Tourists renting motorcycles in Thailand must have proper license, say new proposals

[Teddy3943]

Which license is required? Your license from your home country or one has to get a Thai motor license?

[overherebc]

9 minutes ago, Teddy3943 said:

Which license is required? Your license from your home country or one has to get a Thai motor license?

A licence from your own country that says you have passed a motorbike test and can legally ride a motorcycle in your own country. Not a provisional licence, a real one.

Quite simple really.

Lost of discussions on do you need to get and IDP which is just a translation of your home licence

.For me I would say yes get one. Better to have and not need than need and not have.

PS

IDP is not a licence. It needs to be backed up with your licence from home country. It's just a translation of what you are licenced to drive at ho.me.

 

[DavisH]

41 minutes ago, BigC said:

Biggest problem in samui is the high  rate for taxis

 

Wouldnt  have a problem  getting a taxi around  if they werent so expensive 

And they would just get more expensive if motorbikes weren't available for hire.

 

[Cobby]

Keep it up Thai government 

yet another nail in the coffin for Thai tourists and Thai people so many rules to stop tourists coming to Thailand 

no one will take any notice all will happen is more under the table paying as usual but the damage will be to the Thai tourists industry 

[wealthychef]

12 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Money talks and so the renters of bikes will continue to carry on as they have always, unless and until punitive measures are introduced that make it prohibitively expensive to do so. I don't expect that to happen any time soon mind.

I think this is going to run into the entrenched police bribery culture too.  You cannot enforce a law when a bribe will always be the first step.  It just becomes another income stream for local police.  If you want to make the roads in Thailand safer, STOP LETTING POLICE TAKE BRIBES.  

[Balance]

A bit off topic, but related.  My wife and I are coming back for a 3 week visit to Chiang Mai, etc. in October.  I have a motorbike license, but it expired 2 months ago.  

 

Anyone know the current process for getting an expired license renewed, or if I can get it renewed while visiting and on a tourist visa (retirement visa lapsed when we moved back to the U.S. 3 years ago).

 

Thanks

 

 

[Damrongsak]

13 hours ago, thaiguzzi said:

No!

Just no!

Nothing looks worse over here on the roads than a 100 kg Felang sitting behind a 45 kg Thai girl riding a scooter.

It makes the Felang look like a complete knOb.

Its embarrassing and screams  N E W B I E !

"Nothing looks worse" ...  Except me 40 years ago in Loei.  I was 52 kg and occasionally gave a ride to a 100kg (?) English CUSO volunteer.  Big gal! And she was riding sidesaddle. 

[Sattphalat]

 

And while they're at it, why not require motorcycle rental companies to provide real helmets. Most helmets they provide are cheap, in horrible repair, and are totally inadequate for protecting the wearer. 

 

As a tourist..

If you rent A bike, you rent A bike.

Bring your own gear. That is what bikers do. Or anyone concerned about safety.

It is not smart to enter a boat in Thailand without bringing on your own life jacket. I always do. 2 .for me and my wife. New inflatable.

Common sense.

Stupid does as stupid do. Thailand is a land you have to take care of yourself.

Now one mention insurance. The problem in Thailand is not demanding licence, the problem is that the renting companies don’t provide insurance.

Most travel insurance only cover yourself, and not damage the bike can do.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

[Damrongsak]

4 hours ago, Damrongsak said:

"Nothing looks worse" ...  Except me 40 years ago in Loei.  I was 52 kg and occasionally gave a ride to a 100kg (?) English CUSO volunteer.  Big gal! And she was riding sidesaddle. 

Excuse me, she was a VSO volunteer.  We also had a Canadian CUSO volunteer.  Very few foreigners in Loei town back then.  Maybe a dozen. 

[thaibeachlovers]

21 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Money talks and so the renters of bikes will continue to carry on as they have always, unless and until punitive measures are introduced that make it prohibitively expensive to do so. I don't expect that to happen any time soon mind.

Sadly, I agree.

 

It's always been the rule anyway, or the cops couldn't stop farang riders in Pattaya and fine them for driving without a licence.

All that's needed is to force renters to ensure a licence is in force, but that would cut their profits significantly. Less riders, less opportunity to scam for repairs to a scratch.

