Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests we are discussing QR codes for Thai Driver's Licenses. This was something interesting. I didn't know that this was even in the works but apparently it is. I thought of making this video after reading a recent article from the Pattaya Mail, pattayamail.com, the article is titled: Pattaya Grapevine: A Forgotten Brit-Thai Connection. I urge those who are watching this video, a lot of information in there. You might want to go check that out but quoting from one of the subcategories, Scan that license: quoting directly: "Once you have a Thai Driving License with a QR code on the back, download it onto your smartphone. You can then show it legally to Police or other Government Agencies. The big advantage is that you can leave the original plastic card in a safe place and avoid the risk of losing it. If you do need to replace a lost license, there is quite a bureaucracy awaiting you at the Land Transportation Department." 

Yeah, Land Transport Office, I have dealt with it myself, it is kind of like the DMV in the states, not my favourite place in the world to be, right up there with the dentist's office I would say and maybe outside the office of an IRS auditor or something. Yeah it is probably not my favourite place in the world to be, but I mean it is something folks have to deal with that need a driving license in Thailand.

I do have to say that this is an innovation that while on the one hand I have always been a little bit ambivalent about all these QR codes and scanning people and doing all that good stuff, that has some creepy connotations and you can get into the whole slippery slope argument where that can lead. But, this may be one of those limited circumstances where an otherwise a little bit creepy technology is being used to an end that is a benefit. As noted in that article, you can put your Thai Driving Licenses at your house in your safe or whatever so you have just got it there and then just use that QR code when you are running around town. To my mind, you might not even need a smartphone. Just print out the QR code, stick it on your dashboard, if a Police Officer stops you, he can just scan the thing and BOOM, that is me and I don't have to present the actual license itself which I will tell you, if you lose one of those here in Thailand, you kind of want to pull your hair out when you are trying to get it replaced; it is just not an overly fun experience. So yeah, this kind of is one of those things, the underlying technology may have both positive and negative connotations but overall it might be a benefit.