Thailand Driving License: Tough new tests from 1st June 2014

[chainarong]

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It's not going to make people better drivers or reduce their levels of road rage. The Roads in Thailand are full of unlicensed drivers and idiots. Get the police out onto the roads and actually book people breaking the laws.

This apply to twelve year olds on motor bikes Chooka

[tezzainoz]

" Bt. 500 ? "

" yes and you have just passed the new tougher driving test . "

Bursting you bubble here

Friend wife needed a driver licence s her husband paid a friend who worked there 3000 baht to get a licence no test

3 days later he gave the money back saying the system has now been tighten up, and she must do the test

lucky she can drive just did not want to put in the day at the reg office and loose time at work

[trigger571]

So how does one get 12 hours of training for a bikers licence I wonder? Here in Phuket, I have asked endless times. There is no one (at least that anyone of importance knows of) that actually gives motorbike riding lessons. When I asked persons in brown uniform and even the training center they told me there are no schools and the only way to learn how to ride a bike was to actually break the law and ride around without a license first, then go for the exam!!!!!! Just don't get caught they said.

[Card]

Whatever they do, they won't stop idiots like I saw the other day, driving his motorcycle at speed down a busy soi with one hand and his eyes on his mobile phone, probably texting or playing games. They should include the dangers of driving with one hand on the bloody handle bar of motorcycles in the new tests.

[AlphMichaels]

There is NO enforcement. Must enforce driving laws. Ticket with "penalty prejudice" (aka BIG fines) for breaking highway laws. Speeding..., 10,000 THB. No license...., same fine..., suspend any chance of getting a license for 1 year. You can't pay, you lose vehicle until you can. Terminate officers who don't enforce, take bribes and are caught.

I just woke up laughing hysterically. Right, it was a dream.

[trigger571]

" Bt. 500 ? "

" yes and you have just passed the new tougher driving test . "

Bursting you bubble here

Friend wife needed a driver licence s her husband paid a friend who worked there 3000 baht to get a licence no test

3 days later he gave the money back saying the system has now been tighten up, and she must do the test

lucky she can drive just did not want to put in the day at the reg office and loose time at work

Partly true. I know someone who paid the "fee" and was asked to still do the test. However, the "fee" is a kind of insurance that if you fail your test you still get your license

[tezzainoz]

A test means absolutely NOTHING to those who don't/won't/take the test. When there are little/no consequences for operating a motor vehicle - ANY motor vehicle then what's the point?

I/we live in Isaan. I'll bet 99 percent of individuals operating motorized vehicles have no idea a/b road etiquette/rules of the road/nor any semblance of passing a test. Hell in our village and surrounding ones there are children as young as ???? 8 yrs old ridding motorbikes - with passengers. I even saw one whose feet could not reach the ground while seated.

Here they typically drive/ride however they choose including going the "wrong way" or making a right turn from the wrong lane into the wrong land.

Is there any wonder why Thailand has so many accidents?

Will "police" lol lol lol ever enforce anything here in Thailand???? lol ahhhhhhhhhh I crack myself up sometimes. lol

Cheers to all and hope for your continued safety on these dangerous/deadly roads.

Oh come on

Thais are the best drivers in the world

they obey all the laws and put their children's lives before their own

here is proof ..............

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bKRAT1Eqky8&list=UUzsV4W535is8dBParS4boYg

[smew]

a joke...more money will be demanded at the motor wehicle office for under the table license....less accidents...will not happened even with a legitimate license... you need to change driving culture

[AleG]

A spokesperson for the DLT also went on to confirm that it plans to expand the number of driver training centres nationwide in order to accommodate the increase in training and studying time and that the DLT is actively seeking new trainers to help teach the revised driving curriculum.

Who is going to train the trainers?

I recently went through the whole Driving Licence process, since I had never bothered to get one before; the training consisted of 15 hours of me driving around and the "instructor" telling me "turn here" "turn there" and speaking on his phone with his giks. Not one comment on signage, rules of the road or driving procedure (except telling me to turn of the AC before turning off the engine), of course I did study the Thai road regulations and all that by myself, but from the instructor I got nothing.

The practical test took 5 minutes were they simply evaluated if I could drive forward and backwards for 15 meters, parallel parking and being able to park less than 25 cm from the road; so it was basically a parking, not driving, test.

