Most people in Thailand support stricter penalties for key traffic offences, but a majority oppose the current fine for speeding, according to a survey by the National Institute of Development Administration (Nida). The findings reflect public backing for tougher enforcement measures introduced from April 1, aimed at improving road safety.

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Nida polled 1,310 respondents nationwide by telephone on April 7 and 8, asking for views on newly enforced penalties. The survey followed the implementation of harsher punishments for multiple traffic violations, including reckless driving, drink-driving, and failing to comply with basic road safety laws.

Support was strongest for penalties targeting dangerous behaviour. On reckless driving, 74.66% agreed with fines ranging from 5,000 to 20,000 baht and/or up to one year in prison, while 12.67% said the penalties were too lenient and 11.60% too harsh. For drink-driving, 70.38% supported similar penalties, with 20.38% viewing them as too soft and 8.86% too severe.

Other offences also received majority backing, though with more mixed views. A fine of up to 2,000 baht for not wearing a seat belt was supported by 60.15% of respondents, while 35.04% thought it too high. Failure to stop for pedestrians at zebra crossings, punishable by a 4,000 baht fine, was supported by 60.08%, with 28.09% calling it too high and 11.68% too low.

Penalties for driving against traffic, failing to produce a driving licence and not wearing a helmet all received support from more than half of respondents, though significant minorities considered them too harsh. Similarly, fines for using a mobile phone without a hands-free device and running red lights were backed by just over half of those surveyed.

Speeding stood out as the only offence where most respondents disagreed with the penalty. A total of 54.43% said the fine of up to 4,000 baht was too high, while 40.69% supported it and 4.58% felt it was too low.

The results suggest broad public approval for stricter road safety enforcement, particularly for high-risk behaviours, but indicate resistance to penalties perceived as excessive for more common offences such as speeding. Authorities may face pressure to review or better justify the fine structure for speeding violations.

The Bangkokpost reported that enforcement of the new penalties is expected to continue nationwide, with officials likely monitoring public response and road safety outcomes. The survey may inform future adjustments to traffic laws as Thailand seeks to reduce accidents and improve compliance.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now Bangkokpost 20 Apr 2026

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It’s both disappointing and not surprising that speeding is the one area people don’t want tougher penalties on, especially when it’s one of the biggest contributors to road deaths.

If Thais are not willing to change their attitudes on their own, then stronger enforcement and harsher penalties might be the only way to make the roads safer!

Is reckless driving and speeding not almost the same? It seems that Thai people don't like to follow the laws, and change their behavior. But we know that even justice is not harsh enough, as fines don't need to be paid

2 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Support was strongest for penalties targeting dangerous behaviour. On reckless driving

Newsflash thai people......speeding is reckless driving.

Laughable. Every year the helmet law rises it's head and yet people consistently ride without helmets. Interesting that around half of the respondents think it's ok to run red lights and drive whilst using your phone (not hands free).

If you pay your speeding fine within a few weeks, the fine is only 500 baht. I got clocked for doing 134 kph on the 7 motorway recently. Seems a reasonable fine to me.

2 hours ago, Jim Waldron said:

It’s both disappointing and not surprising that speeding is the one area people don’t want tougher penalties on, especially when it’s one of the biggest contributors to road deaths.

If Thais are not willing to change their attitudes on their own, then stronger enforcement and harsher penalties might be the only way to make the roads safer!

It would depend on how the question was asked and perceived. I would agree that speeding on the highway is a lesser offence than speeding in a slow zone.

25 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

Interesting that around half of the respondents think it's ok to run red lights and drive whilst using your phone (not hands free).

In general people tend to think it's ok, but only for themselves because they're better drivers than the others.

After reading the BP online article.

The Thais in general are not interested in road safety and are happy with the status quo. Law enforcement are not interested either.

44 minutes ago, ozfarang said:

After reading the BP online article.

The Thais in general are not interested in road safety and are happy with the status quo. Law enforcement are not interested either.

So let's keep it that way.

The fines they suggest in the OP are ridiculously high.

Wearing a seat belt/helmet or not , should be a personal choice.

1 hour ago, dinsdale said:

Laughable. Every year the helmet law rises it's head and yet people consistently ride without helmets. Interesting that around half of the respondents think it's ok to run red lights and drive whilst using your phone (not hands free).

Many times I've seen the BIB's totally ignore Thais riding bikes without a helmet at the police box opposite Terminal 21, but the farangs are lined up waiting to get booked.

4 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

Penalties for driving against traffic

Good luck retraining motorcyclists who drive on the shoulder.....

Thais want to be able to speed and kill with impunity and we really need to ask why being able to speed matters so much to them. Speed is the biggest killer on the roads and with most thai drivers not being able to handle their cars etc with any certainty especially when speeding this makes them wanting speed to be less controlled look very bad. While other countries around the world do use road laws to control the road deaths in Thailand with one of the highet death tolls people do not like being told what to do, go figure

^ Patience on the roads is something i see very little of in Thailand