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What is the process and cost for changing a driving license due to a new passport in Thailand?

Driving LicensePassport ChangeThailand ImmigrationDepartment of Land TransportDLT ProcessesVisa and Licensing Rules
Aug 28, 2023
a year ago
Wyn **********
ORIGINAL POSTER
What's the process and cost to change driving license due to a new passport. Thanks
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TLDR : Answer Summary
Changing your driving license in Thailand due to a new passport is similar to the renewal process. You will need to present the relevant documents, including an extra copy of your old passport. Some comments suggest it may not be necessary to change the license until the renewal period, as the old passport number might still appear on the new license. The process at the Department of Land Transport (DLT) in Bangkok is reportedly efficient, taking only minutes, but experiences vary, and some people discourage changing it unless absolutely necessary.
Vivian *********
You don't need to change it cuz your new passport has A stump of old passport number George Buriram.
a year ago
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Mark *********
Free or something nominal for some part of the process and at Department of Land Transport , Bangkok- who are very organised - it takes minutes. Can't see the point in not bothering - even right by BTS Mo Chit and MRT Chatuchak Park.Can't speak for elsehwere.
a year ago
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Paul *******
@Mark ********
 A total waste of time. They might even send you away after queueing for an hour all for nothing.

For vehicle registrations, when you change yr passport number, this is never updated in their computer system. They might write a note in yr blue or green registration book, but that's it. If you ever need to electronically verify anything to do with yr registration, you'll need to use the details of the passport used for the original registration.
a year ago
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Mark *********
@Paul ******
 I have no idea. The discussion was about driving licence change, as was my answer - my answer out of very recent experience, meaning a few weeks ago. I think it took me twenty-minutes total in and out, photographs and everything. Totally not an hour queuing. I can imagine that possible around motor vehicle licence issues but I have no actual experience of that.
a year ago
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Mark *********
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Till ******
who cares?
a year ago
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Gregor **********
don't bother. Wait until the DLT issues a new license. What happened to me was, when I got my Thai licenses renewed for 5 more years, the DLT put the old passport number into the new licenses although I had given them my new passport with another number. You can't be bothered and the don't give a rat's A. Mai Ben Rai!
a year ago
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Bill *********
Why, did your passport number change?
a year ago
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Gordon *********
@Bill ********
 when you renew your passport
a year ago
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Kool *******
@Bill ********
 he got a new passport. The number changes. Same thing when I got my new passport.
a year ago
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Kool *******
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Faye *********
Same as a renewal, all the documents and same prices but an extra copy of old passport too.
a year ago
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Kool *******
@Faye ********
 when I did it two years ago all I needed was both passports, and my licenses, one form filled out, and under bt300.
a year ago
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Steve **********
@Kool ******
 did same in CM 2 years ago.

250 or 300. Not sure, but took no time at all , very helpfull
a year ago
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Faye *********
@Kool ******
 like most things it maybe depends where 🤦‍♀️
a year ago
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Kool *******
@Faye ********
 in Bangkok
a year ago
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Faye *********
@Kool ******
 Hua Hin, they were having a bad day I think too....made me get a medical then insisted that it was an original for both car and motorbike (never had that before)
a year ago
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Faye *********
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Jo ****
Don't bother. Wait until you're license is due for renewal.
a year ago
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Paul *******
@Burnard ***********
 Oh look folks, we have a libtard on our hands.
a year ago
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Burnard ************
@Paul ******
Oh, one of those

Who would have guessed? LOL
a year ago
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Burnard ************
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Paul *******
@Burnard ***********
No, it's clearly you who has to have the last word as you're proving yourself to be a real narcissist.

YOU were the one who started ranting hysterically, not me. I told you that this conversation was done ages ago, but you keep on going on and on.

Again, you live in Cambodia. You're happy there. Why are you in this group? Bored much?
a year ago
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Paul *******
@Burnard ***********
 So what are you babbling on about? You went on some hysterical rant about how you were almost denied entry and you've been living in Cambodia for several years without having returned to Thailand in this whole time.

