The Songkhla Province Hatyai Police Department in Thailand recently issued a reminder to Malaysian tourists that, at present, the Malaysian digital driving license in the mobile application cannot replace the physical driving license. Travelers intending to self-drive to Thailand must bring a physical driving license or an international driving permit for inspection by law enforcement officers.
On Monday, the Hatyai Police posted on their official Facebook page stating that local law enforcement units will conduct enforcement actions in accordance with current laws and regulations. Malaysian tourists planning to drive into Thailand should not rely solely on the electronic license on their phones. Otherwise, if they are unable to present officially recognized physical documents during checks, it may affect their travel and even lead to law enforcement issues.
Police also reminded drivers that after entering Thailand, they must comply with local traffic regulations, including parking. Vehicles should be parked with the left side close to the left edge of the road to conform to Thai traffic regulations, thus avoiding penalties for violations.
It is understood that this latest reminder aims to standardize enforcement practices across different areas in Thailand. Until ASEAN countries complete the mutual recognition mechanism for electronic driving licenses, Malaysian drivers traveling to Thailand must still bring their physical driving licenses. The electronic driving license is not yet officially recognized by Thai authorities.
Thai Department of Land Transport Unified Enforcement Standards in May
The Thai Department of Land Transport had already issued a national notice to enforcement units on May 22 this year, clearly stating that Malaysian digital driving licenses are not currently recognized.
The notice states that some Malaysian drivers, when inspected, only show their digital driving licenses via a mobile application but cannot provide the physical license, leading to inconsistencies among front-line law enforcement officers in handling such cases. As such, the Department of Land Transport specifically issued a letter to unify the enforcement standards nationwide.
According to Section 42 of Thailand’s Vehicle Act, individuals holding a driving license issued by a country recognized by the Thai government may drive legally in Thailand under international agreements or bilateral agreements.
The Thai Department of Land Transport explained in the official letter that, under the 'Agreement on the Recognition of Domestic Driving Licenses Issued by ASEAN Countries,' Malaysian drivers may drive in Thailand using the physical version of their domestic driving license.
However, if the driving license does not contain information in English, an English-certified document must be carried as well. Also, this agreement does not apply to temporary or provisional driving licenses, or to learner’s driving licenses.
On the other hand, drivers may also drive in Thailand based on the '1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic' using a valid International Driving Permit (IDP), but the IDP must be presented together with the home country driving license in order to be recognized.
The Thai Department of Land Transport also noted that ASEAN member countries are still discussing the cross-border mutual recognition mechanism and related safety standards for digital driving licenses. The relevant systems have not yet reached a final agreement, so digital driving licenses cannot be used as a substitute document for cross-border driving for now.