Learning to Drive a Car in Thailand

[GarryP]

I moved to Thailand about 34 years ago before ever getting my driving license - I had about 10 lessons in the UK when 18 years old. I have never driven a car in Thailand, am now approaching 54 years old and would like to learn to drive and get a Thai driving license. I already have a license for a motorcycle which I got after taking a course at Honda Thailand 5 years ago. I would like to do something similar but for a car this time. Does anyone have any hands on experience or suggestions. 

[Dexlowe]

Before you get behind the wheel, undergo tests for your peripheral vision, your reaction times, spatial awareness, mental acuity and your temperament. If you pass, then you are ready to learn to drive.

 

And if you fail, you are also ready to drive.  (sorry)

[GarryP]

Being a regular cyclist on Bangkok's streets and also using a motor scooter, I believe I have developed the requisite temperament and road awareness. My peripheral vision is excellent even if I do say so myself.  

[topt]

Just a suggestion but how about trying to find a retired western qualified driving instructor who would be willing to help for a fee? There was a thread some time ago (I think in Pattaya?) about a guy who was willing to do this for Thai partners who were looking to learn. I am not suggesting this because of language as I believe you speak Thai but because of my next observation

 

Otherwise you need to find a Thai instructor who someone recommends in your area who will teach you more then just passing a test which tends to give very limited actual road experience. They often tend to take the pupils to just an empty car park or similar area - certainly for many in Pattaya.

[GarryP]

16 minutes ago, topt said:

Just a suggestion but how about trying to find a retired western qualified driving instructor who would be willing to help for a fee? There was a thread some time ago (I think in Pattaya?) about a guy who was willing to do this for Thai partners who were looking to learn. I am not suggesting this because of language as I believe you speak Thai but because of my next observation

 

Otherwise you need to find a Thai instructor who someone recommends in your area who will teach you more then just passing a test which tends to give very limited actual road experience. They often tend to take the pupils to just an empty car park or similar area - certainly for many in Pattaya.

Yes, it is one of my concerns that learning would be limited to an empty parking lot. I really would like to go out on the road. There are loads of small "schools" (one man operations), which seem to only do this.  BTW I am in Bangkok.   

[Kwasaki]

From Thai news

 

" There are currently 81 private driving schools nationwide authorized to train applicants. Some 33 of them are permitted to test students before they can present a certificate from such a school and request a driving licence at DLT offices, without having to take the test again. "

 

There are ones that will take you on road, maybe google has theselisted.

Or ask the mods to direct this topic to ' Motoring in Thailand '. 

[dotpoom]

There are private driving schools in Thailand.

[GarryP]

I know there are driving schools, but I was hoping that someone could make suggestions based on their experience. Many of the schools seem to just teach you in a parking lot.   While the goal is to get a license, I do want to learn to drive too!!!!!

[yardrunner]

4 hours ago, topt said:

Just a suggestion but how about trying to find a retired western qualified driving instructor who would be willing to help for a fee? There was a thread some time ago (I think in Pattaya?) about a guy who was willing to do this for Thai partners who were looking to learn. I am not suggesting this because of language as I believe you speak Thai but because of my next observation

 

Otherwise you need to find a Thai instructor who someone recommends in your area who will teach you more then just passing a test which tends to give very limited actual road experience. They often tend to take the pupils to just an empty car park or similar area - certainly for many in Pattaya.

Take the test and get your licence but before you go on the road go to a local driving school and arrange to drive on the road with an instructor until you feel confident to go alone

[bazza40]

Thai driving instructors are useless.The one who taught my GF to drive ( 4000 baht ) didn't even teach her to use the rear vision mirrors  - I've had to do that.

If possible,find a falang driving instructor.

It is crucial that the OP learns to drive defensively in Thailand. Bicycle,scooter, motorbike, car - doesn't matter which. If not, the risk is quite high he will become one of the accident statistics.

 

[Shiver]

The way I did it in my teens, and the way I would still do it now, is find a friend with a car, find a quiet place off the road (perhaps somewhere where they hold markets some days but often are empty), and just get a feel for it again (or if you really want to, then get a couple of lessons on the road).  It's not operating heavy machinery that's the issue, but all the things you're already aware of after being on the road with other forms of transport (dogs, smartphone pedestrians traffic on your side etc).  I think you already know how to drive easily well enough to pass a test here.  I'm not sure what the written test may be (if there is one - I blagged them with my EU license, or just watch a video), but the actual physical test is little more than reversing between two cones, and if you squash one they move the cones further away any try a couple more then sign you off anyway.  There's the reaction test, which I was a little nervous of, but honestly I couldn't believe how slow the light change was.  I thought they'd be expecting maybe 0.25 seconds or something, but you could make a som tam before strolling back to the seat to press the 'stop' pedal.

