SURVEY: Restricting Thai Driver’s Licenses – good or bad?

[Scott]

The Thai government is contemplating restricting licenses of those with congenital conditions.   The government has not specified which conditions will be included.   It also will require special training for those with big bikes, over 400cc's.   Which of the following do best describes your position on restricting Driver's Licenses?

 

Please feel free to leave a comment.  

 

 

[1Gringo]

my understanding is that many Thais have never bothered to get a license.  there certainly is NO training in how to drive a vehicle and the common rules of the road as practiced in a majority of countries is non-existent in Thailand.

 

since there is either no enforcement of traffic laws or any real penalty if those laws are bent or broken, the locals feel there is no reason whatsoever to either learn the rules of the road nor comply with them.  it's all about 'ME' and there is no fixing that short of re-educating the entire country.

 

[Pedrogaz]

25 year old kids on motorcycles are the most, drunk and driving to fast at night are the main people involved in accidents. Target these people. I have racers running past my house nearly every night at predictable times. I cannot get the police to leave the station after dark. 

[Deli]

It's just utter kee kwai.

[4MyEgo]

10 hours ago, Scott said:

Which of the following do best describes your position on restricting Driver's Licenses?

My sister in law just paid 5,000 baht to a driving school to get her license, she can't drive, she didn't spend much time with this mob, but they got her, her license, that should say enough, but I will add, my wife did the test and all years ago and was asked for 1,000 baht upfront before the test and all and was provided with the license when she completed everything, fortunately she is a good driver, perhaps try cleaning up the corruption there first ?

 

The lack of law enforcement and punishment will always lead to road deaths, so restricting licenses is a deflection of the core problems, police corruption as well as the above corruption mentioned IMO.

[richard_smith237]

In a typically Thai fashion the response dances around a problem with ‘announcements’ and ill thought out knee-jerk ineffective policy changes.

 

The elephant in the room is obvious - those of decision making power don’t care enough to resolve the issues. 

 

Genuine change can only exist when the Police are forced to enforce existing traffic regulations.

 

While children ride bikes, unroadworthy vehicles careen down tight streets, while lorries ‘hedge their bets’ screaming down city centre roads and while delivery drivers or those driving works pick-ups drive with erratic yabaa fuel disregard nothing changes.

 

Serious fines, serious charges, continued and consistent follow up rather than ‘flash crack-downs’ which everyone knows last 2-3 days, then the ‘media announcement’ has been forgotten and things get back the the deadly norm. 

 

Road design is another facet, however the primary issue which results in 75% of the Road Death stats being motorcyclists are the sheer number of motorcyclists and the manner in which they ride. 

 

When I am riding my motorcycle the greatest danger I face are not other car drivers, lorry drivers etc, but other motorcyclists who present greater danger to me as they block my ‘escape route’, sit in my blind-spot or just cut me up. 

 

Ultimately, non existing road education and non existing policing is the underlying cause.

 

 

Restricting licences of those medically unfit to to drive will make little difference as those people will just drive anyway, as others do without a licence because they know the chance of being stopped are minimal, or if they are the penalty is ineffective (minimum charge). 

 

 

[AgMech Cowboy]

None of the survey answers hit the nail. Yes, enforcement is a big problem, but the actual driver training is very poor here. Many go from their motorbikes to a four wheeled vehicle with little training (just enough to pass) and carry the old attitude of the motorcycle driver always being 'right'.  Then they go to bigger vehicles and still never get real training. The same attitude goes with them, except now it's I'm the big one here and they'll just have to get out of the way.  The bus drivers are the real shame. Many do not shift into lower gears before starting down a hill and then their brakes fail. Most are not even qualified to drive a bus. (Rant over)

[lujanit]

Restricting DL's will achieve nothing.  Those restricted will just drive with no DL.  No enforcement so many Thais don't bother with a DL.

[Sumarianson]

I believe that all Thai's would benefit from a TV campaign on how to drive properly on roads. 

The main frustration for an experienced driver on multi lane carriageway's is the drivers who sit on the far right and middle overtaking lanes and not travelling at the speed of the road nor faster than the vehicles to the left which causes cars to overtake on the left, leading to major accidents.

[Max69xl]

4 hours ago, 1Gringo said:

my understanding is that many Thais have never bothered to get a license.  there certainly is NO training in how to drive a vehicle and the common rules of the road as practiced in a majority of countries is non-existent in Thailand.

 

since there is either no enforcement of traffic laws or any real penalty if those laws are bent or broken, the locals feel there is no reason whatsoever to either learn the rules of the road nor comply with them.  it's all about 'ME' and there is no fixing that short of re-educating the entire country.

 

"since there is either no enforcement of traffic laws or any real penalty if those laws are bent or broken" 

Depends on what you mean by real penalties. People are getting fined every day either when for example driving a bike without helmet or speeding. It depends on where in Thailand your staying. It's a huge difference compared to when I was here late 80's early 90's. 

[wwest5829]

Can someone ‘splain the following, “The Thai government is contemplating restricting licenses of those with congenital conditions.”

