They piled me with questions about renting a car in Thailand. I decided make a series of articles to tell the most complete about the rental. There is already enough experience: I rented in Bangkok, Phuket, Koh Samui, Hua Hin, in Chiang Mai. Moreover, he took the car, both by the day and Monthly, I took from trusted network companies and private traders. If a you are interested in information on bikes, then read about renting a scooter in Thailand.
In this general article I tried to tell about all the nuances car rental in Thailand: where better to book, which documents are needed, is it worth doing insurance, how is contract, whether the deposit is taken and so on. That is about everything practically.
The content of the article
- 1 Brief instruction
- 2 Where to rent a car in Thailand
- 2.1 Small companies
- 2.2 Large network companies
- 2.3 Brokers – rent discount
- 2.4 Compare specific prices
- 3 Full instructions on how to book a car
- 3.1 Average rental price
- 3.2 Documents for rent and restrictions
- 3.3 Bank card and deposit
- 3.4 All about insurance (types, deductible)
- 3.5 Contract and car inspection
- 4 Traveling in Thailand by car
- 4.1 Roads and rules of the road
- 4.2 Petrol Prices in Thailand
- 4.3 Where to return the car at the airport in Suvarnabhumi
Contents
Brief instruction
Essence for those who do not have time to read.
- Monitor prices through Economybookings or Rentalcars. They are always cheaper than directly, and Economybookings in general often gives a 50% discount. I have repeatedly booked through both no problem. All cars will be only from proven large international distributors, with insurance, contracts, no leftist.
- You need to start searching and book at least a week later. at least 3 before the trip, otherwise during the peak season it may not be nothing is available, and also need a day to confirm your armor.
- Then book with a bank card. Same card it is desirable to have with you when you pick up the car on the spot. I recommend the maps of Tinkoff, Corn, Sber Mastercard.
- Upon arrival at the airport, you go to the right rack, for example, to Hertz and start the design process. You will need passport, driver’s license (preferably international, but can and ordinary) bank card. Sign a contract with your cards charge the cost of rent (if it was not charged before This) and freeze on it a deposit of about 10 thousand baht, which will return to you in 10-20 days after the end of the lease. Recommend immediately issue a full insurance without a deductible, so as not to be afraid scratch the car.
- Go to inspect the car and in the inspection sheet you specify all damage, as well as the level of gasoline in the gas tank. Car issue with full tank and also need to be returned. If you took full insurance, the car can not inspect.
Discounted car rent →
Daily should always be taken from international network companies, so as not to have problems. They have everything clearly and debugged, cars with low mileage and prices are the same as everywhere else. Just no sense to hemorrhage and look for private owners and local distributors. Booked through the Internet, picked up at the airport and travel!
Also, international distributors provide an opportunity to give the car to another city. My last trip to Phuket Koh Lanta Krabi was like just like that Took on Phuket, gave in Krabi. Very cool trip turned out.
Honda City, as always took at the airport
But if you are going to take a car for a long time (monthly), then you can look at the local small distributors may be cheaper. But you need to be prepared for searches on the spot and bargaining. It is also worth considering that during the peak season (December-January) local distributors may not have cars in availability, prices can fly into space. Be sure to check availability of contract, insurance. And do not take the car from those Russian who retake them (such as sublease), they often do not have the right to do.
With monthly rentals it also makes sense to ask your acquaintances / neighbors, where they rent a car and for how much. You can also Ask the owner of the rented house if he is renting a car. If you If you come not just from the street, you can try to knock out a discount.
Where to rent a car in Thailand
You always have 3 options where you can rent a car: small companies, large network distributors and brokers.
Small companies
For small rental items, I include all local companies, as well as individuals. As a rule, in such companies cars are already rented on the spot, after searching. We arrived, went around 3-5 offices and removed something appropriate. Occasionally there is a reservation via the Internet, but usually it is offered by Russian offices (or even just intermediaries). Take the car in a small company makes sense MONTHLY, then it will cheaper and time consuming.
In small companies, you can negotiate something, bargain, you may not be asked rights or take a small deposit and in cash. But there may also be ambiguities with insurance, with drawing up a contract, there may be no inspection sheet and a divorce for money afterwards. Moreover, the smaller the office, so everything will be “easier.” WITH a private person may even have to negotiate orally. Of course, if a company has been on the market for a long time, then everything will be in it fine. In general, not everyone trusts such companies, there’s more crap, from search, ending with guarantees. Detailed experience rent in a small office, described here – Rent a car on Samui.
