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  Sunday 24th of March 2025 and I decide to take a Thai motorcycle driving license. I check the internet and I find one school, the Srinakarin-Lasalle Driving School. The Srinakarin-Lasalle Driving School is not far away and I got on my scooter to go to check out the place. 10 minutes ride and I arrived to the driving school so it is very close. Entering the area and the first thing I see is a training area and I knew I was at the right place. The place looked good and I was surprised to see all the cars parked in the “PIT STOP”. The “PIT STOP” is where they start and they get out on the track to learn how to drive.
 I find Srinakarin-Lasalle Driving School
 I find Srinakarin-Lasalle Driving School
 Training area
 Training area
Seems to be a big school with many students. Anyway, I parked my scooter and I went to look for the office. Finding the administration and I stepped inside saying hello to one girl sitting behind a desk. A long desk going from wall to wall facing the entrance. There are some students’ studies for the exam in the room next to the administration. I stepped up  to the girl and I told her that I wanted to study for a motorcycle license.
 - Motorcycle? Our motorcycle is very small!
- I have my own bike, I said She smiled while looking very relieved. My own bike and I do not need to destroy their bike. She had looked uncomfortable since I mentioned that I wanted to have a motorcycle driving license. But now she looked very relaxed and relieved with a smile on her face. There were not so many documents to fill up. What took the longest time was the finger prints. I managed to scan the fingers on my left hand, but we gave up when we tried my right hand. Two fingers only, and that was a lot of hassle to get the two fingers. We gave up with the other three fingers, impossible to scan. No clue why they need the finger prints, but she told me that I should use my left hand, so I guess it is used to log in to the computer. But I am pretty sure I will find out where to use my finger prints.
 Administration
 Signing the application
My old driving license expired 13 years ago, and I was almost shocked. It felt like a couple of years ago. 13 years, time is for sure turning quick. I grew tired of renewing my Thai license and I have used an international driving license since I bought my scooter. The course starts on Thursday 28th of August and I am looking forward to start. From 8 o'clock in the morning until 7 o'clock in the evening. I wish we could have done it in two days instead.  +++++++++++++++
Thursday 28th of August 2025 and I am a couple of minutes late to the driving school. Very heavy traffic at this time of the day. I arrived with a Honda Giorno, a loaner from Honda Samut Prakan.
Driving back from Chaiyasit Muay Thai Gym after my session with ปีศาจแดง ก.กุมานนท์, The Red Devil and I stopped at the Honda Shop in Samut Prakan. I have been at Chaiyasit Muay Thai Gym every day since I came back home from Sweden. It was terrible the first few days. But it turned better after a few days. And I have my foot massage 3 or 4 times per week so my feet are much better now.  shop to see if they can weld the engine.
I also order new plastic side cover that had been cracked during my bird watching adventures. And my Honda special set, basket holder forward and a package holder on the back. They turned from shinny chrome to rust in a couple of months. I had delivered the basked holder to the shop that made the basket in stainless steel back when I bought the Honda Giorno. So, I went to their shop to ask them to do a new holder for the basket  in stainless steel.
I went to Honda and I asked for help to remove the packet holder for me so I can deliver this to the stainless-steel factory as well.  They pick my Honda Giorno apart
They started to take my Giorno apart and they moved the mirrors and my stuff to the loaner. - Are you keeping my scooter today? - Yes! So, I will have to use the loaner at the driving school. I had planned to go get my scooter a good  scrub. There might be some beautiful girls taking driving license tomorrow and I want my scooter to look at its best.
