5 year drivers licenses on a DTV - experiences? I'm wondering if those who've applied for a 5 year Thai driver or motorcycle license (or both at the same time) as a renewal from an existing 5 year one that is expiring OR a 2 year one that should be eligible for an upgrade to a 5 year one, did you get a 5 year license or only a 2 year one?

I know Sefton Hanley got a 5 year license in Chiang Mai while on a DTV.

However, in Pattaya and Rayong, they're only handing out 2 year licenses to DTV holders when they go in for their renewals.

Any experiences from other offices?

I have the feeling Bangkok will renew for 5 years, but this is just a hunch.

Hi Group,

First of all, I want to thank everyone for their contributions. I’d like to share my experience so far, along with a question and a disappointment I’ve encountered.

I applied for the Online DTV visa from Istanbul on December 3, 2024, and my visa was approved on December 20, 2024, by the Thai Embassy in Ankara. I’m currently in Bangkok and working through the process to obtain my Thai driver’s license. I’m planning to get it later this week.

Everything was going smoothly until I hit a major problem. For about a week now, every bank I’ve approached has refused to open a bank account for me. They all claim that due to regulations, accounts cannot be opened for those with the DTV visa type. I started this DTV journey after reading in this group about others who successfully opened bank accounts with a DTV visa, but now the banks seem to have changed their policies, leaving me in a difficult position.

Why is someone with a 5-year visa, planning to purchase a car and a condo, unable to open a bank account? How is it practical to rely solely on ATMs for transactions over such a long period? This situation has significantly disrupted my plans and is extremely disappointing.

To be honest, if I had known I wouldn’t be able to open a bank account, I would never have started the DTV process. Financial control is very important to me, and keeping my money outside the country I’m living in adds unnecessary costs that I don’t want to bear. I deeply regret my decision now.

If anyone has faced the same issue and found a solution, or can point me toward a bank branch willing to help with opening an account, I’d greatly appreciate it.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Newly settled in Bangkok, I’m told that I can show my Califonia Drivers License at the DLT and they accept it for granting a Thai Drivers License/ID Card. What other docs, paperwork or other requirements besides Passport must be in-hand before showing up to apply for a Thai Dr. License?

I got my E-Visa in November and went to Tha Bo in the Nong Khai province in order to open a bank account. That's where I stay with my SO. The biggest problem I ran into was the banks had never dealt with an E-Visa, and they had a hard time understanding that it was the long-term visa needed to open a bank account. Two banks said if I got a Thai driver's license they would do it and even after I got the license they said that wasn't good enough. They needed a certificate of residency from immigration. Nong Khai immigration won't do that unless the bank requests it, the banks say they can't request it. I even had the COR from my driver's license (copy) and they said they needed the original. I finally found a wonderful lady in Si Chaing Mi at Krungthai bank that made it happen. I hit every bank I saw in Nong Khai and Tha bo and finally got lucky. Just a heads up for those in the Issan area wanting to open a bank on the E-Visa. Krungthai only accepts wise transfers of 49,999 baht at a time, so that is a pain as you can transfer up to 1 million at a time to Bangkok bank.

Is it possible to get a Thai residence certificate less than 90 days after re-entry? I'm on a 5 year Elite visa. I've been here for a year, and already done a few 90 day reports, but I've recently re-entered. I need a residence certificate so I can renew my Thai driver's license, and everything I'm reading says I need a 90 day report after my most recent entry in order to get a residence certificate. It seems a bit silly that I have to wait 90 days to be able to renew my drivers license just because I recently left the country and came back. Is there any way around the 90 day report requirement for getting a residence certificate to renew my drivers license? I'm on Koh Phangan.

I have a question about the dtv visa. Does the visa allow you to be in Thailand 6 months of the year only or does it allow you to be in Thailand 6 months at a time? In other words when your 6 months is up you leave Thailand for a short period and come back for an another 6 months?

So I went to the Phuket DLT office to extend my driver license as walk in customer as my licence expires December. The online que is booked out till February 2025.

I did the residency certificate and the health check up today beforehand. They checked all my documents at the DLT (all good) and I went to Teller 1 do give passport and 2 photos. Because everything is busy I got another appointment at the 23rd of December to do the test and collect.

But the health certificate is only valid for 30 days which is expired on the 23rd of Dec, not sure about the residency certificate. Do I have to bring new health check certificate for the visit on the 23rd?

Has anyone renewed their Thai drivers license with the DTV visa? If so, what were the documents that they required when doing so.

Thanks in advance

I am applying for a Thai driver's license for the first time. I have an American driver's license/motorcycle license and an IDP. Questions:

If I have a work permit, is it true I don't need the residency certificate?

I read I have to get my license certified by the embassy? Is this true even with an IDP?

Having an American motorcycle license and IDP, will I still have to take the written and practical tests? I've heard different answers on this. I'm guessing it depends on the office? I'll be applying on Samui.

Many thanks!

EXCHANGING your drivers license for a Thai DL.

I had never heard of this. I have been studying on how to get a Thai DL, and stumbled across this on at the website shown.

It outlines how a person can simply exchange his home country DL for a Thai DL, thereby by-passing several things needed to get a Thai DL.........such as the written test and driving test.

Has anybody ever heard of this or used this particular process?

THANKS!

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[members only]

If you already hold a valid driving license from your home country, exchanging it is fairly straightforward. You’ll need to apply at a local DLT office

When it’s time for your appointment, be sure to bring the following documents:

* Your passport containing a valid visa, plus a photocopy of the photo page and current visa

* Certificate of residency or a Thai work permit

* Medical certificate awarded in the last month

* Original driver’s license, plus a photocopy

* Translation of your driving license into English or Thai or an IDP

* Two recent passport-sized photographs

You’ll have to undergo awareness testing in the form of color blindness, reflex, and depth perception exams. As long as you clear these tests, you’ll be awarded a temporary license that’s valid for two years. This can be upgraded to a five-year standard license upon the first renewal. In total, the application costs roughly ฿600.