h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The hot climate encourages bikers to ride in shorts, T-shirts. This is insane, as if you crash you will certainly develop septicaemia in the tropics. Any cuts should be seen to at once and dressed daily - in Thailand they have local clinics which are quite good and less fuss and trauma than the hospitals.

Also, the situation on helmets is loose - outside towns like Phuket they have a helmet check which is a handy source of revenue for the local cops. Unless you are a devout Buddhist and believe in the next incarnation stuff, don't go riding without a helmet.

Thailand is beautiful biking country, but when you see yr first big pool of blood being washed off the road and a mangled bike thrown in the ditch, you may be tempted to check in yr chopper and go for a stiff drink instead!