Are Tuk Tuks Safe In Thailand To Use?

Thailand is famous for its amazing food, temples, and amazing beaches. Another thing that is popular in Thailand for tourists is tuk-tuks. Tuk-tuks are motorcycle rickshaws that use three wheels and a motorcycle engine. They are popular transportation in Thailand, particularly in Bangkok but are tuk-tuks safe In Thailand?

No, tuk-tuks are NOT safe in Thailand. The tuk-tuks in Thailand do not have seat belts and it is very easy to fall out of the tuk-tuks as it zips through traffic. The tuk-tuk drivers have a bad reputation, particularly in tourist areas where they just want to con tourists.

In this post, we will go through whether tuk-tuks are safe to use in Thailand. Let’s get started!

Read more on Thailand

Are Tuk Tuks Safe In Thailand To Use?

No, tuk-tuks are NOT safe in Thailand. There are two main concerns about using tuk-tuks in Thailand. These are as follows.

Tuk-tuks lack any real safety features.
The tuk-tuk drivers.

Tuk-Tuks Lack Any Real Safety Features

Tuk-tuks in Thailand are dirty, noisy, and unstable. Generally, tuk-tuks have three tires. Two tires are in the rear and one tire is put on the front side. The driver does not need to deal with balance but does need to use common sense so remember, the tuk-tuk is as safe as its driver.

While passengers and drivers in most cases do not need to worry about the rain because it has a large roof.

The real safety concern about using a tuk-tuk is that there are no seatbelts, therefore it can be very easy to fall out of the tuk-tuk as the driver tends to drive fast while zipping through traffic and using alleyways. If there is a crash between a tuk-tuk and a car or lorry you will go flying.

If you get injured while being a passenger on a tuk-tuk, the tuk-tuk is not insured and I hope you have travel insurance.

There are horror stories about tourists being injured while being passengers on tuk-tuks. For example, there was an accident where an Australian tourist got a serious head injury from falling off the back of a tuk-tuk in Patong.

Just remember getting injured on a tuk-tuk is a sure way to ruin your holiday.

The Tuk-Tuk Drivers

Other than the safety issues the tuk-tuk drivers are a big problem, this is, especially in Bangkok and Phuket. The tuk-tuk drivers are looking to rip off tourists. This is the list of problems and scams with the drivers.

You get a tuk-tuk and agree on a price of 50 baht. After a few minutes, he wants to take you to visit a jeweler or tailor’s shop. To be ripped off. If you say no the price will increase to 250 baht.
You may encounter a tourist official with a badge claiming to be from the tourism department. You will ask where are you going. He will say it is closed because it is a Buddhist special day and he knows a better palace or temple to visit. The whole tour only costs 50 baht, and then a tuk-tuk will appear from nowhere. Then the first issue on this list starts.
They are well known for selling class-A drugs and also working with the police. The moment you have the drugs in your possession the police appear. You will pay the police off and the driver will get his cut. Or a long time in a Thai prison.
The tuk-tuk drivers are known to be aggressive and will gang up on tourists.

Tuk Tuks Appearance And Design

Simply the design of the tuk-tuk itself is a rickshaw that instead of someone cycling is a motorbike. It still uses three wheels. Tuk-tuks are specially and custom-made for that purpose. This is why the appearance of tuk-tuks can vary from being very fancy with speakers and nice seats to then being very basic.

Most of the tuk-tuks are painted in a blue color that makes them look better. Generally, tuk-tuk uses a roof to protect from sunlight and rain. While the driver is sitting in front of the passengers and he holds the handlebar to run the tuk-tuk.

How Much Does A Tuk-Tuk Cost In Thailand?

Tuk-tuks start charging at about 100 baht and are haggled down to 60 baht for a short ride. In tourist areas such as Phuket or Bangkok, you need to watch out for tuk-tuks offering very low prices. This is more than likely a scam.

Wrapping Up

Finally, tuk-tuks are not safe in Thailand. The tuk-tuks in Thailand do not have seat belts and it is very easy to fall out of the tuk-tuks as it zips through traffic. The tuk-tuk drivers have a bad reputation, particularly in tourist areas where they just want to rip off tourists. Taxis are safer than tuk-tuks.

And that’s it for now! I’d love it if this post on whether tuk-tuks are safe in Thailand to use was helpful to you. Let me know if you have any questions and let me know your experience of using a tuk-tuk.