Car rental in Thailand

On the road in Thailand with a rental car

The Kingdom of Thailand, centrally located in Southeast Asia, is a constitutional monarchy with about 70 million inhabitants and an area of about 510,000 square kilometers. In Thailand you will find everything you could wish for, be it sports activities or cultural sights. These are easily accessible by rental car. Thailand has 60 million inhabitants, more than 10 million of whom live in the capital Bangkok. Most tourists also pick up their retal car at Bangkok Airport and drive to discover the country. Popular holiday regions are Phuket and Koh Samui. On the popular Thai holiday island there is also Koh Samui Airport with numerous car rentals.

The "Great Palace" in Bangkok, Thailand

"Wat Plai Laem" Temple Koh Samui, Thailand

Highlights that can be easily reached by car and then by boat are the islands of Ko Chang, Ko Samui and the island group Ko Phi Phi.

Especially the region of Phuket is well worth exploring and one of the most beautiful destinations in this country. Phuket Airport car rentals have a wide range of vehicle models. Simply choose the car that suits your needs. For example, you can rent a small car or an SUV with off-road capability.

Rental car Thailand: The streets

Discover Thailand on your own

The streets of Thailand can be divided into five categories. The smallest roads are the Toks, which cannot be driven on with a rented car. It is better to drive a rental car on the Soi, where the car traffic is possible. However, it is not possible to drive with oncoming traffic. The main thoroughfares are the thanons. The quality and width of the roads varies from province to province, so it is important to pay special attention to this when driving a rental car.

The most important transport axes in Thailand are the expressways. These roads are very good to drive with the rental car and are wider than the "Thanons". On some of the expressways a toll has to be paid with the rental car.

The fifth category is motorways. There are currently two motorways in Thailand: from Bangkok to the east (Motorway 7) and a ring road (Motorway 9) around Bangkok. In Bangkok and the surrounding area there are also high roads, so-called express routes, for which a toll has to be paid.

Traffic in Thailand: caution is advised

Traffic in Bangkok

Depending on the source, Thailand has a road network of 45,000 to 57,000 km, most of which is paved. The motorcycle and scooter are still the most used means of transport in Thailand.

Road safety is still a burning issue in Thailand today; in 2003, road accidents were among the top three causes of death. Thailand has one of the highest road fatalities in the world. The main causes are the disregard of safety regulations such as motorcycling without a helmet, the use of mobile phones and smartphones while driving and driving under the influence of alcohol. Escape from accidents and neglected assistance are widespread, rescue vehicles are often not allowed through.

What traffic rules are there in Thailand?