What's the purpose of you even being in the group, let alone claiming to have any expertise on Thai bureaucracy, immigration etc?
a year ago
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Burnard ************
@Paul ******
You kinda took a left turn about Fear Mongering about Thai bureaucracy.

Then I tried to explain to you why the Thai bureaucracy is not your friend. Just addressing your assertions.

You remember now? I know you have a short attention span.

You have to have the last word. That is why this conversation is still going.
a year ago
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Paul *******
@Burnard ***********
You conflated a minor traffic matter with your immigration woes, hardly the same thing!

Look, I'm an "old hand" in this region, I speak, read and write Thai fluently. I know much more than you ever will about Thailand and I'm also very knowledgeable about the rest of the region.

Take your western blinkers off and start showing some humility for God's sake. We're in Asia, where humility is highly valued.
a year ago
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Burnard ************
You use personal attacks so much that it is hard for me to believe you have been in Asia very long.
a year ago
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Paul *******
@Burnard ***********
You attacked me first then accuse me of attacking you. Oh man.

Wow even in Cambodia you were nearly arrested for immigration issues. You can't seem to catch a break can you?
a year ago
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Burnard ************
@Paul ******
Like Trump or Putin, you like to accuse others of something that everyone, who cares, knows you did yourself.

You are kinda forgetful. Maybe you forgot.
a year ago
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Burnard ************
@Paul ******
If you speak Thai, you obviously have a better experience with Thai authority than the average Joe Foreigner. So how can you compare?

Humility? Ha! Look who is talking.
a year ago
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Burnard ************
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Paul *******
@Burnard ***********
You stayed too long in Thailand in the opinion of the immigration officer, hence why you weren't allowed entry.

Yes, that statement proves my point. An immigration officer could actually determine what your current passport number AND visa status is, even by looking up your old passport number located on your driver's license along with your name and date of birth + nationality.

How do I know this? This happened to me at an event near government house in 2018 where Thais were required to carry proof of citizenship or a driver's license, and foreigners had the option of presenting a passport OR a Thai driver's license OR a pink ID card.
a year ago
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Burnard ************
@Paul ******
First, I was allowed entry. I just used it to clear out as it was clear they were not going to extend it. Do you not pay attention to what you read?

Again, we were talking about the Traffic police. You have the attention span of a Nat.
a year ago
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Paul *******
@Burnard ***********
No, YOU keep changing your story. First you tried to claim that the police (yes meaning traffic police) would be interested in your passport. Like why? Their job is to enforce traffic laws. They neither care about nor do they know anything about immigration matters or even how to read a foreign passport.

However, the police will be very interested in your driver's license! Like DUH!!
a year ago
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Burnard ************
@Paul ******
If he was worried about his Driver's License not coming back to his new passport, I suggested he carry his old passport. Who knows, maybe police records are not updated. Very possible in Thailand.

It has already happened with immigration here in Cambodia. Immigration came to arrest me until I showed them my Visa. Apparently, the Agent put my current address and Visa info on the App in my Khmer wife's name.

Because I let her go renew it without me, the agent couldn't update my App account so made an account in her name. Things happen! It is good to keep copies of your documentation on you.

People can follow the conversation if they want an decide for themselves who took us off track.
a year ago
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Paul *******
@Burnard ***********
 The traffc police doesn't have a record of a foreigners immigration status. Besides, why should they? Its not part of their jurisdiction. If they do have a record of your license, then that is based on the separate LICENSE number also shown on the license, which they can refer to.
a year ago
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Paul *******
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Paul *******
@Burnard ***********
You're speaking nonsense now. I know how Thai bureaucracy works but the ID number on your license is a complete non issue. Just renew it when it expires and stop the needless fear mongering
a year ago
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Burnard ************
"Fear Mongering" famous last words before they turn you back at the Immigration Gate or Deport you.

How long have you been in Thailand?

Go ahead, keep playing the odds. It is not often but it happens. Happened to me in a different situation. After a year of coming and and out of Thailand (but over 2 calendar years) they decided I was 11 days over their internal rule of 180 days maximum in a 360 day period between 2018-19.

So I was -almost- turned back at the gate but I had 30 days to leave and had to cancel my PO Box and Storage Locker. Was not -officilally- blacklisted but I went to Hong Kong then Cambodia when COVID hit and been in Cambodia since.