 

BTW, tourists don't normally get a bike just by showing a licence, the silly billys also hand them over as security.

[thaibeachlovers]

2 hours ago, Sattphalat said:

 

As a tourist..

If you rent A bike, you rent A bike.

Bring your own gear. That is what bikers do. Or anyone concerned about safety.

It is not smart to enter a boat in Thailand without bringing on your own life jacket. I always do. 2 .for me and my wife. New inflatable.

Common sense.

Stupid does as stupid do. Thailand is a land you have to take care of yourself.

Now one mention insurance. The problem in Thailand is not demanding licence, the problem is that the renting companies don’t provide insurance.

Most travel insurance only cover yourself, and not damage the bike can do.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

Most travel insurance won't cover any injury sustained by riding a m'bike without a m'bike licence, or not using a helmet, or over a certain cc. Some even require extra cover to ride m'bikes.

[JAG]

17 hours ago, Tounge Thaied said:

Here are some recent numbers showing a 1 in 735,294 chance of toursist being killed in a road crash in Thailand. What are the numbers in your country? I suspect, as they are in mine, that road traffic deaths are significantly higher in your home country. The point is, as a tourist in Thailand the statistics show a very low risk of dying in a traffic accident. IMO, the the Thai government has an ulterior motive when it comes to singling out the tourist in these matters. 

https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-advice/health-safety/trouble-in-thailand-as-tourist-deaths-soar/news-story/a9e63799c682aeffc3079398eb39732b

I am, of course, being totally anecdotal (if there is such a word?) but for many years I travelled several times a year to Thailand. Rarely if ever, on the return flight, did the departure lounge not contain a person with a limb in a plaster cast, and their face/arms/legs decorated with "road rash". All youngsters, all the results of coming off a hired motorcycle.

[Stargeezr]

I do have a class 6 motorbike licence and every time I go to Thailand I get an

international licence as well. What I see everyday I drive in Hua Hin is the police

stopping young Thai bike drivers that have no helmets, likely no licences and also

with their girlfriend on the bike with no helmet as well. Thailand is a 3rd world country and

will be one long after I am dead.Sounds like Vietnam is a better country to ride a

motorbike in. I get medical insurance each year as well, as I know that it is not cheap to

be in a hospital in Thailand, especially in Pattaya. Clinics aere cheap, but hospital stays

are not.

Geezer

[wendyfromoz]

21 hours ago, Just1Voice said:

When that say - have a license - are they talking about a plain old driving license, or an actual bike license. If they mean actual bike license, bike rental shops in Thailand will all go out of business. 

No they won't, they'll just keep renting regardless

[tropo]

22 hours ago, Dmaxdan said:

It is time to stop proposing and start implementing.  

No, it's not time for this nonsense. I was riding behind two scooters just yesterday, with 3 underage kids a piece, no helmet to be seen, on unroadworthy vehicles to boot (silencers removed). When they stamp out the real dangers, such as stopping underage kids breaking every rule in the book, they will earn their right to start picking on tourists. If they can get underage kids off motorcycles, they can see about preventing babies and toddlers from being carried on them, often in one arm. Outlaw texting and calling on cellphones while riding next... then, perhaps they can stop venders from riding tricycles with loose barbecue (hot) coals and all sorts of other dangerous loose projectiles and perhaps make it illegal to hold umbrellas in one hand. After that they can start enforcing basic road rules that are openly flouted by one and all, starting with red-light jumpers... then by all means, start their targeted campaign against tourists... tourists need fewer reasons to come to Thailand.

[Nowisee]

23 hours ago, BestB said:

A large number if not majority are killed while being driven by a Thai in a mini bus. And while I agree tourists should be licensed , blaming Thai death toll on tourists is just yet another silly idea from the factory of silliness 

 

I agree...
However, it's cleverly written

 

23 hours ago, webfact said:

Tourists renting motorcycles is on the agenda for changes to lower the death toll on Thailand's roads from accidents involving motorbikes. 

Is this because Thai drivers are killing them?  

 

 

[Boombum]

If they looked around at the Safest  Places and copied that model of Bike rental or Bike Usage and then implemented the rules it would be a start!! 

