What extra benefits do you get with a Thai Driver License, including National Park access?

@Paul ******

I've been in Thailand for 23 years. I've had several.accidents in that time, and have never had any issues with insurance. It might be different if a person owns a car in Thailand, it might be a condition of insurance. But I live in Bangkok so I don't own a car, I only use rentals and they do not require a Thai licence. A TM30 is a legal requirement, if you've never been asked for one, that's good for you, but I'd rather avoid the 1000 baht fine! But it's each to their own.

@Steve *******

Also, by doing it the way you describe, you're not independent. You can't travel on your own, without your wife accompanying you because most hotels won't accept a foreign license for check-in. 99% will however accept a Thai license, resolving the TM30 issue.

It's easy and cheap to get a Thai driver's license and it goes a long way here, even if you don't own a car or drive one regularly.

@Paul ******

@Paul ******

If I travel alone I use my passport. It's a requirement to carry it anyway. It's kind of worked for me for over 20 years, so I'm kind of cool with it. It's no drama for me.

@Steve *******

I see. Just that if I were you, I'd still apply for a Thai license. You could still show your Aussie license to the police if you so desired.

I generally only bring my passport along if my travels involve travel to a neighboring country (which is the case, most of the time). Otherwise, I bring along only copies of all the important pages as I don't want it to get lost or misplaced.

@Paul ******

And that's your choice which is great. I choose another way which is equally as great. So it's all good. It's whatever works best for someone which is the ultimate quest

@Steve *******

You are making one thing out to be a bigger deal than it is, but downplaying the other. I have never been fined at immigration, because I've never been asked for a TM30. Chiang Mai is a stickler about it, Bangkok much less so. Of course I wouldn't want to be fined either, but the point is, I've never been in a situation where I've been asked. Moreover, many immigration offices which do request one, ask once and if you don't move, don't ask again.

However, your casual attitude towards car insurance and licenses is what worries me. I know, it's Thailand, but if you get yourself into an accident next time, you might come across an insurance agent who decides not to cover you, because you don't have the correct license needed for your situation. This could happen even if you've never faced this situation before.

Now, when it comes to rental cars they generally don't check or insist you need a Thai license because they're highly unlikely to even check your visa when you pick up a car. They will want to see your passport and take a photocopy of it, but generally only the information page.

@Donna ******

I used to get a new IDP every year up until years ago. When I realised no-one had ever asked for it (neither Police, car rental company or insurance company), I never bothered any more. An IDP is nothing more than a translation of your REAL licence.

@Dave ********

You don't think that in 23 years of living in Thailand I haven't been stopped or had an accident??? I do have a licence. I don't own a car here as I live in Bangkok, but I rent cars frequently and they all come with insurance, so I'm licenced and insured. And yes I'm still laughing! 😆

@Steve *******

How odd. Does it cost a lot to bribe officialdom then?

@Dave ********

Nothing odd, and I've never paid a bribe in my life. I'm simply legally licenced and insured. I've had about five accidents in the time I've been here, never had a problem. The rental car company accepts my licence, so we have a contract. Why would I need to pay a bribe? 😆

@Steve *******

My understanding was that you can only drive on a foreign licence with an international driving permit for up to 90 days, after that you need a Thai licence. Either I didn't grasp the rules or you've got away with one (or five).

@Dave ********

You could probably get away with driving on an IDP for up to a year (which is the length of time its valid for). It might also depend on what visa you're on. As long as you're not on a long term extension of stay, there's no way they can insist on you getting a Thai driver's license, no matter how long you've stayed in the country. Also, unless you're on an extension of stay, you have to leave the country, which "resets the clock" anyway, even if you only spend 15 minutes outside the country doing a border run.

@Dave ********

although I now have a Thai driving license, I had been driving on my British license in Thailand for about 10 years when I had an accident. Someone drove into the side of my car and totaled two doors which had to be replaced along with expensive body work. I showed the insurance company my British license and they didn't bat an eyelid and paid for every single baht of the damage which was around 50,000 baht.

@Tony ********

Amazing.

@Dave ********

Nowhere in Thai road law does it mention 90 days. You've probably read that in a Facebook group and believed it. After 23 years I'm pretty sure I've got it together! Even put a motorcyclist in Hospital once! Insurance breezed in. Still laughing! And I've never been asked to show IDP either. Not required for Aussies due to reciprocal agreement! All good

Area few yrs ago I was stopped just outside Hue Hin when I offered my IDP they weren't interested and asked for my UK DL. But it be on the safe side not living here full time I got a Thai DL

@Dave ********

I used to believe a foreigner who doesn't want to show their passport or ID at check-in and is traveling with a Thai should hide from the hotel clerk else they'll be asked for their documents, but this isn't the case.

