Can I buy and ride a motorcycle in Thailand with an International Driving Permit if I enter as a tourist?

To drive or lease a car in Thailand as a tourist or visitor it is necessary to have either a Thai driving licence or a valid foreign driving licence with a photograph. The foreign licence must either be in English, or be accompanied by an official translation into English or Thai. The licence needs to have been issued by a country that has a treaty with the Thai government allowing the mutual acceptance of driving licences. Most countries, including Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the USA have this agreement with Thailand under the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic or the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic. Those in doubt should contact their embassy for advice: Click here

An International Driver's License/Permit (IDL/IDP) is also valid in Thailand, and available from a government department or authorized auto club at a small expense. A foreign driving licence valid under the 1949 or 1968 Conventions qualifies the licence holder to apply for the IDL/IDP, and its holders may find that it is more often recognised and accepted by police and civil service officials. Beware of the many IDP/IDL websites that are not legitimate.

If the driver is not a tourist or visitor but is a resident with a non-immigrant visa, then it is necessary to have a Thai driver's licence. However, those with a foreign licence as described above or an International Drivers Licence are excused from doing the practical driving test when applying for a Thai driving license.

Note: Although International Driving Licences are valid for up to one year after arrival in Thailand, after three months many comprehensive insurance policies are made void if still driving on a foreign licence.

Licence holders may only drive the category of vehicle for which their licence is valid.

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For information about treaties recognised by the Department of Land Transport: Click

For bike ownership, you need only your passport and certificate of residency. But.... at MTT in Bkk you can't get CoR until you've been in the Kingdom at least 90 days and done your first report in person. For license, an IDP is fine, infact your local license is often also ok.

My experience in Pattaya recently. Got Thai licence for bike first used agent 1500 bht total. Payed small deposit to bike dealer get a reciept take that to immigration they give you certificate of residency go back to dealer buy bike show passport visa residency address good to go with temporary plate wait maybe 2 months for green book tax and goverment insurance and buy extra fully comp insurance for piece of mind.

Safetywing and Luma will honor their motorcycle insurance if you have a legit license in your home country. My IDP doesn’t do squat for me other than peace of mind. Agree with other commenter that getting a local license is optimal - IDP is better than nothing.

Get a license it's not difficult

Also make sure you have insurance.

when your there look at facebook pages in local area always people selling bikes just make sure the bikes got legal docs and your cushty mate

You just have to find the right dealer and maybe give him a little tea 🤑. Depends on where you're staying. I got my bike in Krabi without extra payments, proof of residency and other shit.

Just ignore the guys telling you no they know nothing.

You just need a residency from immigration, no problem with a tourist visa I bought mine in February.

You rent condo then have a TM30 - your own country lic and idp and you can do via agent or yourself. once have TM30 + licence can buy and get paperwork from seller then take green book to the traffic auth and put into your name. If buy from a shop they usually do for you for a small fee

Well you need to have a yellow house book and pink Thai ID card to buy a bike from a dealer. Yes you can ride here with an IDP.

Yes you can, as long as your IDP is endorsed for motorcycles.

Also, prepare for a ton of old people to start yelling about how dangerous the roads are in Thailand, how 1 million people a day die from motorbike accidents, you'll be automatically responsible for any accident that occurs even if your not involved, and health insurance. Oh they love to moan about health insurance.

Yes