Thailand Fines for Tourists: Helmet, Alcohol, Litter, Beaches
The fines you are most likely to meet are small: up to THB 2,000 for riding without a helmet or for littering. Drinking during banned sale hours can cost up to THB 10,000, and smoking on a covered beach up to THB 100,000. Bringing in a vape is the big one, with a fine of up to THB 500,000.
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Will you be fined? Only if you ignore the small rules: wear a helmet, bin your rubbish, and leave any vape at home, because the ceilings run from THB 2,000 for a helmet to THB 500,000 for bringing in a vape. The table below names the law behind each fine.
Fines at a glance
| Offence | Penalty | Legal basis and date |
|---|---|---|
| Riding without a helmet, rider or passenger | Fine up to THB 2,000 | Land Traffic Act section 122; police enforcement push from 1 June 2025 |
| Rider with a passenger who has no helmet | Fine doubled | Land Traffic Act section 122 |
| Drinking at a selling or serving premises in banned sale hours | Administrative fine up to THB 10,000 | Alcohol Act section 37/1; Act No. 2 took effect on 8 November 2025 |
| Drinking in a temple, fuel station, public park or hospital | Up to 6 months in prison, fine up to THB 10,000, or both | Alcohol Act B.E. 2551 (2008) section 42 |
| Dropping rubbish, spitting or dropping a cigarette butt | Fine up to THB 2,000 | Cleanliness Act B.E. 2535 (1992), sections 26 and 31 |
| Smoking in a smoke-free zone, including vaping | Fine up to THB 5,000 | Tobacco Products Control Act B.E. 2560 (2017), section 67; the Act counts vapour as smoking |
| Bringing a vape into Thailand | Up to 10 years in prison, fine up to THB 500,000, or both | Commerce Ministry import ban in force from 27 December 2014; Customs Act section 244 |
| Smoking or dropping butts on a listed beach outside the smoking areas | Up to 1 year in prison, fine up to THB 100,000, or both | DMCR beach order of B.E. 2560 (2017), effective from 1 February 2018, two-year term |
| Selling cannabis flower without a section 46 licence | Up to 1 year in prison, fine up to THB 20,000, or both | Thai traditional medicine Act section 78; notice in force from 26 June 2025 |
Helmets
Both the rider and the passenger must wear a helmet, and the fine is up to THB 2,000. A rider whose passenger has no helmet is fined double.
Alcohol
You can buy a drink from 11:00 to 24:00. Hotels, entertainment venues and international airport terminals are exempt.
The rule covers the drinker too: nobody may drink at a place that sells alcohol during the banned hours, and the fine is up to THB 10,000. Drinking is banned at any hour in temples, except as part of a ceremony, and at fuel stations, public parks and health facilities. That carries up to 6 months in prison, a fine of up to THB 10,000, or both.
The full rules are in Thailand alcohol sale hours and fines, and venue times are in Bangkok bar closing times.
Vapes
Leave the vape at home, because e-cigarettes are a prohibited import. Bringing in goods while evading an import prohibition carries up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to THB 500,000, or both.
Vaping in a smoke-free zone is fined up to THB 5,000, because the Act counts vapour from a tobacco product as smoking.
Cannabis
Only the flower is a controlled herb. A licensed shop may sell it to a person with a prescription, for use of not more than 30 days. The shop rules are in Thailand cannabis law for tourists.
Littering
Dropping rubbish, spitting or dropping a cigarette butt is fined up to THB 2,000.
Smoking on beaches
A Marine and Coastal Resources Department order bans smoking and dropping butts on listed beaches, outside the areas set aside for it.
ห้ามมิให้บุคคลหรือนิติบุคคลใด กระทำการอย่างหนึ่งอย่างใด ในบริเวณชายหาด ตามแนวชายฝั่งทะเล ดังต่อไปนี้ (1) สูบบุหรี่หรือทิ้งก้นบุหรี่ บริเวณชายหาด เว้นแต่เป็นการสูบบุหรี่หรือทิ้งก้นบุหรี่ ในบริเวณพื้นที่หรือในสถานที่ที่เจ้าหน้าที่ หรือหน่วยงานราชการได้จัดไว้
No person or legal entity may do any of the following on a beach along the sea coast: (1) smoke or drop cigarette butts on the beach, except in an area or place that officials or a government agency has provided.
DMCR beach order of B.E. 2560, clause 2(1), Royal Gazette 2 November 2017 (editor’s translation)
The beaches include Patong, Dongtan in Pattaya, Hua Hin and Bo Phut on Koh Samui. Breaking the order carries up to 1 year in prison, a fine of up to THB 100,000, or both.
If the police stop you
Police may ask to see your passport. Without it, you can be asked to produce it within 24 hours. The tourist police hotline is 1155; the tourist police guide has more.
