Online Claims of Illegal Driving Licence Sales to Chinese Nationals Spark Outrage

Social media uproar follows allegations of Thai driving licences being offered for sale online without testing, prompting a firm denial and warning from transport authorities

 

A social media storm has erupted following allegations of Thai driving licences being illegally bought and sold within online groups frequented by Chinese nationals.

 

The claims, which surfaced on the Facebook page "Social Credit 2.0," suggested that licences were being offered with a "100% legal" guarantee, supposedly bypassing the standard testing procedures.

 

Reports indicate that posts were discovered in a Facebook group titled "Thailand for Job Seekers (泰国找工作群)," a Mandarin-language forum for Chinese residents in Thailand.

 

Multiple users allegedly advertised the sale of various categories of Thai driving licences, asserting they could be issued "entirely legally" without the need for applicants to sit the required tests at the Department of Land Transport.

 

  

One translated post reportedly stated: "Receive a 100% legal driving licence without having to take the test yourself at the transport department. We will handle it for you," accompanied by a clear price list for different licence types:


Motorcycle licence: 2,000 baht 
Car licence: 3,000 baht 
Type 2 (T.2) licence: 4,000 baht 
Type 3 (T.3) licence: 5,000 baht 
Type 4 (T.4) licence: 6,000 baht 


 

The posts reportedly concluded with the explicit statement "No need to take the test yourself," a clear indicator of potentially unlawful activity.

  

However, Seksom Akraphand, the Deputy Director-General of the Department of Land Transport, has firmly refuted these claims.

 

He clarified that the process for obtaining any type of driving licence adheres to a consistent national standard, requiring personal attendance at a Land Transport Office for document checks, medical examinations, training, written tests, and biometric fingerprint verification.

 

He also stressed that the fees are legally fixed and that foreign nationals are not eligible for the Type 2 to Type 4 commercial driving licences.

 

The Department of Land Transport has issued a strong warning to the public against engaging with fake online pages offering driving licence services, highlighting the risks of financial loss, document theft, and the acquisition of counterfeit licences.

 

They have confirmed that legal action has already been initiated against over 500 such fraudulent pages.

(2025/05/01-00:00)