What are the new driving license regulations for foreigners in Thailand's Chonburi District?

Ride4Kickz just did a YT video. Rayong office will issue 5yr renewal if on a non o. It’s just any visa that total validity is less than 1 yr gets 2 yrs.

The American lawyer with the pancake shop was getting all worked up over this in a recent video.

Same in Chiang Mai. And because the DTV requires a departure after 180 days or a extension, they only do a 2-year license on that Visa also. Not my first choice, but very reasonable.

will also apply to those on retirement/marriage visas/marriage . When you get your extension approved there is less than 1 year left on that. visa

Let's all hope this is just a typical case of a “Lost in Translation” error by a Thai authority.

"if you have a visa for less than one year"???

Perhaps they meant "if you have been issued a stay permit of less than one year" ?

It's typical of a mistranslation because this DLT text, just like the "technical jargon" of the Thai immigration authorities, contains typical INCORRECT technical English:

After you entered Thailand, you don't stay in their country “on a visa". You have gotten stamped in a "stay permit".

As soon as you use the correct term "your stay permit" instead of the incorrect term "your visa," the entire meaning of the sentence changes. 😂😎😂

Perhaps they meant, instead:

*** "As long as you have a one-year stay permit", everything is fine and you can extend your driver's license for five years.

The previous rule was that you were only issued a two-year extension if you had a stay permit issued for "less than one year" –

e.g. - if you entered either visa-exempt, on a 60-day tourist visa, on a METV, on a DTV, or on a 90-day Non-Immigrant visa – and had not yet received a one-year extension of your stay permit.

In that case, the two-year extension would be appropriate.

let's all hope that this is just a typical "Lost in Translation" example of a Thai authority.

“a visa less than one year” ???

Maybe they mean, as long as you are on a "1-year stay permit", you can get a 5-year renewal.

As this DLT text, same as Thai Immigration, contains the typical WRONG technical English - you are in their country not on a "visa" but on a stay permit.

So maybe they wanted to say: As long as you got a one-year stay permit, you are good.

Let's hope they wanted to say, if you are still on a stay permit that was issued for less than one year (like when you have entered visa exempt, on a METV, on a DTV, on a 90-days Non-Imm-visa class - and not yet got a one-year extension of the stay permit issued, you can only get a 2-year renewal

How are rules not applied evenly across all districts?

I could only get a two yr renewal on my 60 day visa exempt.Had to watch two identical videos,one for car and one for motorbike and answer the questions which were all in Thai but no problem ,the staff answered them for me.Also had to do the brake test,colour test,periphery test and judgement test with the two poles.ohh and a medical certificate

seems Thailand is getting very difficult for foreighners, I am sure many will go to other countries which are more welcoming, perhaps Vietnam, sad because Thailand will be the loser

I read they were going to start requiring passing a written test for renewal even if you already have a 5 year license. I'm not sure when, if at all, it's going into effect.

Anyone know more about this?

That’s been like that in chaiyaphum for years

Another case of inconsistent, made up rules by local offices of the very same organization. Well, technically at least they base it on the length of the visa, not the permitted stay / entry stamp. Thus, DTV holders should be ok to get the 5 year license.

Just a reminder of the dangers of driving with an expired DL.

Milking the Farang💲

Toby Will what you are saying is correct. The wording says "any visa valid less than 12 months". Here's an idea, renew your 1 year extension of stay a month early and then you have 1 month to renew your licence and get 5 years. I'll be doing it like that.

I am actually a little confused by what this means. I have a one-year extension of a non B Visa. I wonder if it means that when I apply for the 5 year license renewal, because there's less than one year left on the extension, I will only get a two year license.

Posted in another group

Why do you say Chon Buri district when it says Rayong and Pattaya?

Great for tourism!

This does not apply if i already have the 5 year one? Because it's a bit confusing.. i had the 2 year temporary which i renew last February.. so now i have a 5 year license.. but i don't have a 1 year visa because I'm going in and out of Thailand...

Visa renewal is based on 365days, but at the time when you renew your licence it will surely be valid for less than 1 year for sure, which means everyone's will get 2yrs instead of 5yrs? Except those with visa more than a year?

I love Thailand 🇹🇭 but they do over complicate things sometimes. If you weren’t there and weren’t driving does it matter?? Hmmm 🧐

Sorry to hear about the passing of your family member

Nothing new. Any DLT office in Thailand should only be issuing a 2 year licence on renewal unless the applicant has a long term Non-immigrant based stay

That's fair enough. Why does a tourist need a Thai licence? No other country requires this. That's why most countries signed the Geneva Convention