When I arrived in Phuket, I was convinced of one thing: “I will never ride a scooter here!”
On the one hand, this was due to the fact that I had never ridden on a moped or motorcycle in my life, let alone driven one myself. Motorized two-wheeled vehicles had always been foreign to me. It started when I was 16, when my classmates got their moped licenses (and I didn't want to at all), and it didn't change until I arrived in Phuket at the age of 36.

However, there is one major problem with staying in Phuket for a long time: the distances are long, and taxis and tuk-tuks are expensive, especially in the long run. This means that you are tied to the place where you live, as I am to Patong Beach. Anyone who has ever been to Patong Beach knows that this is not a desirable situation.

Riding mopeds and scooters in Thailand – and surviving

My start as a scooter rider

At the end of December, the time had come for me too: I wanted a motor scooter. Simply to have freedom of movement and be able to go anywhere I wanted, whenever I wanted. So I borrowed a Honda Click, just for one day. The Click has 125cc, so it's quite powerful. It's no longer a moped.
Helm auf, raufgesetzt, festgestellt wie das mit dem Bremsen und vor allem auch mit dem Gasgeben läuft (am Handgriff drehen) und mir jemanden organisiert, der mit mir seinem eigenen Motorroller vorgefahren ist, damit ich mich nicht so stark auf andere Verkehrsteilnehmer konzentrieren musste.

Oh by the way, did I mention that Thailand drives on the left?

Well, my first trip to the beach was a rather uncertain and shaky affair. My second trip on a scooter I rented by the day was better. And my third trip was on my “own” Honda Click, which I borrowed for a longer period of time. And from then on, I was totally hooked. Riding a scooter has almost become a hobby for me, and I really enjoy it. I also like to ride pretty fast.

But Thailand's roads are not without their dangers, and many tourists don't want to rent a scooter because it's too dangerous, and with good reason. However, it's not the “wild Thais” who make it dangerous, but rather the clueless tourists. Because even though it looks like pure anarchy reigns on the roads, everything actually runs in a very orderly chaos.

My top tips for riding scooters and mopeds in Thailand

Tip 1: Get an international driver's license

Here in Thailand, you don't need a motorcycle license or a small motorcycle endorsement on your B license to rent a motorized two-wheeler. In most cases, you don't even need a driver's license to rent one, just your passport. BUT: If you get pulled over by the police and only have your national driver's license with you, you may be asked to pay a fine. Therefore, it is best to have an international driver's license valid for one year issued at home before leaving on vacation. In Austria, for example, this can be done at ÖAMTC and ARBÖ. All you need to bring with you is your own driver's license and a current passport photo. When on vacation, you must always present both IDs together.

By the way, having at least a small motorcycle license is worth something. Keyword: insurance! And having practiced riding with a driving instructor is also a good thing.

Tip 2: Don't hand over your passport

Many rental companies ask for your passport as security. Never hand over your passport! Not that it would get lost there, but your passport is your most important document when abroad and has no place in the hands of strangers.

Therefore, bring a colored copy of your passport with you from the outset and offer it to them. If the rental company insists on seeing your original passport, go to the next rental shop—there are plenty of them in Phuket. It's best to check the reviews on Google Maps—that always works well for me.

When borrowing the scooter, don't forget to take detailed photos or videos of it from all sides, especially where there is existing damage.

Tip 3: Learn to drive – and not immediately on the main traffic route

I thought about it, but then I was too unmotivated to do it: adding “small motorcycle” to my regular driver's license, which would have meant two driving lessons and a new driver's license. If you feel the same way and are coming to Thailand without ever having ridden a moped before, then find a very quiet area or road to start with and practice a little. Riding is really not rocket science; after two or three rides, everything will be smooth sailing.

Nevertheless, driving on the left is something to be aware of, as it often poses a challenge. Driving normally is fine, but when you have to react quickly (for example, to swerve out of the way), those of us who are used to driving on the right tend to swerve immediately to the right—and that can quickly lead to dangerous situations.

