ThailandThis article has been translated from Russian language using an artificial intelligence-based translation algorithm. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the quality of the translation. You can read the original of this article in Russian here, and ask questions on the topic of our travel forum in English here.
On May 1, 2021, the long-awaited event finally took place - Thailand ratified the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, which it initially joined back in 1968. And theoretically, now in Thailand it is possible to manage rented transport using ordinary Russian rights, and now there is no need to get an international IDP (International Driving Permit) in the form of a booklet., however, there are some subtleties. And the issue of having an open category "A" for motorcycle management remains relevant, and this is taken quite seriously here. We tell you about everything in detail:
Are there Russian rights in Thailand, and which ones are needed
In Thailand, according to international standards, the usual national Russian laws are now in force, since Thailand and Russia have signed and ratified the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic. If you are confused about the types of rights, then here are what they are:
National rights. Every driver in the Russian Federation gets exactly such rights. They have an international format and fully comply with the requirements of the Vienna Convention, and are indeed recognized by most of the countries that have signed the Vienna Convention, including Thailand since May 1, 2021.
This is a national VU, they are ordinary Russian rights International rights (international driver's license - IDP). This is a driver's license, made in the form of a book in various languages, and it is issued in addition to national rights, and is valid only in conjunction with them. Now they are not mandatory for transport management in Thailand, although if you have them, it is better to take them with you to eliminate possible misunderstandings.
This is what an international driver's license or IDP looks like
However, despite the ratification and seemingly full-fledged recognition of Russian national rights by an international act, there are still problems with this in practice. The fact is that on the roads some police officers and even rental offices sometimes still ask to show both IDUs together with national rights, and do not respond to the reference to the Vienna Convention. Therefore, in the latest reviews of travelers, you can read about a completely contradictory experience, how someone rented and calmly managed transport according to Russian national rights, as well as how there were problems due to the lack of IDP. In this regard, before traveling to Thailand, we still recommend that you apply for an IDP in addition to your Russian license.
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💥 And now online rental of motorcycles and scooters has become available:
How to get international IDP rights
It is easy to get an MBA in Russia, you do not need to take exams for this again. Of course, you must have valid Russian national rights. For receipt, you only need to contact the traffic police, pay a fee of 1600 rubles (2023), and get ready-made IDUs. You can also get them through the MFC, or even better – through the website public services.Russian Federation. After that, it will only be necessary to go to the traffic police or MFC for the rights of their readiness. The IDP is valid for 3 years.
If you don't have time to get an MBA at home, you can solve this problem on the spot in Thailand. There are two ways:
- Illegal. On the streets of Thailand, especially in Bangkok on Khao San Road, you can find the manufacture of fake driver's licenses. Many tourists used it, and there were no problems, but this does not mean that you will be lucky. If you decide to purchase a fake IDP, remember that there is a risk of getting caught.
- Legal. You may well get your rights legally at the local traffic police, and manage them both in Thailand and in other Southeast Asian countries: Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines. They have been operating for five years, and all registration will cost from 800 baht. But for this it is necessary to have a rental agreement for housing / houses, you will have to undergo a medical examination and pass exams. Therefore, this option is suitable only for those foreigners who live in the country, and not for tourists or travelers.
What is the penalty for driving without a license
Officially, the penalty for driving without a license is up to 1000 baht (approximately 30.71 USD) or up to 3 months in prison. Plus, they can confiscate the vehicle on the spot and send it to a parking lot, from where it will have to be picked up by the owner (landlord) and also pay from 2000 baht fine. Sometimes you can solve the issue on the spot for a few thousand baht, but you shouldn't count on it too much. Read more about other fines in Thailand here...
Do I need a license to rent a scooter or moped
Everything is clear with the car, the rights are definitely needed. But often the question arises whether it is possible to take a motorcycle or a motorbike (aka a scooter or a moped) without a license. In fact, it is possible to rent in most cases, no one usually asks for the right to rent. But when meeting with a policeman, you will still have to answer to the fullest extent of the law.
The rights to drive any two-wheeled vehicle in Thailand are needed, and the corresponding category "A" or "A1" for motorcycles with an engine capacity of less than 125 cubic centimeters should be opened. There is no such thing as category "M" for mopeds with an engine capacity of less than 50 cubic centimeters in Thailand. This follows from the 1979 local law "Motor Vehicle Act", article 42, which states that anyone who drives a motor vehicle on public roads must have an appropriate driver's license:
Anyone who wishes to drive a motor vehicle on public roads must possess an appropriate driver's license. The driver must carry the driver's license and a photocopy of the registration book and show them to competent officers upon request. This does not apply for those who are learning to drive a motor vehicle according to the provision of Section 57.
If the driver is an alien who doesn't have an immigrant visa, he may drive a motor vehicle with a driver's license specified in the Section 42-2. In such a case, he must carry documents specified by the treaty between the Thai government and the government which issued such driver's license, and show them to competent officers upon request.
Also, these categories are spelled out in the Vienna Convention itself. There is no category "M" in it, and for two-wheeled vehicles there are only "A" and "A1".
What is in practice with this issue. Of course, you can almost always get off with a fine or just try to pay off with a bribe. As recommended by risky and experienced tourists, they got off with a bribe of several hundred to thousands baht for driving without a license (see the currency of Thailand and the exchange rate). But if you get to a principled policeman, then in addition to managing without rights, you can also answer for giving a bribe, and this is a criminal offense. Also, if an accident occurs, even through no fault of your own, you will still be found guilty (because you have no right to drive). And, of course, travel insurance will not cover this case: payments and treatment at the expense of the insurance company will be refused to you. Therefore, we recommend that you open the right category in your national rights at home, and ride around Thailand without any problems.