Last one is a colour blindness test.  When I was there they had a person with a pointing stick pointing at large colour squares, about 5 colours (red, orange/amber, green of course, and maybe one or two others.  Even if you are colour blind and can't speak Thai, just copy what the person in front of you says as they pick the same colours each time.  In fact my friend who *is* colour blind in part of the spectrum had his partner stand next to him and tell him the answers just in case.

 

Somebody posted on here a while back the rules of the Thai road in English, so I took time to read them (a short 10 minute read), and they're mostly just what you'd expect.  You could probably guess most of them even if you'd never seen it.  None of that rubbish about "how many feet does it take to go from 70mph to zero (the answer in my day was 315 feet).  I bet a half decent car these days could do it in half of that, unless it was my old fortuna which was terrible at everything other than comfort.  Things like in Thailand the max legal distance to park from a kerb/curb is 20cm's are worth knowing if you get a particularly belligerent Traffic cop , but I don't know anyone who ever got charged on anything remotely like that.  If you hold a licence and a tax disc (and insurance), you're left alone with a smile and a move along gesture.

 

You're probably over qualified already.

 

 

 

Edited September 6, 2016 by Shiver

[GOLDBUGGY]

For Bangkok Area I would check into "S.R. Driving School". DELETED. I have heard that this is a highly rated driver training school their. 

 

My wife recently completed a Driver Trainer Course in Udon Thani at a place called "Smart Drive". To be honest I was was most impressed with this school. The first part of this course was class room instruction where they went over the training manual then completed the written road test, which was the first day. After that and for 5 more lessons which if I recall was for an hour each, they learnt the practical and got to drive one of there many vehicles, so you don't need to bring a car.

 

For the first couple of days they drove in their huge parking lot where they learnt the basics on how to operate a motor vehicle, turn, signaling, parking, and basically making them feel comfortable operating a motor vehicle. The last 3 days they actually spent on the road and did highway driving, and well as 2 days of city driving. At the end of this training my wife was given a piece of paper in which she had passed everything and thus only had to take this to the D.L.T Office without further drivers license tests. Just some eye tests and in and out in a couple of hours with her new drivers license. She enjoyed this Driver Training Course a lot. 

 

This Driver Training School was flexible on hours offering late afternoon classes and open on weekends and would give you more lessons if they felt you needed them. I believe they also offered English Instruction. So if you call S,R. Driving School in Bangkok, make sure they offer the same and that their instructors are permitted to test students. My wife never drove a car in her life before and was afraid to get behind the wheel, but after this course she was a confident and a pretty good driver. Better than I was without any driver training at all. 

     

Edited September 7, 2016 by seedy
FONE NUMBER

[GOLDBUGGY]

6 hours ago, GarryP said:

I know there are driving schools, but I was hoping that someone could make suggestions based on their experience. Many of the schools seem to just teach you in a parking lot.   While the goal is to get a license, I do want to learn to drive too!!!!!

The Parking Lot is just until you get your basic down pat and before you take the car out on the road. Many student have never driven a car before so even adjusting your seat and mirrors and shifting gears are all new to them. I know many women in America who have driven a car for many years but have never driven a standard car in their life before and have no idea how to change gears. Or even drive on the opposite side of the road. It is also a good place to practice parallel parking as you don't have a lineup of cars honking there horns at you to hurry up.    

[Krataiboy]

11 hours ago, Dexlowe said:

Before you get behind the wheel, undergo tests for your peripheral vision, your reaction times, spatial awareness, mental acuity and your temperament. If you pass, then you are ready to learn to drive.

 

And if you fail, you are also ready to drive.  (sorry)

 

 

Yeah, when in Rome. . . 

[Shiver]

I suggested Smart Drive in Udon to my missus (since she has a hankering for a car for all the wrong reasons - often useless in the city), as I've only heard good about it, but she says they have a place in Udon Town (a stones throw diagonally opposite the 7Eleven at the market there).  I did wonder where they would take them without traffic though being central city (maybe the railway grounds behind it?), whereas Smart Drive must be what, 4Km away from city centre, if that?  

As mentioned in previous post, getting a friend made sure I already knew how to change gears, indicate, use mirrors, reverse park etc -  that all comes easy when you're a teenager.  Luckily OP already did 10 lessons (easily enough to take a test in UK).  

