Car rental in Thailand starts at about $18 a day for a small car in November 2026, more on Phuket. To drive legally you need your licence from home and an International Driving Permit. A scooter also needs a motorcycle licence, not just a car one. We checked prices, rules and fines on 14 November 2026.
Car rental in Thailand: three cars and their daily prices
Prices from the airports of Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Krabi and Koh Samui, compared across rental firms.
Chanokchon, CC BY-SA 4.0Economy car
Toyota Yaris, Nissan Almera or similar
- Bangkok:
- from $20 a day
- Phuket:
- from $27 a day
- Roads:
- Cities, airport runs and main highways
from $18 per day
See prices
Chanokchon, CC BY-SA 4.0Compact SUV
Haval Jolion, Toyota Corolla Cross or similar
- Bangkok:
- from $31 a day
- Phuket:
- from $56 a day
- Roads:
- Hill roads in the north and on the islands
from $31 per day
See prices
Chanokchon, CC BY-SA 4.0Seven-seater
Toyota Veloz, Mitsubishi Xpander or similar
- Bangkok:
- from $33 a day
- Phuket:
- from $52 a day
- For:
- Families and groups with luggage
from $31 per day
See prices
Lowest daily prices published by DiscoverCars on its Thailand, Bangkok and Phuket pages, updated on 13 November 2026, for a rental from Monday 16 to Tuesday 24 November 2026, without extras. This is the start of the high season. September is the cheapest month there, at about $20 a day on average.
Driving licence in Thailand for tourists: which international permit
A visitor can drive in Thailand with a valid licence from home plus an International Driving Permit (IDP), the booklet that translates it. Licences from other ASEAN countries need no permit, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand. The permit is useless without the licence, so carry both.
1949 or 1968 permit: it depends on your country
Thailand signed both road traffic conventions, Geneva 1949 in 1962 and Vienna 1968 in 2020, and you buy the permit at home, before you fly. Each country issues one version or the other.
| Licence from | Permit | Where to get it | Cost and validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 1968 | PayPoint shops, in person | £5.50, about three years or until the licence expires |
| United States | 1949 | AAA offices or by post | About $20, one year, reported |
| ASEAN country | None | Your national licence is enough | Carry the physical card |
The UK government lists the 1968 version for Thailand and says you cannot buy it once abroad. Bring the paper licence card too. In July 2026 police fined a Malaysian driver 1,000 THB for showing a licence on a phone app.
Motorbike licence for a scooter: the category on your IDP
A car licence does not cover a scooter, even a small one. You need a motorcycle category on your licence, an A, A1 or A2 in the UK or a motorcycle endorsement in the US. The permit copies the categories of your licence, so check the motorcycle box is stamped before you leave.
Police checkpoints and fines in 2026
From 1 April 2026, after a warning period, police began to enforce ten offences with higher fines, according to The Nation. Checkpoints are common on the roads of Phuket, Krabi and the islands, and officers ask riders for the licence and the permit.
| Offence | Maximum fine since April 2026 |
|---|---|
| Speeding, red light, phone in hand, not stopping at a zebra crossing | 4,000 THB |
| No helmet, rider or passenger | 2,000 THB |
| No seat belt, front or back | 2,000 THB |
| Driving against the traffic | 2,000 THB |
| No driving licence on you | 1,000 THB, up to one month in jail |
| Drink-driving | 5,000 to 20,000 THB, up to one year in jail |
On Phuket, police arrested 20,901 foreigners and 2,745 Thais in 2025 for riding rental motorbikes without a licence, The Phuket News reported in February 2026. The fine is the small part. An unlicensed rider is also uninsured.
Car and scooter rental prices in Thailand in 2026
A car costs about the same per day as two or three scooters, and the gap closes once you add full insurance. The figures below were published by DiscoverCars for an eight-day rental from 16 November 2026, and by rental shops for scooters.
| Airport | Cheapest car per day |
|---|---|
| Bangkok Don Mueang (DMK) | $20.33 |
| Koh Samui (USM) | $20.85 |
| Krabi (KBV) | $20.85 |
| Chiang Mai (CNX) | $21.13 |
| Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (BKK) | $22.53 |
| Phuket (HKT) | $27.00 |
Season moves the price more than the town. Across Thailand, DiscoverCars gives an average of about $20 a day in September and $36 in December. On Phuket, June is the cheapest month at about $19 a day.
