Police are hunting two tourists seen stealing helmets to avoid being busted for riding without protection as they approached a police checkpoint in Thailand.

The foreign couple had reportedly entered the Mae Ping Post Office in Chiang Rai province then made off with the headwear at around 11:20 am on September 2.

CCTV footage shows a male tourist pulling over in front of the post office car park then casually strolling inside the unguarded compound to grab the helmets while his companion - a blonde woman waited for him at the entrance. The pair later walked back toward their motorcycle then sped away donning the stolen gear.

Mae Ping Post Office chief Kraisri Thongwilas, 47, reported the suspected theft to Police Lieutenant Colonel Kerkchai Kitti of the Mueang Chiang Mai Police Station, and submitted the recording as evidence.

Kraisri told local media that the staff had been going about their day as usual, but when they returned to their motorcycles, their helmets emblazoned with the Thailand Post logo were already missing. They confirmed through CCTV footage that the helmets had been taken.

He said there was a police checkpoint nearby, and the helmetless tourists may have been scared of being flagged for road safety violations, driving them to commit the alleged theft.

He said: 'While the helmets are not expensive, they are considered government property and are regularly used when staff members meet with customers for deliveries.

'The incident also occurred in a government facility, so we had to file a report to address the issue and prevent similar incidents from happening. We want the public to be confident in the security at Thailand Post.'

Police are now searching for the couple on suspicion of theft.