Did you know this?

This could be really useful for anyone driving in Thailand – or planning to use a Thai license abroad. I just came across this info, and I wanted to check if it’s still accurate. Maybe someone here can confirm?

Here’s what I read:

Starting May 1, the Department of Land Transport in Thailand announced a new update:

A new type of international driving license will be available. And this one is special—it’s valid for 3 years and recognized in 84 countries under the 1968 Vienna Convention.

Up until now, Thai international driving permits were only valid for 1 year and recognized in 101 countries, mostly under the older 1949 Geneva Convention.

This change means that:

• Thailand is stepping in line with the Vienna standard

• Thai licenses will now be accepted in countries that follow the 1968 agreement (like much of Europe)

• And Thailand may also start accepting international permits from those same Vienna countries in return

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Can anyone confirm if this is already in effect?

And has anyone already applied for the new 3-year version?

This could be a big deal for a lot of us – especially those who travel frequently or want to drive abroad without renewing every year!

INTERNATIONAL DRIVING PERMIT

I understand that, whilst a UK IDP is valid for twelve months, Thailand only accepts an IDP for the first 90 days of a visitor’s stay.

To continue driving here, One is expected to take and pass a test so as to be granted a Thai driving licence, is my further understanding..

But if, after 89 days for example, a visitor leaves the kingdom and returns shortly thereafter to Thailand, would a fresh 90 day IDP validity period be afforded to him/her/zer (so as to avoid offending any “non-binary” readers)?

Conversely is, say, only one 90 day recognition of an IDP countenanced in a given period (12 months, for instance)?