Schools need to play their part, check the licenses of all students leaving the school grounds. No license and no helmet then keys are taken and parents are called to pick the kids up from school. Better still off after school vlasses for kids approaching riding age to study for and take the written exam and weekend riding proficiency classes

Oh come on. Is this news to absolutely anyone?

 

I’d be interested to know the percentage of unlicensed riders in the 9-15 years old category. Oh, what, wait. That would be 100%.

On 9/7/2025 at 5:18 AM, Artisi said:

Have they bothered to compare the statistics between licenced and unlicensed riders - or is there no need because licenced riders don't speed, get drunk, modify their bikes, ride without licence plates, always obey the rules and wear a helmet? 

 

It would be too much for the government department to reflect upon findings and adjust. 
 

Instead of refusing to accept that kids ride to school on motorbikes and are forced to leave them outside, add road safety into the curriculum for one semester instead of scouts. Get the kids to bring the bikes in and do a road test.

 

Stop the pointless 2 year temporary license and 5 year renewal process - glancing at an online video and stamping on a brake pedal isn’t an indication of good road skills, it’s a pointless waste of time. 
 

Road safety is proven to be a combination of enforcement and education, not forcing people to do a pointless activity. 

1 hour ago, Thumbs said:

Schools need to play their part, check the licenses of all students leaving the school grounds. No license and no helmet then keys are taken and parents are called to pick the kids up from school. Better still off after school vlasses for kids approaching riding age to study for and take the written exam and weekend riding proficiency classes

Every high school I worked in has not allowed students bikes on to the premises, they are all lined up outside. Typical Thai behavoir of refusing to address the issue. 
 

I also worked as a trainer in the oil industry here, where safety is drummed into you. The agency that sent me there informed me, if you turn up at the gate with no helmet, they will turn you away, no access for the day.

 

This is the difference. 

On 9/7/2025 at 8:37 AM, actonion said:

Watch out if they collide with you, You are ther one who will pay, even if they're in the wrong, that has been my experience twice with Teenagers Unlicenced,  no Road Tax, no compulsory Government Insurance, and Police saying  the Teenagers situation is not important

I had a teenager hit my truck on Koh Chang several years ago.  He was coming around a curve and had forgot to put his kickstand up and could not turn.  I saw him losing control beforehand and had come to a full stop hoping he wouldn't hit me.  Never once did the police or anyone else try and put the blame on me.  My insurance company dealt with his family for payment on repairs for the truck.

Where I live it's common place to have the rider also granny and 2 kids on their motor bike at the same time and let's not forget the baby in the basket. Couldn't granny baby sit for a short time, of course not. The bike isn't registered, no one wears a helmet and may times they're on the wrong side of the road. Of course if you collided with them the Thai blame game would instantly swing into action.

Driving in Thailand is a retard tier experience. Why can't they see it's dangerous to have mixed usage roads that contain university students riding motorbikes along side cars and trucks going 90+km hour? Licenses are pointless when you have this level of brain damage and apathy on the part of the authorities.

Will never change until they have a real police force that’s paid properly and actually do their jobs. 

14 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

we all can see every day that nobody wears a helmet

Nonsense.

1 hour ago, Shwaman said:

Give the Thais a little credit. They know how to make it work in their own country. 

And yet the Vietnamese manage it .

get the boys in brown to do their jobs and not only collecting highway tolls of unofficial nature

confiscate the vehicle on sight. The police can access the DLT database to find out, if the culprit has/had a license. For that, the ID card is to be presented which - to the limited knowledge I have - a Thai citizen always has. If that is not presentable, book them until the ID card is presented. 
If, based on the DLT database, there is a valid driving license let them go.
If, based on the DLT database, there was a valid driving license, meanwhile expired, fine them and a replacement has to be presented within 14 days. If not, book them for 20 hours community service in public interest free of charge. 
If there was never a license, then destroy the motorbike, fine the owner for letting a non-authorized person using the bike and the driver does community service in public interest free of charge for 20 hours.
If the culprit is caught again without a license, get them to work in a morgue or similar appealing places.

Bringing up children is a domestic duty which happens at home and within a society. Knock on parents doors to introduce such measures as they are pretty much in complete absence. 

Driving skills, street laws etc. are educational and could be a subject at school; purpose of the latter is to get the kids to understand, that driving is something you have to learn theoretically and practically

And, in closing, do not come with "yes, but in Thailand". If you want to be a member of the international society, you want the rest of the world to take you serious, then start at the grassroots of society and that is one of the many things to start - me thinks. 

