Most plates prominently display the vehicle registration ID, which usually consists of Thai letters and a number string.

[1][2] Plates for cars, vans, pick-up trucks, motorised tricycles, trailers, road rollers, tractors and agricultural vehicles follow the same design.

The province of registration is displayed in Thai underneath the registration ID, with the exception of Yala Province which cars can also register at Betong District, due to its distant proximity from Mueang Yala District where the administrative offices are located.

The colors of the text and background depend on the type of vehicle, and are given in following table:[1] Since 2003,[3][4] certain serial numbers in each series are made available for auction.

The auction plates, also called Super Number (Thai: ทะเบียนรถเลขสวย, RTGS: thabian rot lek suai, lit.

[12] In 2021, the Department of Land Transport confirmed the plan to release personalized plates for private passenger car type via auction.

Old style private cars plates begin with (in order of adoption) ก, ข, ค, ง, จ, ฉ, ช, ธ, ว, อ, ฮ, ฐ, ศ, ฬ, ษ, ณ.

Private Pick-up trucks begin with (in alphabetical order) ฒ, ณ, ต, ถ, บ, ป, ผ, ย, ร and ล.

Public taxis begin with ท (in order of ทค, ทง, ทจ, ทฉ, ทต, ทท, ทธ, ทน, ทพ, ทม, ทย, ทร, ทล, ทว, ทศ, ทษ, ทส, ทห, ทฬ, ทอ and ทฮ), (ทก, ทข are for permanently licensed private non-meter taxis, currently stopped license for these type of taxis).

Public Yellow-green taxis begin with ม (in order of มก, มข, มค, มง, มจ, มฉ, มช, มฎ, 1มก, 1มข, 1มค, 1มฆ).

Trailers, road rollers, tractors and agricultural vehicles, including rot i-taen (Thai farm trucks), have ซ as their first series letter, or ฆ for some provinces.

Although license plates have likely been used since the promulgation of the Motor Vehicle Act, Rattanakosin Era 128 (1910 CE), the earliest legislation of which details are available is from 1967.

The serial number was displayed with leading zeros, which were dropped, along with the dash, when the current format was adopted in 1997.

[1] License plates issued to members of diplomatic missions, international organizations or United Nations specialized agencies based in Thailand are 11 by 38.7 centimeters in size, with the format "ท 01 - 1234".

On the top left is a letter denoting the status of the registrant ("ท" for diplomatic agents, "พ" for members of special embassy agencies, "ก" for consular agents, and "อ" for international organizations or United Nations agencies).

Drivers of cars with red plates must have all car-related documents, a proper driving licence, and ID card ready for checks at all times.

[17] Trade plates are also used by foreign vehicles without proper permits or document from their countries of origin to gain permission of entry into Thailand, when clearance is authorised by customs.

[citation needed] In special cases, such as the transfer of show cars, trade plates may also be borrowed from the DLT.

[citation needed] Trade plates are made from pressed alloy, with a red background and black digits.

The country name THAILAND is displayed in capital letters below the registration number, and the numerical provincial code is shown in the bottom right.

Vehicles owned by the king usually bear standard registration plates but with the reserved series prefixes of "1ด" or "ดส".