Thailand Traffic Fines: Helmet THB 2,000, Speeding THB 4,000

Helmet on, posted speed, no drinking before you drive: that covers almost every fine. A missing helmet costs up to THB 2,000. Speeding or a red light costs up to THB 4,000. A first drink-driving offence means up to 1 year in prison or THB 5,000 to 20,000.

Most tourists get stopped for one thing: no helmet on a scooter, so put one on every ride. Here is what each common offence costs. These are the caps under Act No. 13, in force since 5 September 2022.

The fines you are most likely to meet

Helmets: you and your passenger

On a scooter, both of you must wear a helmet made to protect against injury. The fine is up to THB 2,000. If your passenger has none, your fine is doubled.

มาตรา ๑๑๙ มาตรา ๑๒๐ มาตรา ๑๒๑ มาตรา ๑๒๒ วรรคหนึ่งหรือวรรคสาม มาตรา ๑๒๓ วรรคหนึ่ง มาตรา ๑๒๓/๒ มาตรา ๑๒๔ มาตรา ๑๒๖ มาตรา ๑๒๙ หรือมาตรา ๑๓๓ ต้องระวางโทษปรับไม่เกินสองพันบาท

The helmet and seat belt sections carry a fine of up to THB 2,000.

Land Traffic Act (No. 13) B.E. 2565, section 19 (new section 148)

Licence and rental scooters

Driving without a licence carries up to 1 month in jail or a fine of up to THB 1,000. A foreign licence works together with an international driving permit, and an ASEAN licence works on its own. For a motorcycle, the permit needs a motorcycle endorsement, or you need a Thai motorcycle licence.

Check the international driving permit guide and the Thai licence guide before you rent. Riding without a valid licence could invalidate your travel insurance, so read the travel insurance guide too, and the scooter rental rules for the rental step by step.

At a checkpoint, carry these three documents:

• your identification card
• your driver’s licence
• the vehicle registration book

Drink-driving

Most drivers count as drunk above 50 milligram percent blood alcohol. The limit is 20 milligram percent for drivers under 20. It is also 20 for drivers on a temporary licence, and for drivers with no licence or a suspended or revoked one.

After a first offence the court suspends your licence for at least 6 months or revokes it. Police test your breath first. If a breath test is not possible, blood can be tested, and you must consent first.

Holiday sale bans are separate from these limits, so see the alcohol sale hours page and the Songkran dates and rules.

Speed, phones and seat belts

Speeding, running a red light and not stopping at a zebra crossing each carry up to THB 4,000. Section 67 says to drive at the speed set in the ministerial regulation, so follow the signs. Do not hold a phone while driving, because the Act bans phone use at the wheel unless you do not have to hold it.

In a car, the driver must wear a seat belt at all times. Passengers in the front row and in other rows must wear one too. A child aged 6 or under must sit in a child seat.

Points on your licence

Every licence holder has 12 conduct points. Speeding, no helmet, no seat belt or phone use costs 1 point. Running a red light costs 2 points, and drink-driving costs 4. At 0 points your licence is suspended for 90 days. Deducted points come back one year after the offence.

Paying a ticket

You can check every ticket in your name at ptm.police.go.th, the police ticket website. The Thang Rath app lists paid and unpaid tickets and takes payment by QR code, with no trip to a police station. Pay by the deadline on the ticket.

The laws and fines hub lists the other fines a visitor meets.

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Not confirmed: Posted speed limits by road type are set by a ministerial regulation that is not quoted here, so follow the signs. The police notice does not say whether points are recorded against a foreign licence or an international permit. A tourist's access to the Thang Rath app without a Thai ID is not confirmed.

General information checked against the sources listed above. Prices, opening hours and other details change; confirm them with the provider before you act. See how guides are checked.

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