Renting A Car In Phuket With Only Us Drivers License

[boomerexpat]

most places I look (e.g., thai visa's site http://www.thaivisa.com/320.0.html) state that you need either an International Lic or a Thai license. My hotel and the car rental company they use say you don't. You can just use your US one and their insurance is designed to work with that.

It is tempting because of the exorbitant taxi costs in Phuket. However, given all the scams and the potential for an accident, I'm leery of doing this. My fear is the car is stolen or I injure someone and bingo, even though to my non-legal eye everything seems covered in the contract, I'm in a world of financial hurt.

You seasoned Thai living expats, what are your thoughts on this?

[tw25rw]

I would go for the IDL.. They are cheap and you have covered your backside.

In Samui, I was told I could rent a car despite not holding a current licence. I resisted, but it was tempting.

[bino]

Rent from Budget, AVIS or another international company, and you will be covered with a foreign drivers license. They carry sufficient insurance for foreign visitors.

Stay away from Thai rental companies. They don't care whether you have a license or not.

If you read the small print on the rental contracts from these comapnies, you will probably read that you are entirely responsible for the vehicle regardless of insurance or fault. One agreement that I read even stated that the renter would be responsible to continue paying the daily rental rate while the car was being repaired until returned to service.

Motorcycle rentals are about the same, and since they collect your passport as deposit, they could really screw you up if they wanted.

Since then, Ive stayed away from the independent rental companies and rented from AVIS or other similar international / reputable / insured rental company.

[boomerexpat]

Rent from Budget, AVIS or another international company, and you will be covered with a foreign drivers license. They carry sufficient insurance for foreign visitors.

Stay away from Thai rental companies. They don't care whether you have a license or not.

If you read the small print on the rental contracts from these comapnies, you will probably read that you are entirely responsible for the vehicle regardless of insurance or fault. One agreement that I read even stated that the renter would be responsible to continue paying the daily rental rate while the car was being repaired until returned to service.

Motorcycle rentals are about the same, and since they collect your passport as deposit, they could really screw you up if they wanted.

Since then, Ive stayed away from the independent rental companies and rented from AVIS or other similar international / reputable / insured rental company.

Thanks for the idea of the big chains. I didn't think they were willing to forgo the int'l but I'll call.

[boomerexpat]

I'm especially nervous about dealing with Thai companies for rental after talking with an expat w ho rented a scooter. It was stolen and to get his passport back he had to pay $4.5K USD for the scooter. Fortunately, he has insurance that will reimburse him but he is pretty much stranded here until a loan comes in from his bank. The Canadian gov't site confirms my suspicion that some of those thieves are in cahoots with the rental company.

[colinthailand20005]

I'm especially nervous about dealing with Thai companies for rental after talking with an expat w ho rented a scooter. It was stolen and to get his passport back he had to pay $4.5K USD for the scooter. Fortunately, he has insurance that will reimburse him but he is pretty much stranded here until a loan comes in from his bank. The Canadian gov't site confirms my suspicion that some of those thieves are in cahoots with the rental company.

Really $4.5k USD, I haven't seen any scooters priced any more than 100,000 baht, and a rental would at the most be a PCX of less, and they retail at 72,000baht.

I am sorry but IMOHO the above is untrue.

[impulse]

I'm especially nervous about dealing with Thai companies for rental after talking with an expat w ho rented a scooter. It was stolen and to get his passport back he had to pay $4.5K USD for the scooter. Fortunately, he has insurance that will reimburse him but he is pretty much stranded here until a loan comes in from his bank. The Canadian gov't site confirms my suspicion that some of those thieves are in cahoots with the rental company.

He fell for one of the most common scams. They have several sets of keys, his passport and his hotel on the rental application. They send someone to his hotel at night to "steal" the scooter with the extra keys, then charge him for it. They get their scooter and his money and he is hosed because they have his passport.

I'm not condoning or supporting the scams. But any tourist that gets bit by the jet ski scam, the stolen scooter scam or the "hooker spiked my drink and stole all my money" scam, just didn't do their homework- and just got an expensive lesson.

[SantiSuk]

I'm not condoning or supporting the scams. But any tourist that gets bit by the jet ski scam, the stolen scooter scam or the "hooker spiked my drink and stole all my money" scam, just didn't do their homework- and just got an expensive lesson. .......go somewhere else other than Phuket and Pattaya

[FritsSikkink]

Renting a car is 1 thing but your not allowed to drive it with a US drivers license.

[kanderson]

Renting a car is 1 thing but your not allowed to drive it with a US drivers license.

I've always used Budget - in Bangkok and Jomtien - US drivers licence.

I'm sure Phuket is the same great service.

I used to have a thai drivers licence but never used it to rent a car. I have club cards from Buget, Alamo etc. You can book online.

[Gonsalviz]

Unless they have change in the past few years, a normal state side DL works just fine for renting a car and just general driving.

Rented several from Dusit in Pattaya.

[merijn]

They will rent you a car on a US dl but you can have big problems in case of a accident as you are only allowed to drive here with int dl ( together with your US dl) or Thai dl and if you don't have this the insurance will not pay.

Also it is illegal to hand over your passport, as this is not yours but from your government and you have to carry it with you in Thailand when you are here as a tourist and don't have a Thai dl.

[outofoz]

Bino said it best...rent though Budget or Avis etc. They are more expensive , but..less risky

also...get your international Drivers license. some travel insurance will not cover you for injury/costs etc if u are not correctly licensed for the country you are in...s. a few bucks on an International Drives permit could save you thousands..

lastly...rent the vehicle through your hotel..they never require you to surrender your passport..You will pay more for the rental, but it is a negligible amount in the scheme of things...

(I have never been asked to show my license to any rental place (or hotel)...and i have an international Drivers permit)..

[CantSpell]

They will rent you a car on a US dl but you can have big problems in case of a accident as you are only allowed to drive here with int dl ( together with your US dl) or Thai dl and if you don't have this the insurance will not pay.

Also it is illegal to hand over your passport, as this is not yours but from your government and you have to carry it with you in Thailand when you are here as a tourist and don't have a Thai dl.

THERE

The 2 points that you are looking for.

1- Illegal to drive without IDL: rental companies do not care: they rent; they don't pay the fine for you.....

2- Don't hand out your passport to anyone for any reason (and most specially as a Deposit/caution/bound).