Applicants urged to take note of new licensing process for drivers' license

[Lite Beer]

Applicants urged to take note of new licensing process for drivers' license

BANGKOK, 30 May 2014 (NNT) – Those looking to renew or apply for their driver's license are advised to take note of the new issuing process coming into use by the Land Transport Department starting on June 2.

Under the new licensing process, the number of questions each applicant will be tested on has been increased to 50. Importantly, the passing mark has been adjusted to 90%, meaning that test-takers need to get 45 questions correct. Previously, applicants were given only 30 questions, and the passing mark was 75% – getting 22 out of 35 questions correct would result in a pass.

The 50 questions produced for each applicant will be drawn from a set of 1,000 questions. Previously, the questions bank comprised just 300 questions. All of the 1,000 questions will be available for study on the Land Transport Department's website, so that applicants can prepare for the test beforehand.

The written test test aside, other aspects of the licensing process remains unchanged. License applicants must be at least 18 years old, and the driving test will be carried out either on the day after the written test or within 90 days. Persons with physical deformation such as those with only one arm or one leg, the hearing impaired, or those with only one good eye, must first seek counseling from Land Transport Department officials before they can apply.

-- NNT 2014-05-30

[SoFarAndNear]

Good news. Now Thailand's streets are maybe a little bit safer. Even if it is just a tiny little bit

[Seastallion]

Good news. Now Thailand's streets are maybe a little bit safer. Even if it is just a tiny little bit

I hope you're right. The move by DLT shows a shift in attitude which needs to be reflected in the drivers.I fear it may be a generational thing for the proper attitudes towards road safety to really get established. The new rules are not going to change the millions on the road already.

[worgeordie]

The tests should be carried out on the open road,not in an office

or car park,under real driving conditions,lets see how many should

really be on the roads.

regards Worgeordie

[JeremyBowskill]

Hardly likely to make a blind bit of difference when a high percentage of drivers don't even bother with a licence. Stopping the police from taking bribes from people without 1 would have more effect. Also, traffic police doing their job might be nice...... stopping speeding/reckless drivers, giving them a huge fine and points off their licence (should they have 1) might work, but the systems too bent at the moment for it to work.

[terryp]

Those looking to renew

there is no mention of what changes to renew a Thai licence?

[Mango Bob]

^{​This will just mean more unlicensed drivers on the roads.}

[tomyummer]

I hope they improve the English test questions. I think they use google translate for some of those.

[culicine]

Those looking to renew

there is no mention of what changes to renew a Thai licence?

Yes, I'd like to know as well. You can imagine the bedlam if ALL already licensed drivers had to do the written test! I imagine there is still the video to watch and reaction/distance perception test. But what else?

[PermaNewb]

^{​This will just mean more unlicensed drivers on the roads.}

This...

[ramrod711]

Currently, the applicant passes the written test, has 7 opportunities to pass the driving test before having to rewrite. This is nonsense, take new drivers on a road test, not watch them navigate around a kiddy park. The only benefit of having a tougher written portion is that the ones who fail won't get on the road as soon.

[PaulDee]

I just did a 20 minute search for potential exam questions and came up with nothing.

Does anyone have a link to the correct Web site?

Also, what is the window of opportunity for renewing a driving license--before and

after expiration of current license?

Thanks,

Paul

[budoyjonjon]

Those looking to renew

there is no mention of what changes to renew a Thai licence?

[budoyjonjon]

To renew license , the same old procedure but you have to take a four hour safety training .

[Dogmatix]

This thread is a duplication of yesterday's thread using the same text from NNBT but without the photograph: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/730245-applicants-urged-to-take-note-of-new-licensing-process-for-thai-drivers-license/.

[Lupusthai]

...

Also, what is the window of opportunity for renewing a driving license--before and

after expiration of current license?

Thanks,

Paul

Last year they told me in Cha Am that you have to apply 1 month before expiry with "some days of tolerance" (spec. weekends). Had to watch 20 min. of instructions on the meaning of traffic signs - all done...

