Thai Transport clarifies imposing higher standards to obtain new driving licence

[Dah fahrang]

Quote

However he said the problem is that at present, there are only 95 driving schools in 60 provinces in Thailand that have been approved by the Land Transport Department.

 

As for the fees that will be charged for driving instruction, he said the Land Transport Department has stated that no specific amount has been approved but a maximum ceiling of 6,000 baht per course has already been agreed upon

Let's not miss the real reason for this by driving into the smokescreen of raising Thai driving standards. There's a massive earner here.

These "driving schools" are set up as Transport Department approved private companies. 

I suspect when all is "re-clarified" we will find there is one big chain of these, appropriately approved (connected) nationally. 

At present only 60 provinces, 95 schools, x THB6,000 per time, (still lack of clarity about renewals) x number of new licence applicants per year = one nice earner.

This has nothing to do with raising standards, and everything to do with lining pockets.

It is not an overnight whim. This has been a long time in the 'hatching'

Edited March 16, 2017 by Dah fahrang
typing errors

[fruitman]

How can the max price be 6000 baht? What if people fail for the exam several times?? Will they get it anyway if they have paid the total sum of 6000 baht?

 

 

[Grubster]

I am not falling for the 15 hour course for renewals, they would need 10,000 schools to do that. No way.  One hour class yes. 6,000 baht is going to get a lot of poor people to just drive without isn't it.

[scubascuba3]

A lot of cynical people on here.....it sounds a good idea generally, to improve the skill of drivers and riders.
Only yesterday i was at the thai driving licence centre and it wasn't clear what the basic tests were. i guess the biggest risk for falang is not understanding what is required when they do the course / test.

[exalll]

5 hours ago, GeorgeCross said:

 

wait so i have to go to driving school to learn how to drive after driving for 30 years? hahahahaha
 

'Fraid so.

 

When I was 46 years old, having driven for 5 years in UK, 13 years in Canada, 5 years in Indonesia, and 5 years in the US, I returned to Canada, to be told that my insurance premiums would consider me as a 17-year-old who had never driven before.

 

What?!  I drove for 13 years in Canada.  Oh, but that was before computerization, so there is no record of that.  Well I was living in the US for the past 5 years,  We do not share data with the US.  Well, I drove in Indonesia for 5 years, for f*#k's sake, without a single accident and have a letter from my former employer to confirm that.  Oh, we don't recognize such letters.

 

So you're screwed, like I was!

[cyberfarang]

9 hours ago, smedly said:

ha ha, just too funny, so as and advance driver and qualified instructor driving for some 40 odd years I am going to have to listen to some unqualified Thai telling me how to drive and pay for the pleasure

 

 

they really need to think this through

 

 

The only way to improve road safety in Thailand in through regulation and law enforcement

 

As for training well I have no argument for new first time applicants, but the renewal process is a waste of resource and makes absolutely no sense.

 

Those that are wanting to work in the public transport sector should be required to hold a different licence and go through a more intense higher level of training to attain it.

 

What really puzzles me is the fact that all Thailand has to do is copy a tried and tested system like already exists in the UK, but no, they have to try and invent something of their own and constantly make asses of themselves

 

 

As for improving road safety, 90% of accidents here are caused by people who know they are doing something wrong, they already know the rules but for some reason want to break them, this is very clearly an enforcement issue

 

Enforce the laws and punish those that break them, repeat offenders - ban them and make them take the test again, the message will eventually get through

Everyone thinks they are the best driver on the road and that all the others are idiots. Ha, ha, ha, I know how to drive, no one can tell me anything. Anyone who claims to be an experienced driver should pass a test with flying colours no matter what is thrown at them.

 

The part that worries me if driving tests are going to be moved into the private sector, then the corruption will go through the roof and Farlangs will be asked for under counter payments.

 

 

[Jonmarleesco]

Sounds as though it's coming a little more into line with the west. But sounding and being are not the same thing.

[Jonmarleesco]

'Transport Minister Arkom Termpitthayapaisith ... said that 80% of most accidents have been found to have been caused by either poor driving abilities or irresponsible and inexperienced drivers.' Top marks for that sharp observation.

 

'It is thus important to raise the bar higher ...' It would be something if the bar could be raised lower; it would certainly help with the shorter-legged variety of driver. 

'... driving schools will now be required to ensure that their students are endowed with a higher degree of ethical behavior ...' So money will be changing hands to ensure the right 'ethics'.

[joecoolfrog]

These measures mean nothing unless

A) Selling a licence carries a fixed custodial sentence

Driving without a licence carries a large fine and subsequent convictions lead to a fixed custodial sentence.

C) A specialised  traffic force is in place to enforce traffic regulations without fear , favour or bribery .

So in short the measures wont work !

[joecoolfrog]

12 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

There should be some kind of training and test for Pizza delivery bikes, taxi bikes and young falang on 2 week hols, that will sort out most of the dangerous riders.

Nope , wouldn't even scratch the service , its endemic.

[Anthony Loh]

These measures mean nothing unless
A) Selling a licence carries a fixed custodial sentence
B)Driving without a licence carries a large fine and subsequent convictions lead to a fixed custodial sentence.
C) A specialised  traffic force is in place to enforce traffic regulations without fear , favour or bribery .
So in short the measures wont work !

Can just forget about all this as the world also can't stop the corruption, because we are all human! 555


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

[madmitch]

11 hours ago, fruitman said:

How can the max price be 6000 baht? What if people fail for the exam several times?? Will they get it anyway if they have paid the total sum of 6000 baht?