Yes, beautiful words and nothing will happen but eventually, after all of us are gone, even the hardest pr1kc will understand, that the little tip into the piggy bank for coffee costs society much more than just a few Baht ...... 

3 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Nonsense.

30 % max wear a lid in my town.That's not including the extras on the back, or the very young on the front.

These stats from playing the game every day on the school runs.😁

26 minutes ago, recom273 said:

 

It would be too much for the government department to reflect upon findings and adjust. 
 

Instead of refusing to accept that kids ride to school on motorbikes and are forced to leave them outside, add road safety into the curriculum for one semester instead of scouts. Get the kids to bring the bikes in and do a road test.

 

Stop the pointless 2 year temporary license and 5 year renewal process - glancing at an online video and stamping on a brake pedal isn’t an indication of good road skills, it’s a pointless waste of time. 
 

Road safety is proven to be a combination of enforcement and education, not forcing people to do a pointless activity. 

What about the perception test they used to make us do, another Thai brain fart.

On 9/6/2025 at 4:44 PM, bdenner said:

So, they have only just woken up to this problem! What are they going to do to fix it? = NOTHING

It will never change unfortunately........Darwins survival of the Fitest

1 hour ago, Shwaman said:

  Give the Thais a little credit. They know how to make it work in their own country. 

   Yes some will suffer death or injury. Living will kill us all eventually. Even the know it alls on AN.

 

I don't begrudge Thais for riding motorbikes without licenses but they need to clean up their behavior their driving. So much of the carnage is because rude selfish people doing stupid and dangerous things. No reason they can't fix that first but that starts at home as they say.

8 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Nonsense.

I agree in Bangkok morning traffic, its unusual to see anyone without a helmet on,  including passengers.  I put it down to maybe cold mornings or BIB everywhere. I regularly drive the Rangsit/Vibhavadi route...

Thai people are allowed to break the law - and pay a fine .They consider it the thai way of doing things - only thais would understand .Being able to pay for a small infraction is enshrined into their belief system .Thats the way they want it . They also changed the law so police can take fines not bribes .The fact that it runs contrary to people own safety is not so important .Why? Because luck is obtained from temples ,blessings and amulets.it's much easier to believe in mumbo jumbo if everyone else around you believes it too.Now try to explain the notion of "conflict of interest" .example : would a policeman collect a fine for a dead teenager from the parents for not having a licence or helmet - or would he be conflicted ?You could also point out that following rules takes love and respect.

On 9/7/2025 at 4:30 AM, Georgealbert said:

 

File picture for reference only.

 

Motorcycles are a daily necessity for millions of Thai households, serving as transport to school, work and everyday activities. But a growing concern is that young people, the group most likely to rely on motorbikes, are also the most at risk, with the majority riding illegally without proper licences.

 

Figures released by the Thailand Accident Research Center reveal the scale of the issue. Riders without licenses, in age groups: 81% of 15–18-year-olds, 65% of 18–24-year-olds and even 33% of those aged over 24 were found to be riding without.

 

Adding to the danger, over 70% of under-18 riders use motorcycles with engines larger than 110cc, a violation of Thai law, which only permits those aged 15–18 to apply for a provisional licence for motorcycles under that limit. Full licences are only available from age 18.

 

Why so many ride without licences?

 

The survey found that 72% of young people cited a lack of time as the reason for not obtaining a licence. Other factors included:

 

• 8%: unable to book appointments or frustrated by complicated procedures

 

• 5%: saw no need, claiming few police checkpoints in their area

 

• 5%: feared failing the driving test due to poor skills

 

• 3%: said they rarely use main roads

 

• 2%: considered themselves too young or infrequent riders

 

• 2%: lacked parental support to apply

 

• 1%: used their motorbikes only for very short trips

 

Learning the wrong way

 

Alarmingly, 60% of young riders teach themselves to ride, while 38% learn from friends or family. Only 2% receive formal training from certified driving schools, meaning most begin their riding careers with poor road safety knowledge.

 

Risky and unlawful behaviour

 

Traffic police records also show the most common violations among youth riders:

 

• Not wearing helmets – 24.6%

 

• No licence – 20.6%

 

• Modifying or tampering with motorcycles – 18.2%

 

• Speeding – 12.9%

 

• General traffic violations – 11.4%

 

• No licence plates – 10.2%

 

• Drink-driving – 2.2%

 

A hidden national crisis

 

Experts warn that this pattern reveals a “silent crisis” in Thai road safety. Young riders are overwhelmingly untrained, unlicensed and at high risk of serious crashes. Advocates stress that encouraging legal licensing, proper training and consistent enforcement of road safety laws could significantly reduce injuries and fatalities among the most vulnerable road users.

