Car Rental Advice Please

[Bob102]

We will be vacationing in Thailand for the Christmas/New Years holiday season and were planning to rent a car in Bangkok. All of the US rental companies like Hertz, Budget, Avis, etc do not have anything available for the time period we would like. I have found a company called Economy Rental Cars which has the most reasonable prices out of all rental companies I have seen thus far... about $240 per week. Does anyone know anything about this company?

Also, it is my understanding that a valid drivers license from the US is sufficient to rent, but my wife (who is Thai) has told me that I should get an international driver's license just in case I am pulled over for any reason by the Thai police. Does anyone know anything about this? I have driven in Thailand before and recall being stopped by the Thai police out in Surin... I showed the officer my US drivers license and said "international" and he let me go with out any problems.

[ajahnlau]

Wouldn't hurt to have Int'l lic. but not necessary.

[roamer]

I always use thairentacar My link. I know they have availability as just booked a Honda Brio for a friend 22/12 to 3/1 @ 12,000 Bht. A Vios would run you about 16K. Includes insurance & tax can pick up at airport or downtown or many other locations in LOS.

Been using them for years, the most professional set-up I've ever come across in Thailand.

Edited December 15, 2011 by roamer

[chiang mai]

It makes sense to avoid the majors where you can and to try to use a local independent - I tried to rent a small auto for three days last week and was quoted variously between 1,600 and 1,900 per day by the majors, a local firm, Northern Wheels charged me 1,300 and everything went very smoothly, there's a lot of price gouging taking place by the big firms at holiday time..

[craigt3365]

I always use thairentacar My link. I know they have availability as just booked a Honda Brio for a friend 22/12 to 3/1 @ 12,000 Bht. A Vios would run you about 16K. Includes insurance & tax can pick up at airport or downtown or many other locations in LOS.

Been using them for years, the most professional set-up I've ever come across in Thailand.

+1. Used them many times and they were great.

As far as international DL, I've never been asked to show mine. But you never know when it could be a problem?

[rakman]

AAA in the US can do the International Driving Permit quick and easy, not that expensive and good for a year.

Good to have one, disasters are what happens when you don't prepare for the worst.

[Litlos]

I have used this company several times http://www.fastcarhire.co.uk/

They are like an agent and allow you to compare multiple companies. Using them I have booked a car from Thai Car Hire at 30% less than on the Thai Car Hire website.

You do not really need an international licence to hire a car, just can get really messy with insurance if there is a claim and you do not have one. This is from experience a few years ago with a major international company hiring vehicles for people working here. After the first accident an a edict was issued that a local or international licence was required for expats to drive hire cars.

Cheers

[KimoMax]

A International or a Thai License IS REQUIRED to drive in Thailand. If you don't have either of these, Insurance will not cover you. If you have an accident and do not have a proper Thai or International license it will cost you a lot of heartache, money, and maybe even jail.

[seedy]

I always use thairentacar

I can second that. Used them before - great service.

[roamer]

I always use thairentacar My link. I know they have availability as just booked a Honda Brio for a friend 22/12 to 3/1 @ 12,000 Bht. A Vios would run you about 16K. Includes insurance & tax can pick up at airport or downtown or many other locations in LOS.

Been using them for years, the most professional set-up I've ever come across in Thailand.

+1. Used them many times and they were great.

As far as international DL, I've never been asked to show mine. But you never know when it could be a problem?

I always use thairentacar

I can second that. Used them before - great service.

We so often give Thai companies grief for their various shortcomings, its great to see one operating at a level that brings praise instead of criticism

[MichaelJohn]

I've used Sathorn Car Rent (on Sathorn Rama IV) several times - they always have availability and have never had any problems with them

I've also heard ThaiCarRent on Shukumvit is good too - my Aussie friend uses then regularly).

In terms of DL - get the Inernational one; it's so cheap you'd be a fool not too. It stops an hassle if you do get stopped because it's legal. (I've been stopped twice wilst driving on one and didn't even have to pay the officer!!!)

