khunsanuk Posted November 3, 2009 Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 Hi, My wife's son has started taking driving lessons last Sunday. Couple of things struck me as odd. The first being that he has lessons every day, rather than once a week as I was used to back home. Not a big deal I guess though. The one that really struck me though was the order in which things get done: - drive inside a closed area for 2-3 lesssons - take driving test (of course in a closed area as well as they do here) - get license - continue lessons on the open road So, in effect people are first taught how to pass the test, and only after they have an actual license do they go into traffic. I asked why this is, the answer "You are not allowed to drive on the road without a license". Uh... yeah... I can understand that, but how the fuck are you gonna learn to drive until you do so in actual traffic??? Sanuk! PS Wanna bet how many people keep taking lessons until they are proficient drivers after they've already received their license? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CTO Posted November 3, 2009 Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 Pass the test then learn to drive - when DarLEk went for it people arrived in new cars they'd bought before having a lisense Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redbaron Posted November 3, 2009 Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 So there's no "Learners Permit" per se. Strange. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted November 3, 2009 Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 Depends who you are. My Mrs got her licence before she knew how to drive - and didn't have to take even the written test. Why? She's a civil servant. I also saw one of my Thai colleagues driving around the campus in a Volkswagen at a snail's pace. I asked what was going on. I was told, "That's Archan Somsri. She got her licence and bought a car. Now she's learning how to drive." Of course, I had to take both the written and driving test. I'm an ignorant foreigner who had only been driving since he was 16. p.s. I tell Thais who go on about their cars that my great grandparents owned cars nearly a century ago. Their folks still rode buffaloes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaiHome Posted November 3, 2009 Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 So there's no "Learners Permit" per se. Strange. That does seem to be the missing step. Even that allows untrained drivers on the road though. Flash, I assume you had to take both the written and practical test because you did not have valid license from the US to show you knew how to drive? TH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khunsanuk Posted November 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 Hi, "Even that allows untrained drivers on the road though." Right, but I'd say using a learner's permit would be the right way to do it. Especially if you also mark the cars in some way so other drivers will know the driver of said car is not yet fully licensed. Sanuk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dumsoda Posted November 3, 2009 Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 I think the main reason they are crap is because they believe in reincarnation Why worry if you kill yourself....the next life will be better Upcountry is absolutely crazy.....some Turkey passes 6 cars at a time....and just cos he flashes his lights he thinks everyone will make space for him WTF!!!!!!!!!!! Now, the Buses...that's a whole new story.... AND...the Moto Cys !!! FARRRRKKKK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radioman Posted November 3, 2009 Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 Indeed no learners permit or provisional licence as such but your first licence needs renewing every year for the first two or three I think then it becomes a permanent one. I'd guess a large proportion of those driving in Bangkok have never had proper lessons and as many up country probably never even a licence. A car is like a tv, if you have the money, go buy! It's an inanimate object, no feelings as such. If you run people over, hey, their bad karma not yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skirtlifter Posted November 3, 2009 Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 I drive around in and near the wife's village and have ventured further afield to Lopburi and Ayudhya without a licence...only got pinged once and the copper waved me on because neither he or any of his men could speak English. My wife and a couple of friends pretended not to know how to speak English. The cop was really pissed but did not want to lose face. In the village they don't give a rats bum about licences or little things like seatbelts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danno6 Posted November 3, 2009 Report Share Posted November 3, 2009 Try driving in Malaysia! Makes the streets of Bangkok look sane....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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