Driving/renting on Thai 5 year and International licences in UK and EU

[laolover88]

I have a UK passport but no UK/EU Driving Licence. I have a Thai 5 year licence and an IDP. Has anyone any experience of encountering difficulties with this combination in the UK/EU? The IDP, correctly, states my Residence as Thailand. There is a slightly odd entry in the DVLA website that says you can drive on a Thai licence for a year after becoming a UK resident. Well clearly having ceased to be a UK resident I don't want that. There is also a suggestion on a French website that the Thai licence and IDP must have been issued while the holder was a Thai resident. I was. But is that true? Thanks

[JaseTheBass]

The problem I had was not having a credit card. I had to pay 80 quid more for 'more' insurance. They had no problem with my Thai licence.

[stevenl]

With Thai 5 year license you're fully legal already. IDP only strengthens your position, but is not required.

[neitmoj]

I have a British passport. I rented cars with my 5-year Thai driving license three times in the past two years on landing in Belfast, Newcastle, and Newquay. No problem whatsoever. Of course I have a credit card (VISA issued by SCB, a Thai bank). Very few serious car rental companies will as much as look at you if you don't have one. Same thing at BKK (Budget, Avis, Hertz, Sixt, Thai Car Rental, all of them good). Strictly no cash. Same thing at any other airport in Thailand in my experience. Your only chance of renting a car without a credit card in Thailand is to go to one of the back-street toughs who'll let you drive away a car he may have borrowed from his brother-in-law for the occasion and may or may not be insured, all on the basis of a small deposit with no contract and a hand-written receipt if you insist. Good luck!

[laolover88]

Thanks. I have Thai and UK credit cards so that is not a problem. Am not too worried about car hire. Though "deposits" against all credit cards by all major car rental companies are often as much as 20000B. Even here. My wife has hired UK cars on her credit card and Thai/IDPs...its that weasel loophole (if it is) of residential/domiciliary status and timescales I don't want trouble with! Mind you only going for 2 months. Be unlucky to run into any trouble, I guess. How many UK/French BiB ever seen, however, a Thai Driving Licence.? All the important bits in English! (But not French!)