Large network companies
Network companies are those that work not only in Thailand, and generally around the world. You can know their names by trips to Europe or somewhere else (Hertz, Sixt, Avis, etc.). Have them all similar requirements (passport and necessarily rights), there is always insurance (with or without a franchise, optional), all conditions are clearly registered on their sites. In this regard, everything is safe and guaranteed, the procedure is the same. PRICES FOR THE DAY The change is the same as in small companies, so I personally, daily I prefer to take from them without extra crap (usually right in the airport).
The car is booked through the site (no need to go and search), and then paid by credit card. Deposit is also removed from the bank cards (freeze). Detailed rental experience through the network Rental is described here – Rent a car in Bangkok. Recommend book through a broker, but more on that below.
Brokers – discount rentals
In fact, this is not a third type of lease, but a simplified search. car and reservation in large network companies. Essentially, this Something like the usual search engine tickets, and sometimes even their called brokers. One of these proven services that I I use it constantly in my travels – Economybookings.
View prices from Economybookings →
Brokers have a lot of advantages:
- Through brokers is often 2 times cheaper what to take the car directly from the distributor. Cool discount comes out therefore, many use brokers, they are type due to the volume Dumping such arrange.
- A service such as an additional driver (when two are driving). Also some offer their personal full insurance against accidents with zero deductible, i.e. compensate for everything that the distributor can take.
- You do not need to walk on the top ten sites of various offices, compare prices and find out if the right machine is available. This is especially true in the season when there are few cars left, and one site you will see all the options from all possible distributors.
Compare specific prices
Specially made a comparison, booking a car with 15 December to December 29 (14 days) to go to her on Koh Chang. Took in Bangkok at Suvarnabhumi airport and returned there too. Yes in Season prices are higher, but still significant. Moreover, most often it is during the peak season (December-January) that everyone is going somewhere.
First, look at prices at the most popular rentals in Thailand: Hertz (19998 baht), National Car (15022 baht), Sixt (37543 baht). See screenshots below.
Hertz offered for 19998 baht for 14 days
Natioanalcar offered for 15022 baht for 14 days
Sixt offered for 37543 baht for 14 days
So-so picture is obtained. Well, more precisely, if you know in advance that You can rent cheaper. I already knew something, not the first time I book. But ok, now let’s see what Economybookings offers.
And he offers a compact car for the price of just 9899 baht from Hertz. That’s what I took, saving 5-10 thousand baht out of nothing Hertz then gave me a new Honda Jazz in very good condition.
Lowest price for Economybookings – 9899 baht for 14 days
Full instructions on how to book a car
Average rental price
As for the car rental in Thailand, the average cost normal sedan will be about 1000 baht / day out depending on whether the network is a company or a private owner. Cost of depends on the season, model and rental period. The cheapest is subcompacts and pickups with manual gearbox. And in terms of duration, then somewhere from 5 days discounts begin. AT principle, the price does not depend on anything else.
The average price for a monthly rent is 15-25 thousand baht / month Usually such a price is offered only by private owners and locales Network international offices, with the exception of Avis, do not give weighty discounts monthly. Although I somehow stumbled upon a similar price also at Sixt.
If you talk separately about renting from private owners, then they have sometimes you can find old (dead) variants conditionally for 500 baht / day or 10-15 thousand baht / month Yes, budget options will have search, and it is not known how long it will take. But here everything seems simple to me: either you pay with money or you pay by time. Alternatively, if you are a god of bargaining and can somehow bargain for a normal car. I now can not bargain and not I love, I never get it. And another such moment, not forget about the season, on New Year’s Eve the car can be taken off problematic everywhere, even for expensive.
Hertz Honda Jazz for 707 baht / day or 980 baht / day with full insurance, took at Bangkok airport
Honda City from Hertz for 1050 baht / day or 1300 baht with full insurance), took at Phuket airport
Documents for rent and restrictions
Do I need an international driver’s license?
For rent, only two documents are required: an international passport and driver’s license.
Different distributors have different rights to rights. AT small companies may not ask for any rights at all, and large Most of all, distributors want your international rights (IDP), although I took the last time from Hertz on the usual rights, gave the car no problem.
It is believed that the requirement for the IDP is not for the distributors, but for insurers, which is why the site and the contract can be written about the presence of the international driver license. Also the police I asked precisely the IDP, although they stop very, very seldom. Thus, in case of any accidents it’s hard to say what the absence of an IDP will turn out to be. I know that Thailand signed the Vienna Convention and here it seems like you can ride on national rights. Do you want to prove it to the police and insurers? Your right— And I have an IDP 
Rent a car in Thailand
Restrictions
There are restrictions on the age of the driver – you should not be less than 21-25 years, depending on the conditions of a particular office. Still One restriction is related to the use of the machine – you can not go overseas, that is, in a country neighboring Thailand. And on the islands small offices are often requirements to ride only here island, do not drive on beaches and country mountain roads. Kilometer usually all unlimited.
