Renting a Car in Pattaya: What to Check Before You Sign

I've run Pattaya Rent a Car since 2010, so I've seen most of what can go wrong when people rent a car here. Here's what to check.

What's the biggest mistake?

Focusing purely on price. The daily rate is only part of the equation. Think about what the price includes, what after-sales service you'll get, and whether there are extra charges. Don't take the price at face value.

What extra charges should you look for?

Things like a fee for additional drivers, or a mileage limit. There's nothing dodgy about those, but they aren't always included. Ours is always unlimited mileage.

How do you know the insurance is right?

Check that the car is insured for rental use, not just personal use. Thai policies show what the car is registered to be used for, and a car rented out to the public needs cover for hire and rental, not private use. Some operators use cheaper personal insurance and rent the car out anyway. If you have an accident and the insurer finds out it was a rental, the policy can be invalid.

You're entitled to see the policy. We keep a copy in every car and at our office. With a reputable company you can safely assume it's right. But if you're renting from someone on Facebook, or a car parked by the side of the road with no real office or workshop, always check.

How do deposits work?

The standard deposit for a small car is ฿5,000, and many companies charge ฿8,000 for a bigger one. (Ours is still ฿5,000 for now.)

When you pick the car up, take photos, or a video if you prefer, all the way round. That gives you a reference point when you bring it back. Some companies do charge for damage that was already there. We film the cars ourselves for the same reason.

What's the most common dispute?

For us, it's windscreens. Our cover doesn't include the windscreen. If a stone chips it and we can fix it with a repair kit, we often don't charge. But if it turns into a crack and the windscreen has to be replaced, we do, and a new windscreen usually costs more than the deposit.

Some customers say it wasn't their fault: they were just driving along. That's true, but it wasn't ours either. We weren't driving the car. The contract says clearly on the front that windscreen damage isn't covered, and there's an extra fee to waive it if you want that peace of mind. So read what you're signing.

My top tip

Go to a reputable company. It's a no-brainer. I don't understand why anyone would save a few thousand baht by renting from someone whose core business isn't car rental. If you break down or have an accident in the middle of nowhere, and the person you rented from has no experience dealing with it, I can assure you you'll wish you'd gone to a proper company.

If you'd like a car, Pattaya Rent a Car can help. For more, read driving in Pattaya, buying vs renting a car in Thailand and the best day trips from Pattaya.