Buriram Has An Excellent Motorbike Safety Training Class

[kamalabob2]

I posted a similar posting in the motorbike section, but for those who live in or near Buriram it is easily possible and very affordable to obtain a legal Thai motorbike drivers license after completing two morning class in Buriram at a very nice Honda dealership / distributorship complex not far from the Private Hospital and very close to the railroad tracks. The signs in Thai also indicate automobile driving instruction, but best to have your Thai better half phone the number for details. Last month we brought our 15 year old daughter with her originals and copies of a 50 baht medical test, birth certificate, (she does not have her Government ID yet since they ran out of the blanks at the local office!) blue book registration listing, and her Mom's ID to the Buriram Honda location.

The staff was polite, said they would phone my wife as soon as they had enough people to schedule a class and on March 16th and 17th starting at 8a.m. our daughter had classroom training and on actual Honda motorbikes on a very nice test track, much larger than the tracks I had seen at any Land Transportation office. In Buriram they have a nice classroom, another room with the government test machines, the eye chart and a good attitude. I did not see any native English speaking students at that class. Heck for 80 baht even lunch was included and a free T shirt. On the afternoon of the 2nd day the two dozen Thai students of all ages were taken to the Land Transportation office near the soccer stadium and in less than 30 minutes paid the 135 baht Government fee, had a photo taken and walked away with a real drivers license.

A figure of 3500 baht was mentioned for FIFTEEN HOURS of Honda automobile driving instruction which is comparable with private auto driving schools in Buriram.

I am not sure which other provinces "Up Country" offer this similar driving instruction, but it seemed better than having my Brother in law teach her bad habits on a motorbike in the village.

[elwood]

That's a very interesting post, thanks.

In Ubon there is a Honda training Centre close to the vehicle test and licence office, but I have never thought to enquire as to whether you can take the test there after completing the course. I should imagine though, that it would be the same as you experienced in Buriram.

Elwood

[kamalabob2]

The Honda staff told my wife that Ubon was the only other city in Isaan that offered a similar class. So well worth asking. I was surprised they did not mention Korat.

[TheWalkingMan]

That was a very interesting post. Thanks for taking the time.

[elwood]

The Honda staff told my wife that Ubon was the only other city in Isaan that offered a similar class. So well worth asking. I was surprised they did not mention Korat.

Thanks for getting back to me, much appreciated. I would like the wife to take it - and myself! I have a Thai licence for the car, but use an IDP for the bike, as I never rode one in the UK, and maybe it would be better getting a licence via the Honda course than the regular system as, from your experience with the daughter, it seems that they are fast-tracked when actually collecting the licence.

Do the police have regular licence checks in your area? In Ubon they are out every day at various points around town; and before the whingers start up, no, they do not collect bunce, tickets are issued! For a while I was being stopped several times per week - some of them got to recognise me and would talk about Liverpool's latest exploits, or lack of, and not even bother to ask me to show the IDP.

Elwood