How I failed the Thai Driving Test but lived on the Thai roads!

[Inspire]

How I failed the Thai Driving Test but lived on the Thai roads!

Gerry Carter

 

 

It takes a particular idiocy and lack of ability to fail something as simple as the Thai driving test.

 

But I managed it with flying colors.

 

This was back in 1998 and while I had been riding around on a motorbike for the previous eight years I had only recently purchased my first car – a dirt cheap but brand new Toyota Soluna. I took an experienced driver friend to the showroom with me. He drove me home as I had no idea what all those pedals meant. My prize new possession remained in the driveway for four days before I plucked up the courage to take it out; alone without the kids I thought was best.

 

Things did not augur well when, rather oblivious to the difference in size between a four wheeler and a two, I backed my silver beast straight into a tree in the first week.

 

Some local had planted it by the side of the road….

 

Mindful that I had recently become a dad and started a job at an international school I was beginning to feel the need to make things official and get something I heard others call a license to go with the “free” insurance that Toyota had given me when I bought the car a few months before. Prior to this I had always paid my bike fines in roadside arrangements with friendly members of the constabulary only too willing to help me on my way.

 

So it was that I went with a representative of the school and several other hopeful teachers to the Land Transport office in Sukhumvit Road. All the other teachers had UK licenses and it was just a rubber stamp exercise for them to exchange that for a Thai license but I was obliged to take the test.

 

Feeling confident that my driving skill had improved sufficiently in recent weeks I opted to take the test rather than just slap down a few hundred baht for what I had heard was the quicker and more certain route favored by most Thais.

 

So it was that I found myself driving round a course of humps and turns in the backlot of the government office. I had already made only four mistakes out of 20 in the written test and been assessed as not color blind. It all seemed a breeze on that hot midweek afternoon.

 

Full story: http://www.inspirepattaya.com/lifestyle/failed-thai-driving-test-lived-thai-roads/

 

 

-- © Copyright Inspire Pattaya 2017-03-05

[Pinot]

I got a car and a motorbike license on the same day which required I take the computerized test twice. I failed the first test, simply because the questions were confusing and written in gibberish but aced the next test a few minutes later because I knew the answers now after taking the first test. I had to come back the next day and retake the test again, which I easily passed. 

 

Anyone going in to get a license should master the questions before hand by taking the test here. http://thaidriving.info/

 

 

[mick220675]

I did my car test in 2001, all I had to do was drive forward between some cane's then reverse back between them. They asked me if I could read a sign, I said yes then I was given me my licence. At least 40% of the people failed the test. There was a old man who's job was to stand the cane's back up after they had been knocked down, he did not stop all morning.

[Anthony Loh]

For foreigners who long stay or come to holiday and driving very often in Thailand, you are advised to get yourself the Thailand driving license as this may avoid a lot of misunderstanding with the local TP. Is easy to get it here as long as you have all the requirement documents.

[Formaleins]

8 hours ago, Pinot said:

I got a car and a motorbike license on the same day which required I take the computerized test twice. I failed the first test, simply because the questions were confusing and written in gibberish but aced the next test a few minutes later because I knew the answers now after taking the first test. I had to come back the next day and retake the test again, which I easily passed. 

 

Anyone going in to get a license should master the questions before hand by taking the test here. http://thaidriving.info/

 

 

Best piece of advice!  Indeed. you need to learn the expected answers for the computer test, they are completely illogical and downright stupid, but if you Rote Learn, as Thais like to do, then you will pass with flying colours...."

 

"Is It Legal To Drive A Tank Down The Highway In A Time Of War"

 

Seriously....that is one of the question I got on the computer.