Bank card and deposit
Do I need a credit card?
Credit cards and debit cards are accepted, despite the fact that everywhere it is said that they do not accept debit. There is such a nuance Many Russian debit cards are “fighting” like credit cards for example, Tinkoff and Corn, which I recommend for traveling (selection of cards). I repeatedly took the car for them. But generally make yourself a normal travel credit card AllAirlines (via the link 1000 rub gift on the card) and get a good cashback on it.
If you book a car online, then upon receipt machines, it is desirable to have this same bank card for which you carried out the reservation. Also a bank card will be used in point of hire for write-off of rent and deposit.
To check how your card gets, google BIN check online (here is one of the services), and on the first 6 digits of your card, You will find out if it is defined as DEBIT, or as CREDIT. For example, debit debit Tinkoff and debit Corn go as credit cards, and debit by Sber Mastercard Standard is breaking through now, as debit. Sometimes, you will still be able to pay the rent. cars, but it’s better to make normal travel maps, Tinkoff is the first in my rating, I have been using it for 4 years.
Deposit
Cash deposit is quite a normal practice. Private the rollers always take the deposit in cash, and the network, on the contrary, remove (freeze) only with a bank card. At a private trader the deposit may be 5-30 thousand baht, network take 8-10 thousand baht
And if with private everything is clear – you give the car back to you your cash then with large network distributors deal is different. The network distributor will freeze the deposit on your bank card, which will return in about 20-30 after the end of the lease, nothing special needs to be done for this. For example, HERTZ freezes 5,000 baht in your account, and Avis 8000 baht IMHO this is not a problem, the money is quite small and nowhere go away.
From personal experience: National Car returned the deposit after 2 days, because they did cancel. Hertz was returned after 25 days, just There was an automatic cancellation of the transaction.
Passport as a deposit
When renting a car you can ask for a passport as a deposit. It should not be given, it is not correct, then you can get on divorce. Practiced by small private owners, international offices never take a passport as a deposit. But among small offices there are those where there are enough copies of the passport and cash deposit, look for exactly their.
I personally never give a passport as a pledge.
All about insurance (types, deductible)
Whenever you take a car, ask about insurance. Can hope for the best that nothing will happen, but I would only take with insurance, at least with one where there is a deductible. For example, network distributors you are completely without insurance and can not take it by default already included in the price. And do not forget about the tourist insurance, God forbid, to be useful, but it is better to have one too.
Types of insurance for cars
- Third Party Insurance, by type our OSAGO
- Theft Insuranse
- Damage Waiver, some varieties Hull
- Personal Liability Insurance insurance PAI)
Damage insurance with and without deductible
CTP is included in the basic package, theft insurance is usually already for extra money. Damage insurance has two various options:
- With a franchise, where the amount of the franchise is, say, 10,000 baht. Usually denoted as CDW (Collision Damage Waiver).
- Full insurance or zero deductible. Usually denoted like SCDW or ECDW (Super Collision Damage Waiver or Extra Collision Damage Waiver).
All English names are from sites of large network. distributors, that is, they may differ. In the case of complete insurance (SCDW) for any damage you do not pay anything, and in franchise case (CDW) – there is a liability limit of about 5-10 thousand baht The liability limit is the franchise. Suppose that you scratched the car. If the insurance is complete, then it is not yours. problems, if with a franchise, then you will be billed, but not more than the amount franchise That is, in the case of insurance with a deductible, you maximum get on 5-10 thousand baht, usually just such a sum appears.
But there is an exception. If the car after the accident has become a total loss, then there is written off in junk, then even if you have full insurance with you write off some amount. For example, Hertz will take 30 thousand baht. AT In principle, for a completely killed car it is a little, but still not complete CASCO.
Types of insurance from HERTZ, which can be taken on the spot
Should I take insurance with a deductible?
In addition to the fact that you yourself can somehow damage the body or bumper, there is still such a moment with a franchise. Employees can hire try to attribute you not your scratches to a bit make money, and there’s nothing you can prove. I myself am not so came across, but it happens. Therefore, if you are too afraid stains, as well as scratching something, then your option is complete insurance, even if it is a bit more expensive. I personally take full insurance so as not to bother.
