Driving School Pattaya

[alexth]

I am looking to get my driver;s licence, both for motorcycle and car. Does anyone know any school?

[Chopper]

I am looking to get my driver;s licence, both for motorcycle and car. Does anyone know any school?

You should not need to go to a school if you have an International license; or valid license from your home country. In most instances I believe this to be the case.

Eastern Verification Center.

The office for Vehicle Registration, Annual Taxation, Annual Roadworthy Inspection, Driving Licence applications & renewal.

The office is about 19kms from Big C (Sukhumvit Road / South Pattaya Road).

Travel north on route 3 (Sukhumvit Road to Bangkok) about 10kms. Observe an 'overpass' bridge on your right, you need to pass under the bridge (turn right) signed 'route 36 to Rayong'. After about 9 kms you will see the 'School of the Regents' on your right hand side, the road you need is just before the school, but it's not easy to do a 'U-turn' here. A short way past the school is a place where you can safely u-turn.

Drive just past the school again, and turn sharp left at a narrow road poorly signed in Thai. Follow this road a short way - on your left is a number of shops offering photo-copying, food, insurance, etc - on your right is a big building with two grand entrances (use the second). This is the 'Eastern Verification Center' office.

Vehicle documentation is Ground Floor, Driving Licences upstairs.

Getting a Driving license at the Eastern Verification Center.

You Need to take with you :--

1. Letter of address/visa confirmation from Immigration - (must be less than 30 days old)

2. Letter of 'Fit-to-drive' from Doctor -(must be less than 30 days old)

3. Passport + 1 photocopy of each - 'face' page, visa page, current TM6 card & latest entry stamp page.

4. Current (home country) driving licence + 1 copy of all English language pages. (see note2)

5. Two 2.5cm x 2.5cm (1 inch) photos (available from vendors across the road) for each licence.

6. Requisite fee-nominal.

7. A 1st licence issue is valid for 1 yr. After that you can renew for 5 years.

Edited February 17, 2006 by Chopper

[alexth]

I don't have a license back home, this is my problem, thanks for the post anyway, Chopper

[Mobi]

I don't have a license back home, this is my problem, thanks for the post anyway, Chopper

If there are any driving schools around, I'm sure they don't speak any English - so they're a waste of time unless you speak fluent Thai. If you can drive, you can still get a licence by taking driving test. I know several farangs, and indeed 2 recent Thai wives who have taken the test and passed. If any problems with the test, I don't doubt a small back hander will do the trick. I suggest you find a Thai who can help you with this - should be reasonably well educated - some bar girls (but by no means all),may not be up to it. You will still need most of the documents listed in Chopper's post. Good luck

PS Although you can drive without a licence and pay off the cops when stopped, it is worth noting that no insurance is valid in Thiland without a valid licence, so if you have an accident you're in big sh...t

Edited February 18, 2006 by Mobi D'Ark

[Noel]

I don't have a license back home, this is my problem, thanks for the post anyway, Chopper

If and when you do start driving in Pattaya, would you please post daily bulletins as to where and when you will be on the road.

Thanks

[sierra01]

The guy wants to learn to drive and ride Noel, hence his asking about driving schools, so why the sarky comment? If he does as Mobi D'Ark suggests then I fully agree with you, until then give him a break please.

[donkeykong]

If and when you do start driving in Pattaya, would you please post daily bulletins as to where and when you will be on the road.

Thanks

[alexth]

I don't have a license back home, this is my problem, thanks for the post anyway, Chopper

If there are any driving schools around, I'm sure they don't speak any English - so they're a waste of time unless you speak fluent Thai. If you can drive, you can still get a licence by taking driving test. I know several farangs, and indeed 2 recent Thai wives who have taken the test and passed. If any problems with the test, I don't doubt a small back hander will do the trick. I suggest you find a Thai who can help you with this - should be reasonably well educated - some bar girls (but by no means all),may not be up to it. You will still need most of the documents listed in Chopper's post. Good luck

PS Although you can drive without a licence and pay off the cops when stopped, it is worth noting that no insurance is valid in Thiland without a valid licence, so if you have an accident you're in big sh...t

It's exactly your PS the reason for looking to get a drivers licence, I've been riding motorbikes since I've been 13, so for the motorbike I could just pay the "fine" for getting the drivers licence without the lessons, as for the car, I really need lessons, I wouldn't want Noel here to freak out

[Noel]

The guy wants to learn to drive and ride Noel, hence his asking about driving schools, so why the sarky comment? If he does as Mobi D'Ark suggests then I fully agree with you, until then give him a break please.

