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If you wish to drive in Thailand you need to get Thai driving license. it is illegal to drive in Thailand without a valid driving license. In case of an accident while driving without a valid driving license, your vehicle insurance will be invalidated.
International driving licences are accepted for only 90 days. if you intend to live longer than that in Phuket, you will need to get a Thai driving license.
To get a Thai driving license, and in case you have a valid international driving licence from your home country, you won’t need to pass the driving test. you will only be required to watch a video and do some physical and practical tests.

Required documents:

1. Passport with non-immigrant visa
2. Certificate of residence that you can get from your embassy or from the immigration in Phuket to confirm your address.
3. Health certificate
4. International driving license or national driving license (not all countries are eligible)

The process of getting a Thai driving licence takes about half a day. You must submit your papers with land and transport department before 08.30 am. You will be then required to to sit and watch an educational video, take a written exam on computer and do some physical and practical tests (eyes, breaking action).
If you don’t have a license from your country, you will have to bust a practical driving test in the afternoon.

Phuket Provincial Land Transport Office
Address : 42/1 Rattankosin Song Roy Pee Road, Taladnua, Muang, Phuket 83000
Tel: +6676214930
Email : info@phuketlandtransport.th.org

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Thai wai is not just for a greeting but also use for other things as well.
Reasons for giving a wai can be for greeting, showing respect, making an apology or thanking someone.

Types of many types of wai such as wai to Buddha or monks.
To wai a monk at temple you must get on your knees. Men will sit on their heels and women sit on their legs to one side. Then bend your head and body low. When your head is almost down to touch the floor then you have to place your palms on the floor and rest your head on top and then straighten up back to the seated wai position. To wai image of Buddha you have to repeat this 3 times.
To wai someone higher status you need to bring your hands up higher this time, and lower your head so that your fingertips reach above the tip of the nose.
Wai to someone lower status
Pull your hands close to your body and your fingers reaching to neck level, then keep your head straight or very slightly down.

Family matters a lot in Thailand

In Thailand family always comes first you can see that many families they live close by each other and very strong link. Lot of children stay with grandparents or relative while their parents move away for work.

Status is very important thing in Thai culture. When talking together Thai use words indicate a person’s age i.e use pee before an older person’s name and use nong for someone younger than them. When Thai see each other they will do wai. Younger will start wai first to respect the older but sometimes wai is depending on a person’s status like they do wai to younger person in case that person is a higher level in society.

Religion in Thailand

Most of Thais are Buddhist, monks are highly respected in Thai culture. If you see monk on the public transport you should offer your seat to a monk. Females should be careful to not touch or sit near the monks. The way to speak with the monks have to be very polite as Thai uses special words to talk to the monks.
When travelling to temples please show respect. You will need to wear long pants and long sleeves especially women. Also when you make conversation in the temples you must decreased your level of voice as Thai people use the temple for pray so you need to talk nice and quiet to respect the place.

Don’t touch the head of a Thai person

The head is the most spiritual part of the body for Thais and you should never touch the head of other person.
In case you need to walk pass when people taking you should say something like “excuse me” and then you walk pass with head lower than them.
The feet are low for Thai culture you should not touch or point things with your foot while you are talking or sitting with Thai people.

Take off your shoes

You must take off your shoes when you are entering someone’s home as Thai don’t wear shoes in the house. You can see some office they put the sign for take off your shoes as well.
Don’t step over someone’s legs or feet

In Thailand people do not step over someone’s outstretched legs or feet as it considered to be very rude and impolite.

Respect the King

Thai people have great respect for the king and the royal family. You must always show respect as well. You can notice most of Thai families have picture of the king on the walls in their homes or at government offices.
Thai people use special words to talk or to mention the king as the King enjoys a very high respect in Thailand.

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• Australian Consulate General  / Tel. 076 317 700 Fax : 076 317 743
• Honorary Consulate of Austria / Tel. 076 248 334 – 6 Fax : 076 248 337
• Honorary Consulate of the Federative of Brazil / Tel. 076 330 530-4 Fax : 076 330 218
• British Consulate / Tel. 076 615 862
• Honorary Consulate of Chile / Tel. 076 212 866-70
• Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China / Tel. 076 304 180 Fax : 076 304 302
• Honorary Consulate of Czech Republic / Tel. 076 249 400 ext 1501, 330 Fax : 076 210 936
• Royal Danish Consulate / Tel. 076 388 283 Fax 076 388 283
• Honorary Consulate of Republic of Estonia / Tel. 076 211 132  Fax 076 225 102
• Consulate General of Finland / Tel. 076 360 314 Fax 076 360 315
• Honorary Consulate of Republic of France / Tel. 076 304 050 Fax : 076 304 324
• Honorary Consulate of Federal Republic of Germany / Tel. 076 610 407 Fax : 076 610 408
• Honorary Consulate of Republic of Italy / Tel. 076 263 495 Fax: 076 263 495
• Consulate of Republic of Korea / Tel. 076 234 452 Fax : 076 223 957
• Honorary Consulate of Napal / Tel. 073 217 343
• Honorary Consulate of the Kingdom of the Netherlands / Tel. 076 528 784-5 Fax: 076 528 786
• Royal Norwegian Consulate / Tel. 076 237 156 Fax : 076 236 317
• Consulate of the Republic of Poland / Tel. 076 292 801-5 Fax: 076 292 808
• Honorary Consulate of the Russian Federation / Tel. 076 384 469 Fax : 076 384 469
• Consulate of Sweden / Tel. 076 380 000 Fax: 076 234 100
• Honorary Consulate of  Switzerland / Tel. 076 295 455 Fax : 076 295 454

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If you wish to drive in Thailand, you need to get a valid Thai driving licence because it’s illegal to drive here without one. If you drive without a valid Thai driving licence, your vehicle insurance will be void and you won’t be covered in case of an accident.

International driving licences are not accepted for stays longer than 90 days.

To get a Thai driving licence, and in the case that you hold a valid international driving licence from your home country, you won’t need to do a driving test.
You just have to sit and watch a video and do some physical exam tests.

Document required to obtain a Thai driving Licence

1. Passport with non-immigrant visa
2. Certificate of residence that you get from your embassy or immigration to confirm where you live.
3. Health certificate
4. International driving licence or national driving licence

The process to get a driving licence takes about half day. You must submit your papers with the land and transport department before 08.30 am.
After that, you will need to sit in a room and watch a video, do a computer exam and some physical tests (eyes, breaking action).
If you don’t have licence from your country, you will be required to pass a driving test. The driving test will be done in the afternoon.

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