motorcycle licence

[tony279760]

Hi guys. I was about to rent a motorcycle but was told I shouldn't do so as there are regular police checks to see if farangs have an international drivers licence, which I don't. Is it true about the checks? I was going to rent the bike anyway, but thought it might be worth getting some information from any of you who ride a bike in Pattaya.

[gerefan2]

I rent a bike every time I am in Pattaya. I have a UK bike licence and an International Driving Permit also for motor bikes. I have probably been stopped about 4 times in the last two years and show the licences and drive on.
If you don’t have a licence then you are usually fined a small amount (about 400 baht) and nothing more is said.
The only inconvenience is that you have to go to the Police Station on Soi 9 (I think) to pay it. In the mean time they keep the bike until you return with the receipt.
Yes there are a lot of police check points but they are usually always in the same place. The favourites are the junction of Pattaya Tai and Second Road (where the Song Tows queue up near Boyztown) and at the top of the hill on the main road to Jomtien.
They used to often stop you near Tukcom but I haven’t seen them there for a year or two.
Maybe Arsenal will be along soon as I believe he also rides a bike and is often fined!

[Nirish guy]

Having been the recipient of many a fine as outlined above and I can confirm that if stopped then yes it is much easier and you are expected to wave an international drivers permit / licence at them and then you are simply waved on - BUT - I should add a few caveats to that :

1) An international drivers licence / permit is just simple admin and is just basically someone in the post office here confirming that you do have a valid licence in this country, nothing more than that. There's no test to take or any thing like that.

So, if you're in the Uk ( or I guess any Country ?) you simply go to your main post office and I think for around £8? they can provide you a permit instantly over the counter while you wait. You just need to bring two passport photos and your UK licence fill out the form they'll give you when there. Depending on how easy going the post office staff member is thats serving you there is from memory a section where it's meant to be stamped by the police or something ( maybe in the Country your intending to drive or something, sorry I cant remember what it said on the form just now) BUT in all my years I've never yet ACTUALLY had had that carried out and the staff member ( who usually couldn't care less anyway) just stamps all the required boxes for me.

2) BUT more important / the most important point for when it REALLY matters (i.e if you've had a accident etc) IF in the UK you do NOT hold a full MOTORBIKE licence then your international drivers permit does NOT cover you to driver a motorbike when overseas anyway !!! So if you have a serious accident and that fact is checked it could end up having serious repercussions for you insurance wise etc - so if you do do the quick and handy post office get a permit thing just be aware that you still actually aren't licensed to drive a bike if you dont hold a UK bike licence here in the first place away !!

That being said IF all you care about is being quickly waved through the average Thai police check point then the international licence will be fine. I've also gone through a few times on just my usual UK car drivers licence and whilst the police did start to flap a bit about "ahhh your licence not show bike code" I put up enough of a "oh nonsense of COURSE that licence covers me" that he gave up his quest for his "fine" and just let me go with a dirty look and nothing more said as I think he just couldn't be arsed arguing the point ( which he would have won ultimately).

My own annoyance is that usually even after me going to the trouble of getting my permit in tadvance of my trip and carrying it to Thailand, I STILL end up forgetting to put it inside my bike seat and so when I get stopped I end up having to do the whole "yes officer I DO HAVE a licence BUT it's in my hotel room" and you can just imagine how far I get with THAT line in Thailand ! That then usually resorts in me either having to "ask for help" OR if the police man is a particularly nasty piece of work I just say "no, fuck ya, just write me the ticket mate !" and then have to go to Soi 9 to pay it. But as Gerefan has pointed out by the time you go on the motorbike taxi ( which funnily enough is sitting right there parked up and waiting to take you) then you pay the driver for his TWO JOURNEYS that he charges you for and then fine, if can be an expensive and inconvenient "fuck you" - but as I'm on holiday and doing nothing else usually then just sometimes it IS worth it just to ensure the fucker that pulled you over in the first place doesn't get what he stopped you for going into his own pocket.

Also dont forget that if you get your ticket then that's you covered for 24 hours as you cant get a ticket again in that 24 hours for the same offence and if stopped again just wave the existing ticket at them and you're on your way.