Or pretend it’s the TM30 where you have to report when try get on and off it, who’s the Rentor and Rentee Hold a 5000 bt deposit from which Immigration deduct fines for breaching “ Rules” 

 

or ofcourse Dont Bother and let Thailand be Thailand ... 

which is Why people come here in the First Place ..

to have Adult fun without being inflicted with Childish Regulations by (“ just doing me job” ) Goons  in Uniform

[essox essox]

22 hours ago, ChipButty said:

I do actually know a lady who has lots of bikes for rent and for a long time now, No License No Bike simple as that and really they should have the International driving permit

does International driving permit cover motorbikes???

[Damrongsak]

1 hour ago, wendyfromoz said:

No they won't, they'll just keep renting regardless

I'm afraid you are correct.  Perhaps they could make (and enforce) a law that the renter is not responsible for damages to the bike (at very least) if the shop rents to someone without a license.  Or some similar disincentive.  License the rental shops, inspect the bikes, check insurance.  I know this is rocket science to the locals trying to make a living.  How long will utter incompetence and irresponsibility be tolerated?  Thailand 10.0? Never?

[downunder66]

On 9/25/2019 at 10:56 AM, Moti24 said:

What's the betting that you'll still see kids riding to school on motorbikes, 10 years from now; but then, they don't contribute to the economy, do they!

Three young female students injured in motorbike fall - Sept 24th, 2019

Read more at:

https://www.thephuketnews.com/three-young-female-students-injured-in-motorbike-fall-73015.php#jWI6fGFsO5fiPUfV.97

[downunder66]

On 9/25/2019 at 9:45 AM, jackdd said:

Why only tourists?

Why not make a law which says "if a driver is found to be driving without license the driver and the owner of the vehicle will each be fined 5000 THB"?

Even if they only slightly enforce this (i wouldn't expect more from them), then many people will decide to get a driving license, parents will not allow their children to drive on bikes, and many shops will not rent to tourists without license anymore.

Of course this means that most rental shops will have to close due to a lack of customers. But they could become taxi drivers instead, because somehow the tourists have to get arround.

Three young female students injured in motorbike fall - Sept 24th, 2019

Read more at https://www.thephuketnews.com/three-young-female-students-injured-in-motorbike-fall-73015.php#aSQLV4PuJoYkeuEm.99

[MartiniMan]

License from any western country should be accepted as that includes a real driving test

Thai license is just a one stop shop pay the money and get license - nearly all thai drivers have a license yet they are the most dangerous drivers in the world.

[sherwood]

5 hours ago, essox essox said:

does International driving permit cover motorbikes???

Yes, if you have a motorcycle licence in you home country. The IDP is coded with the class of licences held but does say in black and white the exact type of vehicle covered, eg up to 250cc, learner legal. open class.

Your travel insurance provider would know for sure if you make a claim.

Anyhow the whole notion being proposed is as useual, a joke.

Lets just blame tourists for the road carnage, fair dinkum these people are dumb.

 

I live in a rural Thai village and everyone either drives or rides and very few are licensed. I also very much doubt that they even bother to keep up with existing laws and regulations let alone new ones, Bless Em

[ross163103]

555555......that's funny!

[cmrichsw]

I knew that 21 years ago when I arrived in Thailand. What has changed is the use of mobile phone translators by Thai police. 

[jessicar]

I just drove around the village to pick up my kids ( in a car) 

And would say 60 to 70 % of the motorbikes had either no tail or front light. 

And it's dark right now. 

These people want to die. 

Som Nam na

Nobody can change them

[Anotify]

Licence yes.. What about insurance  ? 

[Jonmarleesco]

Perhaps they should first ensure that every THAI motorcyclist is in possession of a valid licence.

[hatewaitin]

On 9/25/2019 at 12:14 PM, ChipButty said:

I do actually know a lady who has lots of bikes for rent and for a long time now, No License No Bike simple as that and really they should have the International driving permit

An international driving permit is to demonstrate in English what the driver described is permitted to drive. It doesn't replace the licence.

If your licence is in English as Thai licences are.

You shouldn't need a permit. Except for Pattaya as the the police there are a law unto themselves.

[jerojero]

Duh! Nuff said.