How to choose and check a bike in Phuket: safety, deposit, traffic rules

How to choose a bike in Phuket

Start with four questions: which licence category you hold, how long ago you rode a manual, how many of you there are and how far you go. Law and your experience rule out some options, and then you choose by task.

• Licence. A scooter of any size in Thailand needs category A, and category B does not cover a bike. Details in which licence a scooter needs
• Experience. An automatic forgives more than a manual. If you rode a manual long ago or only briefly, start with a scooter
• Passenger. The catalogue bikes are built for a rider and one passenger. Three people or children call for a car
• Route. A scooter is enough in town and between beaches. For longer trips people take bigger scooters or manual motorcycles
• Term. From 3 days, and for a month the price is usually better than 30 days at the daily rate

For a shorter route, the five-question finder takes your licence, term, budget and passengers into account.

How a scooter differs from a big bike

Speed limits depend on engine size. A motorcycle up to 400 cc is limited to 60 km/h in town, 70 outside and 80 on a divided road, and a motorcycle of 400 cc and up or 35 kW and up to 80, 90 and 100 km/h (ministerial regulation 2021, the full table is in Thailand traffic rules). A sign with a lower limit overrides the general rule.

Safety: what to do before your first ride

• Get a helmet that fits: the partner listings do not mention one, so we confirm availability and price on request
• Make your first rides outside rush hour and without a passenger, to get used to left-hand traffic and the weight of the bike
• Closed shoes and long sleeves reduce injuries in a fall
• Do not drink before riding: the alcohol limit is 0.5 g/l, and 0.2 g/l for drivers without a licence or with the wrong category, and drunk driving carries up to 1 year in prison and (or) a fine of 5,000-20,000 baht
• Carry your licence, IDP and passport or a copy of it

What to check at handover

Film the bike when you receive it and when you return it, so disputed scratches are visible straight away. The checklist:

• Video and photos from every side: plastics, mirrors, levers, tyres and wheels
• Brakes: both levers or the pedal work without sinking
• Lights, indicators, horn, brake light
• Tread and tyre pressure
• Fuel level: the partner hands vehicles over with a full tank, record it on video
• Bike papers: the law requires a driver to carry a licence and a copy of the vehicle registration book, and for a rental bike it is usually with the owner or in the storage box
• Whom to call in a breakdown: per the partner terms, a technical fault that is not your fault is covered by a replacement with a similar bike
• A receipt for the deposit: amount, currency, return date

Deposit and insurance

Deposit. The partner takes a refundable deposit, its size depends on the model and is shown in the catalogue. Several currencies are accepted. The partner may ask for your passport as security: for motorcycles of 400 cc and up and for some smaller models, such as the MT-15 and ZX-25R. We advise agreeing on a cash deposit: you need your passport yourself, and the guide to car rental in Phuket says the same.

Contract. You sign the rental contract with the partner, not with Thaipedia. We take your request and pass it to the partner. Before paying, ask for a written contract with the repair price list, deposit terms and insurance terms.

Bike insurance. Per the partner terms, bikes are not insured against theft and accidents: the renter is responsible for the vehicle. Damage, a puncture and a flat battery caused by the renter or third parties are paid for or repaired by the renter, and a partner employee names the repair cost. Open your travel policy and check the exclusions: it may not pay if you rode without category A or without a helmet.

Car insurance. Every car in Thailand has compulsory insurance: it pays for harm to people (treatment up to 80,000 baht per person if another driver is at fault, with the first 30,000 baht paid regardless of fault), not for car repairs. For voluntary insurance see the guide to car rental.

Traffic rules on a bike: helmet, lanes, fines

All figures below are from the texts of the laws as of 17 October 2026, with more in Thailand traffic rules.

• Helmet. Section 122 requires a helmet for the rider and the passenger, and a rider may not carry a passenger without a helmet. The fine is up to 2,000 baht (section 148)
• Lanes. Traffic keeps left (section 33). On a multi-lane road the law tells you to use the far-left lane (section 34), and motorcycles usually ride on the left along the kerb. Check the left mirror before turning left: bikes overtake cars on the left
• Turns and U-turns. A right turn is the equivalent of a left turn across traffic at home: let oncoming vehicles pass. A U-turn is banned on a bridge and where a sign says so
• Roundabouts. Go clockwise and give way to those already on the roundabout
• Phone. Holding a phone in your hand is banned (section 43), while a headset or a dashboard holder is allowed. A fine of up to 4,000 baht (section 157), per a Krisdika opinion and reports of fines from 1 April 2026; we did not open the Royal Gazette text
• Licence. Riding without a licence carries a fine of up to 1,000 baht, up to 1 month in prison, or both (Motor Vehicle Act, section 64; per summaries, we did not open the text of section 64), and not carrying your licence a fine of up to 1,000 baht (section 66)
• Fines on the spot. A ticket is paid through official channels or at a police station, so ask for the ticket and a receipt. If something goes wrong, call the tourist police on 1155

Found an error or outdated fact? Tell the editors, we will fix it and update the check date.