Accordingly much easier of course just to go to the post office before you go and pay the few quid for your permit, which is as I said purely nothing more than basic administration process anyway. Have two say that for me it's usually little odds as even on the rare occasion that I DO have my licence in my bike I've then usually inevitably forgotten to put my helmet on and end up getting pulled and fined for that anyway ! lol

[gerefan2]

As the IDP is only valid for one year I have to go to the nearest issuing Post Office to get one. This used to involve a 30 mile return journey and all that Nirish has described.

HOWEVER when checking last month I discovered that ALL post offices near me now issue them,so my 30 mile drive is reduced to 5!

In addition there is now no form to fill in. Just hand the guy your UK licence, a pic and £5.50 and it’s all done in less than 5 minutes.
I was gob smacked!

I have since read that the AA and the RAC no longer issue them, so maybe that’s why all my local POs do.

So nowadays there’s really no excuse for not getting one and it certainly avoids a lot of aggro in Pattaya.

[dab69]

https://www.tripsavvy.com/international-drivers-permit-468481 (USA

)https://www.mynrma.com.au/holidays/travel-insurance-and-permits/international-driving-permits. (australia)

[Nirish guy]

I discovered that ALL post offices near me now issue them,so my 30 mile drive is reduced to 5!.

HA ! You and me both as after years traipsing the 50 mile round trip to Belfast and having to "hope" that the staff at the desk played ball with the forms I finally discovered just last year that my local post office 5 minutes from my office, with my local post mistress who'll stamp anything I hand her in a heartbeat also can issue the bloody things ! I'm guessing / hoping that this is actually a recent change and that my previously long trips went me just being bloody thick ! :)

[frequent]

I rent a bike every time I am in Pattaya. I have a UK bike licence and an International Driving Permit also for motor bikes. I have probably been stopped about 4 times in the last two years and show the licences and drive on.
If you don’t have a licence then you are usually fined a small amount (about 400 baht) and nothing more is said.
The only inconvenience is that you have to go to the Police Station on Soi 9 (I think) to pay it. In the mean time they keep the bike until you return with the receipt.
Yes there are a lot of police check points but they are usually always in the same place. The favourites are the junction of Pattaya Tai and Second Road (where the Song Tows queue up near Boyztown) and at the top of the hill on the main road to Jomtien.
They used to often stop you near Tukcom but I haven’t seen them there for a year or two.
Maybe Arsenal will be along soon as I believe he also rides a bike and is often fined!I do look forward to your fascinating trip reports

[dab69]

you all must rent a bike with insurance.
I would be worried about getting an imaginary scratch or getting bike stolen.

[gerefan2]

you all must rent a bike with insurance.
.

I have never been offered, told to get, or voluntarily bought any insurance. No police man has ever asked to see it . I doubt any Thais have bike insurance. I have no idea how you would go about it anyway.

You have to leave 1000 baht deposit against damage, which in my case has always been refunded. Quite what would happen if you did more than1000 bahts worth of damage I have no idea!

TiT

[gerefan2]

I do look forward to your fascinating trip reports

You want a report about every “bike” I have ridden inThailand? Pervert.

[bkkguy]

You want a report about every “bike” I have ridden inThailand? Pervert.

the joke about Boris Johnson was he was always wanting to park his bike in too many different girls' bike racks, so in your case it is a bit of a toss up (toss off?) - should we be more interested in knowing the bikes you have ridden or who parked whose bike in whose rack? :))

[Manforallseasons]

I have never been offered, told to get, or voluntarily bought any insurance. No police man has ever asked to see it . I doubt any Thais have bike insurance. I have no idea how you would go about it anyway.

You have to leave 1000 baht deposit against damage, which in my case has always been refunded. Quite what would happen if you did more than1000 bahts worth of damage I have no idea!

TiT

More important than the bike is the possible damage you could cause a person and being you are a foreigner you will be expected to pay BIG!

[tony279760]

After two days of being driven around by the maniacs that are motorcy taxi riders I decided to take a chance and rent a bike again. The first shop I went to wouldn't do business with me because I didn't have an international drivers license, but thankfully the second shop wasn't so fussy. I have a European bike license, but not the international one. My own fault for not doing enough research before I got here.
The shop initially wanted 150 baht a day to rent the bike, but we agreed on 100 baht a day for 20 days and off I went.
I know I'm taking a chance because my travel insurance won't cover me for riding a bike, but I feel a lot safer being in control of the bike myself rather than some of the taxi riders I've come across. And I'm not insured as a passenger on a bike, I checked this with my insurance company.
I ride the bike in a sensible manner, slowly and defensively, and if I have to pay a fine or two, so be it. I think it's worth it for the freedom and fun your own bike can bring.
I will post a detailed report of my holiday in due course, but suffice it to say I'm pretty disappointed with the bars so far, but very happy with the apps.

