Hey all,

I'm passing the driving exam in Bangkok next week (I need a thai licence, but I don't own one in my country of origin), but the thing is I can only drive automatic cars... I can handle the stick, but not as well, and I'm affraid I'm going to fail the exam... Is the exam going on ONLY on manual, or can it be on automatic ?... assuming they provide a car at all ?? If not, how can I do ?

Many thanks for your help

i suggest you go to a local driving school ( son kap rot) and get some lessons, the instructor knows the process at the test centre which will make it easier for you, if you dont speak thai, take an english speaking thai friend along to translate

you can sit the test in either an auto or manual car, if you do the auto, thats all you license will allow you to drive, so even if you pass your test in an auto you are not allowed to drive a manual.

depending on where you sit the test there will be cars for hire.

do you have a work permit? if not i believe you will need a letter of residency from your embassay.

you will also need a doctors certificate, costs 100 baht, just go to a local clinic and tell them its for a driving license, they will know what to provide you with, no need to go to a hospital.

i dont think you need photos any more.

sorry cant think of anything else just now, maybe some other poster can fill in anything i have missed.

Many thanks mate, that's about all I needed to know...

I'll go for the auto licence.. it's funny it works that way, I've never heard of that before

If anyone else has suggestions or experiences to share, let me know on this post

Thanks again rgs2001uk for your help

i suggest you go to a local driving school ( son kap rot) and get some lessons, the instructor knows the process at the test centre which will make it easier for you, if you dont speak thai, take an english speaking thai friend along to translate

you can sit the test in either an auto or manual car, if you do the auto, thats all you license will allow you to drive, so even if you pass your test in an auto you are not allowed to drive a manual.

depending on where you sit the test there will be cars for hire.

do you have a work permit? if not i believe you will need a letter of residency from your embassay.

you will also need a doctors certificate, costs 100 baht, just go to a local clinic and tell them its for a driving license, they will know what to provide you with, no need to go to a hospital.

i dont think you need photos any more.

sorry cant think of anything else just now, maybe some other poster can fill in anything i have missed.

My girlfriend did her test in an auto, I didn't sit a test as I already have a UK license allowing me to drive auto or manual. Our licenses are identical, there is nothing to say whether you did the test in an auto, manual, or at all.

You can sit the test in either, but will need to provide a car. You also still need photos.

Hey what do you mean I need to provide a car ? Can I rent it at the testing place ?

My girlfriend did her test in an auto, I didn't sit a test as I already have a UK license allowing me to drive auto or manual. Our licenses are identical, there is nothing to say whether you did the test in an auto, manual, or at all.

You can sit the test in either, but will need to provide a car. You also still need photos.

Even if you do the test in an auto you can legally drive a manual on the roads still. If you do the test in a manual then they sometimes make you do a little hill start apparently.

It shouldnt matter as to what kind of transmission do you use to take a test.

I noticed that if you do the test in the manual you have to do a hill start but if you do it in an automatic you have to do a hill start AND a parallel park (or maybe that was only for women???).

If you don't need photos any more whose picture will they put on the license???????????

Hey all,

I'm passing the driving exam in Bangkok next week (I need a thai licence, but I don't own one in my country of origin), but the thing is I can only drive automatic cars... I can handle the stick, but not as well, and I'm affraid I'm going to fail the exam... Is the exam going on ONLY on manual, or can it be on automatic ?... assuming they provide a car at all ?? If not, how can I do ?

Many thanks for your help

just don't drive....if you have to ask questions like thast you shouldn't be in a car yet anyway

just don't drive....if you have to ask questions like thast you shouldn't be in a car yet anyway

You're right wilko, people who drive automatic cars only shouldn't drive cars at all. 95% of Americans should get their licence taken away. People who can't ride a horse shouldn't be able to drive a car either...

But thanks for your contribution anyway.

It shouldnt matter as to what kind of transmission do you use to take a test.

I guess you learnt in an auto.

It should matter what car you take your test in.

Cheers

It shouldnt matter as to what kind of transmission do you use to take a test.

I guess you learnt in an auto.

It should matter what car you take your test in.

Cheers

uh huh and the law doesnt state that you have to take a certain transmission type of car to take a test.

uh huh and the law doesnt state that you have to take a certain transmission type of car to take a test.

Which is an oversight in the law wouldn't you agree.

Cheers

I drive an automatic, but I love manuals. I get to drive my friend's toyota sportrider a lot because he drives it so dam_n much in and out of town so he doesn't care.

Right, my license doesn't indicate (both in Thai or English) the kind of transmission I'm permitted to drive. It should be that way. I think driving is about perception, judging distances, and many other external factors to the driver and the car. A decent driver has his/her subconscious brain operating the mechanics of the car, and the key factor, his/her sense in harnessing the car to any direction. I drive my auto most of the time, but whenever I get into a manual, I notice my subconsciousness (sounds paradoxical, eh? I think you know what I mean) conpensating for the difference in mechanical synchrony and I end up moving the manual car the exact same way I move my own automatic car.

So, given one is used to automatic, learning and overcoming manual yields the same driving characteristics within the same individual.

People, what are your ideas concerning these two types of transmissions? Pros and cons? I personally love the manual because it feels like I'm in complete control, the car won't make assumptions you do not expect it to make (generally). Also, when going in and out of town, interprovincial trips, manual gear is "the" transmission for me. Manual is like using a PC, and auto is like using a Mac. I don't think there is a right or wrong, all about preferences.

uh huh and the law doesnt state that you have to take a certain transmission type of car to take a test.

Which is an oversight in the law wouldn't you agree.

Cheers

and as you know this is Thailand , even in the US there arent any restrictions as to which transmission you have to use during a DMV testing.

Most Americans don't have a problem driving a manual after having only previously driven an automatic, you just put it in first and don't need to change gear.,

just don't drive....if you have to ask questions like thast you shouldn't be in a car yet anyway

You're right wilko, people who drive automatic cars only shouldn't drive cars at all. 95% of Americans should get their licence taken away. People who can't ride a horse shouldn't be able to drive a car either...

But thanks for your contribution anyway.

you've got a point there .......

Quite frankly though there are to many blithering idiots who think they are safe on the road and it's just down to plain stupidity....

"Ever had an accident?"

"No never, seen loads....never had one"

Did I mention automatics???