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What are the current motorcycle driving law enforcement updates in Thailand?

Jun 2, 2025
25 days ago
Jeremy ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Just FYI for all of those driving and or passengers on grab bikes
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The discussion revolves around recent updates on motorcycle traffic law enforcement in Thailand, specifically regarding helmet laws and fines for both passengers and drivers. Many community members express skepticism about the actual enforcement of these laws, highlighting that compliance varies significantly between locals and foreigners. Various comments explore personal experiences with traffic stops and traffic violations, indicating that while fines exist, enforcement appears inconsistent, especially for Thai citizens compared to expats.
Peter **********
None of it will ever get enforced for Thais
Viola ********
Thai police will be rich very soon
Dan **********
Now compare those fines to the same offenses in your country!!!!!!!!
Lee *********
Only for farang??
Sonny **********
any of us can spot these things happening all around us on a daily basis without any consequences whatsoever.
Mary *********
Interestingly doesn’t mention driving with front or rear lights not working. Drive and watch vehicles on any thai road for a few minutes and you would see these violations a hundred times over…….

Roadblocks can stop only a few. Let’s see how well these rules and fines are actually enforced this time….
Wa**
Shane Marshall whats the old saying " rules are ment to be broken".

Driving in peak traffic Bangkok I ducked instead of weave and a bike copper pulled me over. Explained I not from here he say 200bht and gave me a escort to other side of Bangkok.

The total fine and police escort across Bangkok = 9:50 AUD.

The police in Thailand are real human beings.
Milan ********
I can’t afford it
Gerg **********
On Sukhumvit road in Bangkok today every motorbike taxi passenger I’ve seen isn’t wearing a helmet, and many drivers aren’t either. Not a cop in sight.
Harrys ************
Blimey the traffic police will be busy as all bike riders do most of those things. But you say pillion passengers can also be fined, when are not actually the one driving? That can't be right
Jeremy ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Harrys ***********
welcome to 1 June
*****
Willy *******
Remarkable change noticed today during my walk in Pattaya. A lot more wearing helmets. That's today... Maybe soon back to "normal"
Jeremy ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Willy ******
2 weeks it’ll be back to normal
Stephen ***********
5,000 to 10,000 / 5,000 to 20,000 why don't they just say thai or farang price ??
Terence ******
It’s a good thing yes. But, You watch . The law will change again when the new government comes in next . It’s the same with vapes . This won’t go on forever.
Phillip ********
Omfg. All the cry baby tourists and expats. Crying about something they wouldn't do in their own countries. Ffs if you don't like it or respect the laws , stay home 🙄 😒
Kris *********
Fail to stop at zebra crossing : 4000B. Great! But why does nobody get fined?
Gregg *******
This only applies to Farangs. Thai citizens still have freedom from this western oppression. If you can afford to visit Thailand, you can afford these fines.
Robin *******
Well who is going to enforce the rules,
Jeremy ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Dave *********
they need to do most of those in the US.
Stuart **********
Who is going to police these rules
Richard *********
Ching, ching!
Christine ***********************
I think its child endangerment when you see mom or dad with helmets on and their (multiple) children with no helmets. I mean, why is mom or dad wearing one? Cuz it's safer? The child can not decide for themselves to be safe or not, it is on the parents. Fine them. Keep the children safe.
Jeremy ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Christine **********************
please stop putting your western values on Thai society
Christine ***********************
Not to mention it's Thai law. Just not enforced. So....
Jeremy ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Christine **********************
you have a lot to learn about your adopted country and it shows
Christine ***********************
Christine ***********************
I fail to see how it's "western values" when it's the child's safety, and their very life at stake. Child endangerment is an area covered by international protection efforts. While not a formal international legal framework like human rights treaties, international organizations and governments collaborate to address child endangerment globally.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is a key international instrument that acknowledges the right of children to protection from harm.

Organizations like UNICEF work to protect children globally, addressing various forms of endangerment including abuse, neglect, exploitation, and dangerous environments. I would say a child driving with 4 or 5 of their family members, (even newborns babies) with no helmets constitues neglect and a dangerous environment.
Jay *******
Good on them

But the more bs rules and costs they keep creating the less tourists etc they'll get

The entire reason the west loved Thailand was more freedom and lower cost

It seems both of those things are now at risk thanks to fkwit tourists not being respectful and using common sense

You just have to watch YouTube to see the type this is targeted at...cough cough mashtag Brady, risky reg etc etc lol
Glenn ********
Seems like Thailand is shooting itself in the foot.

