Driving Test - Pranburi Or Cha-am?

[TCA]

While searching for directions to the driving test centre in Pranburi, I found out that there's a driving test centre in Cha-Am that could be used by Hua Hin residents. I may go to Cha Am instead as I think I'm less likely to get lost.

Has anyone applied for licences there recently and can comment on how easy it was and how busy? I have a UK car licence and International Driving Permit and want licences for both car and motorbike. I'm guessing I'll have to sit a motorbike test at least.

If anyone has experience of both locations that would be worth knowing.

Cheers in advance.

TCA.

[d0ndela]

I recently got a 1 year driving license for car, at the office near Prachuabkhirikhan. I live in Hua Hin but we were going there anyway, so we passed the motor office to get it fixed. I did not know that there was an office in Cha-am, would be very nice if there are.

We brought our international driver licenses along with passport and work permit (not sure you actually needed that) and a Thai to translate everything for us.

First they didn't want to approve our international driver license, but we convinced the lady there that it was actually a genuine one (which it was), then we had to stand by a machine which was meant for learning different signs and taking trial-tests before the actual test. She told us to take the trial-test and tell her how many correct out of 30 we got. We got 21 so we of course told her we got 28 correct and she was very impressed Then on to a color-blindness test, a reaction test which was really simple and a test to test "the depth of your vision" you had to align a moving stick with a fixed stick about 5 meters away, also very simple.

Then take a photo and we were done.

I think that had we not had the international licenses, we would have had to take a small driving test in the parking lot, in our own car. Same goes with motorbike, you need to bring your own vehicle to the test.

All in all I was very pleasantly surprised how smooth everything went, compared to what I had feared. And what a nice feature that you get your plastic driver license on spot after 2 minutes instead of them sending it weeks later like they did last time I got one back in Europe.

[TCA]

Thanks d0ndela. Sounds like I'll be OK from the car licence perspective but I suspect a practical motorbike test will be required for that licence. Can anyone confirm or has anyone else recently used the test centre in Cha Am or Pranburi and can comment?

[d0ndela]

Yes you need a practical test for the motorbike unless your international license has motorbike included.

But the practical motorbike test is something like drive in eights and slalom between some cones. Nothing to do with roads.

[TCA]

My international licence is for cars only, so it'll be the motorbike test for me.

Anyone from Hua Hin sat the test in Cha Am or used that centre for anything else recently?

[a10ams]

I got my one year bike and car at Pranburi very easily.

I needed a medical certificate (40 baht?) and not much else. I didn't have to do any driving test.

I am slightly colour blind and they asked me to take the colour blind test. The lady couldn't speak English so my wife translated for her. I told my wife that, regardless of what I said, she should tell the lady what she saw. I passed.

Renewing for the five year was just as easy.

I think it's all down to how they feel on the day. There was another Brit in there at the same time as me and they were giving him the runaround big style.

[a10ams]

I got my one year bike and car at Pranburi very easily.

I needed a medical certificate (40 baht?) and not much else. I didn't have to do any driving test.

I am slightly colour blind and they asked me to take the colour blind test. The lady couldn't speak English so my wife translated for her. I told my wife that, regardless of what I said, she should tell the lady what she saw. I passed.

Renewing for the five year was just as easy.

I think it's all down to how they feel on the day. There was another Brit in there at the same time as me and they were giving him the runaround big style.

[josephinebloggs]

Anyone have any idea if the Pranburi driving centre are able to give you a IDP ( International Driving Permit ) ??

Or does anybody have a number for them, struggling to find one online.

[alleykat]

I think you will find the Pranburi one easier to find than the Cha-am one.

[UKJASE]

i have been to the pranburi centre three times in as many months and the experience has always been relaxed, and the outcome successful

[1huahin]

We got our licenses from Cha'am we had to take their practical test - ie what colour is this and can you brake in time all very very simple. We only asked for car licenses but were issued with motor bike licenses as well - I have never driven a motor bike in my life.

The main problem with the Cha'am office is that they cannot do photo copies for you so you have to make sure you have everything correct in the first place. If you have forgotten anything they will direct you to a shop by the market and they will do photo copies for you - it is about 2 mins away so no big problem.

[roly]

I thought you were supposed to go to the test centre in the province in which you live? that's why I took mine in Prachuap rather than Cha-am which is Petchaburi.

Anyway, when I got an IDP from the AA in the UK, it unexpectedly included a motorbike permit up to 500 kg, which was a surprise as I'd never driven a bike in the UK before. Unfortunately it had expired by the time I went to get the license so I had to take the test which was easy!