[lonewolf99]

I've used Sathorn Car Rent (on Sathorn Rama IV) several times - they always have availability and have never had any problems with them

I've also heard ThaiCarRent on Shukumvit is good too - my Aussie friend uses then regularly).

In terms of DL - get the Inernational one; it's so cheap you'd be a fool not too. It stops an hassle if you do get stopped because it's legal. (I've been stopped twice wilst driving on one and didn't even have to pay the officer!!!)

Last week driving a hire car up to Roi Et. A police check point stopped me and asked for my International Licence. I do have one but had left it at home and only had my U.K. licence....lucky for me the GF just said this hire car and he have International and we were waved on without actually producing any documents....

so best to get one. What I do not understand is they only last a year ?

[Bob102]

Thanks for the advice. I went ahead and reserved a Toyota Vios through Thai Rent a Car. We're planning to drive from Bangkok to Sisaket to visit my wife's family and then from Bangkok to Nakhon Si Thammarat to visit some friends and my former employer... so it's important to have enough space for our bags and our 3-year old son. I am trying to avoid insane bus journeys of the past with drivers skitzed out on yaa baa.

I've already checked with AAA here in the US and will be obtaining an international drivers license for about $15 next week.

I do have one concern... my wife does not have a drivers license but she has several credit cards... and I have a drivers license but no credit card. I actually reserved the car using my Visa debit card which has a sufficient balance and can also be rung up as a credit card. When I go to pick up the car will it be okay to rent the car with my Visa debit card? I know that some rental agencies require the primary driver to reserve with a credit card rather than debit. The only other way would be to have my wife rent the car with her credit card though she will not be driving...

[bifftastic]

Last time I rented a car I gave them my visa debit card which they took a 'swipe copy' of when I picked the car up, wasn't a problem. It did take a while for the deposit amount that was pre-authorised on the card to get released again after the rental was finished, but it was when the whole 'red shirt thing' was going on and a lot of banks were closed, so maybe that was why.

Anyway, your funds might get tied up for a week or so, so bear that in mind

[citizen33]

Although not all the TV site sponsors are necessarily best value, car hire is very good. The link under 'More' above takes you to the Fastcarhire site that somebody else mentioned, and you normally have a choice of Thai or Budget. They are both okay but Budget has the advantage of no insurance excess. There are also one-way hires available from BKK to most Thai cities, which incur no extra charge if you take at least 3 days rental.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Not actually necessary to have any sort of drivers' license for a lot of the smaller rental outfits, and the cops don't care as long as you slip them a pink, or worse case grey "temporary drivers license".

Of course could be a bit of a problem in the event of a bangup 8-)

[Qman]

I had a monthly rental from Avis this year and they took a copy of my international drivers license. Have been told it is the only acceptable document other than Thai license if you have a problem. I was stopped another time on motorbike and showed the license and let go without fine. Good to have and not expensive if you live where they they are issued. Good for a year as well and the peace of mind it brings.

[landslide]

I have rented from FastCarIUK numerous times in the past. I generally rent either a Toyota Vios or Honda City for between 22 and 30 days. The price has always been less than $B800 per day. though I have never rented during the Christmas and New Years holiday. FastCarUK contracted with Budget on my first rental, Thai Rent-a-Car my second, and Hertz on my third. I have also rented from Avis directly at about the same rate, but the car provided was a base Vios (brand new), with no airbags, base radio and manual transmission. Worked fine though. I have found FastCarUK to be consistently competitive in pricing. I would highly recommend them.

Also. get the International drivers License. Your rental insurance will not be valid without it. Nobody will ask for it until you have an accident, then Lord help you if you don't have it.

Edited December 18, 2011 by landslide

[Bob102]

Well, no luck so far. I tried booking online for the last three days and each time it was cancelled. I have resorted to calling agencies I've never even heard of...places that don't even have a website and every rental car agency in Bangkok is fully booked for the dates I need -- 29 Dec - 5 Jan.

Any suggestions???

Edited December 20, 2011 by Bob102