[Tokay]

And this will fix all the current idiots on the road how?

[Borzandy]

Increase the questions number is a nonsense, as no one respects the rules when driving.

[Ricci]

Add professional driving instructors with a minimum of 50 hours to that and after a couple of years we could see changes here.

[wales01]

Good news. Now Thailand's streets are maybe a little bit safer. Even if it is just a tiny little bit

It does not matter about the new test criteria. They need to enforce the rules on the road, without the rules being enforced on the roads nothing will change.

[jaltsc]

"Under the new licensing process, the number of questions each applicant will be tested on has been increased to 50. Importantly, the passing mark has been adjusted to 90%, meaning that test-takers need to get 45 questions correct. "

Or...increase the bribe from 200 baht to 300 baht.

[allan michaud]

OK, but what difference is this going to make when most people just 'buy' their licence and never even take a test?

If Thailand wants to seriously address the carnage on it's roads (third highest death toll in the world) then it just needs proper law enforcement. As with so many things that need fixing in Thailand, it leads directly back to the wonderful Royal Thai Police.

[Kiwi1]

There is a lot of research based information about road safety.

One source: Evans, "Road Traffic Safety and the Driver."

Speaking generally, the most effective way to improve road safety is strict and vigorous enforcement of the road rules.

More rigorous driver license tests are unlikely to make a significant reduction in injury accidents.

It could be that the new licensing regime has been installed to harmonise with practice in other ASEAN countries as the new "Smartcard" licenses are valid in all ASEAN countries, but this is speculation on my part.

[Jack Mountain]

OK, but what difference is this going to make when most people just 'buy' their licence and never even take a test?

If Thailand wants to seriously address the carnage on it's roads (third highest death toll in the world) then it just needs proper law enforcement. As with so many things that need fixing in Thailand, it leads directly back to the wonderful Royal Thai Police.

<deleted>

[realenglish1]

The whole system is a joke. There is no test for eye glasses In any sytsem If you cannot see with eye glasses then its mandatory to where them This will resolve some problems Then make child restraining seats the law for Thais It drives me nuts when I see kids in cars standing up or sitting on MOMS lap No safety

[somchy]

so the coming change of the driving test (questions and passing percentage) explains why the license buro at chiang mai is packed with people.

what a crowd!

i just renewed my license this week. only test i had to take was the color test. red, yellow, or green. no film to watch, no lecture to sit through,

but it took 6 1/2 hours because of the many, many people getting licenses before the rules change.

[personchester]

The tests should be carried out on the open road,not in an office

or car park,under real driving conditions,lets see how many should

really be on the roads.

regards Worgeordie

This takes place in Western countries when D.L applicants are being tested on open traffic roads.

In Thailand this does not take place on open traffic roads because D.L. officials do not want to be in general traffic within the car of an inexperience D.L. applicant because they are afraid of accidents.

[Tomtomtom69]

The tests should be carried out on the open road,not in an office

or car park,under real driving conditions,lets see how many should

really be on the roads.

regards Worgeordie

This takes place in Western countries when D.L applicants are being tested on open traffic roads.

In Thailand this does not take place on open traffic roads because D.L. officials do not want to be in general traffic within the car of an inexperience D.L. applicant because they are afraid of accidents.

Haha and there you have it...why even hand out licenses to these inexperienced applicants then!

[marstons]

The tests should be carried out on the open road,not in an office

or car park,under real driving conditions,lets see how many should

really be on the roads.

regards Worgeordie

This takes place in Western countries when D.L applicants are being tested on open traffic roads.

In Thailand this does not take place on open traffic roads because D.L. officials do not want to be in general traffic within the car of an inexperience D.L. applicant because they are afraid of accidents.

But driving schools go out on the open road with applicants so why not D.L Officials

[Thanet]

Hi All,

I've got the old lifetime driving licences - one for a car and one for a bike.

They are both getting very old and shabby, and the photo no longer looks like me.

Can I still exchange them for new lifetime licences, or do they only issue replacement 5 year licences, even to lifetime licence holders?

Cheers,