Rent a car and drive in the UK using my Thai driving licence?

[ScotlandtheBrave]

I have been living in Thailand for almost twelve years now and have booked a trip back in September. My UK driving licence expired years ago. Is it possible to use my Thai licence to rent a car and drive in the UK? 

[Chomper Higgot]

I did exactly this over the last month through Europecar.

 

 

Use their app to make the booking and select Thailand as your home location 

[CharlieH]

If you're just visiting the UK for a short period of time you should be fine to use your foreign driving licence to drive. However, if you intend to stay for over a year or more, you might want to think about exchanging your licence for a UK one.

 

Previous topic on this.....

 

 

 

[ScotlandtheBrave]

Thank you. How much were Europecar charging for rental? 

[Chomper Higgot]

1 minute ago, ScotlandtheBrave said:

Thank you. How much were Europecar charging for rental? 

I’ll pm you details.

 

 

[MJCM]

Wouldn't it be better to get (also) an IDP from your local Thai Department of Transportation?

 

https://internationaldrivingpermit.org/country/thailand-international-driving-permit/

 

 

[ScotlandtheBrave]

I believe that in the UK they accept my Thai licence without any need for the International Permit from Thaiand

[marin]

59 minutes ago, ScotlandtheBrave said:

I believe that in the UK they accept my Thai licence without any need for the International Permit from Thaiand

They do as does the US. Done it many times.

[Andrew Dwyer]

You may be surprised at the prices now for U.K. car rental, seems like there has been an almighty increase.

Seems like picking up the car from the airport is a premium price, I shopped around  last August and found a car rental place ( also Europcar ) in a city location. Meant I had to travel from the airport downtown but cut my rental bill from £1,436 to £747, this still a lot more expensive than my previous trip 3 years earlier ( pickup at airport ).

[Andrew Dwyer]

On my previous trip they also requested a utility bill for the address on my U.K. license ,which I didn’t possess. I managed to wriggle out of this lack of documentation before producing my 5 year Thai license which I was worried might have complicated matters.

So next time, around Aug time, i will forget the U.K. license rigmarole and go with the Thai license.

[brewsterbudgen]

3 hours ago, MJCM said:

Wouldn't it be better to get (also) an IDP from your local Thai Department of Transportation?

 

https://internationaldrivingpermit.org/country/thailand-international-driving-permit/

 

 

No.  A Thai licence is written in Thai and English. 

[MJCM]

2 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

No.  A Thai licence is written in Thai and English. 

Yeah but it doesn’t have the categories on it, A,B etc etc so that is why I suggested it. 

[theoldgit]

11 hours ago, MJCM said:

Yeah but it doesn’t have the categories on it, A,B etc etc so that is why I suggested it. 

 

I've used my Thai licence numerous times to rent cars in the UK, no companies have ever requested an IDP as my Thai licence fully meets the requirements.

[Neeranam]

Bit off topic but I was going to rent a car but now thinking of getting my own insurance for my mother's car. 

Is this possible if her own insurance says they can't add me, I mean if I use another company?

[Neeranam]

My Thai DL is expired in 4 months, can I use it in the UK?

[chickenslegs]

5 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Bit off topic but I was going to rent a car but now thinking of getting my own insurance for my mother's car. 

Is this possible if her own insurance says they can't add me, I mean if I use another company?

I think it might be possible, but expensive.

Confused.com

[Neeranam]

1 minute ago, chickenslegs said:

I think it might be possible, but expensive.

Confused.com

thanks

[JayClay]

10 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Bit off topic but I was going to rent a car but now thinking of getting my own insurance for my mother's car. 

Is this possible if her own insurance says they can't add me, I mean if I use another company?

You can't insure the car in your name because you have no financial interest in the vehicle.

 

You either need to be put on your mother's insurance as a named driver, or have her policy upgraded to an any-driver policy.

[Neeranam]

2 hours ago, JayClay said:

You can't insure the car in your name because you have no financial interest in the vehicle.

 

You either need to be put on your mother's insurance as a named driver, or have her policy upgraded to an any-driver policy.

I see. They say they won't put me on her insurance as I am not a UK resident and she doesn't want to take the chance by saying I am. Maybe better just to rent. 

[richard_smith237]

11 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

2 hours ago, JayClay said:

You can't insure the car in your name because you have no financial interest in the vehicle.

 

You either need to be put on your mother's insurance as a named driver, or have her policy upgraded to an any-driver policy.

I see. They say they won't put me on her insurance as I am not a UK resident and she doesn't want to take the chance by saying I am. Maybe better just to rent. 

