Comments on: Licence frustration http://www.pattayadays.com/2009/11/licence-frustration/ An ordinary life in an extra-ordinary place Thu, 09 Sep 2010 11:23:43 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: A brief brush with bureaucracy | Pattaya Days http://www.pattayadays.com/2009/11/licence-frustration/comment-page-1/#comment-5577 A brief brush with bureaucracy | Pattaya Days Thu, 11 Feb 2010 05:17:42 +0000 http://www.pattayadays.com/?p=3651#comment-5577 [...] road tax expired this week, necessitating a return to the house of horrors where I spent a lifetime obtaining a driving licence. Delays were [...] [...] road tax expired this week, necessitating a return to the house of horrors where I spent a lifetime obtaining a driving licence. Delays were [...]

]]> By: Spike http://www.pattayadays.com/2009/11/licence-frustration/comment-page-1/#comment-5028 Spike Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:25:57 +0000 http://www.pattayadays.com/?p=3651#comment-5028 If you have a work permit, you don't need to prove you live here. Presumably on the assumption that if you are working here you also live here; quite a stretch of logic for the authorities. If you have a work permit, you don’t need to prove you live here. Presumably on the assumption that if you are working here you also live here; quite a stretch of logic for the authorities.

]]> By: Jamie http://www.pattayadays.com/2009/11/licence-frustration/comment-page-1/#comment-5027 Jamie Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:51:53 +0000 http://www.pattayadays.com/?p=3651#comment-5027 I went to renew my 5 year licence a few months ago. Did not need proof of residence, needed only copy of passport and work permit. Thought I needed photos only to find they have a new high tec licence machine that takes your photo and processes the card within minutes. Waiting around for the "tests" was the longest part. Must have waited 2 hours. One old Thai guy took about 10 attempts on the brake test. He was hopeless. I hope he never drives behind me. I also had to "read" the book, or pretend to. Maybe 15 minutes later I gave the book back. With all the queuing and waiting the whole eposide took about 4 hours. Having a 5 year licence is very cool. When coppers stop you are they always impressed that a farang has such a licence. Ah, figured me for a newbie, eh? Hoping to fine me, eh? I pull out my licence now valid until 2014. OK, mai? :) Jamie. Phuket. I went to renew my 5 year licence a few months ago. Did not need proof of residence, needed only copy of passport and work permit. Thought I needed photos only to find they have a new high tec licence machine that takes your photo and processes the card within minutes. Waiting around for the “tests” was the longest part. Must have waited 2 hours. One old Thai guy took about 10 attempts on the brake test. He was hopeless. I hope he never drives behind me. I also had to “read” the book, or pretend to. Maybe 15 minutes later I gave the book back. With all the queuing and waiting the whole eposide took about 4 hours.

Having a 5 year licence is very cool. When coppers stop you are they always impressed that a farang has such a licence. Ah, figured me for a newbie, eh? Hoping to fine me, eh? I pull out my licence now valid until 2014. OK, mai?

:)

Jamie. Phuket.

]]> By: Spike http://www.pattayadays.com/2009/11/licence-frustration/comment-page-1/#comment-5026 Spike Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:12:14 +0000 http://www.pattayadays.com/?p=3651#comment-5026 Ingesting vast quantities of recreational drugs helps. Allegedly. Ingesting vast quantities of recreational drugs helps. Allegedly.

]]> By: genuinej http://www.pattayadays.com/2009/11/licence-frustration/comment-page-1/#comment-5025 genuinej Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:32:10 +0000 http://www.pattayadays.com/?p=3651#comment-5025 I've never tried sliding light poles. You make it sound a lot easier than it probably is. I’ve never tried sliding light poles. You make it sound a lot easier than it probably is.

]]> By: Spike http://www.pattayadays.com/2009/11/licence-frustration/comment-page-1/#comment-5023 Spike Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:38:58 +0000 http://www.pattayadays.com/?p=3651#comment-5023 Yes they are, in one plane. Imagine you are looking up a road with light poles on either side, but at different spacing. From a distance, you have to slide one light pole up the road so it is at same distance from you as a pole on the other side of the road. Yes they are, in one plane. Imagine you are looking up a road with light poles on either side, but at different spacing. From a distance, you have to slide one light pole up the road so it is at same distance from you as a pole on the other side of the road.

]]> By: Pete http://www.pattayadays.com/2009/11/licence-frustration/comment-page-1/#comment-5020 Pete Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:51:54 +0000 http://www.pattayadays.com/?p=3651#comment-5020 Perhaps you can find a willing Angolan to be there for you for a hundred bucks? I'm not sure I understand the last test though. If there are two vertical bars in a box, surely they are already parallel? Perhaps you can find a willing Angolan to be there for you for a hundred bucks?

I’m not sure I understand the last test though. If there are two vertical bars in a box, surely they are already parallel?

]]> By: Spike http://www.pattayadays.com/2009/11/licence-frustration/comment-page-1/#comment-5019 Spike Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:16:58 +0000 http://www.pattayadays.com/?p=3651#comment-5019 A commendable approach which should be more widely applied. For example, I have no particular wish to attend my own funeral. A commendable approach which should be more widely applied. For example, I have no particular wish to attend my own funeral.

]]> By: Billy http://www.pattayadays.com/2009/11/licence-frustration/comment-page-1/#comment-5018 Billy Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:01:25 +0000 http://www.pattayadays.com/?p=3651#comment-5018 I have a small craft captain's licence from Angola somewhere and there was actually an exam that had to be taken. Fortunately the rules were not well enough drafted that I had to actually take it myself. A hundred bucks got me one of Angola's finest boat handlers to take it for me and I got the highest marks that day and passed with distinction, a fact recorded for posterity on my license :-) I have a small craft captain’s licence from Angola somewhere and there was actually an exam that had to be taken.

Fortunately the rules were not well enough drafted that I had to actually take it myself. A hundred bucks got me one of Angola’s finest boat handlers to take it for me and I got the highest marks that day and passed with distinction, a fact recorded for posterity on my license :-)

]]> By: Spike http://www.pattayadays.com/2009/11/licence-frustration/comment-page-1/#comment-5017 Spike Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:16:55 +0000 http://www.pattayadays.com/?p=3651#comment-5017 If it wasn't for the fact I knew I had an eight hour drive ahead of me, it would have been a relaxing and amusing couple of hours. The Thai guy who couldn't tell yellow from red. The ancient farang who kept missing the brake pedal and swearing. The general air of chaos mixed with affability. Come to think of it, I rather fancy going again tomorrow! If it wasn’t for the fact I knew I had an eight hour drive ahead of me, it would have been a relaxing and amusing couple of hours.

The Thai guy who couldn’t tell yellow from red. The ancient farang who kept missing the brake pedal and swearing. The general air of chaos mixed with affability. Come to think of it, I rather fancy going again tomorrow!

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