[frequent]

I ride the bike in a sensible manner, slowly and defensively .....Just like everyone else on the road in Thailand

[gerefan2]

Just like everyone else on the road in Thailand

Not so, if you drive as you would in the UK you won’t come to much harm. You will have eliminated most of the danger.

It’s only when you drive “Thai Style” that problems will arise.

I’m sure you will be OK Tony, just don’t be vexed by any of the other maniacs on the road (or on here!)

[Smiles]

Frankly I think you are out of your mind wanting to rent a motorbike in Thailand: to wit ...


The 10 most dangerous places to drive

Eritrea - 48.4 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants.
Dominican Republic - 41.7.
Libya - 40.5.
Thailand - 38.1.
Venezuela - 37.2.
Nigeria - 33.7.
South Africa - 31.9.
Iraq - 31.5.
(Also this: https://www.torque.com.sg/news/thailand-dangerous-country-motorcyclists/ )

Thais-on-bikes are lethal, crazy, massively dangerous, full of a philosophy which tells them "it'll never happen to me", nut cases etc etc etc.
Don't do it.

[Nirish guy]

Of course you're right Smiles, but I tend to factor in the risk versus the reward and I know on the roads around pattaya I travel I rarely get over 15/20mph, I am ( usually) in total control of the bike and the traffic os usually fairly sensible around me ( as they too can only do 15/20mph) and I now ( thanks to the bloody breathalyser check points everywhere) only tend to ride my bike during the day when pottering about. The only other bigger ride might be when going towards Jomtien and again that is a reasonably clear road on which if I choose to drive carefully I am in reasonable control of what's going on.

Saying that......I did have one situation where when sitting at traffic lights minding my own business ( with a ladyboy on the back....dont ask :) as young (drunk or high) Thai guy who hadn't seen me ( or any of the other many bikes and cars also sitting there!) suddenly hit the brakes, the bike fell over and he slid right past me, with his leg just gently graving my exhaust as he passed. The lights changed and we all drove across the crossing and I stopped to look back to make sure he was ok and the ladyboy almost punched me in the ribs and said "you drive on NOW" and sure enough in the time it took me to turn around even I could hear the guy and a few bystanders starting with the ' ohhhh farang, he cause accident" ( I SO didn't) .......so taking my friends advice I departed the scene ( slowly) and am sure that had I stayed about to check on the guy I would all of a sudden been facing a bill for his medical care or worse - and all as we all seem to have accepted now without any actual REAL insurance cover.

So yes when the likes of that happens ( or worse) they anyone who says "you're mad" IS 100% correct, but again I still tend to balance that with my thoughts of the perceived daily daytime driving 15mph risk too. Actually on my last trip I totally left the bike parked up and if nothing else I can home a bit fitter from all the walking and it didn't really impinge on my holiday BUT the bike does still give you that little bit more instant freedom I guess. As I said just a case of "risk versus reward" I guess.

[Jellybean]

. . . I know on the roads around pattaya I travel I rarely get over 15/20mph . . .

The thought of Nirish-guy buzzing around on his bike in Pattaya at the not so eye watering, but eminently sensible, speed of 15-20mph brought to mind a scene from the 1968 Robert Aldrich film, The Killing of Sister George:


Mrs Croft (Coral Browne): How wonderfully cheerful you look buzzing around on your bike.

June "George" Buckridge (Beryl Reid): Well, you’d look cheerful too with fifty cubic centimetres throbbing away between your legs – ahahaha!


https://youtu.be/P0Nze1n0IQQ

[arsenal]

https://news.sky.com/story/dashcam-footage-captures-motorcyclist-catapulted-through-air-after-horror-collision-11905785

[goji]

Walking is so easy. When it's too far to walk, they have baht buses.

[a447]

https://news.sky.com/story/dashcam-footage-captures-motorcyclist-catapulted-through-air-after-horror-collision-11905785

I was interested to read that the motorcyclist was wearing a suit fitted with an airbag. I never knew such clothing existed.