Steady up sierra01, why so serious?

And btw, he said nothing about wanting to learn to drive: he asked about licences. For all you or I know, he may well have assumed that the route to getting a licence was through a Driving School, as is the case in certain other countries.

Moreover, if he cannot drive, why would he make a post such as this:

When I was renting my motorbike, I got it from Take It Easy rentals, it opposite Soi 7 on the 2nd Road, very good service, I had a brand new Yamaha Nouvo MX, only 28 kms

[Rimmer]

The guy wants to learn to drive and ride Noel, hence his asking about driving schools, so why the sarky comment? If he does as Mobi D'Ark suggests then I fully agree with you, until then give him a break please.

Phew!! Too hot for me I'm outa here

[alexth]

The guy wants to learn to drive and ride Noel, hence his asking about driving schools, so why the sarky comment? If he does as Mobi D'Ark suggests then I fully agree with you, until then give him a break please.

Steady up sierra01, why so serious?

And btw, he said nothing about wanting to learn to drive: he asked about licences. For all you or I know, he may well have assumed that the route to getting a licence was through a Driving School, as is the case in certain other countries.

Moreover, if he cannot drive, why would he make a post such as this:

When I was renting my motorbike, I got it from Take It Easy rentals, it opposite Soi 7 on the 2nd Road, very good service, I had a brand new Yamaha Nouvo MX, only 28 kms

I said I can ride a motorbike and that I've been doing it since I was 13, I need driving lessons only for the car, anyway, please stop arguing, I am just getting tired of it...

[sierra01]

Ok I was wrong to assume that he couldn't drive, but doesn't asking about driving schools lead you to think that he can't drive?

Digging up week old posts that I might not have read (and I hadn't in this case) is a tiny bit unfair?

[Prakanong2005]

I don't have a license back home, this is my problem, thanks for the post anyway, Chopper

If and when you do start driving in Pattaya, would you please post daily bulletins as to where and when you will be on the road.

Thanks

LOL

I suppose I should warn you my wife is asking for driving lessons too ;-)

I will warn you when she is in Pattaya, Bangkok or Nakhon Nowhere as she seems to flit between the three as it will be a public service!

[Mobi]

I don't have a license back home, this is my problem, thanks for the post anyway, Chopper

If and when you do start driving in Pattaya, would you please post daily bulletins as to where and when you will be on the road.

Thanks

LOL

I suppose I should warn you my wife is asking for driving lessons too ;-)

I will warn you when she is in Pattaya, Bangkok or Nakhon Nowhere as she seems to flit between the three as it will be a public service!

I should also warn you that my wife (current) had driving lessons in Bangkok, passed her test and I bought her a little motor 2 months ago. She had 2 accidents before the red number plates were off and still can't reverse or park to save her life. She is down in Na Klua market with the maid right now - so keep your distance from a white Jazz with a dark skinned, pretty young Isaan lady sitting in the driver's seat. Come to think of it, there must be a few hundred that would fit that description - keep your distance from ALL of them!!!

[alexth]

Really guys, the motorbike is okay, but the car is a different case, that's why I would prefere to take car driving lessons, Thailand is not the place for joking with a car

[Noel]

The guy wants to learn to drive and ride Noel, hence his asking about driving schools, so why the sarky comment? If he does as Mobi D'Ark suggests then I fully agree with you, until then give him a break please.

Steady up sierra01, why so serious?

And btw, he said nothing about wanting to learn to drive: he asked about licences. For all you or I know, he may well have assumed that the route to getting a licence was through a Driving School, as is the case in certain other countries.

Moreover, if he cannot drive, why would he make a post such as this:

When I was renting my motorbike, I got it from Take It Easy rentals, it opposite Soi 7 on the 2nd Road, very good service, I had a brand new Yamaha Nouvo MX, only 28 kms

I said I can ride a motorbike and that I've been doing it since I was 13, I need driving lessons only for the car, anyway, please stop arguing, I am just getting tired of it...

