Phuket driving test pass rate slumps
Anthika Muangrod


Officials want to reduce the number of people doing this.

PHUKET: -- Since the new, tougher, driving theory test was introduced on June 2 only 20 to 25 per cent of applicants in Phuket have managed to pass it.

That’s compared with the 70-to-80-per-cent pass rate with the old test.

But Phuket’s pass rate is at least better than that of Chiang Mai. According to a recent Bangkok Post report, just 10 per cent of applicants managed to pass the test in the first few days.

A senior officer from the Provincial Land Transport Department (PLDT) told The Phuket News that the test questions are not more difficult but there are more of them, with the aim being to check whether people really understand how to drive on the roads.

The test consists of multiple-choice questions, answered on a touch screen. “Before, we had 500 questions and the computer would pick 30 at random for the test. Now we have 1,000 and 50 are picked. It’s not more difficult. There are just more questions.”

Although he argued that the test questions are no more difficult than before, the required pass rate is much higher – 90 per cent as opposed to 75 before.

“In the past, out of 30 items, people had to answer 23 correctly. Now they must get 45 out of 50. It may be a little bit more difficult because we have a higher standard, but we believe that in the future, the number of people passing will increase.

“We have to make sure that the people who are going to drive on public roads will not cause problems. Most of the time, problems happen because of lack of knowledge and understanding of roads rules and road safety.

“The 1,000 questions are on our website, along with the answers. But you need to study.

“We are not ‘teasing’ people or trying to stop them from passing, but we want to increase safety on the roads. I don’t want to let unqualified people drive on the road by letting them pass the test too easily.”

A number of foreigners report having had problems passing the test, which can be taken in either Thai or English. This is not just foreigners who have English as a second or third language, but also native speakers.

“The test is very confusing,” said an American teacher. “Some of the questions have two right answers and some have none.”

However, the PLDT official said that the questions in English had been translated by the Land Transport Department in Bangkok.

“I believe that the Department of Land Transport is professional enough. The English driving test must have been approved by a native speaker. The problem must be with misunderstanding on the part of the foreigners themselves,” he said.

Those wanting to take the test can practice in Thai or English at the DLT website here: http://tinyurl.com/Thaidrivetest

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-driving-test-pass-rate-slumps-46744.php


-- Phuket News 2014-06-09

No surprise here....

Now all they need is a practical exam that is more than a 5 minute drive around a playground

But an actual go in the car with double clutch and brakes with examinator

Also might need a nice talk from the general about corrupt dmv officials and so on

Than in about 30 years when the old get the licence by attending or just pay is off the road things will be more safe .

Better than Chiang Mai ? !0% vs 25 % Who are they bull shyting. You FAILED.

Test link in English not working. Anyone else having same problem?

Why do they seem bewildered to see that most of the Thais have no clue on the proper driving ethics and rules. 60 to 70% pass rate drop compared to the previous idiot proof test. This tells us that 60 to 70% of current Thai drivers should not be on the road.

Just had a look at the tests...confusing non sense......some questions asked twice, contradicting questions, and and and.....
and then they wonder that people do not pass???
Furthermore, passing the test does NOT give any assurance that the person is capable of driving at all !!!
In my home country you have to take at least 30 hours driving lessons, pass the theoretical test with 97/100 points and then still you get a license only on probation after passing........

...........“We are not ‘teasing’ people or trying to stop them from passing, but we want to increase safety on the roads. I don’t want to let unqualified people drive on the road by letting them pass the test too easily.”.............

As said by a senior officer from the Provincial Land Transport Department.

Jesus wept.

..................The problem must be with misunderstanding on the part of the foreigners themselves..............

But of course!!! A Thai is NEVER at fault.

Some of the little pictures of cars etc do not make sense to me. Those pictures need to be made more clear in order to be fair.

I saw some spelling errors, apparently they don't bother with spell check.

Some of the grammar is also horrible and does not make sense. If this was proof read by a native speaker then the native speaker is negligent.

One picture about proper parking has a small arrow pointing to the correct answer, however, an incorrect answer is in bold print instead of the correct answer.

I keep finding more of the same inconsistencies, many errors in making this test, what a mess.

^{Lack of common sense is a big problem.}

No surprise here....

Definitely no surprise they are all ***K drivers, the driving standard is shocking as as well as respect for the rules of the

Until the boys in brown stop taking back handers and sexual favors from dumb drivers ( of both sexes) standards will never increase.

Whose spotted the overweight BIB resting his hand on the new white Yaris with some young 18 wannabe driver- discussing the "offence"

Test link in English not working. Anyone else having same problem?

i have just tried it seems ok try clicking on 123 rather than the engilsh header

I Really love articles like this. Great story title followed by an image that works in sometimes unfortunate but humorous ways.

