Traffic fines in Thailand and how to pay them

Many tourists and travelers in Thailand prefer complete freedom of movement, so they rent a motorbike or car (you can read all about the ins and outs of renting in our articles «Renting a motorbike in Thailand» and «Renting a car in Thailand»). Driving yourself in a foreign country can inevitably lead to encounters with police on the road over traffic violations. To be ready for such interactions, it's a good idea to know the fine amounts for the most common traffic violations in Thailand.

Table of fines in Thailand

We've put together this fine table by gathering information from various reliable sources as of 2026. But they can change over time, as penalties for drivers in Thailand are steadily increasing. Still, this will give you at least a rough idea of their size.

Keep in mind that Thailand cracks down hard on drunk drivers and sets up roadblocks, not sparing tourists either. The legal blood alcohol content if you're under 24 is 0%, from age 24 it's 0.05% (which corresponds to our 0.5 promille). You can get that dose from one shot of alcohol.

How to pay fines in Thailand

You can receive a fine and a receipt to pay it in the following ways:

• Official fine on the road. The police officer stops you, records the violation with a portable printer, and issues an electronic ticket (e-Ticket) with a QR code and barcode. In rare cases — a handwritten form with a sticker or printed barcode. Such a fine can be paid legally using any method in the table below.
• They offer you to "pay on the spot". Officially, this function doesn't exist — police don't have mobile terminals. In practice, the officer names a sum (usually 500–1000 baht, often less than the official fine) and takes cash without issuing a receipt. This is a bribe. It's convenient and quick, and many tourists agree. But it's a criminal offense (formally for both you and the officer). Your call. If you refuse — demand an official receipt with a barcode. In most cases, they'll let you go after that.

• Camera fine. Cameras record speed, red lights, driving in bus lanes. The fine goes to the vehicle owner. If you're renting a bike or car — the rental company gets the notice. They might forward you a photo of the receipt with a barcode or simply deduct the amount from your deposit. Check your contract.
• Wheel clamp for parking. If you leave your vehicle in a prohibited spot, they clamp the wheel or tow it (but that's rare). If there's no police officer around, do this:
  • Ask locals (moto-taxi drivers, shopkeepers) which nearest police station to go to.
  • Take a taxi or moto-taxi there.
  • At the station, pay the fine, get an official receipt with a barcode. They give you the lock code or radio to have the clamp removed.
  • When you return — the clamp is already gone.

  From personal experience: We had a single case of paying a fine in Phuket. Left the bike for 5 minutes in downtown Phuket Town — they clamped the wheel. No officer around. A local moto-taxi driver took us to the station and back for 100 baht. At the station, they were already expecting us (radioed in), no queue. They asked for the bike documents (usually stored in the compartment under the seat) and the license. Fine — 500 baht in cash. The whole thing took 5 minutes. When we got back — the clamp was already gone.

  Ways to pay an official traffic fine in Thailand (with a barcode)

  Payment method	Description	Suitable for tourists?	Fee	Hours / Days	Card / Cash
  PTM website (ptm.police.go.th/eTicket)	Online via browser. Enter the fine number or scan the QR code.	✅ Yes. No app needed, works with Visa/Mastercard (UnionPay not guaranteed).	0 baht (your bank's fee may apply)	24/7, no days off	Card only
  Krungthai NEXT app	Official app of Krungthai Bank.	❌ No. Requires an account with this bank.	0 baht	24/7	Only from a Krungthai account
  Khub Dee app	App for checking and paying fines.	✅ Yes (conditionally). Can log in with Google. Adding a foreign card might not work.	0 baht	24/7	Cards (often problematic)
  7-Eleven	Any store. Give the receipt with a barcode to the cashier.	✅ Yes. The best option.	0 baht	24/7, no days off	Cash, card (for amounts from 200 baht)
  CenPay terminals	Terminals in FamilyMart, Big C, Tops. Scan the barcode.	✅ Yes. But fewer terminals than 7-Eleven.	0 baht	Store hours (until 10–11 PM)	Cash
  Krungthai Bank ATMs	Insert your card, select pay fine, scan the barcode.	⚠ Yes, but with caveats. Requires a card, doesn't take cash.	15–20 baht	24/7 (the ATM itself)	Card only
  Post Office (Thailand Post)	Go to the counter, show the receipt.	✅ Yes. Reliable, but you need to catch their working hours.	0 baht	Mon–Fri 8:30 AM–4:30 PM, in big cities Sat until 1:00 PM, some branches open daily	Cash, cards (often)
  Police station	Any police station across the country.	✅ Yes, but payment only during cashier hours (usually 8:30 AM–4:30 PM, Mon–Fri). At night and on weekends — only duty officer, won't take the fine.	0 baht	Cashier: weekdays 8:30 AM–4:30 PM. Station open 24/7	Cash (more often), cards (rarely)

  Important:

  • When paying at 7-Eleven with a foreign card, the receipt amount must be at least 200 baht. If the fine is less, pay cash.
  • If you lose the receipt, you can find the fine by the vehicle number on the PTM website or in the Khub Dee app.
  • If your wheel is clamped, don't try to cut the chain — that's a criminal offense. Local moto-taxi drivers will take you to the station and back for 100–200 baht.

  How to pay a fine for driving without a license or wrong category

  There's a widely repeated belief online that if you're stopped without a license, you can pay the fine and continue driving for 24 hours. This is partly true, but only to a certain extent.

  Actually, the myth that paying a fine for driving without a license gives you a 24-hour «indulgence» has no legal basis. By law, it should work like this:

  • The police officer issues you a fine (a pink receipt).
  • You are disqualified from driving. You can't continue without a license. You'll have to use a taxi or ask a friend to get to the police station or other payment location.
  • After paying, you return to where you were stopped (again by taxi) and only then can you pick up your bike, if it hasn't been towed to the impound lot. But, strictly speaking, you still don't have the right to drive without a license, even with a paid receipt (for a motorbike you definitely need category «A», not «B» or «M»).

  So where do these stories that tourists tell come from? It's just an established practice in Thailand, an unwritten rule. The thing is, a second fine for the same violation can legally only be issued on the next calendar day. This means that if a police officer stops you again on the same day without a license, they can't issue another fine if you've already paid one. But you need to understand that by law, they can disqualify you on the spot and impound your vehicle. So far, they don't do this in practice, but the rules are getting stricter, and it also depends on which officer you get, whether they want to bother with disqualification or towing, and whether there are orders from above to strictly enforce the law during a particular operation, for example.

  More useful details, including rental prices, quirks of left-hand traffic, and tips for choosing a rental company, can be found in our reliable and honest guide in the article Renting a motorbike in Thailand: a complete guide for Phuket and Pattaya (prices, licenses, fines). We recommend reading it to avoid getting into trouble.