Point is, that was over NOTHING! They made into a big deal and I had to rearrange all my plans, canceled reservations and flights, had to throw away half of everything in storage.

For what?

Don't talk to me about "Fear Mongering!"
a year ago
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Paul *******
@Burnard ***********
Good for you that you're in Cambodia. You certainly didn't miss much by not being in Thailand during that God awful period.

Cambodia almost consistently had better policies in place - a much less strict quarantine at the beginning, far less bureaucracy, masks didn't need to be worn in 2020 (unlike in Thailand where they went mask crazy in March 2020, before almost any other SE Asian country).

Cambodia is also MUCH easier when it comes to visas.

So I don't know what you're complaining about. Cambodia is great, they're back to normal. Hardly any masks worn (unlike Thailand, where it's still 50%). Enjoy life there. I'll be visiting myself soon.
a year ago
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Burnard ************
@Paul ******
I never complained about Cambodia. If I didn't like it, I wouldn't still be here.

And I didn't "break the rules." The was no such 180 day limit. I wanted to get it right so I even asked a Lawyer before I left to go on my next excursion. He said it wasn't law but some people were having issues with 180 days in a -calendar- year. I came back from 30 days in Myanmar in February. That is when I had the problem.

There was no rule. It was only the way IO's from Don Mueang decided to do it after I was able to show I had sufficient funds (which was there first excuse).

-Your first post when we were talking about Traffic issues:

"Burnard S. Parker They won't. Immigration can even determine what yr current passport is, based off looking at a license with an old passport number."
a year ago
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Paul *******
@Burnard ***********
 Well you abused the immigration system hence that's why that happened to you.

You obviously don't know Thailand well, if you believe they strictly enforce any traffic rules (they don't and I don't see this changing for years to come).

Now before you go all hysterical and confuse immigration with licensing and traffic rules, take a breather, calm down and if you have anything RELEVANT and USEFUL to add, then go ahead, otherwise, this topic is done. See some of the other responses on this thread. Most concur with me.
a year ago
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Burnard ************
@Paul ******
Your subjective "reasoning" without empirical explaination is sub par.
a year ago
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Paul *******
@Burnard ***********
I've explained everything "empirically ". Take it or leave it. Suffice to say, you broke the rules at the time and had to pay the price for it, but AGAIN not the subject of this topic, which is ONLY about drivers licenses.
a year ago
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Paul *******
@Burnard ***********
Now you're going off topic. We're talking about the ID number on ones drivers license, not your immigration status!!!
a year ago
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Burnard ************
@Paul ******
No, you went of topic first. And you mistakenly confused Immigration with Traffic Police. And then you got personal. So, my friend, you opened the door.

You questioned my perspective and motive so I gave you the reason you incorrectly labelled "Fear Mongering"

I think I made the point that if the Authorities want to make things hard, they can do it on a whim.
a year ago
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Paul *******
@Burnard ***********
Nope, you went off topic. I always stuck by the original topic at hand, regarding drivers licenses.
a year ago
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Paul *******
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Gordon *********
@Jo ***
 don't know what would happen if stopped license and passport different numbers
a year ago
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Paul *******
@Gordon ********
 Absolutely nothing. The police will want to see yr drivers license and not yr passport anyway, as a passport has nothing to do with driving ability.

Some border areas have military officers stationed and they'll ask you for one or the other. The "ID number" on yr license is of zero interest to anyone. Think of it as another document number. Even in western countries with much stricter police, the driver license number is just a number. What they care about is the license valid? Has it been revoked? That kind of thing.
a year ago
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Paul *******
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Burnard ************
@Jo ***
I agree. But he should probably drive with the old passport. Just in case an official wants to make a bureaucratic issue of it.
a year ago
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Paul *******
@Burnard ***********
 They won't. Immigration can even determine what yr current passport is, based off looking at a license with an old passport number.
a year ago
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Burnard ************
@Paul ******
Immigration won't be pulling him over on the street.

And don't underestimate the ability of the Thai Bureaucracy to make something out of nothing.
a year ago
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Burnard ************
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