Officials mull big bike licence

[snoop1130]

Officials mull big bike licence
Chutharat Plerin

PHUKET: -- A specific driver’s licence for those wanting to mount a big bike is still in the works, officials told the Phuket Gazette yesterday.

“I know that there are ongoing discussions about the possibility of creating a separate driver’s licence for motorcycles with engines that are at least 400cc,” said Jaturong Kaewkasi, chief policy adviser at the Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO). “However, nothing has been finalized yet.”

If implemented, the new licence would require drivers to be at least 18 years old and to have completed a training course from a qualified driving center.

Full Story: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Officials-mull-big-bike-licence/63717?desktopversion#ad-image-0

-- Phuket Gazette 2016-19-04

[lostinisaan]

Bikes with 400 cc are Mopeds only.

[Calach]

Would be great if they could also allow big bikes to use flyovers and highways. It's not like we went slower than cars.

[kotsak]

I love the definition of "big bike" in this country..

[brianinbangkok]

It is a good idea, but just 400cc as a norm is bit silly as there are fast 400s that are not beginners bikes, should be about power / weight ratio of the bike.

And not 18 but 21 years old.

[KMartinHandyman]

Thais and foreigners alike can't avoid mishaps with 125-150's which make up the majority of the bikes here in my opinion so 400 is a +/- 200% greater engine displacement. I'd call that a big jump from the average.

Edited April 19, 2016 by KMartinHandyman

[LivinginKata]

I don't expect any change ... in my country (the UK) there is no 'big bike' license. You get a provisional with engine size restricions ... pas the bike test then you drive what you want.

I passed my provisional test at age 16 and then could drive any size bike. Seems good to me. Pass bike test and you are good to go on any bike ...

[fakename]

Maybe the smaller bikes also need a drivers license? And over 10 years old?

[LivinginKata]

Maybe the smaller bikes also need a drivers license? And over 10 years old?

Very good point ....

[phetphet]

I don't expect any change ... in my country (the UK) there is no 'big bike' license. You get a provisional with engine size restricions ... pas the bike test then you drive what you want.

I passed my provisional test at age 16 and then could drive any size bike. Seems good to me. Pass bike test and you are good to go on any bike ...

Yes, there is compulsory basic training requirement, and a two years limitation to a certain horsepower or engine size I think (125cc) and 21 years and over..

Unless of course you do a Direct Access Course (min age 24) CBT, theory and practical. A bit more than here. :-)

Edited April 19, 2016 by phetphet

[NamKangMan]

Why is this being "mulled over" by Phuket officials?

Shouldn't this be "mulled over" at the National level, in Bangkok?

[johnatong]

I don't expect any change ... in my country (the UK) there is no 'big bike' license. You get a provisional with engine size restricions ... pas the bike test then you drive what you want.

I passed my provisional test at age 16 and then could drive any size bike. Seems good to me. Pass bike test and you are good to go on any bike ...

Complete B*llocks !

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/annex-2-motorcycle-licence-requirements

If you are ignorant of fact then refrain from posting.

[lostinisaan]

Would be great if they could also allow big bikes to use flyovers and highways. It's not like we went slower than cars.

Might be a reason to live in Isaan? I had two 750 cc bikes here and never drove on the Moped lane.

[Gonsalviz]

Mine is 1650 something. A 400cc Jap bike would run circles around me. The classification make no sense at all. Like most Thai driving rules, nobody follows them any how.

[lostinisaan]

I don't expect any change ... in my country (the UK) there is no 'big bike' license. You get a provisional with engine size restricions ... pas the bike test then you drive what you want.

I passed my provisional test at age 16 and then could drive any size bike. Seems good to me. Pass bike test and you are good to go on any bike ...

Complete B*llocks !

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/annex-2-motorcycle-licence-requirements

If you are ignorant of fact then refrain from posting.

Some people are really strange. How can there not be a big bike drivers license in a developed country?