 

Good to hear a recommendation, my only insistence is that she learns in a manual stick shift, then the automatic takes about 1 minute to adjust to.  Many Thai partners here who drive have only used automatic and are scared of manual gears.  If they knew manual then they'd realise what a crock of sh1 automatics of old are (I mean, going up a gear as you enter a corner...<deleted>?  I reserve judgement on the newer CVT's as I haven't had the privilege yet.

[Henryford]

16 hours ago, yardrunner said:

Take the test and get your licence but before you go on the road go to a local driving school and arrange to drive on the road with an instructor until you feel confident to go alone

 

I think this is the best advice. I never understood how you drive on the roads here as a learner with no licence. Surely any insurance would be invalid with a driver with no licence.

[Pink5]

Half year ago i went to driving school to get my license for car. I joined a 3 days training with video, training on a track, and theory test and drive test, all dont at the facility of driving school. Last day on driving test, who just was some driving and parking and backing on their track, it was officials there from the office who handles driving licenses. There was no driving in real traffic at all...

 

 

Pink

Edited September 7, 2016 by Pink5

[GarryP]

14 hours ago, Shiver said:

The way I did it in my teens, and the way I would still do it now, is find a friend with a car, find a quiet place off the road (perhaps somewhere where they hold markets some days but often are empty), and just get a feel for it again (or if you really want to, then get a couple of lessons on the road).  It's not operating heavy machinery that's the issue, but all the things you're already aware of after being on the road with other forms of transport (dogs, smartphone pedestrians traffic on your side etc).  I think you already know how to drive easily well enough to pass a test here.  I'm not sure what the written test may be (if there is one - I blagged them with my EU license, or just watch a video), but the actual physical test is little more than reversing between two cones, and if you squash one they move the cones further away any try a couple more then sign you off anyway.  There's the reaction test, which I was a little nervous of, but honestly I couldn't believe how slow the light change was.  I thought they'd be expecting maybe 0.25 seconds or something, but you could make a som tam before strolling back to the seat to press the 'stop' pedal.

Last one is a colour blindness test.  When I was there they had a person with a pointing stick pointing at large colour squares, about 5 colours (red, orange/amber, green of course, and maybe one or two others.  Even if you are colour blind and can't speak Thai, just copy what the person in front of you says as they pick the same colours each time.  In fact my friend who *is* colour blind in part of the spectrum had his partner stand next to him and tell him the answers just in case.

 

Somebody posted on here a while back the rules of the Thai road in English, so I took time to read them (a short 10 minute read), and they're mostly just what you'd expect.  You could probably guess most of them even if you'd never seen it.  None of that rubbish about "how many feet does it take to go from 70mph to zero (the answer in my day was 315 feet).  I bet a half decent car these days could do it in half of that, unless it was my old fortuna which was terrible at everything other than comfort.  Things like in Thailand the max legal distance to park from a kerb/curb is 20cm's are worth knowing if you get a particularly belligerent Traffic cop , but I don't know anyone who ever got charged on anything remotely like that.  If you hold a licence and a tax disc (and insurance), you're left alone with a smile and a move along gesture.

 

You're probably over qualified already.

 

 

 

Unfortunately, I do not have the skills you think I do. I was last behind the wheel 35 years ago. However, I do at least have good road awareness from cycling and motorcycling in BKK. 

[GarryP]

13 hours ago, GOLDBUGGY said:

For Bangkok Area I would check into "S.R. Driving School". DELETED. I have heard that this is a highly rated driver training school their. 

 

My wife recently completed a Driver Trainer Course in Udon Thani at a place called "Smart Drive". To be honest I was was most impressed with this school. The first part of this course was class room instruction where they went over the training manual then completed the written road test, which was the first day. After that and for 5 more lessons which if I recall was for an hour each, they learnt the practical and got to drive one of there many vehicles, so you don't need to bring a car.

 

For the first couple of days they drove in their huge parking lot where they learnt the basics on how to operate a motor vehicle, turn, signaling, parking, and basically making them feel comfortable operating a motor vehicle. The last 3 days they actually spent on the road and did highway driving, and well as 2 days of city driving. At the end of this training my wife was given a piece of paper in which she had passed everything and thus only had to take this to the D.L.T Office without further drivers license tests. Just some eye tests and in and out in a couple of hours with her new drivers license. She enjoyed this Driver Training Course a lot. 

