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Staying safe on the road

Riding in Thailand is the best way to see it. These are the things worth knowing before you set off.

Before you ride

  • Carry the right licence. A motorcycle licence from your home country plus an International Driving Permit endorsed for motorcycles. A car licence does not cover you on a bike, and riding without the right licence can void your own travel or medical insurance, and any claim against protection bought through BikeBee.
  • Wear a helmet — always. It is the law here for rider and passenger, it is enforced, and head injury is the single biggest risk on a scooter.
  • Check the bike. Brakes, tyres, lights, horn, mirrors, and the fuel level. Photograph existing damage and file a damage report from your booking before you ride away.
  • Match the bike to your experience. If you have never ridden, a 110–125cc automatic scooter on quiet roads is the place to start — not a 300cc bike in Bangkok traffic.

On the road

  • Traffic drives on the left.
  • Assume you have not been seen. Larger vehicles frequently pull out across scooters.
  • Never ride after drinking. It is illegal, and it voids every form of cover you have.
  • Take extra care in the rain — the first minutes of a downpour lift oil off the road surface and it becomes genuinely slippery.
  • Avoid riding at night on unlit rural roads, where potholes, animals, and unlit vehicles are common.
  • Mountain routes such as those around Chiang Mai and Pai have tight switchbacks and steep descents. Use engine braking and take them slowly.

Protect yourself against disputes

  • Photograph the bike from every angle at pickup and at return.
  • Keep all communication with the shop in BikeBee chat, so there is a record we can refer to.
  • Never hand over your passport as a deposit. Offer a photocopy or a cash deposit instead — you may need the original, and recovering it during a disagreement is difficult.
  • Park in lit, busy places and use the steering lock. Theft is the most common claim.

If something happens

  1. Get yourself safe first, and seek medical help if anyone is hurt.
  2. Emergency numbers in Thailand: 191 for police, 1669 for an ambulance, 1155 for the Tourist Police.
  3. Photograph the scene and the damage before anything is moved.
  4. Tell the shop through BikeBee chat as soon as you reasonably can, and file a damage report from your booking.
  5. Contact us via help and support if you need us to step in.

See also insurance and protection and trust and safety.