Everyone's failing the new driving test in Thailand

[smedly]

The best way to improve driving in Thailand is to run a constant road safety campaign on TV highlighting the top 10 transgressions in every 6 months - increase the fines

Enforce laws for DUI - careless and dangerous driving increasing the fines for those that break them 5000-10000 baht.

This will educate not only the drivers but also the police who probably have no idea either, on top of that - increase fines for having no insurance tax or licence to 5k baht and decrease the pass rate for the exam back to 75% - making the test almost impossible to pass for most people will not improve road safety.

Finally put someone in charge that actually has an education and is qualified because it is obvious that is not the case at the moment

[thumper101]

The Old Thai Driving License

The New Thai Driving License

[Thaddeus]

Is there anywhere you can buy or download an English version of the questions? What would be the Highway Code" in UK.

I've seen copies of the Thai Highway Code.

And it was pretty much lifted from the UK one.

[QDG]

I'm a retired uk A.D.I., and honestly the whole concept of the Thai test, just makes me cringe, I would willingly donate my time to the authorities to assist

[hobz]

Michaelshort, I not only felt that way, I can with 100% confidence tell you that some of the questions are wrong. I checked rechecked and triple checked.

One of the questions is about a right curve warning sign.

The correct answer is "proceed with caution and turn to the right"

another option was "proceed with caution and turn right"

the latter was wrong. I failed that question yesterday But passed it today.

Another one is "what picture shows proper parking?"

two pictures show bad parking.

One picture shows parked cars in a parking lot.

One pic shows a car parked by the side of the road.

The parking lot pic is incorrect answer.

Then the same question comes later in the test, But at that time the options are 3 pics with illegal parking and the same pic of the cars in parking lot. This time the parking lot is correct....

[lemonjelly]

if they pass the multiple choice, do they still only have to do a couple of laps in the Min of Transport car park to pass the practical (joke) ?

[lemonjelly]

Michaelshort, I not only felt that way, I can with 100% confidence tell you that some of the questions are wrong. I checked rechecked and triple checked.

One of the questions is about a right curve warning sign.

The correct answer is "proceed with caution and turn to the right"

another option was "proceed with caution and turn right"

the latter was wrong. I failed that question yesterday But passed it today.

Another one is "what picture shows proper parking?"

two pictures show bad parking.

One picture shows parked cars in a parking lot.

One pic shows a car parked by the side of the road.

The parking lot pic is incorrect answer.

Then the same question comes later in the test, But at that time the options are 3 pics with illegal parking and the same pic of the cars in parking lot. This time the parking lot is correct....

yes, I remember those bloopers from when I took the test.

[hobz]

Lemonjelly, yes, for motorbikes the practical test is taken with roughly 20-30 motorbikes at the same time. Without supervision as far as I could see. I missed a stop line. Nobody said anything to me.

[In Search of Space]

Haha when I took the test a couple of years ago, one of the questions was whether or

not a tank could drive down the road. Perhaps they fire the idiots that make up questions

like that, rather than altering the pass percent threshold....

A tank can drive down the road but a vehicle without a wind screen can not.............hmmmm so much for that, E-tans from the farms are always driving around and they have no windscreens. I am not picking on you about the tank I remember the same question too. It's just funny that the law says one thing and then does the other. Drive safely!

If Tanks were not allowed to drive on the road then there couldn't be a coup - maybe good business, the BIB would be collecting 200 baht for each Tank

[hobz]

All that being said, the problem is not the testing, the problems are from lack of enforcements on ghetto road.

Looking at signs and stuff is just dangerous when nobody else follows them. Better to drive careful and keep 100% division the other vehicles and stop for red lights, except when it just turned red and they guy behind you is accellerating

[hobz]

The tank question is still there in the new test.

What is prohibited?

racing with permission

Driving war tank during warface (misspelled wartime )

driving _vehicle_ without windshield.

The problem IMHO is that motorbikes are vehicles too. And they don't have windshield's... anyway correct answer was vehicle without windshield

[dotpoom]

The actual questions are at fault. Presuming they are the same ones.

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

If they are the same type of questions it didn't stop them from passing before.

At home we are also asked how far from the kerb is it illegal to park........that's the example given in the article of one of the questions

[Strangebrew]

Screwed with them on driving test got in on passengerside and said who stole my steering wheel. Drove truck for a living in states took there computer test scored 100% guy comes over said I cheated. So asked me verbal questions had to correct him on two of them cause he had question wrong Guess he got pissed at me, his boss comes over asked how I knew all the correct answers said I read the book like I was suppose to. Tells me I passed no problem.

[oneday]

"The Department of Land Transport introduced the new exam system because a lack of ability among drivers has been faulted for the prevalence of accidents".

More important is proper policing by the BIB on the road.

Yes, it's called "Enforcement". The cops need to be on the roads actively looking for violators and then pursuing them to issue a ticket. Check-points do nothing to stop bad driving behavior.