I do remember a number of years ago seeing an advertisement on the Bullet Train in Japan for Honda motorcycles fitted with airbags.

[francois]

https://news.sky.com/story/dashcam-footage-captures-motorcyclist-catapulted-through-air-after-horror-collision-11905785

So as someone posted:

"Not so, if you drive as you would in the UK you won’t come to much harm. You will have eliminated most of the danger."

Not really!

[arsenal]

I was just illustrating that accidents can happen anywhere. As Nirish wrote it's risk verses reward.

The risks are not particularly high and the rewards are...off the scale.

[goji]

The risks are not particularly high and the rewards are...off the scale.

I'm not understanding this. With access to baht buses and walking, what are the off the scale rewards of upgrading to a hired motorcycle ?

I can't envisage a group of hot nymphomaniac lads throwing themselves at me just because I have wheels.

[gerefan2]

I'm not understanding this. With access to baht buses and walking, what are the off the scale rewards of upgrading to a hired motorcycle ?

I.

Get a bike. Go out into the country. See places where baht buses, or any buses, don’t go.
Visit rural Thailand, its only a few kilometres outside Pattaya.
Find places en route to eat, or drink, again where baht buses don’t go.
Visit some of the deserted beaches north of Pattaya, enjoy the solitude, compared to Dongtan!
There’s more to Pattaya than Sunee and Boyztown!

[arsenal]

Goji. Try this. You'll see what I mean.

https://sawatdeenetwork.com/v4/showthread.php?21057-Easy-Rider

[Nirish guy]

Get a bike. Go out into the country. See places where baht buses, or any buses, don’t go.
Visit rural Thailand, its only a few kilometres outside Pattaya.!

You're absolutely right GF and you've reminded me that I'll have to make a point of getting out of my pit and going and doing that more often. in Patts it's WAY to easy to fall into a nocturnal life getting up late more ( like at 3pm lol) and then starting your day, but in the past I have shaken myself and did exactly the trips you described, just heading off out of town, finding random places and beaches and piers etc that I didn't even know existed and all of a sudden it was like being on a whole new holiday and totally broke up the "same same" of a pattaya trip. And even if not venturing that far even just to be able to see different shops and stores on your travels broke up the day too. Walking was fine on my last trip, but only as I stayed in my usual half a mile square area of boystown etc unless going to Jomtien, a bike opens up a whole list of new alternatives - not to mention widening out and increasing the area available for you to find and talk to fresh meat - sorry cute boys in :)

[goji]

Get a bike. Go out into the country. See places where baht buses, or any buses, don’t go.
Visit rural Thailand, its only a few kilometres outside Pattaya.
Find places en route to eat, or drink, again where baht buses don’t go.
Visit some of the deserted beaches north of Pattaya, enjoy the solitude, compared to Dongtan!
There’s more to Pattaya than Sunee and Boyztown!

I see. To be honest I do get outside Pattaya, but a tad further away. For example, I visited Khmer temples in Isaan at Phimai and Phanom Rung (Phanom Rung
หมู่ ที่ 2 บ้าน ดอน หนอง แหน, Ta Pek, Chaloem Phra Kiat District, Buri Ram, Thailand
https://maps.app.goo.gl/9bs2YpkQQpt5SXPs7)

I've used train, bus and motorcycle taxi. I see moderate benefits from getting a motorcycle license and hiring one.

Also, I'm writing this over a beer on the roof of my hotel in a small SE Asian town. Seeing the sights in the surrounding countryside would be vastly simplified with access to a scooter.
A few years ago, I had 3 very good days seeing Bagan temples on a electric scooter. However, there was obviously almost no traffic there, so any idiot could avoid accidents.
Most places have slightly more risk.

[assbandit]

I have never been offered, told to get, or voluntarily bought any insurance. No police man has ever asked to see it . I doubt any Thais have bike insurance. I have no idea how you would go about it anyway.
You have to leave 1000 baht deposit against damage, which in my case has always been refunded. Quite what would happen if you did more than1000 bahts worth of damage I have no idea!
TiT

I am new to this forum and I hate being critical but, well, sometimes you have to be.
gerefan2, your ignorance is understandable but your recklessness is breathtaking. No one gives a toss whether you've been advised about getting insurance - nor will they when you've hit someone and you are in the firing line for a fortune.


More important than the bike is the possible damage you could cause a person and being you are a foreigner you will be expected to pay BIG!
yeah, someone gets it, there IS a God!


