Driving in Pattaya: What a Car Rental Owner Tells Every Customer

I've run Pattaya Rent a Car since 2010, so I've seen what visitors get right and wrong on the roads here. This is what I tell our customers.

What's different about driving in Pattaya?

The first thing to understand is that the roads here are set up differently from what you're used to in the West, and that can cause problems.

U-turns instead of roundabouts. In the UK we have lots of roundabouts. Here, they don't. You'll use U-turns instead.

Undertaking is everywhere. Overtaking on the inside isn't allowed here, just as in the West, but it's very common. It's so normal that I doubt the police would stop you for it. Expect it from other drivers.

Can you drive in Thailand on a UK licence?

You can rent from us on a UK licence, and our insurance covers you. Thailand recognises foreign licences from countries that are part of the international road traffic conventions, which includes the UK.

The catch is the police. If you're stopped, you'll often be fined for not having an international or Thai licence. The fine is ฿500. Whether some officers don't know the rules, or it's just an easy fine, I can't say. So my advice is simple: get an International Driving Permit before you come. It's cheap, and it saves the argument. If you're living here, get a Thai licence.

What are the biggest risks on the road?

Erratic driving. There are speed limits in Thailand, but nobody seems to stick to them, and it's not uncommon to see someone go straight through a red light.

Thinking of a scooter instead? Read scooter or car in Pattaya first. Watch out especially for work vehicles. Whether it's a minibus, a delivery driver or a haulage lorry, people driving for work often drive even more erratically.

What should you do if you have an accident in a rental car?

If it's an emergency, call an ambulance or the police first. Otherwise, call your rental company before you do anything else. With our cars, we always ask customers to phone us first.

The reason is experience. We know the process, and if you skip a step you can make a situation much worse than it needs to be.

Here's an example. Say a customer has a minor scrape and decides to handle it all themselves, so they call the insurance company. Often the police come too. Now there's an insurance claim, so the customer loses their ฿5,000 deposit, for a scrape that would probably have cost less than a few thousand baht to fix. They'd have been better off calling us and paying a couple of thousand baht for the repair.

For when the roads are worst, read Pattaya traffic.

If you're visiting and want a car, Pattaya Rent a Car can help. And if you're heading out for golf, here's my guide to golf in Pattaya.