Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing driving licenses here in Thailand sometimes referred to as driver's licenses in the American vernacular. This is one of those topics that is often vexing to many foreigners here and it's also a topic that is extremely important to many foreigners here in Thailand as many foreigners wish to come to Thailand and obtain a driving license so that they can actually drive here. It's a major convenience, I certainly get it. 

We have done a number of videos in the past on driving licenses and the issues associated therewith but I thought of making this video after reading a recent article from the Pattaya Mail, pattayamail.com, the article is titled: Thai government denies dangers from visa-free policy. Quoting directly: "Visitors," and I urge those who are watching this video, that article goes in a very different direction; it has a lot of insight. I urge those watching this video go check that article out if you want some further detail. That said, to quote one line: "Visitors under the recent Visa-free reforms also find it virtually impossible to obtain a Thai Driving License." Yeah, that has been my experience in the past as well. 

As we have discussed in many other videos, the Thai Visa Exemption scheme, so this is not a Visa, people need to understand this. Thai Visa Exemptions are not a visa, they are an exemption from needing a visa but they do provide lawful status in Thailand. So you come in, you get this stamp and you can be in Thailand legally but you don't have a Visa. A Non-Immigrant visa, a Tourist Visa, those are different things. You're just in Thailand legally but you don't have Visa status. This has ramifications because there are certain types of documentation, as noted in this article, including driving licenses where generally speaking, and obviously there are extenuating circumstances where someone in the bureaucracy may exercise their discretion to allow sort of a one-off case depending on the underlying facts - we are not talking about exceptions, we are talking about how things work generally - and generally, if you have a Visa Exemption, no they're not going to allow you to go ahead and get a driving license. 

For this reason those who are looking to come to Thailand and get a driving license, presumably these are people that are essentially, or on some level or another, are going to want to live or effectively live here in terms of being based here. For those folks, it is probably a good idea to contact a legal professional, gain some insight and guidance into how to get a Long-Term preferably and likely a Non-Immigrant Visas so as to maintain status in such a way that one can obtain a driving license here in the Kingdom of Thailand.