I am busy organisimg an international driving permit(IDP). Do the Thai traffic officers require the hard copy of the IDP or will a digital copy suffice?
Home country driving license from South Africa.
TIA
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TLDR : Answer Summary
In Thailand, it is generally advised to carry a hard copy of your International Driving Permit (IDP) rather than relying on a digital copy, as many traffic officers prefer physical documents. Personal experiences indicate that traffic officers may need to examine the hard copy closely, and they are known to sometimes temporarily take the IDP for further inspection. For those planning an extended stay in Thailand, obtaining a Thai driver's license might be beneficial, as it can help in interactions with local authorities.
From my own experience of traffic stops in Pattaya it is advisable to have a hard copy, because some officers need to move it around a bit to read it properly and also they sometimes wander off with it, but that being said if you plan to spend lots of time in Thailand I would advise get your Thai license, because for motorbike it's cheap and easy, on a tourist visa I did mine in March, total cost as I did myself was under 1k baht for just motorbike, car adds about 600 baht and I didn't end up needing to do the theory test, not sure why I didn't but not complaining, but if you want to go this option then first step is to go to the DLT and book an appointment, back in March they were booking for 3 weeks ahead so it maybe less now but still go do and they also give you a form with what you will need listed, I feel having a full Thai license would show officers that your not just a tourist so they may not try and ask for tea money as you probably understand the laws a bit,either way have a fun safe trip!
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