Thailand makes it harder to get a driving licence

BANGKOK — Experts are supportive of new regulations that make it harder for people to obtain a driving licence in Thailand, and make it easier for the authorities to seize licences from errant motorists to ensure compliance with traffic laws.

They agreed with proposed regulations requiring those applying for a car driving licence to pass a 15-hour course of driving lessons, saying the rules on issuing driving licences should be toughened.

Dr Sumet Ongkittikul, a researcher on transport and logistics policy at the Thailand Development Research Institute, voiced support for the regulations, saying they must be enforced as quickly as possible.

“Under current regulations, the issuance of driving licences is very easy, but seizing them is difficult. The laws are lax, and people do not obey. ‘‘Many people drive without licences, and they are not arrested. When arrested, they are fined only a few hundred baht,” Dr Sumet said.

Earlier this month, the Cabinet approved in principle the draft regulations requiring an applicant for a driver’s licence to finish a course of lessons of at least 15 hours and pay up to 6,000 baht (S$242) for them.

The regulations have been submitted to the Council of State — the advisory body to the King for legislative drafting — for consideration and are expected to be enforced next year, according to the Department of Land Transport (DLT).

The DLT says there are about 20 million motorcycles registered nationwide, but only 12 million people have motorcycle licences.

Mr Taweesak Taekratoke, a scholar from the Road Safety Group Thailand, echoed the view that issuing driving licences must be toughened, while driving licences must be easily and readily seized from motorists who break traffic laws.

“This way, motorists will be made to value and protect their driving licences by not breaking traffic laws, which in turn will help reduce road accidents,” Mr Taweesak said.

Responding to complaints that it is too expensive to pay up to 6,000 baht for the driving lessons under the new rules, Mr Taweesak said anyone who can afford to buy a car should also be able to afford to pay for the driving course.

Previously, the required training hours were four, before being raised to five on Jan 1.

Transport Ministry inspector-general Chirute Visalachitra, who is the ministry’s spokesman, said the DLT still needs time to study in detail the readiness of privately run driving schools to comply with the new regulations, which require those applying for a personal car driving licence to pass a 15-hour course.

Mr Chirute said the 15-hour course will be divided into a five-hour course on general knowledge of traffic laws, four hours of driving on a training field, three of driving on actual roads and a three-hour course on general knowledge of car parts and devices.

At present, regulations require recipients of a driver’s licence to attend four hours of lectures, and applicants are also not required to practise driving before receiving a licence.

Thailand is ranked No 2 in the World Health Organisation’s study of road fatalities in the world, with 44 road deaths per 100,000 people.

Mr Peerapan Anutarasetthi, a university student who plans to apply for a driving licence soon, said he was not happy with the new idea of additional training and driving practice hours because the cost of driving lessons at 6,000 baht is too expensive for students.

He also did not want to spend hours watching a video about traffic laws. BANGKOK POST