Crying about no Tourists when it’s quiet season. Bc people have to go to work that’s why it’s quiet there.

Let’s see how Vietnam goes in the next year.
Richard ********
#3 is laughable.
Terry *******
@Richard *******
That is a clowns job, to make us laugh !!!
Nathan ************
That looks like my thai motorcyclerifing bucket list, Im about halfway done.
Han ********
That's too long of a list, not going to read all of that.
Michael *******
Annual event these announcements - same same but different nothing will change, a few more dumb tourists will get milked residents should be smart enough to stay out of the brown stuff.
Martin *******
Lets hope plod read this, accidents i've been involved in where thais have done something illegal, they say " not important"
Andy ****
In England I always wore Shoei helmets (and I'll be bringing across a J-Cruise to use in Thailand). Do any Thai lids meet international standards? Having only looked briefly at them they seem no better than my horse riding hat or my cycle helmet.

I noticed too that so many riders in Thailand seem not to attach them properly.
Paul ***************
Seems that ' undertaking' is pretty normal here and the middle lane seems to be the slow lane
Leroy ******
"no regard for others safety" - WTF - that's 1 million times a day. This'll be hilarious how they enforce this. Farang tax - engaged 🤔😂😂
Ian *********
Scary driving 😂😂
Nate ***********
I just walk everywhere here in Chiang Mai and I usually take car most the time and if I'm running a bike I will not get on without the individual having a helmet for me so I don't have to worry about any of this
Nate ***********
Chiang Mai so small I just walk everywhere
Steven *********
@Nate **********
Traffic cops are lively in Chiang Mai and Phuket.
Nate ***********
@Steven ********
kinda not on locals thow
Phil *******
The Thai police turn a blind eye to the locals but persecute the tourists
Terry *******
@Phil ******
Money ! day time thinking of money, sleep time dreaming of money !!!
Seb ***********
Baht Bus it is, I'll only end up leaving my helmet somewhere 😆
Jeff **********
I thought riding without a helmet was a 2,000 baht fine.
Dieter *********
@Jeff *********
Yes - If they catch you the second time
Dave *********
@Jeff *********
it is for thais.
Robert ********
Thanks!

Where can I find the original Thai version of that?

Need it for the rest of the family and one copy to hang in my car so that they buckle in the back seats.
Leif ****************
5555!
David ************************
Applies only at lunch time. That's when they double the 🙂
Terry *******
Never wrong locals ignore all rules all day every day !!!
Christian ********
@Terry ******
yes everyone is driving on red collor and stop on green. 180 km/h inside town...... Only farangs drive carefully and respect every rule.
John *********
Seems there are a couple million people a day riding without how much particularly passengers. Are they really going to enforce this????
Steven *********
@John ********
be enforced for farang for about a month then as you were.😂👍
Simon *******
They should tighten up on driver not driving in the correct lane and staying in the outside lane,this would prevent a few of these offences happening.
Russ **********
This must have been written by either an American, a Brit or some euro… Item 12 irrelevant to Thailand road law…
Gary **********
That's a joke undertaking ya aft to coz the thais won't move over into the lefthand lane, I'm sure some of them are on rails.
Bent *************
All these rules are not new!
Jon *****
I thought it was 2000 bahts per person for riding a motorbike without helmet 🤔
Steven *********
@Jon ****
it is
Jon *****
@Steven ********
👍 So the poster is wrong. There may be some other mistakes
Jeremy ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Jon ****
up to but like all things in Thailand if you talk Thai you can haggle the price at the police station
Jeremy ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Kamren ********
I was fined 2,000 baht for crossing a broken white line before a toll way...
Russ **********
@Kamren *******
did you mean to say ‘unbroken’ line?
Kamren ********
No I meant to say broken line where cars are able to change lanes. I shouldn't have got the fine but they had my license and everything. The officer was standing right outside the toll booth and picked me out. Only after he saw my face when I rolled the window down
Robert ********
@Kamren *******
Hahaha! Must have been the last booth north of Bangkok. They got me twice there. Since then I’m taking the leftmost lane leading to another booth apart from the main.
Aurélien *********
Parking on THE bridge ? Drive ON the red light ?
Eric *******
Thanks for posting this. Very helpful. I got number 11. Still working on the others.
Anthony ********
Being undertaken against the traffic by three children on the same bike 🏍 with no helmets holding fishing rods. Just another day in Issan
Russ **********
@Anthony *******
or were they using the parking lane to ride in? If in a multi lane road they can use any lane left or right of you
Dan ***********
What about driving without tax or insurance (asking for a friend)
Mike ******
You know times are hard IF Thai cops start to enforce any one of these amongst the Thai population; farangs, of course, have always been fair game.
Steven *********
@Mike *****
most mornings you'll see 4 young kids on one motorbike going to school without helmets.