Of course even that amounts to nothing when the real problem is a complete lack of enforcement of the rules.

[empireboy]

Bring on the computer controlled car...

[AleG]

I think it will be hard to pass this test without study as it will not be intuitive for farangs, e.g.:

Q What is the standard safe distance to leave between you and the car in front of you on the expressway at any given speed?

A One metre. That's good for any speed.

I kid you not, one of the questions of the test I did was if it was legal to drive a tank on the street. Amazing Thailand!

[beowolf2012]

It's not going to make people better drivers or reduce their levels of road rage. The Roads in Thailand are full of unlicensed drivers and idiots. Get the police out onto the roads and actually book people breaking the laws.

I'm from DK.How can you say polive have to go out on the streets?

Polive is akso them there brack the trafic law every day and police have to be a front figur for how other have to drive....

Edited May 17, 2014 by beowolf2012

[ebean001]

This will actually help since we have a big problem - the first time car buyer. There of 1000s more first time buyers on the road who probably cannot drive. This can help them understand driving better. The big problem, however, is alcohol and tired drivers (or both) and those nasty 'brakes' that don't work.

[jimbeam1]

First the authorities need to learn how to design and mark roads.

Jb1

[ggt]

Why all the negativity about Thai drivers...are you all disgruntled fat old expats...who would not be happy anywhere...?

[PilotEd]

A few years ago my wife, a licensed Thai national, was hit by an unlicensed driver driving an uninsured pick-up that wasn't his.

He gave the police 10000 THB and suddenly the accident was her fault.

Fortunately, we carry the first class insurance so it took care of car repairs, medical expenses (both she and her mother were injured) but it did effect our insurance rates.

As other persons have said in their replies, the first thing to address is getting rid of unlicensed, uninsured drivers as well as underage operators.

Our daughter is anxious to drive our car but knows clearly that until she passes a drivers test and gets her license, she is only allowed behind the wheel for her lessons with a licensed driver.

[tezzainoz]

" Bt. 500 ? "

" yes and you have just passed the new tougher driving test . "

Bursting you bubble here

Friend wife needed a driver licence s her husband paid a friend who worked there 3000 baht to get a licence no test

3 days later he gave the money back saying the system has now been tighten up, and she must do the test

lucky she can drive just did not want to put in the day at the reg office and loose time at work

Partly true. I know someone who paid the "fee" and was asked to still do the test. However, the "fee" is a kind of insurance that if you fail your test you still get your license

Ha ha Made your point

but in this case she could drive just did not want to waste a day waiting at the exam centre

[bushwacker]

"The Department of Land Transport believes that the new test will bring driving in Thailand to that of international driving standards, making drivers pay more attention when driving"

[stattointhailand]

Can they please include in the new teaching scheme 'how to use a roundabout'.

Do YOU know how to use a roundabout in Thailand?

[tezzainoz]

Made my Thai wife who has been driving for 4 years with a licence, go for a licence in Australia while on a 6 months stay

you guesseded it, fail on the first 3 attempts

but passed on the 4th

Now I can sleep while she drives

[Tanlic]

This is my experience of the Thai driving test.

A thai guy in front of me sits down on a chair facing a lights machine.

It's a bit like the high striker at the fair when you hit it with a big hammer to try and ring the bell above.

Its a vertical line the bottom half is green the top half red.

On command you hit a pedal in front of you with your foot

The idea is to test your reflexes and stop the light before it hits the red section.

Green you pass red you fail.

The guy has his first go RED his 2nd go RED he gets another chance RED

The lady tells him to take a seat and ask me to sit down.

I get the signal BANG!!!! GREEN passed.

Amazingly she tell the Thai to sit back down at the machine

ok one more time..........GREEN passed.

I could be wrong about how many goes he had it may have been 5 in total not 4

Either way we now have a Thai driving on the road who is very likely to run over at least 3 out of every 4 people he comes across when having to stop quickly.

Maybe the guy was nervous but if I was being honest I got the impression he wasn't quite with it.....

I welcome this news and hope it makes a difference even although I hate the way the cops show no mercy in the UK.

However it seems like it works and saving life comes first.

[johng]

So how does one get 12 hours of training for a bikers licence I wonder?