A 125cc scooter such as a Honda Click costs about 150 to 300 THB a day, and about 2,000 to 5,000 THB for a month, rental shops report. Monthly deals are easiest to find in Chiang Mai and on Phuket, away from the beach roads.
Where to rent a car in Thailand: Phuket, Krabi, Chiang Mai and Samui airports
Most visitors pick up the car at the airport where they land. International firms and Thai ones have desks or a meet-and-greet service at the six airports in the table above, and a car avoids the airport taxi fare.
- Phuket: the airport is in the north, about an hour from the southern beaches. A car makes sense for the viewpoints and temples of the south listed in our Phuket travel guide, less so if you stay in Patong.
- Krabi: the airport is just east of Krabi Town. A car reaches the Tiger Cave Temple, the Emerald Pool and Koh Lanta, while the beaches of Krabi and Railay are reached by longtail boat.
- Chiang Mai: the airport is 10 to 15 minutes from the old city. A car or a bigger motorbike opens the mountain roads north of Chiang Mai, towards Doi Inthanon, Pai and Mae Hong Son.
- Koh Samui: its private airport has rental desks, and the island is small enough to drive around in a day on the ring road of about 50 km.
Car rental insurance in Thailand: excess, deposit and exclusions
Thai rentals include compulsory third-party cover, and most add damage cover with an excess, the amount you pay after an accident. Rental firms and guides report excesses of about 5,000 to 30,000 THB, and about 200 to 400 THB a day to reduce it to zero at the desk.
The deposit is blocked on a credit card in the driver's name, and debit cards are often refused. A couple who rented a Honda City at Phuket airport in 2025 report an 8,000 THB deposit. Film the car on all sides before leaving the car park.
Your own medical cover matters more than the excess, because a crash can mean a long stay in a private hospital. Before you ride, check that your travel insurance for Thailand covers motorbikes above 50cc and the licence you hold.
Never leave your passport as a deposit
Many scooter shops ask for a passport. The UK government says not to hand it over, because companies may hold it against damage they claim you caused. Offer a cash deposit and a photocopy instead, and walk away if the shop refuses.
Motorbike rental in Thailand: scooters, checks and Phuket's crackdown
Scooters are rented from shops on every tourist street, often in five minutes and with no question about your licence. The UK government adds that many bikes for hire in tourist areas are not registered and cannot legally be ridden on a public road.
- Before you ride: check the brakes, lights, tyres and mirrors, and film every scratch.
- Paperwork: ask for a signed contract and the registration papers, kept under the seat.
- Helmet: compulsory for rider and passenger, so ask for one that fastens properly.
- Size: stay with the 110cc to 125cc scooters you are licensed and insured for.
Phuket is tightening the rules. A draft amendment to the Motor Vehicle Act, expected in 2026, would require rental bikes to be registered as rentals and fine unlicensed rental shops 10,000 to 100,000 THB. Police already seized 1,737 motorbikes from rental operators in 2025.
Driving in Thailand: left side, speed limits and alcohol
Thailand drives on the left, with right-hand-drive cars, as in the UK and Australia. Seat belts are compulsory in the front and the back. Road signs on main roads are in Thai and English, and distances are in kilometres.
- Speed: cars may do up to 120 km/h on motorways and on four-lane highways where it is posted, 90 km/h on other roads outside towns. Towns set their own limits, often well below.
- U-turns: on divided highways, U-turn gaps open from the fast right-hand lane. Watch for cars slowing there and for traffic merging after the turn.
- Motorbikes: they pass on both sides and ride on the hard shoulder. Check your mirrors before every turn.
- Headlights: a driver who flashes usually means they are coming through, not letting you go.
- Parking: red and white kerbs mean no stopping, yellow and white allow short stops only. Malls have large car parks, and Phuket Town has few spaces.
