PATTAYA, Thailand – German long-term visitors in Pattaya are puzzled by what they see on the city’s streets — countless motorbike riders without helmets, even though Thai law requires them.
The remarks surfaced in response to a recent Pattaya Blatt article titled “Too Hot for Helmets? Pattaya motorists claim police let them off with a weather excuse.” Readers from Germany wrote in to share their views, stressing that helmets are essential no matter the temperature.
One German rider explained, “The helmet protects the head in case of an accident. Back home, we’d never dream of riding without one. In Pattaya, people tell me it’s too hot, but I wear mine with a thin cap underneath so there’s always air circulating. You get used to it.”
For many, the tropical heat is the main excuse. Riders claim police officers sometimes turn a blind eye on sweltering days, allowing motorists to skip helmets altogether. “Since I ride a moped myself, I don’t feel the heat through the wind — at least here in Pattaya,” the German added. “But I’m not sure how it is in Bangkok traffic. You don’t drive that fast there anyway.”
Road safety advocates point out that while Pattaya’s laid-back enforcement might keep locals comfortable, it also keeps head injuries high. For newcomers from stricter countries, it’s one of the city’s most baffling cultural adjustments.