 

This Driver Training School was flexible on hours offering late afternoon classes and open on weekends and would give you more lessons if they felt you needed them. I believe they also offered English Instruction. So if you call S,R. Driving School in Bangkok, make sure they offer the same and that their instructors are permitted to test students. My wife never drove a car in her life before and was afraid to get behind the wheel, but after this course she was a confident and a pretty good driver. Better than I was without any driver training at all. 

     

Thanks. I found that school in Samutprakarn. If they do not have English speaking instructors it would not be a problem as I am fluent in Thai. I took my motorcycle test in Thai and came out top in the class, much to my son's embarrassment as he took the same course as me. 

 

That school in Udon Thani seems like the kind of place I would like to go to. I will continue shopping but also see what SR Driving school say. It is not too far from where I live actually. 

Edited September 7, 2016 by seedy
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[seedy]

Post edited. Forum Rule -

 

18) You will not post phone numbers, email addresses, business names, or web/Facebook/Twitter/Google+ addresses in posts or signatures. Web addresses to personal non-commercial sites sites/blogs, or Facebook/Twitter/Google+ addresses, may be posted in a member's profile page.

[GOLDBUGGY]

1 hour ago, GarryP said:

Thanks. I found that school in Samutprakarn. If they do not have English speaking instructors it would not be a problem as I am fluent in Thai. I took my motorcycle test in Thai and came out top in the class, much to my son's embarrassment as he took the same course as me. 

 

That school in Udon Thani seems like the kind of place I would like to go to. I will continue shopping but also see what SR Driving school say. It is not too far from where I live actually. 

I am sure that you will find this experience a pleasant one. Especially if you want to get some driving practice in first. As I said I couldn't drag my Thai Wife behind a steering wheel of a car with 10 elephants, but by her taking this course she really enjoyed going to it as she found it a fun experience. She also came out as a good driver but still need some time on the highway to get her speed up to 90 km / hr.  She drove in the city better than I do as she knows the city better also. 

 

As I said the school she went to was in Udon Thani but I know they also have a good one in Pattaya and were I went years ago. But I only need to rewrite the road test so I never did the Driver Trainer thing. So I am sure you will find one in Bangkok. It is good that you speak Thai as this will give you more flexibility in choosing your times for the classroom course and driving instructor.

 

You obviously want one that takes you out on the road when you are ready, so you actually get in some city and highway driving experience. But what is equally important is that you find a Driver Training School that have qualified Instructor who can test you and pass you on your written and road test. 

 

The last thing you want after taking your driver training is to have to go down to the Transport Office and book a time for you to do the Drivers Road Test, when you can get that done at the school. Your Driving Instructor will give you more road time, if he feels you need this, where at the Transport Office they will just fail you. All you should need to do is swap there paper they passed you on for a Valid Thai Driver's License at the Transport Office. That is what my wife did anyway. Maybe an eye test to as I can't remember right now.     

[GOLDBUGGY]

11 hours ago, Shiver said:

I suggested Smart Drive in Udon to my missus (since she has a hankering for a car for all the wrong reasons - often useless in the city), as I've only heard good about it, but she says they have a place in Udon Town (a stones throw diagonally opposite the 7Eleven at the market there).  I did wonder where they would take them without traffic though being central city (maybe the railway grounds behind it?), whereas Smart Drive must be what, 4Km away from city centre, if that?  

As mentioned in previous post, getting a friend made sure I already knew how to change gears, indicate, use mirrors, reverse park etc -  that all comes easy when you're a teenager.  Luckily OP already did 10 lessons (easily enough to take a test in UK).  

 

Good to hear a recommendation, my only insistence is that she learns in a manual stick shift, then the automatic takes about 1 minute to adjust to.  Many Thai partners here who drive have only used automatic and are scared of manual gears.  If they knew manual then they'd realise what a crock of sh1 automatics of old are (I mean, going up a gear as you enter a corner...<deleted>?  I reserve judgement on the newer CVT's as I haven't had the privilege yet.

I am sure there is other good driving schools in Udon Thani. I only mentioned Smart Drive as I have direct experience with this place and saw the good results from my wife. 

 

Yeah! I know many women in America are like this to when it comes to switching gears. They are afraid of that as they only drove in auto. So I found it odd that My Thai Wife told me she would not drive in Canada because most of the cars are automatic and she doesn't know how to drive a car like that.

 

It would just be different for her, as she is used to switching gear now. It is far easier driving in auto and as everyone knows except her. But wait to I tell her she also has to drive on the opposite of the road and she may not even get in the car with me.   .