We recently had a story that although minor in the scheme of things went viral with tens of thousands of views about a British man who was arrested by Pattaya police following eating his traffic ticket for various offenses on Pattaya Beach Road.
Although eating his traffic ticket was the main part of the story, we had many comments from surprised readers about the statements made that one of his offenses was for not wearing a shirt. With the help of our partners at Anglo Siam Legal, we wanted to clarify that today.
In Thailand, it is indeed illegal for men to not wear a shirt in certain contexts, particularly when driving a vehicle. The law explicitly prohibits driving a car or motorcycle without a shirt, with potential penalties including fines. This rule is occasionally enforced, especially if a complaint is filed or if police are particularly vigilant. However, outside of driving, while the general cultural norm in Thailand leans towards modesty and covering up in public spaces, there isn’t a specific law mentioned that universally requires men to wear shirts in all public areas.
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Driving: It is illegal to drive shirtless.
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General Public Spaces: While not explicitly illegal, it is culturally frowned upon and could lead to social discomfort or disapproval. That being said, beachfront areas this is not seen generally as offensive and is fairly common in Phuket and Pattaya and similar locations to see men walking around without a shirt.
Consider reaching out to Anglo Siam Legal for assistance with any problems you may have had or questions regarding legal matters, including around traffic laws and problems.
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