I had obviously not read your post saying you can ride a motorbike when I posted the above, although I did recall you having mentioned riding a motorbike before in one of your 90+ posts during the last week or so since you joined.

Having been 'ticked off' by sierra01, that was why I looked it up.

More to the point: if you are getting stressed out at a couple of mild exchanges on this Forum, my best best advice is to forget about getting behind the wheel of a car in Pattaya!

You would be a nervous wreck in minutes...

[donkeykong]

Really guys, the motorbike is okay, but the car is a different case, that's why I would prefere to take car driving lessons, Thailand is not the place for joking with a car

Maybe you should get one of these.....

[Chopper]

Excellent! I will take the Dodgem car, most appropriate for Pattaya.

My girlfriend had driving lessons a few years ago. The instructor would direct her to drive to Chonburi from Pattaya and then fall asleep each time. She would wake him up at Chonburi and he would say drive back to Pattaya now. He knew when to put her in for her test simply because one day he said that; that was such a smooth ride that he had not woken up once during the lesson. Go figure...

Coincidentally one of her friends by pure chance had the same instructor (years later) and he is was still employing the same teaching methods. Only in Thailand!

To the OP I would recommend trying to get a farang to teach you unless your Thai is well up to scratch.

[alexth]

Really guys, the motorbike is okay, but the car is a different case, that's why I would prefere to take car driving lessons, Thailand is not the place for joking with a car

Maybe you should get one of these.....

Donkeykong, you're a eal source of talent, have you ever considered joining Pattaya mail?

[donkeykong]

Donkeykong, you're a eal source of talent, have you ever considered joining Pattaya mail?

Not sure I want to learn the dodgy muppet handshake and wear the silly sash.

[alexth]

Any comments on topic?

[alexth]

What amazes me is that I could easily find a F1 driving shool, but no standard driving schools

http://www.takiracing.com/index.html

[Bruprince]

What amazes me is that I could easily find a F1 driving shool, but no standard driving schools

http://www.takiracing.com/index.html

My wife went to a driving school in Naklua, they put her in a pick up and she drove around in first gear off road for a couple of days. She then went for the test and passed but had to pay 1000B to pass the tick test, she then learnt to drive by herself on the public roads.

[Pattaya_Fox]

What amazes me is that I could easily find a F1 driving shool, but no standard driving schools

http://www.takiracing.com/index.html

My wife went to a driving school in Naklua, they put her in a pick up and she drove around in first gear off road for a couple of days. She then went for the test and passed but had to pay 1000B to pass the tick test, she then learnt to drive by herself on the public roads.

T.I.T. This is the usual way

[alexth]

What amazes me is that I could easily find a F1 driving shool, but no standard driving schools

http://www.takiracing.com/index.html

My wife went to a driving school in Naklua, they put her in a pick up and she drove around in first gear off road for a couple of days. She then went for the test and passed but had to pay 1000B to pass the tick test, she then learnt to drive by herself on the public roads.

I was thinking that this might be the only solution, but was still hoping for a decent one...this is how explains the thai's driving skills...I'll guess I'll just stick to my motorbike

Happy, Noel???

[CharlesDavid]

Both the Thai driving test and motorcycle test a very simple to pass. Both just consist of driving around a circuit behind the driving center with absolutely no other traffic involved.

Go and take your motorcycle test this week you will pass easily and as other posters have pointed out without it your insurance is invalid and being in an accident will cause you big problems.

As for learning to drive a car I've lived in Pattaya for years and have never heard of an official driving school. One solution would perhaps tp get a farang friend to hire a car and take you to one of the outlying estates where there is little traffic to teach you how to drive much jusr as many people in the UK learn off an older relative. The test is easy it won't take you long to learn enough to pass it.

[alexth]

I knew that passing the test wouldn't be a problem, what I really need is to be sure that I am capable of driving a car in Thailand, for my own safe and protection, thanks for the posts anyway

[CGW]

I was thinking that this might be the only solution, but was still hoping for a decent one...this is how explains the thai's driving skills...I'll guess I'll just stick to my motorbike

Happy, Noel???

Possibly a member would volunteer to teach you? Noel?

My gf "passed" her test last month How? (1000baht)

She's hit my truck three times already going in and out of drive!

She shouldNOT be driving - Amazing Thailand Indeed