Do you need an international driving license to ride a scooter in Thailand?
Yes!
Yes, legally, to ride and drive in Thailand you are required to have valid International Driving Permit (IDP) or a Thai Driving License.
However, the question your are probably more interested in asking is 'What happens If I don't have one?'. Riding a scooter here without a valid license is incredibly common, especially in tourist areas. If you sit by the moat on the Moonmuang Road and count all of the tourists riding by on scooters, I would wager that well over half of them do not have valid licenses. Of course, if you were caught riding or driving without a license in Europe, the UK, USA or China etc. you would be in a lot of trouble, however, in Thailand it's usually just a small fine. The police frequently set up checkpoints, often targeting tourists, with the aim of issuing fines to those riding without helmets or driving licenses. The fine is usually 500-1000b then they send you on your way (Still on the bike, haha).
So, should you have an International Driving License? Yes, you should. Will it be a huge problem if you do not? Probably not. We do recommend you have an international driving license or a local Thai license, though.
Below we have made a map that shows most of the common traffic checkpoints so you can avoid them!
