signed, colour sight checked (each counter position has a pack of Ishihara cards) and money paid (505 baht for 5 year car licence).

Then a short wait for photo counter and another short wait for the newly printed, still warm, licence. Finished.

5 years ago there was a fee for the photo and licence printing, but that no longer supplies.

Benefit of the smart queue app? None that I could see as it wasn't at all busy so the appointment wasn't even checked, though when I used the app it did show some days fully booked. There are none fully booked at Pranburi as of today.

Benefit of doing the e-learning video at home? When you do the video at home you get a certificate to show it's been done. Either print this or have a screenshot on your phone. When you show this you don't have to sit through the video at the dlt. You also don't have to wait for the video show time.