On 9/7/2025 at 6:53 AM, chawbdurian said:

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

 

16 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

The numbers in this article are incorrrect as we all can see every day that nobody wears a helmet, and many kids on motorcycles are too young to get a driverslicense. The problems are made by the patents, tje lack of enforcement of laws by the RTP and the low fines. Besides that there is no traffic education in any school. In my soi a few kids age 13 are speeding and playing on a motorbike. When they get an accident the parents will cry fool, but they are to blame as they allow it. And Thai people are not educated to walk short distances, ad they are afraid to get tanned, too far,or too hot.. even the air pollution does not care them. Sadly only solution is a working policeforce of 24/7 and no crackdowns as they only work for a few days and education for parents and in schools. And heavy fines

But i live in a dreamworld

 

8 minutes ago, Funkymover said:

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

 

You guys are not understanding the statistics quoted in this article.

 

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%

Total (adding all above): 100.1%

 

These numbers do not claim to show how large of a percentage of youths drive without wearing helmets, without a license etc. They show the distribution of fines issued for different types of violations.

How are people.supposwd to get to school ???

1 hour ago, Mason45 said:

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

They got rid of that, now it’s just the colour blindness test and the reaction test.

 

The last time I did my renewal online, there was a 5 minute section of the video where they cherry picked some interviews where people gave their opinion where they said renewing every 5 years was a good thing because it made people aware of any changes in the highway code, etc … total Bull.

 

Then I watched the video (more like it was playing on my computer while i was watching YouTube on the iPad) I answered 3 questions periodically, and continually got one wrong because I didn’t read the question properly, and it was worded in a weird way. Then after an hour I got a QR code .. so how does that keep me updated about any changes in the highway code, how did it make me a better driver. 
 

The government said it needs all citizens to register and start paying taxes by 2029 - yet, they don’t work on simple issues like over staffing in governmental positions. At my DLT there are two women who run the reaction test, one takes your paperwork, the other woman holds the colour blind test cards. They have probably worked like that for 20 years, another 10 and they retire on a nice pension. 
 

Yet, the problem is kids can’t get round to getting a driving license. 

On 9/7/2025 at 10:48 AM, KannikaP said:

Even more worrying is the number of kids, 10 yrs upwards, who ride electric bikes which you cannot hear. In my village I can guarantee that in the not-too-distant future, one will hit one of the younger children who are walking on the road.

Plus as I experienced in China, no-one uses lights at night as it reduces power and range.

This is the result of little to no law enforcement by the police.

58 minutes ago, Sophon said:

 

 

 

You guys are not understanding the statistics quoted in this article.

 

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%

Total (adding all above): 100.1%

 

These numbers do not claim to show how large of a percentage of youths drive without wearing helmets, without a license etc. They show the distribution of fines issued for different types of violations.

Indeed... And that brings the total above 100% as it is 100,1%? And as we can read in many comments there are far more who should be fined, why were they not fined? Just to show nice figures or corruption or pocketmoney or friends,family or neighbours of the cops? Or are this only figures of Bangkok, but Thailand is more than only Bangkok.

58 minutes ago, baansgr said:

How are people.supposwd to get to school ???

How do they do that in other countries?

Very worrying, but only demonstrates the lack of a robust structure to ensure the legality of riders. The police do little or nothing and Thai health and safety is non existent. No wonder people don’t bother getting licences because they know nothing will happen to them, or if they do get stopped it’s likely a small cash payment to the boys in brown will ensure no further action.

On 9/7/2025 at 10:57 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?

Because the RTP could not give a sh.t. As no tea money in fining children.

21 hours ago, impulse said:

From the photo in the OP, pedal bikes may have benefits beyond safety.  When I was a kid, we had to ride our bikes in the snow to school 5 miles, uphill both ways

I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say you didn’t pass Physics…..

Thinking this is the Thai way of weeding out the gene pool.  Unfortunately, a few good people get caught up in the fray. 

1 hour ago, ikke1959 said:

How do they do that in other countries?

Probably on trams and local bus routes...you obviously don't know that Thailand has no such means of transport...except BKK

19 minutes ago, Chongalulu said:

I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say you didn’t pass Physics…..

 

Retired mechanical engineer. 

 

I'm going to go out on a limb and bet you're not American.  Every American kid grew up with stories from their parents about how they had to walk to school in the snow, 5 miles and uphill both ways.  I forgot to mention barefoot...

 

It went along with the classic "Stop your crying, or I'll give you something to really cry about".

 

 

 

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?

Could be Malaysia takes it seriously.

On 9/7/2025 at 6:53 AM, chawbdurian said:

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

Too many under age and no apparent supervision.