Let's assume the people taking the tests eventually learn enough to start passing the test. It will STILL do nothing to change the accident rate, because even if they know the rules they know they can ignore them and do whatever the hell they want because there is no one out there enforcing the rules. It's an incredibly simple concept, but it may take Thailand another 20-30 years to catch on.

[Jonmarleesco]

Well, there will be little improvement in Thai driving standards unless they extend the test to all drivers, who then have their licences suspended if they fail.

Edited June 5, 2014 by Jonmarleesco

[garrya]

What a surprise!!

Even though they pass, they will start driving like lunatics. I don't think the mindset of people can be changed by some additional requirements.

[Strangebrew]

Asked them a question too If a car going 120 klm an hour hits the brakes what color was his shorts?

[sunray69]

Haha when I took the test a couple of years ago, one of the questions was whether or

not a tank could drive down the road. Perhaps they fire the idiots that make up questions

like that, rather than altering the pass percent threshold....

I think it is a very useful question in a country where Putsches are so frequent...

[hobz]

Strangebrew, how did you know that it is illegal to park in a parking lot in one question and legal in the next?

How did you know the difference between

Turning right and turning to the right?

[crazykopite]

When I renewed mine a week ago there were Thais renewing there's we did not have to sit any question test it as we were only renewing our old licences however a lot of the Thais were struggling with the braking test you have to have your right foot on a pedal the light is green when it changes to red you have to move your foot to the brake pedal I was amazed how many of the Thais could not move quick enough by the time they had put there foot down on the brake the lights had gone above the permitted zone even after 6 attempts some were struggling and these are people who already have a licence !!,

[Equalizer]

Theory is irrelevant. Practical application is paramount. My wife's example, one week crash course guaranteed licence. Never drove before, one week later boooom a driving licence. Then i had to teach her how to drive, zero reversing skills, zero parking skills. Never taught how to use her mirrors. never taught how to mirror and signal indicate correctly. Scary very SCARY!!!!

[hobz]

Jonmarlesco, driving without a license is 200 baht fine.

[icare999]

come on ok its a start and questions seem silly but if they continue that will improve. It would also be great if they seriously enforced speed controls and stupid tailgating

[hobz]

Without enforcement the theory is doing more harm than Good. Following the rules on the streets today will get you killed. You need to follow what everyone else does, otherwise you will get into an accident. Not sure how many times I've had the right of way But nobody stops..

Stop for pedestrians? Good if you want to get hit from behind,

Stop when yellow light turns to red light. Good if you want to get hit from behind..

Thinking nobody can overtake you from the left side, Good luck.

Thinking lines and safety zones means anything, prepare for getting into accidents.

[Fullstop]

Everyone's failing the new driving test in Thailand

I just looked out the window...Everyone's still driving.

[Mudcrab]

Haha when I took the test a couple of years ago, one of the questions was whether or

not a tank could drive down the road. Perhaps they fire the idiots that make up questions

like that, rather than altering the pass percent threshold....

More correctly perhaps they might find someone with half a brain to write the questions (or an expat) who might often not qualify in the brain department either.

Moreover even if they answer the questions correctly it does not mean that they are competent to drive.

Bottom line what can you expect from people (as an average) who have the lowest IQ's in ASEAN

I've sure suspected that a lot of expats have half a brain! You have confirmed this.

Now give me a link to support your claim that Thais, on average, have the lowest IQ's in ASEAN

[kannot]

Haha when I took the test a couple of years ago, one of the questions was whether or

not a tank could drive down the road. Perhaps they fire the idiots that make up questions

like that, rather than altering the pass percent threshold....

A tank can drive down the road but a vehicle without a wind screen can not.............hmmmm so much for that, E-tans from the farms are always driving around and they have no windscreens. I am not picking on you about the tank I remember the same question too. It's just funny that the law says one thing and then does the other. Drive safely!

how about if the tank driver is not wearing a shirt?

[thaicookingchef]

So they will all just buy it and threaten our lives even more ?

[MILT]

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the test questions in english and their answers were just not matching in the earlier version.
I took the test and failed the first time because i got 21 instead of 23 while i was showing the examiner that 3 answers that the computer gave was wrong ...but nothing could be done. Second time i got 27 and still 2 answers were giving wrong feedback but then i just left it as it is.

In stead of asking silly questions about weather one should stop 30 meters or 35 meters behind a red light ....more logical ones should be used like...should one park outside a shop just to buy something on a busy street?

Same thing happened to my son! He is over it! LOL I was lucky as I just showed my US DL and pushed on a brake when the light changed from green to red. That was it! Now I have a 5 year Thai DL after my first Thai DL that was good for a year. I think that using common driving sense when doing the written examine knowing that it most likely will end up as a failed and then taking that test results to the proper eyes will be a way to help sort out the non-logical questions. BTW I heard that there is no Thai word or equivalent for Logic is this true?

[Gandtee]

I expect they will do what they usually do, dumb it down and make the test easier.