Arriving a couple of minutes after 8 and I had to check-in using my finger print. The check-in and out is the most important, we must get the full hours. So, it is not just to go home when you have finished the training for the day. My Teacher told me that we would start at 9 twenty so I spent a few minutes to do the written exam on one of the computers. I had brought knee protection as I don't have any long-legged pants, so they had told me to use knee protection. I showed my professional Kevlar knee protection, but this was not good enough and I had to use their plastic protection. And I was not allowed to use my own motor cycle, so I will have to use theirs. And I got a purple west to wear as well. My Teacher left and I could continue with the test on the computer. 50 questions and you need to have 35 correct answers to pass. I had 39 correct answers, mostly because I was thinking right hand traffic. The test only took a couple of minutes and I did it one more time thinking left hand traffic and now I got 49 correct answers.  Fully equiped
 The test was not too hard to pass
 Driving course
 Driving course
The Teacher came to get me and we walked out to the driving course where I met the remaining students and the driving teacher. We were 7 students all together and we were sitting on a bench looking and listening to the Teacher sitting on a scooter in front of us. I was under the impression that we would be here listening to the Teacher until 11 o'clock, but we had to sit there and looking and listening to our Teacher to 11 thirty. And it was, seriously, painful, two hours of listening to him explaining how to use the brakes. And there is engine braking as well, who would know? And of course, the obligatory DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE! Seems like most of us, all of us already have motorcycles. I have my international, but it can come in handy with a Thai driving license.  Our Teacher explains the brakes
 We are keen listeners eager to learn
My Teacher tells us that we start again at 1 o'clock, lunch break goes from two hours to 90 minutes and I decided to skip going back home. Walking back to the school and the other teacher, busy driving around in a car with a student. They stopped and he told me to be back at one thirty. Thirty minutes bonus break means two hours of lunch break and I decided to drive back home to have some tea and omelette. My Teacher was waiting for me at the parking lot when I came back, this check-in with the finger print is something they take seriously. I checked in and then I had to wait before we went back to the driving course. Yes, we will spend the afternoon driving. Our Teacher drive the course and we are watching and when he is back, we line up our bikes and we take off one after each other.  Getting ready to start driving
 Getting ready to start driving
 Throwing our self out on the driving course
Taking off, turning right, look behind and then turn right crossing the lane. Give signal and look behind. Stop and then continue straight to the next stop sign. Stop, give signal, look right and left and turn right. Drive 15 meters to the next stop sign. Turn on signal turning right again. Turn right zig zag around traffic cones until reaching the next stop sign. Give signal, look around and turn left making a U-turn going back in the next lane. This lane has a narrow, around 30 cm wide concrete elevation. 10 cm in height and balancing on  top of the elevation without coming off. A stop, right turn and we are back where we started.
On and on and it was soon getting very boring, the only fun was the elevation. Drive as slow as possible and the Teacher was clocking us. I had 4 seconds the first time, but it should be more than 10 seconds. I grew tired of driving around so I just did the balancing along the elevation, driving back passing where we started and then back to the balancing training. The other students looked at me, what is this crazy foreigner doing? But after a few minutes all of them did the same. It is darn hot and I enjoy a couple of soda waters coming back home. A wine glass with a couple of  ice cubes and pour a bottle or two of soda water, enjoy while to AC kicks in.
When I want to turn an ordinary day in to a feast, I open a yellow soda water. Fruit flavour, of course, no calories.  Shopping cart full of soda
 We are ready to leave Tops Supermarket/strong>
 Leaving Tops behind
 Fighting our way through the Friday afternoon crowd
 In the elevator
+++++++++++++++
Saturday 30th of August 2025 and arriving to Srinakarin-Lasalle Driving School just before 8 o'clock. Scanning my finger print to check in, and as I understand it we have to check in and out 5 times today. Every lesson has to be recording.
Before and after each lesson and we will to the exam and driving test in the afternoon. There is an American couple and we discuss a little bit of this and that so the time pass very quickly and we are soon leaving for lunch break. Lunch break and I stop at MAKRO on my way home. I buy salmon, blueberries and onions. Back home  and I have salmon (Sushi style) and blueberries with my tea before driving back to school.
Waiting together with the American couple and our Teacher bring me the purple west and the protections for knee and elbows. I wear shorts so I need those protections. The rest of the students have long trousers and long sleeves, so they do not need the protection.  Ready for action on the training field
I did not even bother to try to get them to explain to me how a pyjama protected you. Never mind, I just put on the protections and we were soon on our way to the training field. Having had a very healthy lunch and I was “pepped” for the final driving test. Walking to the driving course together with the American couple and our Teacher. There are 66 students that will take the final driving test and the exam today. I never understood why, but the three foreigners will be first. I was happy, only the  three of us and no need to make a tit out of myself in front of the whole school.