Thats a little strange...  perhaps something is being lost in translation.

 

My Wife and I drive my Fathers car in the UK.

As I have a UK driving licence I can be a named driver all year round. 

As my Wife does not have a UK driving licence, she can only be a name driver for the specific interval of our trip (thus, we pay about £30 each time to get her on the insurance for a few weeks).

 

 

 

 

[Neeranam]

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Thats a little strange...  perhaps something is being lost in translation.

 

My Wife and I drive my Fathers car in the UK.

As I have a UK driving licence I can be a named driver all year round. 

As my Wife does not have a UK driving licence, she can only be a name driver for the specific interval of our trip (thus, we pay about £30 each time to get her on the insurance for a few weeks).

 

 

 

 

Interesting. Could you name the indian company? 

[richard_smith237]

12 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Interesting. Could you name the indian company? 

Folks are with LV Insurance...  

(Liverpool Victoria... IF there are any Indians they have an antiquated scally accent !!)

 

That said, we’ve been doing this for years without any issue... So, I wonder IF you asked to be named driver for a specific period (i.e. 2 weeks / month etc) then you’d be accepted. 

 

Perhaps the insurance company thought you wanted to be added to the policy as named driver all year round (hence, lost in translation). 

 

 

 

[Neeranam]

On 3/25/2023 at 12:06 AM, chickenslegs said:

I think it might be possible, but expensive.

Confused.com

Is this website safe?

 

Seems to be just 187 pounds to drive my mother's car for a month. 

 

Is this a good price?

 

I was going to go ahead and book this but now worried that there could be additional charges, does this look right, there are no other fees?

[chickenslegs]

1 hour ago, Neeranam said:

Is this website safe?

 

Seems to be just 187 pounds to drive my mother's car for a month. 

 

Is this a good price?

 

I was going to go ahead and book this but now worried that there could be additional charges, does this look right, there are no other fees?

I couldn't comment on the cost or the cover, but Confused.com is a very well known insurance broker that's been around for years.

 

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, Neeranam said:

Seems to be just 187 pounds to drive my mother's car for a month. 

 

Is this a good price?

No... Its way over the top because it's a separate policy. 

 

Ask the existing insurer IF they will insure an overseas named driver for the month. 

*(i.e. in the same manner my Wife gets insured on one of my parents cars). 

 

It costs about £30 to insure my wife for 3 weeks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Neeranam]

11 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

No... Its way over the top because it's a separate policy. 

 

Ask the existing insurer IF they will insure an overseas named driver for the month. 

*(i.e. in the same manner my Wife gets insured on one of my parents cars). 

 

It costs about £30 to insure my wife for 3 weeks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, thanks but they said they wouldn't insure me as I am not a UK resident. 

[LCSulla]

Responding to the OP.

One week ago I used Avis  ( booked through Europecar) in the UK and they will not accept a Thai license without an IDP.

Was told their insurers have recently introduced this requirement. Now only accept EU, Norway, US, canada, Australia and NZ licenses without an IDP.

[theoldgit]

39 minutes ago, LCSulla said:

Responding to the OP.

One week ago I used Avis  ( booked through Europecar) in the UK and they will not accept a Thai license without an IDP.

Was told their insurers have recently introduced this requirement. Now only accept EU, Norway, US, canada, Australia and NZ licenses without an IDP.

That’s bizarre, whilst I don’t doubt what you’ve been told but an IDP is basically a translation of a licence which isn’t printed in English which of course Thai licences are.

I’m currently in the UK where I’ve rented a car using my Thai licence, no questions asked.

 

[theoldgit]

59 minutes ago, LCSulla said:

Responding to the OP.

One week ago I used Avis  ( booked through Europecar) in the UK and they will not accept a Thai license without an IDP.

Was told their insurers have recently introduced this requirement. Now only accept EU, Norway, US, canada, Australia and NZ licenses without an IDP.

From the current Europecar website:

• If you are renting outside of the country your licence was issued in, if you driving licence is not written in the English language and /or the characters cannot be read in the renting country, an International driving licence is mandatory. Note that your International driving licence is only valid if accompanied by your normal driving licence.

[Jim1000]

On 2/25/2023 at 8:31 AM, theoldgit said:

 

I've used my Thai licence numerous times to rent cars in the UK, no companies have ever requested an IDP as my Thai licence fully meets the requirements.

Can I ask you which company's you have used ? Hoping  to rent next month in London using my 

Thai DL.?