(An addendum from 2025: I now have a small motorcycle license because I enjoyed riding a scooter in Thailand so much that I bought a scooter in Austria too—and have since sold it again!)

Tip 4: Wear a helmet

It sounds trivial, but it's one of the most important tips of all. Wear a helmet when riding, and if there are two of you on the moped, please both wear helmets!

In principle, helmets are compulsory in Thailand for moped drivers, but not for passengers. So if you are a man and the driver, it won't help you at all if you kindly give your girlfriend the only helmet on the pillion seat during a police check: you will definitely be asked to pay a fine. The police here make really good money from tourists who don't wear helmets.

Incidentally, you will see many Thai people riding without helmets. They are also required to wear helmets, but the police naturally turn a blind eye to them. After all, there are enough tourists who are willing to pay the fines.

Apart from police checks and fines, there is something much more important: your life. And believe me, serious accidents involving mopeds are not the exception but the rule here on Phuket's roads. I have seen a lot of blood on the roads in recent months. Please don't let it be yours! Yes, it's hot here, and yes, riding without a helmet is really comfortable. But is it worth the risk?

So: Get yourself a helmet! You can borrow one free of charge when you hire the moped – and make sure you use it! This applies to all moped riders!

By the way: If you don't want to trust the rental companies' helmets, which are not exactly high quality (and probably rightly so), you can buy your own, better helmet for very little money. This has the advantage that no one has sweated in it before you, and the second advantage is that you are better protected. I bought my full-face helmet for around THB 1,400, so it really wasn't a big investment.

Tip 5: Traffic rules and their variables

In principle, the traffic rules here are pretty much the same as ours, just reversed to the other side of the road.

The most important difference is that here you can turn left at any time even when the traffic light is red, but of course you must give way to vehicles coming from the right.

Speaking of red lights: some locals don't really care about them. Please don't follow their example, but stick to the usual color code, otherwise things can quickly become dangerous here.

Overtaking is generally done on the right here, but this only applies to cars. Mopeds usually overtake cars on the left, but each other on the right – unless the right side is full and there is plenty of space on the left.
As you can see, it's not that simple. 😀

There are numerous speed limits here, but no one sticks to them. It is not uncommon for people to drive at 80+ km/h on a well-maintained road with a 50 km/h limit. So don't worry too much about it. I would say that the recommended speed is what the locals drive at – but in most cases, that is very fast. So take your time (you're on vacation!) and drive at a speed that is comfortable and controllable for you. If this means you are slower than everyone else on the road, please keep to the left.

Weaker road users such as pedestrians do not have right of way here, at least not in real life. Pedestrians always wait until motorized vehicles have passed. I'm not saying that you don't have to brake for pedestrians... if only because the drivers behind you don't expect you to stop for pedestrians and may have to brake sharply.
However, be careful, as not all pedestrians know that they have to give way (especially Chinese pedestrians).

Tip 6: Find a lane – and stay there!

This is actually the most important tip and the reason why tourists in particular make the roads so dangerous, even though they usually drive more cautiously than the locals.

The road is single-lane – but only for cars, which are very wide. From a moped's perspective, a road lane has approximately three possible lanes parallel to each other in the same direction.

And – this is important – choose one and STAY THERE. It's not like at home, where road users stay in line and everyone can use the full width of the road. If you swerve from left to right and right to left, it can quickly become dangerous because other moped riders will want to overtake you.

So if you are driving in the middle lane and want to continue straight ahead, stay in the middle lane! If you want to overtake the car in front of you and have to move to the left side of the road to do so, don't just check your rear-view mirror, but also use the much-vaunted shoulder check.

Please remember that – that is really the most important rule for ‘safe’ moped riding here in Thailand!

Tip 7: Observe and learn

If you pay close attention to how the locals drive while you are on the road yourself, you will quickly see how orderly the apparent chaos on the road actually is. This will help you adapt very quickly. This applies to all aspects of driving, from keeping your lane to overtaking and how you behave towards other road users.

