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

[Tounge Thaied]

1 minute ago, jackdd said:

Yes, this sounds easy, Europe is way more sophisticated. The only freebie you get is the license for class AM when you get a car driving license, then you are allowed to drive bikes up to 50cc and 45km/h.

In for example Germany you have to start with class A1 (up to 125cc), after two years you may take another exam to get class A2 (up to 35kw), then another two years and an exam later you can get class A (no limitations). If you happen to be 25 or older you may directly apply for class A instead of going through A1 and A2.

Wow. This is draconian. And really unnecessary. 

[monkfish]

18 minutes ago, thaiguzzi said:

I believe the UK is 125cc and has been for decades.

But i could be wrong and i don't really care.

My OP was just giving the gist of things, not being pedantic.

I believe pretty much every housewife on the planet who can ride a bicycle, can ride an auto scooter.

Yes I know what you are trying to say but many die as well on scooters.
People in Thailand grow up riding bikes but most tourists have never driven a motor bike in their life and it shows if you drive around any tourist spots.

[rgrdns]

I fully agree...BUT...how many of those rental companies/shops have an motorcycle-insurance cover....I guess none....this must be mandatory!

[gk10002000]

3 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. 

By the numbers I kind of agree with your sentiment.  Kind of hard to believe that most USA tourists for example that go to Thailand also have Motorcycle licenses in the USA! 

[BobbyL]

many tourists are dying on the nation's roads

 

Is there data on this, because I would guess the number is minuscule in comparison to the average of 60 a day. 

 

This is a good idea, but there is a far bigger issue here that as usual hasn't / won't be addressed. 

[Tounge Thaied]

9 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

By the numbers I kind of agree with your sentiment.  Kind of hard to believe that most USA tourists for example that go to Thailand also have Motorcycle licenses in the USA! 

They don't of course. I think it is safe to assume that almost all tourists to Thailand will not have a motorcycle license. So if the Thai government is truly considering cracking down on this, to save us tourists from accidents, then they will also enforce the motorcycle rental shops to require proof of motorcycle license from the home country. 

[MadMac]

That's rather shocking news. So they mean like in every other country? Can't be serious! ????

[Tounge Thaied]

24 minutes ago, BobbyL said:

many tourists are dying on the nation's roads

 

Is there data on this, because I would guess the number is minuscule in comparison to the average of 60 a day. 

 

This is a good idea, but there is a far bigger issue here that as usual hasn't / won't be addressed. 

Agreed. This article and the premise of it from the Thai government is what we call a "Red Herring" in political double speak. Check out one of the newest stated statistics in the linked article below showing a 1 in 735,294 chance of a tourist being killed in a road crash. Now you can mince these statistics all you want, but there is a by far chance of dying by road crash in my own country than in Thailand. See second link below. 

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

https://www.thrillist.com/cars/nation/how-likely-you-are-to-die-in-a-car-accident-in-every-us-state-the-most-dangerous-roads-in-america

[EricTh]

Isn't it the job of traffic police to ensure those tourists have driving licence? I see police block all the time. This has been implemented long ago.

 

Reducing accidents is another matter which is to educate Thai motorcyclists. I see many of them driving against traffic, overtaking on double line, 3 people on same bike, playing or drinking while on their bike even though they have driving licence.

 

[richard_smith237]

47 minutes ago, Tounge Thaied said:

50 minutes ago, jackdd said:

Yes, this sounds easy, Europe is way more sophisticated. The only freebie you get is the license for class AM when you get a car driving license, then you are allowed to drive bikes up to 50cc and 45km/h.

In for example Germany you have to start with class A1 (up to 125cc), after two years you may take another exam to get class A2 (up to 35kw), then another two years and an exam later you can get class A (no limitations). If you happen to be 25 or older you may directly apply for class A instead of going through A1 and A2.

Wow. This is draconian. And really unnecessary. 

 

Road death statistics may suggest otherwise, in Europe, we, the populace, are protected from our own and each others inexperience and idiocy by the effective enforcement of the rules and regulations our government has passed - some call this the 'nanny state', I call it effectively looking after the safety of your population. 

 

It is this very point we are discussing here with road safety in Thailand - and Thailand is failing, perhaps the Thai's also think it unnecessary, but then you'd be in agreement with people who seem to care little for the numbers of road deaths. 

[legend49]

They say Amazing Thailand. Each day I am amazed at the government announcements showing just how stupid they are. It has always been a given that tourists ( loosely worded description) show an IDP for what ever they hire. If the greedy renters are too lazy to check passport versus International Driving permit then go after them not hound tourists. The way you idiots are going might as well close TAT as no tourists will come here.

On the subject of road deaths re motor cycles/ scooters. Go and get your own people's stats on road deaths and compare with tourists you may get a woken up to reality.

[Tounge Thaied]

13 minutes ago, EricTh said:

Isn't it the job of traffic police to ensure those tourists have driving licence? I see police block all the time. This has been implemented long ago.

