Thailand Fines for Tourists: Helmet, Alcohol, Litter, Beaches
A helmet fine in Thailand is up to THB 2,000. Drinking at a bar or shop during banned sale hours draws an administrative fine of up to THB 10,000. Dropping rubbish or a cigarette butt costs up to THB 2,000. Smoking on a listed beach outside the smoking areas can mean up to THB 100,000.
On this page
The table lists the fines a visitor is most likely to meet, with the legal text behind each and the date it applies. Each row rests on a Royal Gazette text or a government page. The ceilings run from THB 2,000 for a helmet to THB 500,000 for bringing in a vape.
Fines at a glance
| Offence | Penalty | Legal basis and date |
|---|---|---|
| Riding without a helmet, rider or passenger | Fine up to THB 2,000 | Land Traffic Act section 122; police enforcement push from 1 June 2025 |
| Rider with a passenger who has no helmet | Fine doubled | Land Traffic Act section 122 |
| Drinking at a selling or serving premises in banned sale hours | Administrative fine up to THB 10,000 | Alcohol Act section 37/1; Act No. 2 took effect on 8 November 2025 |
| Drinking in a temple, fuel station, public park or hospital | Up to 6 months in prison, fine up to THB 10,000, or both | Alcohol Act B.E. 2551 (2008) section 42 |
| Dropping rubbish, spitting or dropping a cigarette butt | Fine up to THB 2,000 | Cleanliness Act B.E. 2535 (1992), sections 26 and 31 |
| Smoking in a smoke-free zone, including vaping | Fine up to THB 5,000 | Tobacco Products Control Act B.E. 2560 (2017), section 67; the Act counts vapour as smoking |
| Bringing a vape into Thailand | Up to 10 years in prison, fine up to THB 500,000, or both | Commerce Ministry import ban in force from 27 December 2014; Customs Act section 244 |
| Smoking or dropping butts on a listed beach outside the smoking areas | Up to 1 year in prison, fine up to THB 100,000, or both | DMCR beach order of B.E. 2560 (2017), effective from 1 February 2018, two-year term |
| Selling cannabis flower without a section 46 licence | Up to 1 year in prison, fine up to THB 20,000, or both | Thai traditional medicine Act section 78; notice in force from 26 June 2025 |
Helmet fines
Motorcycle riders and passengers must wear a helmet. The fine is up to THB 2,000. A rider whose passenger has no helmet is fined double.
The police campaign on this rule started on 1 June 2025. The duty itself sits in section 122 of the Land Traffic Act.
Alcohol: hours and the drinker fine
Alcohol is sold from 11:00 to 24:00. Hotels, entertainment venues and international airport terminals are exempt. The notice took effect on 29 May 2026.
The drinker is covered too. Nobody may drink at a place that sells alcohol, or serves it commercially, during the banned sale hours. The fine is up to THB 10,000. Act No. 2 took effect on 8 November 2025.
Drinking is also banned in temples, except as part of a ceremony. It is banned at fuel stations, government public parks for general recreation, and state health facilities, hospitals and pharmacies. The penalty is up to 6 months in prison, a fine of up to THB 10,000, or both.
Licensed entertainment venues in Bangkok, Chonburi, Chiang Mai, Phuket and the Ko Samui district may open until 04:00. The full rules, with the banned Buddhist days and election days, are in Thailand alcohol sale hours and fines. Venue by venue times are in Bangkok bar closing times.
Vapes and e-cigarettes
A Commerce Ministry notice makes e-cigarettes a prohibited import. It applies from 27 December 2014. Bringing in goods through Customs while evading a prohibition on them carries up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to THB 500,000, or both.
Smoking in a smoke-free zone carries a fine of up to THB 5,000. The Act counts any act that produces smoke or vapour from a tobacco product as smoking. A nicotine product consumed by smoking is a tobacco product.
Cannabis
Only the flower part of the cannabis plant is a controlled herb. A licensed shop may sell it to a person with a prescription. The prescription must set the amount for the person’s own treatment, for use of not more than 30 days.