Tip: Even on very well-maintained roads where everyone is speeding along at 70 to 80 km/h, you may suddenly find that the next bend is so tight that you can only just make it through at 30 km/h. So if all the other cars and motorbikes are slowing down before a bend, there is usually a reason for it. Always keep a close eye on the other drivers!

Tip 8: Wrong-way drivers

In other reports about riding mopeds, you will often read that you may encounter drivers travelling in the wrong direction. However, this is not as bad as it sounds. These are usually other (local) moped riders who are driving in the wrong direction in the far left lane. This happens often, especially when riders only need to go a short distance back in the opposite direction (for example, to turn) and don't want to drive into their own lane and then turn right again.

These wrong-way drivers stay on the far left side of the road (i.e. their own right side) and only drive short distances, usually at slow speeds. So don't be alarmed if you see this, just drive past them – they won't endanger you.

By the way, if you happen to accidentally pass by your destination, this is also a very practical option for you. 🙂 But be careful and only do it if there is enough space on the road you are on. I can't tell you whether a police patrol would penalise you for this. If you have your feet on the ground and roll along, probably not (but I can't guarantee anything).

Tip 9: Consider where you park

This tip has nothing to do with your driving, but is purely practical advice on where you can park – and where/when I would advise against it.

Mopeds can be parked almost anywhere. If you see several mopeds parked on the side of the road, simply park yours next to them without wasting too much space.
Caution: If the kerb is painted red/white, this means ‘no parking’, so please do not park there!

When parking in front of shops, please only park in front of those shops or restaurants that you are visiting, otherwise you will be blocking the parking spaces for their customers. However, if there is space available, you can park between shops so that you are not actually parked in front of either one.

I strongly advise against parking near Bangla Road in Patong in the evening. The ‘extended’ Bangla Road, i.e. Soi Sansabai and Beach Road, is very popular with mopeds in Patong Beach. If you arrive early and come back at night and want to drive home, you may first have to laboriously dig your scooter out from three rows of other mopeds parked in front of it. In addition, your moped may have been moved, so it may not be exactly where you parked it. Finally, many people are not exactly gentle with your two-wheeler when they spot a possible parking space. I once left my scooter on Sansabai for one night and the next day I had a few scratches in the paintwork – for which the rental company then kindly asked me to pay. It's not worth it.

Honestly, if you want to go to Bangla Road in the evening, it's better not to even touch your moped, but to leave it completely alone until the next day and until you've sobered up. 😉

Tip 10: Honking as a form of communication

Here in Thailand, honking is an important form of communication – similar to what we are familiar with in Italy.

The horn is used in the following situations:

• Classic honking – you alert another driver that they have just almost caused an accident, or that they should please not act so stupidly.
• One driver knows another driver and says hello.
• ‘Hello, here I am, and I'm driving now’: Are you coming out of a blind side street or a car park? Honk your horn if you are not clearly visible. Pay particular attention to other people who honk their horns and suddenly drive out of a blind spot.
• Honk to draw attention to yourself, for example when you want to overtake and need to alert the driver in front of you.

Tip 11: Flashing the lights is not always customary

You will notice this yourself when driving: because you cannot hear the ‘indicator sound’ on a moped, as you can when driving a car, you constantly forget to turn off the indicator. This is not only the case for you, but also for all other moped drivers, tourists and even some locals. So if someone is constantly indicating left, they have probably forgotten to turn off their indicator. However, that doesn't mean that they don't want to turn left at the next traffic lights. So caution is advised.

At the same time, however, the opposite is true when it comes to changing lanes or similar manoeuvres: locals only use their indicators very rarely.

Finally, hazard warning lights are also very popular. They can mean the following:

• I have to brake sharply.
• I'll let you (pedestrian) cross the road or you (moped rider) drive out of the intersection.
• I certainly won't let you (pedestrian) cross the road, and I definitely won't let you (moped rider) cross either.

All clear, right? 😀

So, I've now gathered all the tips I want to give you as a new driver in Thailand. As a general rule, just be careful and don't throw all the usual traffic rules out the window just because you're on holiday. Drive safely and always pay attention to everything going on around you, and you'll have many great trips in Thailand. 🙂