Can anyone recommend a car rental company at Heathrow, preferably by previous experience, which will accept a Thai driving licence with my UK Passport. First trip home in 14 years, and probably my last so I don't wish to spend 5,000THB on an international licence for just one trip. I do not have my UK licence any more, and do not want a lot of agro after a 13 hour flight,

many thanks

The 5,000 baht may well work out cheaper than the extra insurance cover that you may be required to pay for.

My mate bought a car in UK and to have his Thai missus included on the insurance cost a lot more than the car did!

hired a car through Hertz with a Thai license. No problems at all and no extra cost. Agent said it is actually easier and quicker using a foreign license than a UK one as there are less checks!

Good luck!

hired a car through Hertz with a Thai license. No problems at all and no extra cost. Agent said it is actually easier and quicker using a foreign license than a UK one as there are less checks!

Good luck!

Great, many thanks

If I was you I would check with the rental company before you actually pay anything - we recently (last month) rented through Enterprise and they would not accept our Thai Driving licences without an international licence. We both still have our UK licences so no problem but.....

Edited September 6, 201015 yr by 1huahin

National Car Rental accept a Thai licence, but only with an international drivers licence for the Thai licence. No extra insurance chanrge.

Personally I would check with the rental company first.. I have rented cars for several years using a non-uk licence ( not Thai) and have never had a problem. I don't know if it varies from company to company but this is what the Avis conditions say on the BA web-site -

Driver's licence:

"A full driving licence will need to be held for a minimum of one year. An international driving licence is required for licences in non-roman alphabet. UK licence holders will need to take their ID card and its paper counterpart. Licence endorsements may exclude a driver from renting a vehicle, please check prior to booking."

I queried it with them a few years back when the wording was a little ambiguous and they confirmed that as long my licence is in English language I did not need an International licence.

I also used Hertz several times before and never had a problem with them either.

On the issue of the UK licence have you ever considered renewing it ?. I renewed mine on-line a couple of years ago. It was very easy, just used my mothers address, and had it sent there. Having said that I have never had to use it as my non-uk licence has always been accepted. This is the link for renewing a UK licence : http://www.direct.go...ons/DG_10032681

I picked up a Europcar/National hire at Heathrow last week. The rep was complaining about the tattered state of my UK driving license and I quipped that I had an international license in my bag. He said they didn't accept these for UK residents. This does not exactly fit the OP's situation, but suggests to me that he needs to check with the company.

Yep - check with the company .... but the situation on the day may change. The last three times I've used my Thai licence and only once did they ask to see the International Licence.

But if you can get an international licence in time - it would help.