The notice took effect on 26 June 2025. Selling without a section 46 licence carries up to 1 year in prison, a fine of up to THB 20,000, or both. The shop rules, the smoking ban at shops and the export rules are in Thailand cannabis law for tourists.
Littering, spitting and cigarette butts
Dropping rubbish on the ground, spitting, and dropping a cigarette butt or chewing gum carry a fine of up to THB 2,000. The basis is sections 26 and 31 of the Cleanliness Act B.E. 2535 and the Public Health Act B.E. 2535.
Smoking on beaches
A Marine and Coastal Resources Department order bans smoking and dropping cigarette butts on listed beaches, except in areas the authorities have set aside.
ห้ามมิให้บุคคลหรือนิติบุคคลใด กระทำการอย่างหนึ่งอย่างใด ในบริเวณชายหาด ตามแนวชายฝั่งทะเล ดังต่อไปนี้ (1) สูบบุหรี่หรือทิ้งก้นบุหรี่ บริเวณชายหาด เว้นแต่เป็นการสูบบุหรี่หรือทิ้งก้นบุหรี่ ในบริเวณพื้นที่หรือในสถานที่ที่เจ้าหน้าที่ หรือหน่วยงานราชการได้จัดไว้
No person or legal entity may do any of the following on a beach along the sea coast: (1) smoke or drop cigarette butts on the beach, except in an area or place that officials or a government agency has provided.
DMCR beach order of B.E. 2560, clause 2(1), Royal Gazette 2 November 2017 (editor’s translation)
The order lists 24 beach areas in 15 provinces. Examples are Patong in Phuket, Dongtan in Pattaya, Hua Hin and Bo Phut on Koh Samui. Breaking the order carries up to 1 year in prison, a fine of up to THB 100,000, or both.
The order took effect from 1 February 2018 for a term of two years. A further order of B.E. 2563 (2020) on the same subject is on the department’s site.
If the police stop you
Police may ask to check your passport. Without it, you could be asked to produce it within 24 hours at a police station, and a copy of the photo page is usually enough.
The tourist police hotline is 1155, for crimes involving tourists. The Thailand Tourist Police app is available to tourists who do not have a Thai SIM card. More routes are in the tourist police guide.
Not confirmed: The beach order has a two-year term and a later order of B.E. 2563 exists; its text was not read, so check the signs on the beach. Fines for drones and for riding without a licence are not in this table. Check the current official text before relying on a number.
Common questions
What is the fine for riding a motorbike without a helmet in Thailand?
Up to THB 2,000 for a rider or passenger without a helmet. A rider whose passenger has no helmet is fined double.
Is there a fine for drinking during banned hours?
A drinker at a place that sells or serves alcohol during the banned hours faces an administrative fine of up to THB 10,000.
What hours can you buy alcohol in Thailand?
From 11:00 to 24:00. Hotels, entertainment venues and international airport terminals are exempt.
What is the penalty for bringing a vape into Thailand?
A vape is a prohibited import. Bringing in goods while evading a prohibition carries up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to THB 500,000, or both.
What is the fine for vaping in public in Thailand?
Smoking in a smoke-free zone carries a fine of up to THB 5,000. The Act counts any act that produces smoke or vapour from a tobacco product as smoking. A nicotine product consumed by smoking is a tobacco product.
What is the fine for littering in Thailand?
Up to THB 2,000 for dropping rubbish, spitting, or dropping a cigarette butt or chewing gum on the ground.
What is the penalty for smoking on a Thai beach?
On the listed beaches, outside the smoking areas, the penalty is up to 1 year in prison, a fine of up to THB 100,000, or both.
Can a tourist buy cannabis flower in Thailand?
A licensed shop may sell flower to a person with a prescription. The prescription covers use of not more than 30 days.
What number do you call for the tourist police?
1155 is the tourist police hotline for crimes involving tourists.
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General information checked against the sources listed above, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and office practice change; confirm with the immigration office or a licensed adviser before you act. See how guides are checked.
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