OK with all the distraction of the red-shirt turmoil and GFC, we seem to have been neglecting some of the old Thaivisa staples ... like ... ah ... Thai drivers

Now of course some foreigners say that Thai drivers are just shocking .. no skills at all

Others say that Thai drivers are entirely competent within their element ... they just have their own unique style that just happens to differ from our own

But I'm curious as to how well Thais go (in driving terms) when they find themselves on the road in another country ... so on this sunny Sunday morning how about we run yet another gratuitous Thaivisa survey?

Start your engines ....

This should be interesting

poll assumes everybody has a thai partner. if you don't have one and leave the second batch of questions blank your vote is null and void = stupid

The topic should be changed to read How Much Did It Cost You......

The topic should be changed to read How Much Did It Cost You......

Exactly 1000 baht.

Mrs Soutpeel driving in my country while on holiday.....actually very good

Mrs Soutpeel driving in Thailand.....typical Thai driving

so to me a good example of "When in Rome"

ps...Poll is absolute cr*p

Note that not all foreign countries are the same. In many it's very straightforward to get a drivers license. In others it commonly requires multiple attempts, and a separate theory exam.

Personally I got it at the second attempt. And in Thailand on the first attempt.

If the Mrs. ever goes to live in my home country then she'd get her Thai license transferred I assume.

The topic should be changed to read How Much Did It Cost You......

Actually, 2,500 baht plus driving her to the school for a week, 300 baht/day for fuel. But they did teach her to drive pretty well. Guaranteed to get her a license. She took the theory test on-line from the driving school's office, video-conferenced to the MOT so there was no cheating. She passed it on the third time. Some others took 4, one just couldn't pass it.

When I got my license in the States, I got it at an office that flunked every kid the first time, to teach them respect for the license :-( I passed on my first time - my mother had gone to high school with the examiner I consider that good preparation for Thailand

Motorbike in the morning, car in the afternoon, double first, no nepotism.

Oh yes, the wife. She has yet to ride the bike I just bought here.

poll assumes everybody has a thai partner. if you don't have one and leave the second batch of questions blank your vote is null and void = stupid

The only thing that was assumed was that readers would have sufficient common sense to realise that if they didn't have a Thai partner then the survey was not directly applicable to them ... by reading the preamble before voting

But to follow your line of reasoning ... is the magazine you read "stüpid" because it includes ads for womens underwear? They're "assuming" you wear that stuff, yes? I mean, and you don't.

Or am I wrong?

First try. Whats the problem?

first try. motorbike and automobile. piece o' cake!

Passed 1st time UK, following the advise of a work mate. "totally ignore the examiner, he's not there, don't ever say sorry". I mounted the kerb reversing the corner, no reaction from me, just carried on, passed. Told the wifey the same advise and she passed 1st tome too. Maybe she gave him a reach around too, I dunno, I wasn't there. But piece of pi_s really.

first try. motorbike and automobile. piece o' cake!

Ditto.

re. Thai driving... try driving through Phuket town during the rush hour every day. Then try driving down the new F1 track to Rawai every day (commonly called Chao Fah West). If you don't get converted to the "Thai style" within a few weeks, you may as well go home because you won't last long here.

You either have to switch off and ignore what all the other silly tossers are doing.... or join them and be one yourself.

I particularly like the commuter vans and hotel taxis who queue up at red traffic lights and then pull into the "left turn only" lane so that they get to the lights just as they are turning green and then they plough straight through all the bikes and get to the front. Neat trick.