 

 

Fail?

 

[joecoolfrog]

11 minutes ago, Anthony Loh said:

Can just forget about all this as the world also can't stop the corruption, because we are all human! 555


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

Yet strangely humans in other parts of the world rise to the challenge.

[daveAustin]

11 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

A lot of cynical people on here.....it sounds a good idea generally, to improve the skill of drivers and riders.

You can't blame them though. Initially it sounds like an idea to improve the woeful driving here, but essentially all it is (as is the current renewal scheme) is a TAX. Another reason why it wouldn't make much difference is Thais have a habit of cutting corners and will revert to default mode, plus the police will continue to not police properly. Ergo, it will not change a thing but will increase gov revenue.

Edited March 17, 2017 by daveAustin

[daveAustin]

Clearly, (most) farangs should be exempt since they already went through driving school. I don't fancy being dumbed down to conform to the Thai way of driving. The hub of vely goos driving. 

[Happyman58]

Come on guys stop being so cynical Cant you see they are trying to bring down the death toll on the roads (Ha ha)  Cant you all see the police on the roads enforcing the law. Only problem there i can see  when they doing there job so well there is no body breaking the rules Only  those stupid farang can see the bad Thai drivers Not wearing a helmet, No lights on, Driving up the wrong way, Not give way Tail-gating, Speeding, No indications when turning, Going through red lights, Doing U turns when in wrong lane,4 on a bike Drunk driving Talking on Phone when driving, Baldy tyres, loud cars ( No mufflers) Mmmm You see we are in safe hands because only those stupid farang can see this

[bandito]

20 hours ago, smedly said:

ha ha, just too funny, so as and advance driver and qualified instructor driving for some 40 odd years I am going to have to listen to some unqualified Thai telling me how to drive and pay for the pleasure

 

" qualified instructor " where?

In the UK?

Driving in Thailand, which I do on a daily basis for over 40 years, is not the same as driving in UK or another EU country for that matter.

You are funny.

[kowpot]

Thai driver:    "Excuse me officer, what's the fine for that violation I just committed?"

 

BIB:   "That offence carries a penalty of 400 baht"

 

Thai driver:    "OK, no problem, I can afford that"

 

That is how the Thai mind thinks on the roadway.  Straight from my brother in law's mouth.

[6thST]

How about having the police do a better job enforcing the laws and spend less time collecting their Tea money,what a disgrace....

[KBsinter]

The part that worries me if driving tests are going to be moved into the private sector, then the corruption will go through the roof and Farlangs will be asked for under counter payments.

 

  My thinking exactly..........................

[Chongalulu]

As they're already comfortable with the principle of discrimination via the dual pricing for national parks reciprocation is surely justified in recognising that getting a farang licence requires 10 times more ability and thus should be awarded a Thai licence without further ado?

[kannot]

On 3/16/2017 at 11:55 AM, smedly said:

ha ha, just too funny, so as and advance driver and qualified instructor driving for some 40 odd years I am going to have to listen to some unqualified Thai telling me how to drive and pay for the pleasure

 

 

they really need to think this through

 

 

The only way to improve road safety in Thailand in through regulation and law enforcement

 

As for training well I have no argument for new first time applicants, but the renewal process is a waste of resource and makes absolutely no sense.

 

Those that are wanting to work in the public transport sector should be required to hold a different licence and go through a more intense higher level of training to attain it.

 

What really puzzles me is the fact that all Thailand has to do is copy a tried and tested system like already exists in the UK, but no, they have to try and invent something of their own and constantly make asses of themselves

 

 

As for improving road safety, 90% of accidents here are caused by people who know they are doing something wrong, they already know the rules but for some reason want to break them, this is very clearly an enforcement issue

 

Enforce the laws and punish those that break them, repeat offenders - ban them and make them take the test again, the message will eventually get through

and  be  prepared  to  hear TOTAL CRAP as I had to endure the extremely "useless" Thai driving video where most of the applicants were asleep or on there phones but the emphasis was on politeness when driving and virtually  NOTHING else really....example dont blast your  horn a  long time just a gentle beep beep etc

[SiamBeast]

It will be done when hell freezes over. "Someday", maybe, in the future... and by the way, it'll just create an incentive to drive without a licence. Thainess at its best.

[scubascuba3]

You can't blame them though. Initially it sounds like an idea to improve the woeful driving here, but essentially all it is (as is the current renewal scheme) is a TAX. Another reason why it wouldn't make much difference is Thais have a habit of cutting corners and will revert to default mode, plus the police will continue to not police properly. Ergo, it will not change a thing but will increase gov revenue.

Must be awful to be so cynical, must eat you up in side slowly. Some of you guys should go back to the west, if you can afford it.

[smedly]

1 hour ago, kannot said:

and  be  prepared  to  hear TOTAL CRAP as I had to endure the extremely "useless" Thai driving video where most of the applicants were asleep or on there phones but the emphasis was on politeness when driving and virtually  NOTHING else really....example dont blast your  horn a  long time just a gentle beep beep etc

personally I will be applying for my 3rd Thai 5 year licence next year, I am not unfamiliar with the process

[joecoolfrog]

2 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Must be awful to be so cynical, must eat you up in side slowly. Some of you guys should go back to the west, if you can afford it.

Are you blind ?

[JAG]

Must be awful to be so cynical, must eat you up in side slowly. Some of you guys should go back to the west, if you can afford it.

What a strange topic to produce the familiar " if you don't like it go home" post!

Has the realisation that not everyone is as enamored as you with all things Thai started to eat you up inside?