Road Accident in Thailand: What to Do, in Order

Help anyone who is hurt and call 1669 for medical emergencies. Report the accident to the police on 191, and tell your rental company or insurer immediately. Your claim can fail if your papers or licence are not in order, so sort that out before you ride.

In the first minutes after a crash, the order of your calls matters more than speed: people first, police second, paperwork third. The official guidance is to assist the injured and call emergency services on 1669, then report the incident to the police on 191.

Help the injured and call 1669

Assist the injured and call emergency services by dialling 1669. That line serves critically ill emergency patients outside medical facilities, so use it when someone needs urgent medical care rather than for a minor scrape. Our emergency numbers guide explains what the dispatcher will ask.

Report it to the police on 191

Report the incident to the police by dialling 191. The same guidance lists 1137 as an accident reporting number, and if you need an English speaker, the Tourist Police hotline is 1155. See our Tourist Police guide for what that line handles.

Tell your rental company or insurer

Inform your car rental provider or insurance company immediately. If you rented the vehicle, the rental terms are the first place to look, and the compulsory cover that comes with some rentals gives only limited injury and death cover to anyone hurt or killed in an accident. Before you hire a vehicle, check that your travel insurance covers you and read the small print of the lease.

Why your licence decides the claim

This is where many visitors lose out. Driving or riding in Thailand without a valid licence could invalidate your travel insurance, leaving you unable to claim after an accident or injury. Without proper documentation, insurance coverage may be void in case of accidents. If you ride, read our guides to the international driving permit and scooter rental rules first.

What compulsory insurance does not do

Thai vehicles carry compulsory insurance, but it is limited. If the injured person is the driver of the insured vehicle, the compulsory policy covers only preliminary compensation. Do not treat it as medical cover for yourself: your own travel insurance is what has to carry that weight, and only if the licence conditions above are met.

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Not confirmed: The steps come from Thailand's tourism authority guidance; no accident statute was read, so who pays for damage and how fault is decided are not covered here. If the police ask you to sign anything in Thai, ask your insurer or embassy before you do, and use the Tourist Police line for help.

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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