New smart driving licences to be valid across Asean
Thailand’s paper driving licences will be replaced with smart cards starting on September 4, the Land Transport Department has announced.
The new licences will be embedded with magnetic strips and QR codes to improve security to prevent frauds.
“In the future, they will be compatible with apps that are designed for enhanced road safety,” department director-general Sanith Phromwong said.
Names on the smart card will be spelled in both Thai and English so they could be used to drive legally in any Asean country.
Sanith said his department would stop issuing paper driving licences on August 15.
From August 15 to September 3, applicants for driving licences will receive plastic cards without QR codes, which will be valid until their expiry date. Recipients will be able to receive the smart cards when other licences expire, are lost or become damaged.
Fees for the new smart card licences will be lower as holders will not have to pay fees for photographs. Temporary driving licences will cost Bt205, reduced from the current Bt305. General driving licences will cost Bt504, down from Bt505.