Issuance of driving licenses to be tightened to improve road safety

March 14, 2017

The Transport Ministry is amending a ministerial regulation to tighten up the issuance of driving licenses and the renewal of driving licenses by making in mandatory for the applicants to attend a training session of up to 15 hours instead of just 3-4 hours as it is the case now.

The draft ministerial regulation is now being fine-tuned by the Council of State before it is submitted to the Transport Ministry to be announced, said Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisit, adding he expects the new regulation to become enforced within this year.

He said the new ministerial regulation was intended to set a new standard of road safety and to improve the discipline of car drivers.

Meanwhile, Land Transport Department director-general Sanit Promwong said, under the new regulation, applicants for driving licenses or drivers who want to renew their driving licenses would be required to go through a training session of up to 15 hours from today’s 3-4 hours and pass both the written and driving tests organized by the private sector.

The Land Transport Department will only serve in its capacity as the supervisory body and responsible for issuing driving licenses and renewal of licenses.

Mr Sanit, however, pointed out that, under the new regulation, drivers who want to renew their driving licenses and applicants for driving licenses would have to bear the training session costs which will not exceed 6,000 baht each.

There are currently about 90 authorised driving schools throughout the country which offer the training course.

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/issuance-driving-licenses-tightened-improve-road-safety/