Phuket driving test pass rate slumps

Spectacular image, a car...., possibly driven by one who did not, can not, never will, pass the test, thus (it's a mental image thing) implying end result.

Did the test last week; same questions in a different form about parking shows 5 times, same question with the tank on the road dito.

Lost in translation at least 10 %

Need reading classes to see 25 % of the pics.

Until they have to do an obligitary number of hours driving instruction with a qualified driving instructor, things will never change, as they get the license and then just teach themselves how to drive. How stupid !

“I believe that the Department of Land Transport is professional enough. The English driving test must have been approved by a native speaker. The problem must be with misunderstanding on the part of the foreigners themselves,” he said.

I must agree with that official, the DLT must not lose face, therefore the problem must be with foreigners...

I have Thai driving licences for bike and car over 20 years to be renewed/reissued every 5 years (they expire on birthdates) and I did the renewal tests in Phuket and Chiang Mai. I cannot find any difference beween test difficulty in Phuket or in Chiang Mai. But what I can very well judge is the driving style on Phuket or in Chiang Mai because in both places I drive bike and car for more than 20 years: In Phuket the driving behaviour is much more rude, reckless and chaotic than in and around Chiang Mai.

My Thai wife coming from Chiang Mai (having Thai driving licences for over 25 years valid lifelong) did learn in Germany for obtaining the German/EU-driving licence for about 2-3 months (less practice because she can drive, more theoretical knowledge) and she is shocked that in Thailand the legal rules are still so easy to obtain a driving licence in consideration of about 30.000 road deads in Thailand ranking as third bad in the world with Lybia, Eritrea and Namibia.

Yeah but even the police don't know how to drive, look at the Chalong round about. No one knew what to do so they just block 1/2 of it off and are now going to build an underpass. All because no one can use a round about !!! I've seen 2 BIB arguing about who they thought had right of way......

Nothing could be more stupid than the way Thai tests are conducted in any discipline. As for driving test, at least the public feels safer for now.

the 20%, is that including the 19% that just pay upfront and don't take the test?

How much cash under the table to Pass the Test?

I may be wrong but, i think these are the old test questions

the date on the top says 2013 and only 30 questions per exam...

the new one has 50 questions per exam.

Have a nice day

It is prohibited to drive a motor vehicle when........you feel the onset of a heart attack. Gott in Himmel!

Test link in English not working. Anyone else having same problem?

First at all the English is not working and for me with German mother language but well speaking English very hard to understand how a Thai brain think. Many questions are really such stupid to be just a trap.

I drive since 45 years enormous kilometers without crash.

I fail 3 times the test on Computer. The lady from the office of land and transport was very kind and help me to do the test again with me .... we both fail together and by this she was generous and gave me the driver license for car for 5 years :-) ... I think it is better to go to Khao San road in BKK and ask for any driver license :-) !!! Beside I have the unlimited Swiss driver license and 5 year Indonesian which is valid in all Asean Member countries as the Thai one.

That it is more questions is totally irrelevant. If you look at a histogram of the test score percentages I'm sure that a score of 90% is more than one standard deviation from the mean. They either need to improve the training on this test or make it more coherent - otherwise it will become irrelevant.

To the picture of webfact we should better replace it by the Toyota Commuter which I see much more often in accidents .... !!!

I have Thai driving licences for bike and car over 20 years to be renewed/reissued every 5 years (they expire on birthdates) and I did the renewal tests in Phuket and Chiang Mai. I cannot find any difference beween test difficulty in Phuket or in Chiang Mai. But what I can very well judge is the driving style on Phuket or in Chiang Mai because in both places I drive bike and car for more than 20 years: In Phuket the driving behaviour is much more rude, reckless and chaotic than in and around Chiang Mai.

My Thai wife coming from Chiang Mai (having Thai driving licences for over 25 years valid lifelong) did learn in Germany for obtaining the German/EU-driving licence for about 2-3 months (less practice because she can drive, more theoretical knowledge) and she is shocked that in Thailand the legal rules are still so easy to obtain a driving licence in consideration of about 30.000 road deads in Thailand ranking as third bad in the world with Lybia, Eritrea and Namibia.

Thailand is 2nd not 3rd

The African nation of Namibia is the country with the highest rate of fatalities from car crashes with 45 people per 100,000 head of population. Thailand is next with 44 deaths per 100,000 and Iran third with 38 deaths.

http://www.drive.com.au/motor-news/the-most-dangerous-countries-to-drive-in-20140221-335yt.html