Thailand quadruples fine for not wearing helmets

By Minh Nga June 1, 2025 | 07:21 pm PT

Motorbike riders are seen on a street in Bangkok, Thailand, April 21, 2023. Photo by Reuters

Thailand has increased the fine for riding motorcycles without helmets to 2,000 baht (US$60), as part of a nationwide campaign to improve road safety.

Starting June 1, motorcycle riders and passengers who fail to wear helmets will be fined 2,000 baht, four times the previous penalty of 500 baht, according to Bangkok Post.

The move is part of a road safety campaign launched by the Royal Thai Police (RTP), focusing on high-traffic areas, accident-prone zones, and locations near schools to boost law compliance and reduce fatalities.

Pol Lt Gen Nithithorn Chintakanon, Commander of the Traffic Police Bureau and Head of the RTP's Traffic Police Image Enhancement Taskforce, told The Nation that the fine could double if both the rider and passenger are found without helmets.

He emphasized that under the Land Traffic Act, wearing helmets is mandatory for both riders and passengers to reduce the risk of injury.

Thailand currently has 21.6 million registered motorcycles, according to World Population Review. As of May 2025, the country's population exceeds 71.6 million, based on Worldometer’s elaboration of the latest United Nations data.