After two days of being driven around by the maniacs that are motorcy taxi riders I decided to take a chance and rent a bike again. The first shop I went to wouldn't do business with me because I didn't have an international drivers license, but thankfully the second shop wasn't so fussy. I have a European bike license, but not the international one. My own fault for not doing enough research before I got here.
The shop initially wanted 150 baht a day to rent the bike, but we agreed on 100 baht a day for 20 days and off I went.
I know I'm taking a chance because my travel insurance won't cover me for riding a bike, but I feel a lot safer being in control of the bike myself rather than some of the taxi riders I've come across. And I'm not insured as a passenger on a bike, I checked this with my insurance company.
I ride the bike in a sensible manner, slowly and defensively, and if I have to pay a fine or two, so be it. I think it's worth it for the freedom and fun your own bike can bring.
I will post a detailed report of my holiday in due course, but suffice it to say I'm pretty disappointed with the bars so far, but very happy with the apps.

sorry but this is madness.
This isn’t a Western country with an ethical police force. You hit a Thai, through no fault of your own, and if they can possibly help the Thai get away with it (i.e. no CCTV footage or eye witnesses) it WILL be your fault. I lived in Isaan for several years (riding a motorbike with an annual insurance policy) and some horror stories did the rounds. One was about a farang who was minding his own business riding his 125cc down the road one day when a truck in front of him suddenly decided to do a U-turn. The farang ploughed into the side of the truck and sustained horrific injuries. I don’t know what insurance implications there were but he was even more horrified to discover that the local police had found him culpable. How can that be, he asked, incredulously. "If you hadn’t come to Thailand the accident would never have happened, was the reply. Sounds far-fetched I know but what is not in doubt is that if there is a Thai v foreigner situation they will deem the foreigner responsible if they can, as someone else here already stated, quite correctly

The crazy thing is that there IS an easy solution. There are a few companies who offer insurance by the day for rental bikes – easy peasy. Go online, fill out a very short form and pay 150 per day (200 or 250 if you want your passenger covered). They’ll then want you to send them a photo of the bike you’ve hired with the number plate showing – and you’re good to go. The whole thing will take you maybe 10 minutes.
To Tony the OP: If you have some days to go with your bike – and I think you do - I can’t recommend strongly enough that you go to one of these places and pay for the rest of your hire time. I no longer have my own bike but I use these people all the time when renting and they’re reputable.
https://misterprakan.com/en/rentalm/motorbike-insurance
If I’ve offended anyone through my blunt language… I’m not sorry. If this little rant gets even one uninsured person to fork out a small amount extra to be covered, it will have been worth it.
It’s strange how all the talk on this thread has been about being able to produce a licence – who cares! Without being in an accident the worst that’ll happen is you lose a few hundred baht and 2 hours of your time getting the bike back (when it happened to me I had to first visit the cop shop, then go out of town to retrieve it from the “confiscation yard”.
Compare that with a distraught Thai family and their friends calling for your head cos you just hit poor old mum as she wandered into the road. Doesn’t bear thinking about.
Good luck!

[Nirish guy]

Whilst your points raised Assbandit are 100% valid I'm guessing though that without a valid bike licence in the first place ( which was where this thread was kicking off from ) then no insurance, bought or otherwise, will in fact cover you and THAT is the point - should we ever drive without a valid licence - as without everything else is a bit of a moot point perhaps in the long run anyway surely. And I am not by the way suggesting anyone should as I do agree with your view Assbandit, but (stupidly) for the reasons I've already mentioned I have to be honest and say that both in Thailand and in other Countries I still may within reason still do it at times perhaps - if I feel the short term reward out weighs the long term risk - as THAT is life and the decisions we make in it on a regular basis usually about how to live it - but I do agree with everything you said.

[francois]

Would anyone drive a motorcycle without insurance in their home country? Then why do it in Thailand where the risks are far greater? Assbandit it correct and the voice of reason.

[latintopxxx]

Lord God Almighty deliver me from mind killing totally boring posts

[goji]

Whilst your points raised Assbandit are 100% valid I'm guessing though that without a valid bike licence in the first place ( which was where this thread was kicking off from ) then no insurance, bought or otherwise, will in fact cover you
Exactly. And acquiring a valid license in (for example) the UK is quite difficult.

