The provisional driver's licence is issued to drivers who have not had a permit to drive before. At present, the provisional licence has a life of one year and drivers are required to renew them within 60 days of their expiry. However, many drivers with the one-year licence fail to renew their permits within the deadline and face a fine and a late fee.
Suchart Klinsuwan, the LTD deputy director-general, said the provisional licences issued after Monday (March 23) will be two-year ones. However, current holders of a one-year licence still have to renew their permits at the end of the one-year period. Once renewed, the status of the driver's licence will be upgraded and will be renewable every five years, Mr Suchart said.
He said although drivers have up to 60 days in which to apply for an upgrade, many fail to do so in time. Changing the life-span of a provisional licence from one to two years will give drivers more time to apply.
Mr Suchart added a longer-life licence would help cut down the number of traffic offenders who drive with an expired licence.
He said while the life of the provisional licence, which covers private vehicles and motorcycles, will be extended to two years, the fee for renewals will be kept at the current rate of B105.
Those seeking the two-year licence will still be subject to the same standard of physical and written examinations, a four-hour road safety lecture and a driving test as before.
The written test is now computerised. Applicants use a touch screen monitor to key in their answers for the 50 questions. An applicant must answer 45 questions, or 90 per cent, correctly.
The provisional licence can be issued as a smart card for travel in the Asean region, Mr Suchart added.
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