Hi

I am new here and wish to ask question before I am confronted by Our Thai Police. I have a Chopper Style Bicycle. It has Pedals as normal Bicycle and 6 speed gearing. It also has a 50cc 2-cycle petrol engine. That also uses the 6 speed gearing. It uses a motorcycle front fork and Bicycle Disc Brakes front and rear. It has Full Lighting, Headlight- H/L beams, Tail light, Brake light, turn signal lighting - F&R, Electric Horn, Uses either Mag or Dynamo to recharge 6V Battery thru rectifier, Honda Boss Tank, Dual Mirrors and of course Helmet. Its name is "Thai OneOn.." (referring to Helmet's) We have complied to incorporate items needed for roar use in America. Now I need to see what is required in Thailand. Basicly it is still a Bicycle, it can be pedaled anywhere. and can be seen in motion or at a stand still, day or night. Cruising speedis around 45 -55 KPH, and can be adjusted by altering the gearing. Do I need Vehicle Licenses? Drivers License? Insurance? Vehicle Tax? Can anyone help me with these answers?

David, Chiang Mai

All two-wheel vehicles, with a supporting engine need to be registered/tested by the Department of Land Transport.

Bicycles with supporting engine are called mopeds, and mopeds do need to be registered. And the need to be registered bring the need for road safety testing and exhaust emission testing.

Official, you not need to have a drivers license if you are riding a automatic transmission two-wheel vehicle (scooter) with less than 110cc (or was it 115cc). But somebody probably mixed up this rule, because in a later addition to the Traffic-Rules states that everybody older than 18 years sold have a drivers license to operate a motor vehicle.

So basically you can ride a 50cc without a drivers license until you turn 18.... bit weird rules but nobody seems to complain...

I was once told by a manufacturer of electric-motorcycles that they love to do business in Thailand, but the Thai market was just not ready...

Traffic laws are a bit different in Thailand, the Thai road traffic act only describes motor-vehicles with the size of there combustion engine. Therefore, a electric-powered motorcycle, with a electric-motor able to produce 70kW (similar to 95 hp) and speeds up to 200km/h, is according to the Thai rules not considered a motor-vehicle, no registration required. Motorcycle powered by an electro-motor, which can reach highway speeds are not allowed on the Thai road, the Thai Road Traffic Act specifies that every vehicle capable of reaching highway speeds should have insurance... Problem, electric-motorcycle cannot be registered, therefore no license plates... no license plates no insurance possible.. not allowed on the road.

For bicycles, who also are equipped with a electro-motor, which still have the capability to pedal...are just considered bicycles. They not fit in any other category...

The whole Thai Road Traffic Act is up for renewal, but with the government being changed several times in the past, and governments in power who have hotter items to attend to, the changing of the Thai Road Traffic Act is delayed...