How to drive or ride legally for holidaymakers

[mxer90]

Most 'Chicken-chasers' are 110-125cc which often invalidates UK travel insurance/licencing rules which usually has a 50cc ceiling.

Yes a UK Category P licence, which most car licences include, is valid up to 50cc. But presumably 50cc bikes do exist in Thailand?

I believe that if you have a car license and an IDP but no bike license you can drive up to a 100 cc bike in Thailand. Can anyone confirm this? In the UK it is only up to 50cc when you are 16 but 125 when over 16.

Not sure but the problem is most scooters in Thailand are 115, 125 or 135, also newer pcx's are 150 so it maybe still difficult to legally qualify and have valid insurance.

Also the above regards 50cc riding changed last year so the above is not quite correct. It certainly was but not now. You need to do CBT testing and get a cert even if you have a full car licence unless you passed your car test before 1 Feb 2001. Check online but its more involved now.

When I passed my full bike years ago it was just one riding test, now I think its more complex but you' d have to check as it seems to change from time to time.

Edited January 20, 2014 by mxer90

[Eneukman]

In the UK you can get an IDP by downloading and sending the form off with piccie and money. This will cover .. you know the old saying if you do not do it then it will go wrong for abut £5.50 - do it !

why risk ..???

http://www.postoffice.co.uk/international-driving-permit

and all the TV readers without a licence please get one after all it is the law do you have a problem with getting one .. ?..... then you can criticize the Thais systems .. help stop the need for bribery etc .. come on play real .

i got a IDP by walking into my local main post office, filled in the form, showed my licence, paid the 5.50, and photo. Easy. It is valid for one year, I will be getting another in a few weeks as mine expires soon. The website tells you where local place is based on your postcode.

The clerk will check your entitlements on the back and stamp the necessary boxes on the permit, eg, car or motorbike entitlement. So to get bike entitlement you will need to have a full UK bike licence, which I have.

Not all post offices issue IDP's. I obtained one on my last visit to Scotland in June and had to go to Edinburgh to obtain it. Fortunately, that was not an issue for me. I was in and out in a matter of minutes.

I obtained an IDP almost 9 years ago from the RAC. The application form was posted together with copies of my driving licence (old style at that time) with the IDP returned within a few days.

Alan

[Bazw57]

As a few have already stated if you do not have a mororcyle licence for your home country then you cannot leagaly ride one in Thailand.

I would recommend an international driving permit for a car as many (most) travel insurance policies require this or claims will not be valid.

I did quite a bit of reasearch on travel insurance and cover for mororcycle riding and accidents and most policies have clauses around mororcycle use and in some cases some policies competely exclude clams resulting from mororcycle accidents or some restrict or exculde claims for mororctcle over a ceratin engine capacity (usually bikes must be 125cc or smaller)

So beware all you guys who hire those big fast bikes in places like Pattaya and Phuket because you may not be covered for accident or injury even if you do have travel insurance.

Another trap is that many policies state the "hire vehicle" (car or mororcycle) must be rented from the registered vehicle hire business or company and I suspect that all those small scooters you can hire from guest houese and hotels may not fall into that category.

My advice..... READ you travel insurance policy very carefully and as they say....let the buyer beware.

[jackr]

If he's not ridden before, have him rent a mountain bike and use the big songthaews to get to town.