However, not everything is so scary. The moment you take machine, then inspect and fix all the scratches in special document. Large network offices without it can not. Therefore, really, go around and look at the car, where what But I’ll tell you about this below.
If you take the car monthly, the rental price with full insurance and with a deductible can be very different. And here you need See how much and decide what you need. For example, you can remove car for 15,000 baht / month with a franchise of 10,000 baht or 20,000 baht / month and with full insurance.
Contract and car inspection
When renting a car, it is advisable to draw up an agreement where The terms of the lease, the cost of rent, and the conditions of insurance are specified. The last is the most important. But small offices and individuals may not offer you any contract. Then decide for yourself how much you trust them. You can insist and at least in a simple form write down the conditions. I rented a car once in Hua Hin and in Chiang Mai without a contract. Risky, but it was interesting to get experience.
Network distributors always offer a contract and all the necessary documents, they are all standardized.
Contract with a large network distributor
Typical contract in a small office
Now, about the inspection. If the office is large, they will give you a sheet. inspection of the car, and there you will be able to put marks on the picture body and sign, where any scratches, dents. Well, or any other comments. It also indicates the level of fuel. If a the office is small, they usually do not bother with such things, nor fuel level, not a sheet of inspection. In this case, to secure yourself write down all damages in the contract in free form (still photo can be made).
Also check with what level of fuel you need to return the car, otherwise, on return, you can roll out the missing on triple price Large network distributors in Thailand always give the car with full tank, and you should return it the same way with a full tank. AT otherwise, you will pay about 400 baht for each dividing the fuel level (so Hertz takes). Therefore, I always refuel before you give the car. Brought such a rule – refuel a maximum of 50 km to the point of return, enough to Not a single division is gone.
Sheet inspection of the car with the fuel and list accessories
And regarding the inspection. Recently, doing this: I take car through economybookings at some hertz and with full insurance, and therefore generally scored for inspection, because in any If the insurance covers everything, they will not come after that.
Traveling in Thailand by car
Roads and rules of the road
The most difficult driving experience in Thailand is left-hand traffic (the other way, not like ours) and right-hand drive cars. It took me a couple of hours to get comfortable, but I know that for some it causes great difficulties. Unfortunately, I can not give any advice, except that you take the car to automat, then you won’t need to think about changing gears and driving easier.
Right-hand drive cars, and the left-hand traffic
The second difficulty is the fussy movement of motorbikes. If on you hardly notice it on the highway, then here in the city the bikes scurry around there, and here. If you go quietly, do not rush, give way to them, then everything should be fine and without incident. Just try remember them, often look in the mirrors and in front of you.
The rules of the road are similar to ours, the colors at the traffic lights coincide too But there are often arrows at traffic lights, not quite such as ours and they are worth paying attention to. Also turn to the left with red flashing is a normal situation.
Roads in Thailand are normal, even good, I would say. But here the markings are sometimes faded, making it difficult to move in the dark days (after 6 pm). They also have crazy truck drivers and buses, with one lane – overtaking on an opposite for a sweet soul.
Petrol prices in Thailand
Petrol prices in Thailand can be viewed in the photo below. On islands (Phuket / Samui) are more expensive, in Pattaya is cheaper. Update from November 2018. Read more about prices and types of fuel in my post. link. Read, but it does not always work out right away. sort out.
Petrol prices in Thailand
On the hatch of the tank is always written, what kind of gasoline can be poured
Where to return the car at the airport in Suvarnabhumi
The airport is large, several floors, you can get confused, so telling Rented cars are rented on the same floor where they are taken, on the arrival floor (Arrival), exit number 8. There you have to park, go into the airport building and call the worker rolled, so he took the car.
From the road, follow the signs Passenger Terminal and Arrival. And when you drive up to the airport building, there will be fork, you need to take the left to be on the road that closer to the building and exits from it. I remind you, the left-hand movement in Thailand, so we need the leftmost row. If you take to the right, you will have to do one more lap, since the movement one way. Below is a diagram.
At the entrance to the left road can be a guard, but he you skip because the car is covered with stickers with the name of the rental. AT As a last resort, tell him that “car rent” and the name rolled.
Where to return the car at Bangkok airport
I also read that sometimes cars rent in separate parking lots, and not where I wrote. But I myself did not come across. That’s why when you will take the car with the return at Bangkok airport, be sure ask where exactly to return.
When you return the car at the airports of Phuket, Krabi, Samui, Chiang Mai – you can not bathe, everything is very simple, because airports are small. Even if you make a mistake, there is nothing to rearrange problem, there is no outcome.
P.S. Got something to add? Welcome to the comments! I will glad your additions.
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