It happens only in countries like Myanmar and Vietnam, where they're very strict on registering all guests. If you try to "hide" they'll find you.

Thailand is much more relaxed, with no reporting requirement for Thai guests and if you're not registered, no one cares. Immigration isn't checking databases to see who's registered for the night or not. Yet apparently Burmese and Vietnamese immigration is, or makes it appear they are. Still, you could be catching a night train, thus explaining the absence of a registration and nothing much is computerized in Myanmar anyway so they can't really cross-reference anything.

It's just bureaucracy for the sake of bureaucracy. Similar story in Thailand, just with more sophistication due to better technology.

@Paul ******

@Paul ******

I'm not trying to hide, I just like simplicity in my dotage. And I certainly don't need more plastic in my wallet. Fortunately I'm not a conspiracy theorist or I'd be out there canvassing people NOT to get a Thai Licence, as it's just another way for the WEF/NWO/CIA/MGM to track you 🤣

@Steve *******

You're not getting the point, you could find your insurance invalidated for not possessing a Thai license in case of an accident and you could simplify your life by having one just for general ID proof purposes. Without one, guards at housing estates requesting you deposit your ID with them may ask for your passport. Would you really want to deposit something as valuable as a passport with them, when an inexpensive Thai driver's license, which can easily be replaced with a police report showing its loss, is much easier?

I doubt a Thai driver's license is "trackable" by the WEF or CIA either. Your home license more likely, but even that's not a concern. At the end of the day, you can't legally drive without one and your Thai license is much more useful than your Australian one in Thailand. A Thai license can also be used without the need for an IDP in several ASEAN countries (Indonesia, Myanmar, Laos, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore, as well as Cambodia if driving a Thai registered vehicle).A

Anyway, I'm not here to tell you what to do, I find it ridiculous that you're avoiding applying for a Thai driver's license because your reasoning is not sound to me. A Thai driver's license is a fantastic document to have and over the course of time, expect Thai police to become stricter with applying the law. One day you may get caught out.

@Paul ******

"One day" 😆. After 23 years and a number of accidents where insurance has paid out without batting an eyelid, I reckon I'm pretty good. I'm happy to go along abiding by the law, which I do, rather than listen to Facebook experts telling me a whole load of bullshit! 😆

@Steve *******

You're not "abiding by the law" though if you don't possess a Thai license while being resident in Thailand for 23 years.

I could say the same thing about your TM30 fear story. Some people face trouble with them, most don't seem to.

I reckon I'm pretty good with the way things are, not having to worry about TM30s and having my license to check-in to hotels.

@Paul ******

As I said before that suits you, and my way suits me, so we're all happy. There's no "fear" with TM30, it's easy to do online. And yes I'm perfectly legal because I'm a temporary visitor to Thailand so I don't need a Thai licence. Easy huh? Now we're all happy!

@Dave ********

Hotels are required to register a guest. If one guest is Thai it's so easy for them. Saves the hassle of registering the TM30. They love it.

@Steve *******

This TM30 sounds like a hassle and confusing to me. So if you get your Thai partner to do the check-in, the hotel doesn’t ask for your passport? Even though they see you are also sharing the same room?

@Justine ********

You get a Thai driver's license and that way they don't report you. While your passport number is indicated on the license, I've yet to see a hotel know what the nationality codes mean and register you this way, so they don't.

@Justine ********

The TM30 is a pain in the backside, but is a legal requirement. Hotels also find it a pain in the backside, so if they can get out of having to submit it online they do.

@Steve *******

So hotels can’t report you if they don’t have your passport number correct?

@Justine ********

I've no idea. In the past they'd take a photocopy of passport ID page and your visa/entry stamp, and then use the info to register on the Section 36 website. A Thai person does not require registration, so it makes life easier for the hotel.

@Steve *******

No, they don't take a photo of your visa or entry stamp, there's no need for that. They only take a photo or scan of your information page based on observing dozens of hotels photocopy passports over the past 10 years. With that, Thai immigration can instantly see what visa you're on.

Maybe 20 years ago they also scanned the visa or entry stamp, as things weren't as interconnected as they are today.

@Paul ******

If you've done the TM30 online you would know the system requests the TM6 number. It's the TM6 the hotels photocopy. It's only recently the TM6 was suspended. I know because my lady owned a hotel and she knows how it works

@Callum ******

yes, I was just joking. Sorry! 555

@Robert *****

no Pompamm sir 😂

I think if you go out and come back in the 3 months would start again

@Ken *******

Correct.🙂

@Paul ******

I thought they charged you triple if you are Indian 555

@David *********

no just take your gold necklace lol 😆

@Ron ************

thanks I probably won’t make a special trip for the bargain but I will remember if I ever get down that way 😊