For regular travellers to Thailand, hiring a car is becoming more popular, easier, and cheaper. And with state of the art Sat Nav, now available, getting lost in Bangkok, can be a thing of the past!
However, book Sat Nav early especially for peak times, like Songkran (the pickups go quickly as well, for some unknown reason!), Xmas/New Year etc. In fact, always book early, with our refundable Paypal deposit plan.
If arriving into Thailand after a long flight, and want to hire a car, you have a few options:-
1) Collect car at airport on arrival. Budget have a desk, wheras Thai Rent a car offer Meet & Greet (see 6 below)
2) Get a taxi to your hotel, or a limo, or bus…or soon to be opened rail link (hold breath!).
3) Have the car delivered to you Bangkok hotel…usually for free
4) Go back to the airport later.
5) Collect from a down town depot.
6) Or in the case of Thai Rent a Car, they have a large depot, easily seen, just before the airport entrance, upramp, where yo can collect car. (returns bext done to airport car park, as not shuttle service persay).
Once you leave Bangkok the roads are good and there are signs posted in English. If you have not got Sat Nav with your car, then do buy a map before leaving Bangkok as it’s difficult to find one outside the city of Bangkok. There will be a map of bangkok with your car rental
One way car hire is free from car hire depot to car hire depot, provided you hire a car for three days, otherwise if under than can pay over THB3,000, so if need a car for one or two days, can be cheaper to hire for three ways, and return early.
Licences needed – although the police may ask for your International licence, you can hire the car with just your original driving licence, credit card, and passport (make photocopies to speed things up). If police ask for International licence, the usual “on the spot fine” resolves the issue, but you probably going to get fined for something else anyway.
Just a few hours drive from Bangkok in a southerly direction is the charming fishing village of Hua Hin , Hua Hin offers a host of spa resorts and golf courses. Don’t be surprised to see a few famous people as some spa resorts are very exclusive.
Car Hire Thailand Tip: rental cars are strictly not allowed outside the borders of Thailand and if taken outside all insurance will be null and void.
Spend a few nights in Hua Hin and move further south and visit Koh Samui or Phuket or both. If your rental is over 3 days you can just ask to have your car collected from your final resort is the south of Thailand free of charge.
Car hire Thailand Tip: You may take your rental car on a Ferry to the Islands but this must be arranged with the ferry company and rental company in advance, the ferry company will ask for car registration so you need to book your car rental first.
Article was compiled by Eamonn Turley who writes for http://www.fastcarhire.co.uk specialized in car rental in Malaysia, Thailand and Australia.
If you are thinking of visiting Thailand for that once in a lifetime trip then http://www.fastcarhire.co.uk/thailand_car_hire.asp for more information on car rental options available
