Do you need one to drive say a honda 50.

Yes, you need a motorbike license to drive in Thailand. The cost is 55 Baht.

Yes, you need a motorbike license to drive in Thailand. The cost is 55 Baht.

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Is this a thai DL where you need all the non-immigrant visa stuff also.

If you're on a tourist visa - you can drive on your home country licence + IDP.

non-imm visa is the minimum to get issued with a Thai licence as you need to be living here...

Do you need one to drive say a honda 50.

My quick answer would be no, you don't need one.

I didn't have one for over 10 years.

My Thai wife has never had one and driven for over 10 years too.

Even if you have one you will get stopped by the police(corrupt) and asked for money. If you don't, they may ask for your passport, just keep a photocopy of the main page on you, and the same - pay a couple of hundred baht every now and again.

The only problem would be if you caused some damage, but you can't do much on a 50cc bike.

Once a drunk on a motorbike ran me over, he was beaten up by other drivers and vendors. The police came and he had to pay my hospital bill( about 200 baht) + 400 baht fine. It was on an election day so shouldn't have been driving, also ran away from the hospital, but then realised the police had his bike.

There are many laws in Thailand but they are never enforced.

driving license, motorbike helmet, wearing safety belt, having to report to immigration every 90 days etc.

Edited February 24, 200521 yr by Neeranam

Do you need one to drive say a honda 50.

My quick answer would be no, you don't need one.

I didn't have one for over 10 years.

My Thai wife has never had one and driven for over 10 years too.

Even if you have one you will get stopped by the police(corrupt) and asked for money. If you don't, they may ask for your passport, just keep a photocopy of the main page on you, and the same - pay a couple of hundred baht every now and again.

The only problem would be if you caused some damage, but you can't do much on a 50cc bike.

Once a drunk on a motorbike ran me over, he was beaten up by other drivers and vendors. The police came and he had to pay my hospital bill( about 200 baht) + 400 baht fine. It was on an election day so shouldn't have been driving, also ran away from the hospital, but then realised the police had his bike.

There are many laws in Thailand but they are never enforced.

driving license, motorbike helmet, wearing safety belt, having to report to immigration every 90 days etc.

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this is true, and (depending on where you are) the main thing they will stop you for is not wearing a helmet. My wife does not have a license, and she has gotten pulled over at least 6 times in the last 6 months for not wearing a helmet. They've only ever taken the bike once, which she paid 200b to get back. The other times she paid off the police.

I tell her to wear a helmet, but she doesnt want to mess up her hair

Ok if you want to take a chance but if you are involved in an accident that is your fault your in big shit without one, there's no 100 bht bribe then !

Edited February 24, 200521 yr by pop3

Do you need one to drive say a honda 50.

My quick answer would be no, you don't need one.

The only problem would be if you caused some damage, but you can't do much on a 50cc bike.

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I can't believe people are telling you not to bother, you wanna break the law, ok, if not, get a License, it's not difficult.

You are a Farang, you do not need any problems from the Police or to give them an reason to hassle you, and if you have no license, that will equal no Insurance too in the case of a fatal accident. Then you are in a world of Shi.t.

Edited February 24, 200521 yr by Doctor John

Ok if you want to take a chance but if you are involved in an accident that is your fault your in big shit without one,  there's no 100 bht bribe then !

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If you are a farang, it definitely will be your fault.

There are many laws in Thailand but they are never enforced.

driving license, motorbike helmet, wearing safety belt, having to report to immigration every 90 days etc.

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Methinks you are living in the past!

I have a buddy who's been living here for four years and has no license, yet continues to ride his motorcycle everywhere and pay off the cops when they pull him over. It only takes a day to get your license and it's very cheap. Once you have a letter from your embassy confirming your address/residence, you simply select the nearest motor vehicle office and head on over. My buddy thinks it's not worth taking a day off work to do it, but even in his month to month financial situation, I would still get the license.

For mine, I only had to do a color blind chart test in which the officer pointed to a color and had me say which one it was...no written test, no driving test. I used my recently renewed Florida driver's license which made the process easy. Without a current one from your home country, I think you need to do a driving test and the test from what I hear is a joke...drive about ten meters and that's it! And I thought getting a license in Florida was easy. Of course, you need to take along a Thai friend or family member who will help with the reading/translation. A car driver's license is good for a year, and then each one thereafter is valid for five years. I assume it's the same for motorcycle licenses. As other posters have said, if you do get into an accident and especially if there are injuries to other parties, not having a license is just another thing they can shaft you with. Good luck!

If you really want to drive a motorbike in Thailand get a licence,unless you are coming for a short holiday.You may not cause much of an impact with a 50cc Honda but have you seen the driving in Thailand?In the UK I probably came across a few accidents a year,in Thailand I see a few a week!

The test is quite easy in that in large cities and towns you drive around a circuit of about 200 metres giving handsignals etc. and only going abot 20mph.Up country my wife simply took the bike up a football field and in between a couple of bollards.

There are many laws in Thailand but they are never enforced.

driving license, motorbike helmet, wearing safety belt, having to report to immigration every 90 days etc.

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This statement is wrong.

The cops are stopping everyone entering town here every day, except farangs because the police does not speak english (which I do not speak either if ever they want to stop me).

Anyone not having helmet, lights on or drivers licence gets fined, nothing to do with corruption but orders from above. That decided the gf to get her motorbike driverlicense....at last...

Edited February 24, 200521 yr by jef