Not confirmed: The beach order has a two-year term and a later order of B.E. 2563 exists; its text was not read, so check the signs on the beach. Fines for drones and for riding without a licence are not in this table. Check the current official text before relying on a number.
Common questions
What is the fine for riding a motorbike without a helmet in Thailand?
Up to THB 2,000 for a rider or passenger without a helmet. A rider whose passenger has no helmet is fined double.
Is there a fine for drinking during banned hours?
A drinker at a place that sells or serves alcohol during the banned hours faces an administrative fine of up to THB 10,000.
What hours can you buy alcohol in Thailand?
From 11:00 to 24:00. Hotels, entertainment venues and international airport terminals are exempt.
What is the penalty for bringing a vape into Thailand?
A vape is a prohibited import. Bringing in goods while evading a prohibition carries up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to THB 500,000, or both.
What is the fine for vaping in public in Thailand?
Vaping falls under the smoking rules. Smoking in a smoke-free zone carries a fine of up to THB 5,000. The Act counts any act that produces smoke or vapour from a tobacco product as smoking. A nicotine product consumed by smoking is a tobacco product.
What is the fine for littering in Thailand?
Up to THB 2,000 for dropping rubbish, spitting, or dropping a cigarette butt or chewing gum on the ground.
What is the penalty for smoking on a Thai beach?
On the listed beaches, outside the smoking areas, the penalty is up to 1 year in prison, a fine of up to THB 100,000, or both.
Can a tourist buy cannabis flower in Thailand?
A licensed shop may sell flower to a person with a prescription. The prescription covers use of not more than 30 days.
What number do you call for the tourist police?
1155 is the tourist police hotline for crimes involving tourists.
Read next
Sources and reader comments
Official legal texts (Gazette, government portals):
- Public Relations Department, Royal Thai Government: news item on the 1 June 2025 helmet enforcement, Land Traffic Act section 122 (Wayback copy; live site unreachable 17 Oct 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- Royal Gazette vol. 142 part 57 Kor, 9 Sep 2025, pp. 8-29: Alcoholic Beverage Control Act (No. 2) B.E. 2568 (opens in a new tab)
- Ministry of Justice: Law knowledge no. 394, dropping rubbish in public places (Wayback copy; live site blocks automated fetch) (opens in a new tab)
- Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR): news item of 29 Oct 2022 on smoking points at Laem Sadet beach, Chanthaburi (Wayback copy; live site unreachable) (opens in a new tab)
- Royal Gazette vol. 134 part 53 Kor, 17 May 2017, pp. 26-: Customs Act B.E. 2560 (copy hosted by the Department of Special Investigation) (opens in a new tab)
Show 10 more sources
- Royal Gazette vol. 134 special part 269 Ng, 2 Nov 2017, pp. 22-24: DMCR order No. 1064/2560 on protection of marine and coastal resources at beaches (Wayback copy of the Gazette PDF, cut off after the order text and first map pages) (opens in a new tab)
- DMCR page: order No. 864/2563 on protection of marine and coastal resources at beaches (Wayback copy; live site unreachable) (opens in a new tab)
- Royal Gazette vol. 143 special part 134 Ng, 28 May 2026, pp. 18-19: Notice of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Committee on prohibited sale hours B.E. 2569 (opens in a new tab)
- Royal Gazette vol. 131 special part 268 Ng, 26 Dec 2014, p. 1: Commerce Ministry notice making hookahs and electric hookahs or e-cigarettes prohibited imports B.E. 2557 (read via Web Archive copy) (opens in a new tab)
- Royal Gazette vol. 134 part 39 Kor, 5 Apr 2017, pp. 27-: Tobacco Products Control Act B.E. 2560 (read via Web Archive copy) (opens in a new tab)
- Royal Gazette vol. 142 special part 229 Ng, 25 Jun 2025, pp. 8-9: Notification of the Ministry of Public Health on controlled herbs (cannabis) B.E. 2568 (copy hosted by the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine (opens in a new tab)
- Public Relations Department (prd.go.th): emergency numbers list, posted 25 Dec 2023 (Wayback copy) (opens in a new tab)
- Royal Gazette vol. 125 part 33 Kor, 13 Feb 2008, pp. 34-: Alcoholic Beverage Control Act B.E. 2551 (original text; sections 27, 31, 39, 42 not touched by Act No. 2 except s.27(3),(8) and s.31(3),(4),(7); read as page images) (opens in a new tab)
- Royal Gazette: Protection and Promotion of Thai Traditional Medicinal Intelligence Act B.E. 2542 (1999), sections 45, 46 and 78 (Council of State copy hosted by DTAM; read as page images) (opens in a new tab)
- GOV.UK (FCDO) Thailand travel advice: Safety and security (crime, laws, personal ID) (opens in a new tab)
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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