Motorcycle Drivers License Question

[patekatek]

Have any of you Cha Am or Hua Hin members gone through the process of getting a motorcycle license? If so, did you have to provide a Dr's statement, arrive at 09:30 to view a 4 hour training video, then return the next day at 13:00 to take a driving test? Also, if you respond, can you tell me where you got your license. I live in Kaeng Krachan (Phetchaburi district).

Thanks for any information you are willing to share.

[roly]

Yes about 2 years ago. I did have to provide a Dr's statement - I just went to a clinic and asked for a certificate, no checkup was necessary and it cost about 150 baht, maybe less. I also had to take a letter of residence, which I just got from the immigration office, though they gave me the wrong letter the first time and upon arriving at the test centre, was told that I had to get another one and come back the next day!

I arrived at the Pranburi driving test centre, it was around 8.30 I think, had to take a few practical eyesight and reaction tests, then skipped the training video (they made all the Thais watch it though) - they just gave me a book of road signs to read for a few hours. I then had to to a multiple choice test around 11am on the computer (scored 23/30 which was the minimum pass mark), and then the same day in the afternoon (about 1pm) had the practical test which was driving around the car park a few times.

My girlfriend recently got her license, but I think she had to go back a second day as you mention - perhaps they changed the process. Anyway, it was all pretty easy.

By the way, the road sign book they gave me had nothing to do whatsoever with the multi-choice test, which was in English (badly translated so that you weren't even sure half the time what they were asking). When I pressed the buzzer for help regarding the meaning of a few questions, they were too busy, so just had to guess on several of them. Questions such as:

What is it illegal to do out of the following (without prior permission):

1) Drive a tank on the street

2) Park on a yellow line

3) Drive without indicators working?

Oh and one last bit of information, was that I had a UK international driving permit (IDP) which unfortunately had expired - but if you had that with motorcycle license on, I believe you can just swap it for a Thai license no need to take any tests.

555

[patekatek]

Thanks, Roly, for the informative response. My Thai wife talked to two different people at the license center north of Cha Am, east of highway #4. Both responses were that it was a two day ordeal. Sure hate to drive 90 km round trip twice to get a dang motorcycle license. I guess I just bite the bullet and get it done.

[kekalot]

I'm pretty sure that's how it worked

it's been a few months but the first day was watch this dreadful 4-5-6 hours of videos (mostly about car stuff too)

then you do a sight test, a reflex test and a depth perception test with 2 ropes and a stick you need to line up.

there's that multiple choice test on the computer, i passed it.

he is right about that question about driving a tank. as far as i can remember, the tank was legal (there was something about it in the videos.. but dont take my word for it)

what the test likes to ask is the same question 3-5 times with different multiple answers.. i think i screwed up one of those question too cause i got the exact score needed to pass.

the driving test for me was a pain in the ass and this is why.

i was "told" that the line you need to drive on without falling off or touching the floor needed to be driven at 10 km/h, anything faster and they fail you

that day, no one else was there to do the test before me..

my motorbike speedometer started at 20.. i looked down at the wheel and meter too much.. if you fail they make you come back 7 days later. (might be a tea money way out of that, lol)

anyways, the second time.. there were a bunch of other ones going too.. they ALL went MUCH faster than 10.. at least 15 and prob 20s. i was annoyed. i went faster and got it that time and walked away with my 1 year license

FYI. I got the license on a tourist visa with zero problems apart from me failing that slow driving on a line thing. I will actually renew it for 5 years this November.

[patekatek]

Thanks a lot Kekalot. I guess I will have to find some resource material to study if they are going to have trick or dubious questions. In addition I will now have to take a look at the speedometer on my cycle to see if it records 10km per hour. I can see now why so many Thais drive without a MC license. Bye the way, where did you take your test?

[kekalot]

hmm i can't recall the address but its called "Phetchaburi Provincial Transport Office" a little bit off phetkasem.. i remember that there is a 7eleven across the street if you walk to the end of the street

also the Santorini Water partk is not all that far but is on the wrong side of phetkasem

if that doesn't make sense, just google search "Phetchaburi Provincial Transport Office" and its the one closer to Cha-am. apparently there is one in Muang Phetchaburi also

the tests themselves were pretty easy if you paid half attention to the videos.. i was just an idiot and got probably 4-4 of those questions wrong cause i kept answering the wrong answer

and as far as i know if you fail it tells you what you failed and they just make you retake it instantly

might depend on their mood tho

[sean in udon]

What is it illegal to do out of the following (without prior permission):

1) Drive a tank on the street

2) Park on a yellow line

3) Drive without indicators working?

This is Thailand, so all 3 could be legal or illegal.

Are they all trick questions like this one?

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[patekatek]

I going to guess that "1" is the correct answer because of the "without prior permission" in the question. It's only a guess because I have yet to take the test.

[wpcoe]

Oh and one last bit of information, was that I had a UK international driving permit (IDP) which unfortunately had expired - but if you had that with motorcycle license on, I believe you can just swap it for a Thai license no need to take any tests.

Not sure if it's uniform nationwide, but in Cholburi the only thing that's waived with the IDP is the actual driving test. All other tests, including color, reaction and the 30-question computer test needed to be taken.