The police are never about at this time
Peter ********
@Steven ********
see it everyday, multiple times too🙄🫣😱
Tony *********
I like the" Fail to stop at Zebra crossing "

Thats everyone in Thailand
Nick ************
@Tony ********
I don't stop because on two occasions when I did the guy behind overtook me and nearly killed the people crossing. I worked out it was safer for pedestrians if I kept going.
Christian ********
@Nick ***********
I drive 180 on the road because if i am driving slow they overtake me on the left side and that is more dangerous.
Nick ************
@Christian *******
why don't you drive on the left side?
Russ **********
@Nick ***********
I of course go the legal way, by stopping for them… but is wise to activate your emergency flashers…
Darren *********
How can you avoid undertaking when everyone immediately gravitates to the outside lane and sits there at 90kph and won’t budge, even if you give them a polite or not so polite flash of your headlights!!
Jeremy ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Darren ********
cameras will only catch it at he solid line lanes of the highway…that is only if they are turned on and the cameras are turned on
Russ **********
inally dug up a screenshot of royal thai police road laws... Section 45 is the relevant part... So now eagerly awaiting if the 'new' law changes affect this Sect45? But as it is everyone is confusing the situation by not realising the no undertaking khrap is irrelevant to multi land roads
Angelo ***********
@Darren ********
90kmh is already above the speed limit. So if you "undertake", good luck with the photo shot. As you get fined for three things:

- not paying attention to the road signs

- speeding

- and undertaking ... and probably one or two more.

So: your driving license is instantly confiscated. Because they know: you do not mind the fine. Come back 6 month later to get it back.

And if one is in front of you at a speed that is unappropriated, you are supposed to honk the horn. And honk it 2 times, after lane change, in case you plan to undertake, and unlike normal overtaking: you undertake (relatively) slowly.
Darren *********
@Angelo **********
ha ha Angelo. As if anything of those things are likely to happen!!
Wayne ********
@Darren ********
100% how about keep left sighs and enforcing it
Darren *********
@Wayne *******
they won’t understand why they have to keep left and no one will enforce it.
Reinhard ********
@Darren ********
But they only drive on the right side when they are drunk!So you will meet Lots of ,as we say in Germany ' ghostdrivers"!
Russ **********
@Darren ********
Thailand is same as Australia, in that you can go faster in your lane than that car in the next lane… each lane is independent of the other lanes…
Angelo ***********
@Russ *********
No it is not. Like in nearly all countries of the world: the overtaking is only allowed on the one or two "outmost" lanes. In Thailand that would be the right most lane of your direction of travel. And in Germany it is the left most.
Darren *********
@Russ *********
I’m not you’re correct. I believe the law here is the same as the UK. You cannot undertake.
Andriy *******
Marty ******
No 10 because big money $ spinner if they ever enforce it
Mma *******
Another genade incoming folks.
Marty ******
Number 10 interesting
Joseph *************
Thailand has a great ministry of transportation very professional and many very safe driving rules testing is very difficult to pass the problem is the police they simply don't care!
Duke *******
It’ll be interesting to see how the police cope. I’ve always worn a helmet and had the correct licenses etc, but in Ubon Ratchathani nobody has altered what they do. The police will be inundated! There’s only a few foreigners here but the worst offenders are the locals. The next 4 weeks will be interesting. I just bought a new scooter and it hasn’t got plates yet, I should get pulled over soon..
Andy *******
I live in the countryside everyone of those crimes happen daily within a few km of my house visibly the worst being the helmet less most probably drunk drivers of farm salengs not taxed or insured driven at night without any lights on dark country roads

I don't see much changing by me
Angelo ***********
@Andy ******
if it annoys you you could inform the majour or the police.

