Driving school/tuition in Pattaya

[newalaan]

Hoping someone has had actual experiences with driving school/driving tuition in Pattaya. There is some info on the www, but i was hoping for personal experiences from anyone who has put their thai bf/friend through their driving test. Hoping there are crash courses (unfortunate wording) over one week for my upcoming visit to Thailand. It is time bf got his thai driving licence to help with the driving around Thailand on my visits. We only have one settled week in one place on this trip and that is in Pattaya.

He has had a couple of 'lessons' from a family member and one friend, but frankly I have been driven by both these guys and their driving 'skills' are poor to awful. I really need to get him away from any such 'help' and to a recommended driving instructor, preferably with dual control cars. I did this for a longtime thai friend about a decade ago, and i think it was Bt1500 for 10 lessons back then, which was easily enough to change him from being able to move a vehicle around the roads to an actual driver with skills and a proper license.

Any info or experiences would be appreciated.

[2lz2p]

There are several driving schools in Pattaya. My bf just finished lessons recently. We chose a driving school on Soi Chayapruek. They offered 10 hours for 3,500 Baht and 16 hours for 5,000 Baht (the latter included taking him to Land Transport Offices for test). We opted for the 16 hours at 2 hours per day -- but they were willing to do more hours per day if we wanted. They started out in the large parking area of the Pattaya Indoor Stadium (Soi Chayapruek 2) - it is used by many as a driving practice area and even has some areas marked off with "poles" to practice parallel parking and backing up (two of the things you must do as part of the driving test). One thing they didn't do was provide a book explaining traffic signs and rules of the road (I know, what rules?) - the bf borrowed a book from a friend to study for the written test. The driving lessons were not restricted to the parking lot - several lessons involved road driving.

Obtaining the driving license can be an all day affair. In addition to the driving and written (computer console) tests, there will also be some vision/reaction time tests and the day will start with a 4 hour class for first time applicants (go early as they limit the number per day to 80 persons). He will need a medical certificate (can be obtained at most clinics for a nominal fee - often without having to actually see the doctor) and a copy of his identity card front and back.

My bf also obtained his motorcycle license at the same time -- there is a separate driving and written test for motorcycles - like many Thais, he had never bothered to get a license for the motorcycle. He used his driving instructor's car and "borrowed" someone's motorcycle for that test (a person that was in his "class")

That was a couple weeks ago - he has taking our car out almost everyday since for practice (and I think a little showing off to friends). We will be getting another vehicle soon as two drivers and one car can be problematic.

[francois]

I asked a Thai friend who went to a driving school on Thepprasit Rd close to Thapphraya Rd. He did not know the name but there is a Treat Driving School on Threpprasit Rd further along closer to Sukhumvit.

It has been some time since he went to this school so don't know if it is still there. He is a very careful driver which is unusual.

[newalaan]

Just the info i was looking for '2lz2p', thanks. Were you happy with the quality of instruction, and before he took lessons had your bf ever been behind the wheel of a vehicle or was it in at the deep end for him, do you think your bf is now a capable driver after instruction?

Can you remember the name of the driving school and did you call ahead or just turn up and arrange it.

Thanks also for the info and the name of the driving school Francois, I'll have my own pick-up when we come to Pattaya so i think I'll head to soi Chaiyaphreuk, I like the idea of him starting out in the Pattaya Stadium carpark. I am not so concerned about his actual driving skills at this stage I just want him to get through his test and an official licence so there is no insurance issue and he has a grip on the main basics before i take him out in our vehicle myself (up on the Issan roads, not in Pattaya!). He is a careful driver, doesn't take chances, when on his motorbike so I'm hoping he is the same in a car as I know many seemingly laid-back thais, who, when they get behind a wheel undergo some kind of personality change for the worse.

[2lz2p]

No he had not driven a car before taking the lessons. But had no problem being a "back seat" driver when I was driving.