Honda,and probably all the other well known bike brands have rider training courses.

Sent from my V370 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Arkady]

A spokesperson for the DLT also went on to confirm that it plans to expand the number of driver training centres nationwide in order to accommodate the increase in training and studying time and that the DLT is actively seeking new trainers to help teach the revised driving curriculum.

Who is going to train the trainers?

I recently went through the whole Driving Licence process, since I had never bothered to get one before; the training consisted of 15 hours of me driving around and the "instructor" telling me "turn here" "turn there" and speaking on his phone with his giks. Not one comment on signage, rules of the road or driving procedure (except telling me to turn of the AC before turning off the engine), of course I did study the Thai road regulations and all that by myself, but from the instructor I got nothing.

The practical test took 5 minutes were they simply evaluated if I could drive forward and backwards for 15 meters, parallel parking and being able to park less than 25 cm from the road; so it was basically a parking, not driving, test.

Of course even that amounts to nothing when the real problem is a complete lack of enforcement of the rules.

Mrs Arkady's first driving instruction session comprised an instructor who was more intent on surreptitiously putting his hand on her thigh. She got the office to change him for a female instructor who was equally clueless but kept her hands to herself.

I showed a UK driving licence and got a 1 year Thai licence, then a 3 year licence, then an all-of-life licence. Never took a test in Thailand. Lost the licence a couple of years back and they issued me a new all-of-life licence for 100 baht.

[dieseldave]

does this mean us expats have to take the same test ???

[trigger571]

So how does one get 12 hours of training for a bikers licence I wonder?

Honda,and probably all the other well known bike brands have rider training courses.

Sent from my V370 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I had asked Honda and they said they did not know of any. Do you have any contacts? I am truly interested in some proper training especially if there is any form of Advanced Rider Training as we have in Europe.

[Elmer Gantry]

A spokesperson for the DLT also went on to confirm that it plans to expand the number of driver training centres nationwide in order to accommodate the increase in training and studying time and that the DLT is actively seeking new trainers to help teach the revised driving curriculum.

Who is going to train the trainers?

I hear Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder have applied.

[Naroge]

Any increase in the requirement to pass is welcome, even if there are ways to get around it, as it already is today.

But what baffles me (or maybe not) is the very lack of preparations the authorities have made for this "upgrade". My calendar shows the date of today being May 17, 2014. The new requirements are supposed to be in force June 1, 2014. That's two weeks away! And they actually state themselves that they need to build additional training centers and employ more teachers. All in two weeks?

And one month ago we actually spoke with the "authorities" in order to know the procedure to take the theoretical and practical tests, and nothing was mentioned about new rules from June 1. With such an increase in "training" hours it will not be possible to take the test on one day, so there is a fundamental change here.

I cannot see how they will be able to implement it on June 1. They probably have to use the old rules for an interim period. Let's see.

[Estrada]

When I renewed my license last year, I was required to sit through a Thai soap opera (complete with sad music and crying kids)safety video. It was rather entertaining. That said, after the Thai driver gets this additional training and safety instruction, they will still back up 100 meters on any road because they missed a turn, tailgate like they want to sit in your backseat, assume indicator blinkers are mere accessories, talk and text on the phone while driving and generally be rude, thoughtless, selfish drivers!

I sat through the same video when I renewed my licence. It is a pathetic soap opera style video which contains little in the way of training in how to drive correctly and follow the rules of the road. On top of that they give you the answers to the questions by way of multiple choice answers with tick boxes. No wonder they think that the procedure for overtaking is "Manoeuvre, Signal(optional), Mirror and not "Mirror, Signal, Manoeuvre".

Edited May 17, 2014 by Estrada

[VocalNeal]

There is NO enforcement. Must enforce driving laws.

Get the police out onto the roads and actually book people breaking the law

......Haven't seen it in 44 years!

Try driving on the Chonburi Motorway in a pickup with an uncovered load and two people sat in the back. Then see how much enforcement there is.

[MMarlow]

Loads of money making opportunities here then. One smart arse takes the written test and sells copies outside the test center for 300 Baht is just one idea.

The written test is a random selection of 50 questions taken from a base of 1000, the smartarse would have to be very smart to anticipate which ones would randomly appear. No money making opportunity there.