 

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Amarin 2025-09-07

 

 

 

100% don't care about helmets, don't obey or know road rules and put children at high risk of death, while the police complain about driving without helmets and low revenue they stand outside schools at closing times and flag these children on 

 

 

On 9/7/2025 at 7:57 AM, NoDisplayName said:

 

They/them/those identify as "licensed."

Just woke up, missed the significance

Youth Motorbike Riders Without Licences Pose Safety Crisis 

 

Even if the had a License they are a safety Crisis.

Who's fault is it that all this is happening.

Major problem is that the Law and the parents do nothing about this problem.

Start with 24/7 with policing the traffic law and Fine the riders and if  happens again confiscate the vehicle in questioning. they soon learn when it cost money and losing their ride.

But being Thailand ,nothing will change in the near future.

 

 

This has been going on for as long as I've lived in Thailand and enforcement is very spotty, and very marginal. As far as I'm concerned if you're going to ride a scooter or a motorcycle in Thailand you should wear the best helmet you can afford, at all times.

 

People just don't understand how delicate the head is, it's fairly fragile. I have a friend who got in a motorcycle accident 15 years ago on Samui doing just 20 kilometers per hour, somebody ran into her on another bike she simply fell sideways onto the pavement but hit her head in just the right spot, and since then she hasn't been able to feed herself, nor can she talk or walk properly.

 

I don't know about you guys but my life is fairly complicated without a broken skull. 

3 minutes ago, digger70 said:

Youth Motorbike Riders Without Licences Pose Safety Crisis 

 

Even if the had a License they are a safety Crisis.

Who's fault is it that all this is happening.

Major problem is that the Law and the parents do nothing about this problem.

Start with 24/7 with policing the traffic law and Fine the riders and if  happens again confiscate the vehicle in questioning. they soon learn when it cost money and losing their ride.

But being Thailand ,nothing will change in the near future.

 

 

The school's would be empty, put free busses on WITHOUT LPG 

 

When I first came here in 1992 there would be 4 girls on a motorbike.

What!? ......I've been in Thailand for 20 years and this has always been a trend

On 9/7/2025 at 7:57 AM, HaoleBoy said:

In Malaysia I didn't see anybody riding scooters without a helmet and that leads me to believe same % have licenses too.  I heard there were more police on the roads that would pull people over ... not so in Thailand.

Here in TH the police mostly rely on roadblocks it seems.

 

Anyone know why this is so between Thailand & Malaysia?

I am a Malaysian so maybe I can give a better insight on this issue. 
firstly Malaysians are more proactive about road safety. Diligent adherents to license, helmet were drummed into the younger communities constantly especially in towns and cities. You do get to see some riders without helmets during Friday prayer sessions but these are mainly in villages .

Traffic police here are more diligent pulling riders violating traffic rules as well as checking valid documentation.

 I had seen many instances of young schoolers under 14 riding to schools in rural places all over in Thailand . I guess Thais are pragmatic about this as public transport is lacking here. The police are also complicit in this pragmatism. 

Last week ago here in Pattaya, I saw a guy about 12 years old driving one barefooted with 2 of his friends on it with him. If he was not wearing shoes then you know they were definitely not wearing helmets.

I have a teenager son who just got his bike license to ride to school . I got him a full face helmet but he skipped using it as much as possible favoring his other helmets for convenience.  I guess as parents, we can only do so much and hope for the best. Teenager need to blend in with his pals and I guess peer pressure is also the reason for lax of safety behavior as well. Last week, he came back with the news of his friend being in a bike accident outside his school , showing me photos of deep gashes across his face lying unconscious on the road. He was not even wearing a helmet . Did my son take the incident as a safety education? No. He attributed the incident to bad karma or bad luck and go on with his life.

I don't know about licences for any motorists. What I do know from 22 years of observation that the  general trend is about  a 50-50 split about non-helmet wearing and apropos this particular topic of the "youth", make that 80%.

 

Motorists don't need to care about anything  - nobody else does!

On 9/7/2025 at 12:53 AM, chawbdurian said:

Add an extra 50% to these stats and it'll be more believable 

I was just thinking that,,  well below the correct level