I don't have name of school as it was in Thai as was their brochure -- the telephone numbers are: 089-599-1877 and 089-767-2709 -- going from Sukhumvit toward Jomtien Beach Road, it will be on the left in a small shop house - in front near the road is a sign (in Thai) with blue letters on white background. It shows a telephone number in large letters (probably one of the above). I'm not good at judging distances, but it is not too far - when you pass the snake show, which will be on your right, start looking for the sign - it will not be immediate, but still not too far past that point.

I'm not sure if they speak English, so you could have bf call for directions and information. We just stopped by their office to inquire - the brochure shows 3,500 (10 hours), 5,000 (16 hours), and 6,500 (20 hours). The instructor used his car to give the lessons and the 16 hour fee included the instructor taking the bf to Land Transport Office (LTO) to get license.

The day they went, they were too late to get in the first group of 80 (maximum for day for new applicants as they have to take a 4 hour class at the LTO) - they were there well before opening time, but still too late. The bf insisted we go a couple days later and he would use our car -- which is a a Honda Civic and a bit bigger than the Toyota he took the lessons in. He did not pass the driving test, but did pass the written test (done on computer console). He borrowed a motorbike and passed that driving test, but didn't pass the motorbike written test (like many Thais, he has never bothered to get a motorbike license). That was on a Friday and they told him he could come back the following Wednesday and up to 90 days after to retake the two tests.

The following Wednesday, his instructor was taking some others of his students to retake the driving portion. We went the same day and the bf used the instructor's Toyota with which he was much more familiar and passed the driving test -- he also passed the motorbike written test and walked out with both licenses (all smiles).

Since then, he takes the car out each day to practice (and, I think show off to friends a little bit). I haven't ridden with him since he got his license; but did do so a couple of times in the housing village where we live when he was trying to get familiar with our car. His not passing the driving test was, I think, because he was still not used to driving our car and maybe a bit of nervousness in taking the test. Had he taken the test the first time in the car he had taken the lessons in, I don't think there would have been any problem with him passing.

[2lz2p]

I don't have name of school as it was in Thai as was their brochure -- the telephone numbers are: 089-599-1877 and 089-767-2709 -- going from Sukhumvit toward Jomtien Beach Road, it will be on the left in a small shop house - in front near the road is a sign (in Thai) with blue letters on white background. It shows a telephone number in large letters (probably one of the above).

I drove by there yesterday - so a slight correction. The sign has a white background, Thai script in blue letters and the telephone number is in red letters.

[newalaan]

There are several driving schools in Pattaya. My bf just finished lessons recently. We chose a driving school on Soi Chayapruek

Just a follow up to 2lz2p's very helpful info when I was looking to find a driving school in Pattaya for my bf. Well we took his advice and simply drove up Chayapreuk Rd until we found a driving School sign on the RHS of Chayapreuk Rd just over the Sukumvit intersection travelling from Jomtien. The sign actually read "Driving Course. Tel 086-8392271" It was Bt3500 for 10 hours of tuition at 2 hours per session. We were a couple days into our Pattaya stay before we managed to get ourselves out at a decent daylight time to find the driving school, so we landed up squeezing the hours into only a few days, one day having 3 hours tuition. But it served it's purpose and he can now handle all aspects of driving on his own. The last day he was driving around Pattaya without incident, and these Thai tuition cars do NOT have dual control and brakes as they do in the UK. So the instructor must have been confident enough of his progress.

In the final event he/we decided that it better for him to get his actual driving license card back in his home province of Khon Kaen rather than hurry it in Pattaya, and anyway he has only ever come to Pattaya with me on holiday, so as he lives full time in Issan that made more sense, that would also give him time to learn the highway code book which he had to buy for a small amount (Bt100?), before taking his test.

His first lessons were in the car park of the Pattaya Stadium. I spoke to the instructor at the end and he briefly went over all they had done. I didn't attend any of the lessons....I headed off to Dong Tan beach for lunch/coffee and a laze around on the days he had tuition.

I would definitely recommend this driving school. All you need to do is turn up and they give you all the info there and then, and you can schedule the lessons right away. So thanks to 2lz2p for the initial info.