I made my license for big bikes when I was 17 in Germany, but had to wait until my 18th birthday to be allowed to ride it.

The little ones doing 25 km/h with 14/15 didn't need a license, but for the 50 cc who did 80 km +/h when I was 16 was a driver's license needed, called class four.

I seriously doubt that it's much different in the UK.

Is there anybody around who was a member at ghost Riders Chapter Holland around 78'? Please page me, I'm looking for some old pics.

I've got some photos from Ghostriders, Chapter Germany in exchange.

And when I had my first 750 cc bike there's no need and no law to wear a helmet. It took two more years to come with laws to wear a helmet.

The young folks these days do not seem to understand how "cool" it is to drive with 180 km/h through the city. F R E E D O M P U R E.

Yes, I saw my own friends dying on the streets after a serious crash, but it didn't stop us from riding.

There're certain things in life that are dangerous, but you'll have to do it to understand what I'm on about.

From a biker who had to sell his bike to make it to Europe to get his bones fixed after an accident.

I hope the bloke in Phuket still got this dream bike that came with the Sisaket license plate with the number 1 on it.

Unfortunately, did I just recently see a Thai with this number, so he must have been stupid enough to give this number away.

If this guy reads this post, please send me a message.. I miss the bike so much.

P.S. Something went wrong with the evolution, there's a biker club in Kantharalak, ( Sisaket province), mostly 400 cc " Choppers" ( lol) with the outstanding name :

Kwai Riders. Sorry, couldn't find an image of one of them. That's a danish Kwai......

Edited April 19, 2016 by lostinisaan

[noitom]

Why is this being "mulled over" by Phuket officials?

Shouldn't this be "mulled over" at the National level, in Bangkok?

Thais are habitual "mullers." Thai mulling can break out anywhere regardless of location.

[stevenl]

I don't expect any change ... in my country (the UK) there is no 'big bike' license. You get a provisional with engine size restricions ... pas the bike test then you drive what you want.

I passed my provisional test at age 16 and then could drive any size bike. Seems good to me. Pass bike test and you are good to go on any bike ...

Complete B*llocks !

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/annex-2-motorcycle-licence-requirements

If you are ignorant of fact then refrain from posting.

But how were the rules 40 years or so ago? Because that is what lik is explaining

[dknslowly]

Since when was the R3 pictured in the article ever over the 400cc big bike threshold anyway? They might only be considering anything over 150 as well

[overherebc]

I don't expect any change ... in my country (the UK) there is no 'big bike' license. You get a provisional with engine size restricions ... pas the bike test then you drive what you want.

I passed my provisional test at age 16 and then could drive any size bike. Seems good to me. Pass bike test and you are good to go on any bike ...

I also remember you could only carry a pillion rider if they held a full bike license.

[klauskunkel]

Why is this being "mulled over" by Phuket officials?

Shouldn't this be "mulled over" at the National level, in Bangkok?

because they have a budget for mulling. The other provinces will start mulling in their own time.

Edited April 20, 2016 by klauskunkel

[bluebluewater]

I'm just tickled that for what I want to mount I don't need a license.

[Lupatria]

If quantity matters, the question is: are most of the motorbike accidents here caused to much cc or missing IQ?

Edited April 20, 2016 by Lupatria

[mikebell]

Maybe the smaller bikes also need a drivers license? And over 10 years old?

+ an intelligence test - otherwise known as a Dope test - a lot of Thais would test positive.

[LivinginKata]

I don't expect any change ... in my country (the UK) there is no 'big bike' license. You get a provisional with engine size restricions ... pas the bike test then you drive what you want.

I passed my provisional test at age 16 and then could drive any size bike. Seems good to me. Pass bike test and you are good to go on any bike ...

Complete B*llocks !

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/annex-2-motorcycle-licence-requirements

If you are ignorant of fact then refrain from posting.

