Get License In Uk Or In Thailand.

[aridion]

Hello guys,

I am moving to Thailand next year. When I move there I want to have a motorcycle (maybe around 400cc).

Today I called up a riding school in the UK where I am based and was told that the direct Access scheme would cost £795. This would take me from a novice to a fully licensed rider in the UK.

Alternatively, I may just wait until I am in Thailand and get a Thai motorcycle license (a lot cheaper).

Which would you guys recommend?

Regards,

Aridion.

[LucidLucifer]

If you are planning to live in Thailand long term you will need to get a Thai license, so why bother to do the UK test? Save yourself the money and put it towards your bike here.

If, however, you can't already ride a bike, maybe learning the proper way wouldn't be a bad idea.

Edited October 10, 2012 by LucidLucifer

[karlos]

Do it in the UK, get all the knowledge of the instructors and experience of riding a bigger bike in the UK.

Then get your Thai DL once here in LOS.

Nothing can prepare you for the madness of Thai roads (with exception of riding in India) But please do the full access course before you come, you'll learn nothing in the Thai test.

Edited October 10, 2012 by karlos

[TommoPhysicist]

Cost of m/c license in Thailand about 1,000bht (if you add the needed medical and residence certificate costs)

Nobody fails.

[poanoi]

Have you driven moped in your life ?

You are going to need the Thai driving license no matter what,

so there is much in the scale of doing it in the proper country, Thailand.

But this is the place where you can't count on others following principles,

so lets say you are going down the highway, someone on the opposing field decide to do a U-turn into your lanes, this MF is in all likelihood going to cross ALL your lanes in doing so, in order to get to the slow moving lane, splendid IHO

[noob7]

Cost of m/c license in Thailand about 1,000bht (if you add the needed medical and residence certificate costs)

Nobody fails.

[karlos]

But this is the place where you can't count on others following principles,

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Each and every day i'm still surprised what i see happening on the roads here.

Occasionally i witness the same car driving down a single lane (one way) frontage road that follows the expressway/motorway off of Ramkhemheang 146.

this stupid M.Fer risks life and death to drive 400m towards oncoming traffic to get the her mu-bahn (village) instead of taking the 3km back road...... Most drivers are selfish and inconsiderate A-holes. So please prepare for the unexpected once on the road here in Thailand and never sit behind a taxi or Song-tao.

Edited October 10, 2012 by karlos

[aridion]

So, the overall jist is to wait until i go to Thailand and get the license there?

[karlos]

I'd still encourage you to practise riding the bigger machine back home first, especially if you are planning to live in a built up area of Thailand

[NomadJoe]

UK first all the way. Get the basics of riding down first if you can, especially if you plan on driving big bikes in Thailand. When you come here you can easily convert your UK license to a Thai one without having to sit the written test or take the practical.

Don't bother with an IDP. It's not required for you.

[marstons]

Nothing you learn in the UK will prepare you for here. I would take the test here and learn the hard way on some thing like a 125. come with no long term experience and jump on a 400 cc and your heading for big trouble.

[aridion]

Don't bother with an IDP. It's not required for you.

Erm... what is IDP?

[kaizoku]

I agree with what have been say here.

* You will have to get a Thai driving licence if you want to avoid fine (not so expensive 500/300 baht). Also I think there is something with the insurance if you don't have a thai licence so you better to do it.

I made it last week it cost :

* Residence certificat : 400 baht for 2 copies (+3 pictures)

* Heal certificat : 80/100 baht in a Thaï clinic.

* Driving licence : 155 baht

+ rent of the motorbike for the exam + price of the taxi to go there if you are going with your own motorbike.

This is something really interesting here, a perfect exemple law paradoxe in Thailand. To get your driving licence you need to go to the exam center (that it quite far from everything in Pattaya) with you're own bike/car. Maybe they are expecting that someone will take you there, but in really this mean that everybody is illegal in comming to the exam center.

Two good advices, first don't do like me, so don't ask a driving school to take you there, they will charge you 1500 baht for something that cost 155 baht. Then you can do both car and motorbike driving licence the SAME day ! It will save you to lost two days ... I wish I could know this before !

My last and more important advice, if you're not a good driver, you wont learn anything here so you better to learn in the UK how to drive properly. Don't listen to poeple that say you don't need it because Thai poeple don't know how to drive. This is exactly the opposite ! This is because Thai poeple don't know how to drive that you need to learn. Who can do more can do less, the opposite is not right. In UK learn how to drive, in Thailand then learn "street rules".

Edited October 10, 2012 by kaizoku

[MAJIC]

Don't bother with an IDP. It's not required for you.

Erm... what is IDP?

IDP = International Driving Licence, only lasts for one year though, but cheap at £7 UK

[mjj]

As long as you don't try to be Rossi from the off, I wouldn't bother with the uk test.

I learnt on a 125 2 stroke in the uk when you could ride a bike with just the car license. I taught myself on quite roads, made mistakes, but learnt how to ride. Take it slow, build up your confidence, learn and have fun. The 2 most important things I learnt on a motorbike in my opinion was, take notice of the road - bumps, drains, water, painted lines and dips effect a bike, and cars love to pull out in front of you so be prepared to be defensive at all times.

[bramds]

I would take the test here and learn the hard way on some thing like a 125.

That's what I did :-)

[karlos]

P.S. Vehicles flashing their lights at you means 'stay the hell out of my way, i'm coming into your path NOW!'

[smedly]

assuming you have a car licence already then you have what I would call road sense and you have some experience of riding a small bike in the UK so you have basic skills, I honestly wouldn't bother with the UK licence as it's not going to teach you anything you don't already know or that you can't find free on the internet, there are lots of postings on the web about bike riding.

There is also a very good thread here on TV about riding in Thailand with lots of opinions and advice - some better than others but you can work that out for yourself

When you get here either buy or rent a small bike first and get used to the roads and driving style learning as you go.

You mention 400cc - why ? to me 600cc is the minimum if you are going to a bigger bike, also find some peeps in your local area to ride with at the start (choose carefully) I have seen some claimed expert falang riders here that have a death wish and would not be an example to follow.

When riding on these roads expect the unexpected which almost makes the roads safer here as back in the UK you expect everyone to follow the rules and may be off guard when they don't

[noob7]

P.S. Vehicles flashing their lights at you means 'stay the hell out of my way, i'm coming into your path NOW!'

yep, they are always very irritated, in case you chose to set the right indicator or the hazard lights, with driving close to the median and flashing back at them.