@Nick ***************

get a library card in America, download free audio books and e-books in Thailand.

@Terary *********

good advice except you do need a motorcycle license to drive a motorcycle in Thailand (shouldn't be a surprise), especially if you are asked for one at a police checkpoint (fine of 1,000 baht if you don't have). They will accept a foreign license with International Driving Permit, or sometimes just a foreign license in English during the first three months of your stay. If you have less than that you are subject to a fine, but that's not guaranteed. Lax enforcement leads people to believe it's not required but it is. If you get away with less consider yourself fortunate.

The real benefit of the IDP is that it's a standard format in which it's really easy to tell whether someone has a car only, motorcycle only, or both driving license. As an example, each state in the US seems to have its own special way of indicating that the driver's license covers motorcycles. Instead of having to decipher that (a bit difficult for someone that may not be exactly fluent in English) it's a lot easier to just reference the IDP, which is also in English, but in a very standardized format.

David Broadfoot , I hear you. The yellow house book from the local amphur office was much tougher to get than a residence certificate (I needed two Thai witnesses, blue house book, chanote, etc.), but it's fairly well known that Phuket LTO doesn't accept the yellow book and insists on a Residence Certificate or letter from your embassy. It's like the LTO doesn't trust the documentation issued by the amphur or more likely, the instruction manual for granting driver's licenses to farangs only lists the RC and letter from the embassy and doesn't mention a yellow book and so even though the yellow book is for all practical purposes a better confirmation of your address no one wants to accept it because it's not by the book.

But to be honest it's such a frightful experience to visit the DMV back in the states where I'm from that I regard visiting the LTO in Phuket like a day at the beach. ;-) The grumpiest bureaucrat in all of Thailand couldn't hold a candle to the average one in the US. True story. ;-)

David Broadfoot , You might be right about this or it might be that different Land Transport Offices interpret the rules differently, or maybe both. ;-) All I know is that I showed my foreign English language driver's license and an IDP and the testing was waived for me. I don't rightly know what would have happened if I hadn't had the IDP. I deal with the Phuket Town LTO and they seem to be pretty strict about things. For example, I needed a residence certificate from Thai Immigration instead of a yellow house registration (tabian bahn). I understand the yellow book is accepted at some LTOs outside of Phuket.

@Gregory ********

You need to be in Thailand to open the account but once opened you can have it there indefinitely whether or not you're actually in Thailand. So, no you don't have to be in Thailand while the funds are seasoning. For example, if you had an existing account at a Thai bank you could transfer money into that account from abroad, and assuming a balance in excess of the minimum required it would start seasoning from the moment it's in your account whether you are in Thailand or not.

@Vince *********

I believe you can get a Non-O visa inside Thailand if you meet all the qualifications. For example in Phuket:

By the way, if you have a current driver's license (foreign) and an IDP you can go to the Land Transport Office and get a Thai driver's license without taking either the written or practical driving tests. You will have to do the physical tests: color recognition, reaction time, watch instructional videos, etc., but will get a waiver for the written and practical driving tests.

@Gregory ********

Yeah seems bizarre to reward procrastination but that's what it is basically. ;-)

Your initial driving license used to last for just one year but that has changed and the validity of a new Thai driver's license is now two years.