The drink-drive limit is 50 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood, but only 20 mg for drivers under 20, on a provisional licence or without a valid licence. Thai car insurance does not pay above 50 mg. In practice, do not drink at all.
Is driving in Thailand dangerous? Road deaths and Songkran
On the numbers, yes. The World Health Organization estimates 18,218 road deaths in 2021, a rate of 25.4 per 100,000 people, and 83.8% of the dead were motorcyclists. In a car with seat belts the risk is far lower than on a scooter.
The worst days are the holidays. During the seven days of Songkran 2026, from 10 to 16 April, officials counted 242 deaths and 1,242 accidents, with speeding the first cause. Road crashes are the biggest risk most visitors take, well ahead of crime, when you ask whether Thailand is safe for travellers.
Avoid driving at night, when lighting is poor and drunk drivers, stray dogs and unlit trucks share the road. After a tropical downpour, slow down: sand and gravel collect on bends, and the first rain makes the tarmac slippery.
Driving in Bangkok: pick up the car on your way out
Bangkok is the one place where a rental car makes little sense. Rush hour lasts most of the day on the main avenues, parking is scarce outside malls and hotels, and the Skytrain, the metro and Grab or Bolt cars are quicker.
For a road trip to Ayutthaya, Kanchanaburi or Khao Yai, collect the car at Don Mueang or Suvarnabhumi airport, both outside the centre, on the day you leave. If you must drive in town, book a hotel with parking first.
Fuel, tolls and Google Maps in Thailand
Fuel
Stations are everywhere on main roads, run by PTT, Bangchak, Shell, PT and others. An attendant fills the tank, so say the grade, usually 91 or 95 Gasohol, or E20 if the fuel cap allows it. Large stations take cards and have a 7-Eleven and toilets.
At the end of August 2026, Thairath reported Gasohol 95 at 37.69 THB a litre, E20 at 32.69 THB and diesel at 38.39 THB. Prices change every few weeks. On remote roads and islands, scooters are refilled from bottles sold at roadside stalls.
Tolls and M-Flow
Bangkok's expressways and the motorways out of the city charge tolls, a few dozen baht per section, paid in cash at the booth. Rental cars often come without an Easy Pass tag, so keep small notes and choose the lanes marked for cash.
Some motorway gates use M-Flow, with no barrier and a camera that reads the plate. The bill goes to the registered owner, usually the rental firm, with a fine if it is paid late. Ask at the desk how they handle it. In July 2026, fake text messages asked drivers to pay unpaid tolls on a scam website.
Google Maps and data
Google Maps works well across Thailand, with English names, live traffic and an option to avoid tolls. You need mobile data on the road, so set up a SIM or an eSIM on arrival and download offline maps for the mountains, where the signal drops.
Renting a car or scooter on Koh Chang, Koh Samui and Koh Lanta
Island roads catch out new riders. They are short but steep, with hairpin bends, sand on the tarmac and sudden rain. If you have never ridden a motorbike, take a car, a songthaew or a taxi on these three.
- Koh Chang: a car ferry from Ao Thammachat near Trat crosses in 25 to 35 minutes. On Koh Chang, the hill from Klong Son to White Sand Beach and the road from Kai Bae to Bang Bao are the steepest, with hairpins that turn slippery after rain.
- Koh Samui: rent at the airport or bring a car on the Seatran ferry from Donsak. The ring road of Koh Samui is easy, the climbs to viewpoints and the Secret Buddha Garden are not.
- Koh Lanta: a short car ferry links it to the mainland, so a car rented at Krabi airport can come along if the contract allows ferries. On Koh Lanta, the road south of Klong Nin is steep and winding, and the cross-island road near the Old Town climbs through forest.
What to do after a road accident in Thailand
Call 1669 for an ambulance and 191 for the police, or the Tourist Police on 1155, who speak English. Then call the emergency number on your rental contract and your insurer. Photograph the scene, the vehicles and the plates before anything is moved.
Small accidents are often settled on the spot in cash. Do not agree to pay anything before the police and your rental firm are involved, and keep every document. Without a car, night trains, buses and domestic flights reach every stop of a first trip to Thailand.