[assbandit]

Hi Nirish, I don't want to drag this out but may I respectfully say that to focus on the licence and not the insurance is very much the point (or should be)
you're absolutely right and without a valid licence you won't be covered anyway
but making sure you have a licence and still not bothering to take out insurance is a bit like venturing out into a storm and wearing a hat so as not to get your head wet. Without the proper clothes you'll die of pneumonia anyway!

[goji]

Inverting the discussion.

Is there anyone here who did not hold a motorcycle license at home, who then decided to get one purely for motorcycle hire when on holiday?

[christianpfc]

I once read somewhere [citation needed] that in Thailand, he who has the better is insurance is guilty in a traffic accident.

I once had a kind of traffic accident. I was walking in a place without sidewalk and a car touched me from behind (you could argue that I should have walked on the other side, so I can see cars approaching me). The side mirror broke (mot the glass; I mean the plastic case), and I later found light bruises on my hip. But right after the accident, after some "ooh" and "aah" from driver and bystanders, I found that I sustained no injuries and said "no problem" and left, before they could accuse me of jumping onto their mirror.

A lot of boys I know have old scars or fresh wounds on their legs, mostly from mocy accidents. I rarely ride as a mocy passenger in Thailand, but when I do, my legs are the outmost and my head is the upmost point (and will be the first to hit somewhere).


Get a bike. Go out into the country. See places where baht buses, or any buses, don’t go.
Visit rural Thailand, its only a few kilometres outside Pattaya.
Find places en route to eat, or drink, again where baht buses don’t go.
Visit some of the deserted beaches north of Pattaya, enjoy the solitude, compared to Dongtan!
There’s more to Pattaya than Sunee and Boyztown!

You can do all that with a car. I'm a cheapstake so I the idea of renting a motorbike (or first have some instruction to drive it as I never did, and get an appropriate driving license) appeals to me, however there several severe drawbacks:
safety as pointed out above (the above was just about scratches and bruises, but can be extended to severe accidents),
sun and heat (I would have to cover my skin completely to avoid sunburn),
navigation (I need my phone to navigate with google maps as I don't drive around aimlessly, but want to get to some place).

For those reasons, I happily rent a car with driver (most recent case 8 hours, 160 km, in Sakaw province for 1700 THB) to get me to where I want to go.

The only downside is parking. That can be an issue in town, but the places I want to go are out of town and I never had a problem with parking.

[Nirish guy]

Hi Nirish, I don't want to drag this out but may I respectfully say that to focus on the licence and not the insurance is very much the point!

Not sure you've understood the thread fully assbandit, I agree with you insurance if available is simply the way to go, BUT its not a case of if one should or shouldn't get a licence but more the fact that many (including myself until it was pointed out to me on here) believed our UK licences covered us when in fact they dont and to get a bike licence is now a separate long and expensive process - so to go buy insurance WITHOUT any licence is actually a total waste of time also. So the general discussion actually should be "are you all MAD renting and driving motorbikes in Thailand without either licence or insurance!?" - and the answer to that I think we all agree actually is "yes, most probably" - but then folk weight up the risk V reward as discussed earlier and make their own calls on that, none of which change the initial fact that we're all agreed that yes, it is probably very foolish - but I guess in life sometimes people do foolish things, and this it seems may be one of them.....

[assbandit]

Ok Nirish, I know this thread started out about licences but at least one person implied he was riding without insurance cos he hadn't thought of it and I thought it useful to let people know there's a very easy way to get daily motorbike insurance here

to latintopxxx: Lord God Almighty deliver me from idiots who aren't interested in threads but feel compelled to comment on them anyway. Thanks Lord.

[Nirish guy]

I thought it useful to let people know there's a very easy way to get daily motorbike insurance here.

You're absolutely right, it was I'm sure useful to many of us who weren't aware of that - myself included, so a useful post indeed.

[sglad]

Inverting the discussion.

Is there anyone here who did not hold a motorcycle license at home, who then decided to get one purely for motorcycle hire when on holiday?

Some of my uni mates during my year in Chiang Mai had never even ridden a motorbike at home yet chose to rent one in Thailand. I don't think they had motorbike licences. They kept telling me to dump my bicycle and get a "real" bike instead. I said no thanks and always wore a helmet when riding my bicycle. I didn't ride it at night though and relied on lifts from friends, grab/uber and sawng taews.