We pull out three scooters and we put them in front of the bench and we sat down. I asked the Teacher when we were going to start. - We wait for the other students. We will have to do the test in front of all the students, I started to sweat like a pig.
I had been so relieved since 8 o'clock when our Teacher told us that we would start the driving test before the other students.  Our scooters ready for the test
 Our scooters ready for the test
 Waiting for the rest of the students
We were waiting and we could see that the other students started to approach. Filling up the bench on the platform. They had around 10 bikes lined up. The foreigners scooters were the three first in the line. We will take the test driving around the course and when we had passed the balancing plank we handed the scooter to the next test driver. Two Inspectors arrived with a cubic ton of documents and they took their seats on the bench behind a table. I understood that this are the people that will approve our test. If you fail the test, you can do it again. But you will have to wait for the other 66 students will be ready. Nothing I wish for, but to fail in front of 66 students was of course nothing I wished for. Would be very embarrassing!  Filling up the platform with students
 Waiting to take the test drive
 Students driving along the balancing plank
 Students taking the test drive
 Students taking the test drive
I am number 3 after the American couple and I speed along the driving course and I pass the balancing area. Handing over the scooter to the next driver. Having passed the driving test without any embarrassment. We have to go to room #3 for the exam after the driving test. The exam is the last thing to do before completing the course. Room #3 has 18 small desks with a  computer. The Teacher takes you to a desk and when you are ready with the test you raise your hand.
The Teacher checks your result, 45 out of 50 is required to pass the test. There was a bit of waiting, they called my number and I went up, but they told me to wait. I do not know why they asked me to wait, but I think it was because they had limited computers with the test in English. It was my turn and I was showed to a desk and I squeezing myself down on the chair. One of the  Americans was next to me. He completed just before me and the Teacher came to correct his test. He failed.
I told him that I thought I was going to fail as well while I was waiting for the Teacher to come to correct my test. The English, looks to have been translated from Thai by a computer. Made me sea sick reading some of the questions. And the answers were not making much more sense.  Waiting outside room #3 to take the exam
 Room #3 and students taking the exam
47 out of 50 and I had passed the test. I was in a very good mood when I walked to the office  with my slip that I had passed the test. I had to wait for a minute before I could collect certificate of completed motorcycle driving license.
Now I will have to go to the Land Transport Bangkok Area 3 on Monday to get my license. It was almost 5 o'clock before I could leave Srinakarin-Lasalle Driving School. I will be back in a year or so to take my car driving license. Mostly to practice driving in the city. I have only been driving a car once in Bangkok. Left hand traffic and this is not an experience I am in a hurry to go through again.  Completed the course
 +++++++++++++++
Tuesday 2nd of September 2025 and I hope  to get my driving license today. It was late when I had got me medical certificate yesterday so I gave up the idea of getting my driving license.