When i lived in Isaan, the police was very strict versus traffic validations.
Steven *********
@Andy ******
Same same. Different world 😂
Steven *********
I've broken every rule in one day
David *******
@Steven ********
I'm probably breaking a rule on that list right now and I'm in my house. ;)
Pascal ********
@Steven ********
Proud to be ...........
Steven *********
@Pascal *******
when in Rome
Andrew ********
Someone may want to tell traffic police cause I dont think they got the memo. And its still 500 baht fine for no driving license BTW just saying
Steven *********
@Andrew *******
Farang price
Christian ********
i was checked and i had a licence. No pay.
Andrew ********
@Steven ********
yeah still 500 baht fine
Steven *********
@Andrew *******
I paid 100bt recently. Local price.

All depends where you are.
Andrew ********
@Steven ********
good to know I try to avoid main parts till after 2pm
Steven *********
@Andrew *******
yeah, they set up roadblocks at the same places. Never seen them when the kids finish school onwards.
Jeremy ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Andrew *******
are you sure this is as of 1 June
*****
Andrew ********
@Jeremy *******
yep pretty sure 500 baht fine for no license :)
Jeremy ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Andrew *******
today is 2 June
*****
so anything prior to 1 juke
*****
is obsolete
Andrew ********
@Jeremy *******
here you go just for the sake of throughness and there are trolls in here that like to argue for sake of argue
Andrew ********
@Jeremy *******
and im speaking of just today cause I forgot my IDP in my condo and was pulled aside in a check point into chiang mai so yeah pretty sure either this is just random BS not implemented or traffic police didnt get the memo or I just got lucky.

Wasn't that i was directed to pull aside i passed a car going slow into a curb and right where the cop was standing, thats what I get for being slick
Us *****
I rode my bike today and observed all those violations. I saw a traffic cop on his bike and two Thai guys without a helmet in front of them. Nothing was done.
Dek ******
That means every driver in thailand should be find for at least 3 or more of those offences
Peter **********
@Dek *****
try ..... 10 or more of these offences 😄
Angelo ***********
@Peter *********
Two or three and your vehicle gets confiscated. No idea why why posts like this are full (not referring to you) completely utterly stupid comments.

Two days ago my minivan stopped at a police station because I needed toilet (yes, it is completely normal and allowed for the public to utilize the toilets at a police station).

Outside they had about 30 to 40 confiscated motorcycles ...

Claiming they do nothing, like some people above your comment claim: is just utter nonsense.
Peter **********
@Angelo **********
your lucky you never got a nonsense reply from Jeremy Miller 😄😄😄
Reinhard ********
@Dek *****
I think all every day!555If IT would be controlled there would be no one driving ,because they don'have .money for gas.
Michael ************
@Dek *****
per hour! 😂
Arnold **********
Very good
Peter **********
Enforcement will be interesting 😎
Shane **********
on second thoughts, I will just stay in Australia
Mam ************
@Shane *********
good for you bro
Todd *********
@Shane *********
ever looked at cost of same in Aus lol
Shane **********
@Todd ********
my average was $6000 per year
Pascal ********
@Shane *********
Yes please do not come
Paul ********
Is it the passengers responsibility on a. Taxi or is it the main riders responsibility?
Jeff **********
@Paul *******
I sure wouldn't want to put on a sweaty helmet that untold people have used...
Paul ***************
@Jeff *********
just carry a shower cap 👍 🤪
Vonn ********
@Paul **************
Yep that’s what I used and or a scarf 🧣
Jeremy ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Paul *******
it’s a ฿2,000 fine for both….
Sean *************
@Jeremy *******
fines “UP TO” 2,000B does not mean starting at 2k. It means UP TO 2K
Jeremy ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Brandon ************
@Jeremy *******
yet the photo you posted still says 1000 so it does not seem correct
Jeremy ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Brandon Thurkettle
Jeremy ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Brandon Thurkettle
************************************************
Paul ********
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