BANGKOK, THAILAND – Thailand planned to let motorists under 55 renew their driving licences entirely online from June 2026, under a scheme aimed at easing pressure on transport offices and advancing digital administration.
Online renewals for drivers under 55
According to Sorapong Paitoonpong, director-general of the Department of Land Transport (DLT), the new procedure targeted holders of private car and motorcycle licences, which had to be renewed more than 2.5 million times a year. Eligible applicants were to be drivers under 55 whose licences had expired for no longer than one year, allowing them to complete the entire renewal process electronically without visiting a transport office in person.
Coordination with public health authorities
The project was being prepared jointly with the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), which already operated a system for electronic medical certificates and was expected to provide this infrastructure for licence renewals. A digital model for document transfer via API connections was planned so that the origin and authenticity of medical records could be verified in real time.
Launch date and limited pilot scope
The online renewal system was scheduled to start in June 2026, with technical and organisational details to be coordinated between the transport and health authorities until then. In the initial phase, medical documents were to be exchanged only between MOPH hospitals, while smaller local clinics would not yet be connected to the system.
Medical checks to remain mandatory
Motorists renewing their licences online would still have to undergo visual fitness checks, particularly eyesight tests, under DLT requirements, but without appearing in person at a transport office. In parallel, the DLT was working with specialist doctors to revise guidelines for physical fitness examinations, aiming to establish uniform standards for physical and visual driving fitness and to secure the digital process.
Debate over digital future of licence renewals
The online renewal plan was intended to save time for millions of drivers and reduce the workload at authorities, while raising questions about oversight and safety in fully digital procedures.
“Is this a long-overdue step – or does the personal check get lost for you?”
said Bangkok Post, source commentary.