It was 9 thirty when I left for the Land Transport Bangkok Area 3 (สำนักงานขนส่งพื้นที่ 3) to get my driving license. I had got my medical yesterday afternoon so I had all the documents needed: 1) ID card/ Pass port + copy 2) Documents showing residence from the embassy/ Yellow Book + copy 3) Medical exam, can be done at almost all the clinics 4) Certificate of completed driving school 5) Cash to pay for the driving license (I paid 105฿ today) So, it was later than expected when I left at 9 thirty and I was in the “check-in” line 45 minutes later. 14 years since I was here the last time, but it looked the same when I was here the last time. I have only arrived with taxi before, but today I came on my scooter and it was not so easy to find a place to park.  Turning off Sukhumvit Road
 Not easy to find a place to park
 Land Transport Bangkok Area 3 (สำนักงานขนส่งพื้นที่ 3)
 Land Transport Bangkok Area 3 (สำนักงานขนส่งพื้นที่ 3)
 Land Transport Bangkok Area 3 (สำนักงานขนส่งพื้นที่ 3)
Took me a while to find a parking place for my scooter. Well, one guy was leaving so I could take his space just at the beginning of the motorcycle parking area. I was in a very good mood walking over to the Land Transport Bangkok Area 3 building. There is one check-in counter and of course, I use the line for foreigners only. I have my queue number after a couple of minutes. I went over to the DRIVING LICENE section, I have number I0117 and the display show I0113 so I expect a couple of minutes waiting.  DRIVING LICENSE section
 I stepped to counter #14 when my number came up on the screen. The Clerk checked my documents and when he was finished, he told me to go take a picture at the green light. One of the girls that I met at the driving school spotted me. She was ready and on her way to leave. Crowded so really no chance to stop and chat, what a shame, a very beautiful girl.
I was confused, take a picture? Last time I was here they took the picture when they made the driving license. I took my seat, and it was like the last time. But I was not sure, this is the area we did the driving license so then I will have done my driving license in a record-breaking time. Previous times and it was a full day to make the driving license. Much of the time was spent in a taxi going back and forth.  Waiting to take my picture
 Waiting to take my picture
 My number came up and I went in to the room. there were about 8 desks inside and I was at #5. I handed over my documents and I paid 105฿ to the girl. She took my picture and I waited next to the desk while she printed my driving license. She took care of a girl behind me in the queue while I was waiting for my license. Took a couple of minutes to get my license and I was free to leave. I could not believe it, 11:45 and I had done my driving license in about 1 hour. I had expected to spend the whole day at the Land Transport Bangkok Area 3. There is plenty time to get to my daily session with ปีศาจแดง ก.กุมานนท์, The Red Devil at Chaiyasit Muay Thai Gym. But first back to my room for a quick cuppa. I pass a police control, but they don't care about foreigners, at least not me. I have only been stopped once driving back from Chaiyasit Muay Thai Gym. The police turned around and signed for me to stop, he discovered that it was a foreigner. You could see in his face that he regretted the sign for me to pull over. Thats the only time I have been stopped. I was not stopped today, but the police was standing just before the traffic light, 6 of them and I stopped waiting for the light to turn green. One Police Officer came over to have a look at หลวงปู่ทวด, my Thai statue (รูปปั้นทางศาสนา) in front of my scooter. I asked if wanted to see my driving license. - No! - Men va fan, här har man nytt körkort och ingen som vill titta på det!  Driving back to my room with my new driving license
 Driving back to my room with my new driving license
 Driving back to my room with my new driving license
So, as we can see it is quite easy to get the driving license and everyone should be able to do it by their own without any questions. And the certificate of residency/ translating your driving license, just ask your Embassy.
+++++++++++++++
Wednesday 3rd of September 2025 and they called me from Canon when I had my tea coming home from Chaiyasit Muay Thai Gym. My camera was ready and I asked if I could come to pick up the camera today.
I threw myself in to the shower and I was soon on my scooter plunging down Srinagarindra Road. Rainy season, but I hope to be able to get out to look for birds now when I have my camera.  Arriving to Canon, Srinagarindra
 Arriving to Canon, Srinagarindra
 My camera ready for bird watching
Price, 2526฿ and it is worth every baht, the camera feels like new. I do not know how they do it, but the camera get the rubbery grip feeling again and all the dust are gone. Now I just have to wait for a fine day to get out to look for birds. And I need to get my new basket to keep my camera in front of the scooter. I usually keep it over my shoulder, but since I changed my left side cover in the back, I will keep it over my shoulder. Hanging from my shoulder and the camera is bouncing and my old cover was all scratched from the camera. And now I have a new cover and I want to keep it looking like new.  Good for my diet
 I am stand-by to finish her toast if she is not able to
 I am stand-by to finish her toast if she is not able to
Just click HERE to find out if I see any birds from my scooter.
    
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To www.aladdin.st since December 2005
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