[Seeall]

Not worth the time or effort to talk about it...  The authorities know this too.. just departmental heads trying to justify their non important jobs and take home the thai peoples tax money...

 

everyone knows it...  meanwhile the little kids getting around 5 on a scooter no licence, helmet, perhaps one of them with a facemask on..

no idea.. dont care.... even if as u you say strict this that.. , once they hit the streets they feel shy if they did be different and follow some rules..

yes, it is sad to see a preteen little girls face scraped away from sliding down the street on her face.. or go to the "bike room" at the hospitals..

with blood almost dripping on the floor... room filled mostly with no licenced teens that live to ride their loud silly bikes  weeving in and out of cars "for fun"

ok, now I need stop.. you all know it..

[NoshowJones]

1 hour ago, Sumarianson said:

I believe that all Thai's would benefit from a TV campaign on how to drive properly on roads. 

The main frustration for an experienced driver on multi lane carriageway's is the drivers who sit on the far right and middle overtaking lanes and not travelling at the speed of the road nor faster than the vehicles to the left which causes cars to overtake on the left, leading to major accidents.

A TV campaign? The most important thing about driving is having genuine common sense, the majority of Thais do not have that, at driving or anything else.

[NoshowJones]

44 minutes ago, wwest5829 said:

Can someone ‘splain the following, “The Thai government is contemplating restricting licenses of those with congenital conditions.”

The soldiers who try to run the country know nothing about "congenital conditions", where did they learn about that? Oh! I know. at their military academy. 

[otherstuff1957]

1 hour ago, wwest5829 said:

Can someone ‘splain the following, “The Thai government is contemplating restricting licenses of those with congenital conditions.”

Probably Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, Elephantiasis, Tertiary Syphilis... the usual stuff that the doctors check for when issuing a medical certificate.

 

Not that those things have much effect on your driving ability!

[Ketyo]

So are they going to ban people with diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease from driving? That would cover most people over 50. And it will not have a measurable impact on road accidents.

 

I honestly think the army doesn't know much about how to run a country.

[DJ54]

7 hours ago, Sumarianson said:

Thai's would benefit from a TV campaign on how to drive properly on roads. 

An excellent idea ... 

[grego49]

10 hours ago, Pedrogaz said:

25 year old kids on motorcycles are the most, drunk and driving to fast at night are the main people involved in accidents. Target these people. I have racers running past my house nearly every night at predictable times. I cannot get the police to leave the station after dark. 

Same in Kanchanaburi they only work office hours

[Curt1591]

Unless you are driving a pick up, riding without a helmet, or riding in the wrong lane, odds are you won't get any tickets. And, that's if you don't spot the check point early enough!

Moving violations are unheard of. 
 

Yes; one might get the occasional traffic cam ticket. But, a few hundred baht is hardly a deterrent ...

[PatOngo]

The horse has already bolted, has it not?

[ben2talk]

Simple facts... in 2001 I started with a Honda CB400, working up to a GSX-R. Riding here is a party - I mean you can go as fast as you want anywhere you like, but not expressways... though I had a regular run down the motorway for one job for a while that was good fun, and another job out in Bang Bua Thong that let me get a good run of 250-300km/h to blow out cobwebs.

 

There is no real enforcement. Driving a car on the expressway, you can get cameras snapping you for speeding, even changing lanes, but generally bad behaviour is not caught unless one of those police standing at the off-shoots at busy times spots you and manages to stop you.

 

If you don't stop, generally you're home free... nobody with money gives a toss, Mercedes/BMW - no problems whatsoever.

 

They have no policing, so none of it really matters - the only way to start is to start by revolution. I mean maybe limit current driving licences to a 5 year life pending a proper driving test to give a permanent 'proper' full licence. Scooter riders should be treated equally with car and superbike riders for a basic licence, and later on think about adding an advanced test for bigger bikes if necessary (though they're essentially banned from motorways anyway).

[starfish]

Sorry, i´m not english, is "con genital" another word for STDs ?

????

 

[Seeall]

On 8/23/2020 at 4:48 PM, possum1931 said:

A TV campaign? The most important thing about driving is having genuine common sense, the majority of Thais do not have that, at driving or anything else.

Yes sure, dont you know its bumpy in the left lane?

[NoshowJones]

2 hours ago, Seeall said:

Yes sure, dont you know its bumpy in the left lane?

Sometimes vehicles park there and you have to be extra careful of vehicles emerging from side streets, your view and their's being obstructed, most of them not even looking to see if it is safe for them to come out.

[AgentSmith]

On 8/23/2020 at 2:56 PM, Sumarianson said:

I believe that all Thai's would benefit from a TV campaign on how to drive properly on roads. 

The main frustration for an experienced driver on multi lane carriageway's is the drivers who sit on the far right and middle overtaking lanes and not travelling at the speed of the road nor faster than the vehicles to the left which causes cars to overtake on the left, leading to major accidents.

Yes but Thai traffic law allows to overtake on the left. I know because I've practiced for the exam. I strongly advise all falang to do the same. Sure they've mostly had actual driving lessons in their home countries so in general are the better drivers. Yet it's good to know local traffic rules if only to prevent misunderstandings.