Many rental companies offer a car with a driver which saves you the problem of driving in a foreign country, especially if you aren’t familiar with driving in Thailand. It also affords you the chance to just look out the window and enjoy the scenery!
In Thailand if you have hired a driver for a full day you are generally expected to buy him something for lunch. He might refuse the first time, but it will be appreciated if you do provide something for him to eat.
Prices
The costs of renting a car varies depending on where in Thailand you would like to rent it, however, the main nationwide company such as Avis Rental Car, Budget Rental Car and North Wheels tend to have standard prices.
Renting a car approximately costs US$33 (€25) per day without a driver and 7% VAT is included in the price. Also note that you may need to pay a deposit as guarantee or show your credit card.
Many rental car companies are mainly located near the airport, such as Suvarnabhumi Airport (Bangkok), Phuket Airport and Don Mueang Airport.
Tips for driving a rental car in Thailand
- Drive on the left
- Try to adapt to the local conditions
- Taxi and bus drivers can be aggressive, so you should be prepared to drive defensively.
- Be careful of motorcycle riders since they tend to be quite reckless.
- Please respect the fact that Thai drivers are very polite and courteous.
- It is not recommended to drive at night due to heavy truck traffic on the roads.
Note: check the level of insurance offered when you rent a car. Companies might say that they are fully insured, when in fact they only carry a basic level of insurance.
Rental car companies
- Ezy rent a car - Bangkok
- Sawasdee rent a car - Bangkok
- Thai rent a car - national