 

Reducing accidents is another matter which is to educate Thai motorcyclists. I see many of them driving against traffic, overtaking on double line, 3 people on same bike, playing or drinking while on their bike even though they have driving licence.

 

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

[MaksimMislavsky]

4 hours ago, lujanit said:

Check your travel insurance. Most policies are void if the person riding has an accident if the rider doesn’t have the appropriate license. Lots of visitors get caught out if they have an accident.

Exactly why I didn't even bother to get insurance. None of the really risky situations covered. Pointless.

[richard_smith237]

3 minutes ago, MaksimMislavsky said:

4 hours ago, lujanit said:

Check your travel insurance. Most policies are void if the person riding has an accident if the rider doesn’t have the appropriate license. Lots of visitors get caught out if they have an accident.

Exactly why I didn't even bother to get insurance. None of the really risky situations covered. Pointless.

 

You didn't get insurance because you wouldn't be covered when illegally riding your motorcycle?

 

Erm...   that definitely needs a logic-re-think.... 

[lust]

4 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. 

Most of these “shops” don’t even have business licenses, aren’t registered, “insured”, and are using Facebook to advertise offering delivery and pick up services.

[AI5AASIA]

3 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

Agree 100% with the requirement of having an IDP. 

I have the endorsement for riding a motorcycle on my UK driving licence, however I'm fairly sure there wouldn't be many people involved in the tourist motorbike rental places that could decipher the codes shown on the UK licence. Whereas the Thai licence is very clear as it shows the picture of the motorbike or the car.

[MaksimMislavsky]

10 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

You didn't get insurance because you wouldn't be covered when illegally riding your motorcycle?

 

Erm...   that definitely needs a logic-re-think.... 

That's up to the thinker ;)

[bander]

Great, blame the high death toll on tourist and forget about Thais who is the worst drivers in the world according to statistics.  

[dotpoom]

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

  That's a novel idea...fair dues to the bright spark that came up with that idea?

[monkfish]

This is old but something is true you will probably never find any statistics as to how many tourist are killed per year on motorbikes.

 

 

[Percy P]

4 hours ago, 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.

Well I've never been on a MC taxi and I get around on public transport no problem . The busses.

[jackdd]

1 minute ago, Percy P said:

Well I've never been on a MC taxi and I get around on public transport no problem . The busses.

Good for you, but not everybody is spending all his time in central Bangkok.

[Percy P]

5 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 

But having a licence doesn't mean you a competent rider. I have a guitar but I can't play a tune on it, just pluck on the strings.

[Percy P]

5 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. 

Rubbish Thais couldn't give a Hough about the road traffic requirements.

[akampa]

4 hours ago, phuketrichard said:

Great idea and will cut down on the Chinese who haven't a clue what they are doing renting bikes 

Right, just see You Tube "Chinese crash cars and bikes" they really have not got a clue they are like 16 year olds who have just passed a driving test (cars and bikes)   

 

[recom273]

Whats with all the comments about enforcing locals to have licenses?

 

The post is about enforcing rules to ensure tourists renting a bike hold a valid license. What so wrong about that?

 

I go to Ko Lanka during high season every year and I watch these young kids, at least some do have a dog bowl helmet on, but the only other protection Is a sarong against their sunburn. They have no training or experience - Could you imagine a foreigner coming to your country, it wouldn’t be acceptable - so why should it be acceptable here?

 

The fact that that locals don’t have a license and that the old bill are as lazy as is another matter, but in this I am in total agreement.

[krobert6]

Going to be a lot of second hand bikes available cheap soon

[richard_smith237]

10 minutes ago, recom273 said:

Whats with all the comments about enforcing locals to have licenses?

 

The post is about enforcing rules to ensure tourists renting a bike hold a valid license. What so wrong about that?

 

I go to Ko Lanka during high season every year and I watch these young kids, at least some do have a dog bowl helmet on, but the only other protection Is a sarong against their sunburn. They have no training or experience - Could you imagine a foreigner coming to your country, it wouldn’t be acceptable - so why should it be acceptable here?

 

The fact that that locals don’t have a license and that the old bill are as lazy as is another matter, but in this I am in total agreement.

Because we care about this country and the needless deaths not only to Tourists but to Locals too. 

 

You seem to be implying that its ok for locals to kill themselves, but if tourists do it its not acceptable, thus, enforcement should be concentrated on foreigners

If you don't care about Thai's hurting themselves thats up to you, but to question others for caring is well, idiotic. 

 

While the thread is of tourists renting motorcycles many / most posters have readily identified that the real issues are being swept under the carpet.

[lust]

I love analog Thailand. Thailand 2.0 is sucking the life and fun out of the country.

 

It’s funny reading all the comments from people trying to explain the deficiencies and short comings of the country. Those are the reasons why many of us came here. 80% of the members on here picked the wrong country to live in for their bubble wrapped lives.

[Greenie]

3 hours ago, Langkawee said:

Thailansd is a signatory to the Geneva convention therefore no IDP required. 

But then you will need a (certified?) translation of your license. An IDP is easy to obtain at home (if you have the proper national license) and allows for full holiday mode.