Answered4 years ago
Will a traffic ticket for riding a motorcycle without a Thai license affect my tourist visa application?
I feel really silly right now; I just got a traffic ticket for driving a motorcycle without a Thai license. Is this going to affect my tourist visa application next week?
Answer summary
The community consensus is that receiving a traffic ticket for driving a motorcycle without a Thai license will not affect your upcoming tourist visa application. While past regulations included penalties that might affect visa status, current laws state that you cannot be held legally responsible for unpaid fines at the time of applying for a tourist visa. However, be aware that this violation could be noted in official records if you plan to stay long-term, and the bike owner will eventually be responsible for the ticket associated with the vehicle.
43 repliesnewest first
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Nick **********
No
Samui ***********
No
Neil ******
If you won’t drive without a valid license in your own country, why do you come here and do it?
Becca *******
OP@Neil *****
classy profile picture for such a high quality foreigner, Neil.Marc ********
@Neil *****
Why not?Neil ******
@Marc *******
thanks for outing yourself as a low quality foreigner who has no respect for the laws.Marc ********
@Neil *****
What a BS. I certainly am scared of laws in Thailand and only do what will not ruin my life. SMHRicky ******
So no insurance either🙄
Marc ********
@Ricky *****
The insurance dosn't cover shoot anyway.30k bath for a insured person you might hit.
If you damage a car they pay nothing at all
Ricky ******
@Marc *******
And if you end up in hospital with a life changing serious injury and a multi million baht bill?Becca *******
OP@Ricky *****
making a lot of assumptions here… I DO have nomad health insurance. I ALWAYS wear a helmet. But my nomad insurance would not cover a motorcycle accident if I couldn’t provide the motorcycle insurance. It’s not my bike, I’m borrowing it from the woman whose house I’m looking after. So I don’t have motorcycle insurance because I didn’t even rent the bike. Just try to understand that you can’t know everything before even asking the right questions.Marc ********
@Ricky *****
Compulsory insurance only covers 30k bht.So might aswell driving without insurance. Works out the same if you have an accident
But a holiday insurance cerhainly is a good idea
Ricky ******
@Marc *******
A proper holiday insurance policy costs from about £25 a week. It's beyond my comprehension why anyone wouldn't take out a policy, but these are the same people who don't have a licence, don't wear a helmet and don't have compulsory insurance.Marc ********
@Ricky *****
The mandatory insurance for scooters in Thailand will NOT cover it anyway.That's my point
Becca *******
OP@Ricky *****
no need to roll your eyes, Ricky. Don’t want you to hurt yourself.Andrew *****
No license,no insurance
Marc ********
Andrew *****
@Marc *******
*****
5Marc ********
@Andrew ****
yes 555 to you.Andrew *****
@Marc *******
insurance worked for me
Glyn *********
@Andrew ****
you are correct.
Garrett ***********
@Andrew ****
You saying random words?Andrew *****
@Garrett **********
what do you mean
Oriano ******
E ti e andata bene , pensa se facevi un incidente , rischiavi che ti davano 6 mesi di visto e alloggio gratis !!!
Becca *******
OP@Oriano *****
….. wait til you find out I did just have an accident 2 weeks ago… unfortunately no free visa or accommodation though!
Paul *******
Where do you think you are? It's Thailand not California! Maybe in 15-20 years Thailand will be enough of a nanny state to implement such rules but for now they're not even capable of enforcing the most basic traffic laws.
Becca *******
OP@Paul ******
I’m used to nanny states lol
Kel ********
No it won’t
Those tickets do stay on a system though, and if you lived and worked here or retired here it would resurface if the Police put it in the system when you go to tax the bike later on. Whoever ‘owns’ the bike will end up paying it at some point if it goes for its yearly tax.
@Be***
. Back in the day they wouldn’t even let you go without paying a ‘fine’ on spot but they can’t legally do that now even though they do try. Those tickets do stay on a system though, and if you lived and worked here or retired here it would resurface if the Police put it in the system when you go to tax the bike later on. Whoever ‘owns’ the bike will end up paying it at some point if it goes for its yearly tax.
Becca *******
OP@Kel *******
thank you! I’ve let the owner of the bike know, as well as paying the fine at the police station. @Paul ******
I tried my best to act like I didn’t understand so he would just get really frustrated with me and give up 😂 but it didn’t workPaul *******
@Kel *******
Back in the day you could talk your way out of a fine very easily and the police would give up and couldn't do anythingKel ********
@Pa**
, very true but a lot has changed especially in BKK.
David **********
Curious...did you have an international license?
Becca *******
OP@David *********
i do not 😕
Stevan ***********
You should have offered to pay
Garrett ***********
@Stevan **********
It's not like that in Bangkok anymore, hasn't been since before Covid. Anticorruption regulations prohibit most check points from taking money.Becca *******
OP@Stevan **********
what do you mean? I did pay the ticket 😳Stevan ***********
@Becca *********
coffee moneyBecca *******
OP@Marc *******
500 bahtMarc ********
@Becca *********
How much was it?Becca *******
OP@Stevan **********
don’t think that would’ve worked lol i even asked the officer if i could just pay him directly instead of going to the police station, and he refused. now, I’m glad i paid and got the receipt to prove itBecca *******
OPThank you both for the quick answer
Garrett ***********
No
Brandon ************
No
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