Motorbikes reign in Thailand and throughout Southeast Asia! And yes, that's not surprising. 150cc-type motorbikes are a primary means of transportation here.

There are several reasons for that: many here simply cannot afford cars. And cars are impractical on the narrow city streets where sidewalks, if they exist, serve as parking spots for cars, trucks, bikes, varieties of animal stock, or areas an enterprising entrepreneur decides to spread out over for his or her latest startup business in front of or attached to a home.

Drive or ride down the street, just about any city street in Thailand, and you'll face motorbikers cutting in front of you from behind, the right, left, and against traffic the wrong way up one-way streets — and more. Yes, lane splitting — as they call it in the west — is quite common here. It's all part of the culture, and to some degree, the charm of the country.

And it's understandable. City streets in Thailand were around long before there were cars and trucks. There's hardly any room on most sidewalks. The dearth of parking lots and the sprawl of home-growth businesses and the stands daily market sellers set up in the streets and over the sidewalks are a prescription for traffic congestion.

See Them In Action

What's interesting is to see them in action over here. It's not unusual to see five (5) — yes FIVE people riding one motorbike. We've got the pix to prove it! We saw the family — that's right — an entire family — riding on the motorbike in the picture below!

Five on a motorbike, Thailand — an entire family on the move

But this doesn't cap our eagle-eyed bike-watching record. We've seen six! Now, you might wonder, how can that be true? The answer? A mother was swaddling a newborn in a make-shift carrying strap across her chest! Hey — it's better than walking!

You'll see riders with no helmets everywhere! Some project umbrellas over and in front of their heads in the driving rain. Others wear paper masks to limit inhaling fumes. Others still wear hats, jackets, and gloves in 100° (40° C) weather.

Here's a typical “parking area” during rush hour in a small town outside of Chiang Mai, Thailand around 4:30 in the afternoon. There are no parking lots around. Riders park anywhere they can find a spot.

“Storefront” for the Seafood Buffet Restaurant near Chiang Mai, Thailand — motorbikes parked wherever a spot can be found

It's all a hoot! The traffic police from the highly regulated western nations would have a field day over here if they could superimpose their laws over this place.

In a way, the lack of withering traffic enforcement here as seen in the US is somewhat welcome. It's nice to see “freedom” alive and well.

Yes, there are some downsides to this somewhat Wild West-like driving environment over here. Thailand has one of the highest rates of traffic deaths in the world. The World Health Organization's 2023 Global Status Report on Road Safety ranks Thailand ninth out of 175 countries, with a death rate of 25.4 per 100,000 people — an average of about 50 deaths per day. Motorcyclists account for roughly 83% of all traffic fatalities, the vast majority from head injuries.

Western safety standards aside for the moment, the Thai government has been cracking down on “informal” driving and riding practices in the cities. Helmet laws are on the books and enforcement is increasing, though it remains inconsistent — particularly in rural areas, where riding without a helmet is still common. A National Road Safety Master Plan aims to cut the road death rate nearly in half by 2027. It will be interesting to see what effect these efforts have during followup visits to this country.

These bikes are even more popular in Vietnam — a story for another trip.

Somehow, it all “just works”.