Here in Tak I'd be surprised if any body has a car or bike licence. It's the worst driving/riding I've ever witnessed. Sorry to say it but they deserve to be knocked off or have accidents. Most people don't even stop at T junctions and just pull straight out without even looking to see if there's any traffic coming. 

On 9/7/2025 at 6:44 AM, bdenner said:

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

There you go,  problem solved.

22 hours ago, impulse said:

From the photo in the OP, pedal bikes may have benefits beyond safety.  When I was a kid, we had to ride our bikes in the snow to school 5 miles, uphill both ways. 

 

Not so coincidentally, chicks were generally thin back then, at least until their freshman year in college.  Then they plumped up.  I think we called it the "freshman 15".

 

“uphill both ways “?

17 hours ago, kimamey said:

That's not actually true. I sat through the hours of videos for the test and nearly half of those I could see in front of me were on their phone or sleeping. 

My Wife did her car driving license in Chiang May a few years ago. From the 84 people in her class, most came with a car or motorbike ( driving themselves ) And that prior to get their driver license.

And 2 truck drivers that were driving for 20 years all over Thailand without a driver license, and were tired of paying the police all the time. 

19 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

The numbers in this article are incorrrect as we all can see every day that nobody wears a helmet, and many kids on motorcycles are too young to get a driverslicense. The problems are made by the patents, tje lack of enforcement of laws by the RTP and the low fines. Besides that there is no traffic education in any school. In my soi a few kids age 13 are speeding and playing on a motorbike. When they get an accident the parents will cry fool, but they are to blame as they allow it. And Thai people are not educated to walk short distances, ad they are afraid to get tanned, too far,or too hot.. even the air pollution does not care them. Sadly only solution is a working policeforce of 24/7 and no crackdowns as they only work for a few days and education for parents and in schools. And heavy fines

But i live in a dreamworld

The reason police do nothing about kids riding motorbikes to school is quite obvious, they have no money. Thai logic says, no money, no point stopping them.

4 minutes ago, Red Forever said:

“uphill both ways “?

 

If you grew up in my part of America, you heard that at least 100 times from your parents.

 

Every day police stay at schools and allow underage pupils to drive a motorbike. When they allow it, how can you get any change? Why is there an age limit when police never enforce that law?

This is nothing new, it has been happening for decades (or at least since my first visit to Thailand in 1974).

 

Parents don't care, police don't care. 

7 hours ago, Formaleins said:

Before you manage to get to the Boss Level of having your photo taken, paying a fee, you will attend the "Depth perception" class, where one eyed octogenarians pass with flying colours. where the contestant has to move a pencil like object back and forth over an extended distance to try to match the pencil position with a previously setup reference pencil.

In Australia you can have a light vehicle license with only one eye. I have a condition that gives me extremely blurred vision in one eye that can’t be corrected with glasses, but recently sailed through the eye test while renewing my license. Lucky I have no interest in obtaining a Thai license, as I don’t possess sufficient courage to drive here.

I wonder and I wonder again - how and where has the thai youth got their attitudes and thoughts about motorcycle riding from? 
Could it be from their parents, their elder siblings, their older family members, the whole society around them - perhaps?

 

Because it must come from somewhere….

2 hours ago, impulse said:

 

Retired mechanical engineer. 

 

I'm going to go out on a limb and bet you're not American.  Every American kid grew up with stories from their parents about how they had to walk to school in the snow, 5 miles and uphill both ways.  I forgot to mention barefoot...

 

It went along with the classic "Stop your crying, or I'll give you something to really cry about".

 

 

 

    Thank you!  I was going to have to explain the expression myself.   And, yes, I heard it from my American parents, and the crying one, as a child.  

2 hours ago, Surasak said:

The reason police do nothing about kids riding motorbikes to school is quite obvious, they have no money. Thai logic says, no money, no point stopping them.

A few years back there was a traffic cop, in Mahasarakham I think,  who said he wouldn't fine schoolchildren,  as if he did they wouldn't have money for sweets. You couldn't make it up. Here you don't have to.

2 hours ago, off road pat said:

My Wife did her car driving license in Chiang May a few years ago. From the 84 people in her class, most came with a car or motorbike ( driving themselves ) And that prior to get their driver license.

And 2 truck drivers that were driving for 20 years all over Thailand without a driver license, and were tired of paying the police all the time. 

So the fines worked for the truck drivers......eventually.

On 9/7/2025 at 2:37 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

A Farang, involved in a collision with a Thai, rider or driver, is in the wrong, wether they be licenced or not.

 

 

On 9/7/2025 at 11:48 AM, DezLez said:

"uphill both ways"

Not possible unless you mean "up and down hill"! 

You are missing the point.

Think about the context.