But how were the rules 40 years or so ago? Because that is what lik is explaining

Exactly correct, but more than 40 years ago. I have no doubt the rules have changed (a lot). I was justing making a comparison to Thailand today, which is decades behind (in term of rules/regulations) other advanced countries.

[05daytona]

In Australia,they have LAMS approved bikes for they "Newbies" I got my bike licence when I first got my car licence 20 years ago and the rules have changed heaps since then. I could not tell you for sure but they are pretty restrictive. I believe the LAMS bikes are assessed on power to weight ratio. You also have to do an approved rider training course. Then there is other restrictions, like pillion passanger etc.

But the other guys are correct on the limits of the bikes vs the ability of the riders. I ride a 1200cc to work every day over here and it's the peanuts on the R150 and R300's that want to prove that they can match it with Valentino Rossie all the time.

I still remember when i did my licence here and all the thai's rode around the course first, over half of them didn't complete it succesfully but still got passed. The guy didn't even watch them go around most of it. When the foreigners went around, all of a sudden there was an influx of Thai instructors to witness every move. I am pretty sure a couple of the guys got failed for having poor technique.

Some of the Thai have exceptional skills though. Just last week i was riding home and came up behind a young lady on a scooter. She had a child of around 3 or 4 years old sitting behind her, hanging on like a little Koala. Neither of them with helmets. I though she only had one arm, but then realised she was using her left had to throttle/steer the bike while checking facebook on her mobile phone with her right hand.

Makes Sense

[Beats56]

You can't drive a 1100cc or a Harley on the highway. Doesn'make sense.

[bheard]

How about officialdom gets off it's collective backside, gets out of the office and looks around at the standard of riders on the small bikes - that's the real concern. In cities and towns around Thailand you see the following every day:-

Take on the Mums and Dads who carry multiple kids on their bikes (no helmuts to be seen) - send them to an attitude adjustment school, and then teach them how to behave on the road.

After that take on the mums who pick up the kids after school (no helmuts to be seen), buy a whole bunch of snacks at the roadside and ride off with the kid (often 2) on the back scoffing said snacks while not holding on.

After that take on the <deleted> young guys that hoon around at excessive speed with their lights off at night (no helmuts to be seen).

After that take on the girls who sit side saddle (no helmuts to be seen) without hanging on and play with their phones.

After that etc etc etc (no helmuts to be seen).

And take on the cops who watch all this happening every day without lifting a finger.

Do all of that first before you worry about 'big' bikes, they are the least of your worries!!

[KhunBENQ]

Looking forward to Thailand implementing a complicated system like in Germany/Europe

AM

A2

A1

A

Don't want to bother you with details but it starts at the age of 16 and max. speed 45 km/h (28 mph).

You need at least two years in the A1 class to get up to A (unlimited).

If I understand right you would not be allowed to drive a real big bike before the age of 20.

[northernphil]

I said to my TW " Why has On ( The 14 yo next door ) gone to town on her mum's Wave without the crash hat on I gave her ? " Reply .... " Oh we Thais don't like crash helmets " So there we are , 14 yo ,can ride her mum's scooter and doesn't like crash hats , that's ok then ,off you go along AH 2 . Local plod will be sitting in their little shack , they don't care either.

[xylophone]

I don't expect any change ... in my country (the UK) there is no 'big bike' license. You get a provisional with engine size restricions ... pas the bike test then you drive what you want.

I passed my provisional test at age 16 and then could drive any size bike. Seems good to me. Pass bike test and you are good to go on any bike ...

Complete B*llocks !

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/annex-2-motorcycle-licence-requirements

If you are ignorant of fact then refrain from posting.

But how were the rules 40 years or so ago? Because that is what lik is explaining

Good point...........seems to have changed A LOT since the days of my m/c driving days; as I recall, a bike no bigger than 250cc at 16, then passed a test and any size bike was available.

Had a 250cc 2 stroke Villiers twin, then on to a 500cc triumph twin...........loved the Villiers 2 stoke twin. Ah, "the good old days"!!!!