Scooter or Car in Pattaya? Advice From a Rental Company Owner

I've run Pattaya Rent a Car since 2010, and visitors ask me this all the time: should I rent a scooter or a car?

Renting a car? Here's what to check before you sign.

Scooter or car: which would I choose?

A car, if your budget allows it. Absolutely. As I've written about driving in Pattaya, the roads here are very different from what you'd find in the West. They're a little more chaotic, with motorbikes buzzing around everywhere, and a car gives you that extra safety.

What goes wrong when tourists rent a scooter?

They don't ride confidently. The secret to a successful scooter journey is to stay aware of what's going on around you and ride with confidence. Any dilly-dallying or hesitation will get you in trouble.

Is a rental scooter insured?

Usually only with the compulsory government insurance, known as Por Ror Bor, and that cover is very poor: it only covers injuries to other people, up to a limit, not you or the bike. The big insurers will insure your own personal motorbike, but they generally won't insure motorbikes that are rented out commercially. So most rental shops are left with the basic government cover. That's another reason I'd choose a car.

Do the police check tourists on scooters?

Yes, they absolutely do. When I first came to Pattaya, one or two police officers would set up on a corner and wait, and you'd usually pay a fine on the spot. That has stopped in recent years. Stops now have to be organised checkpoints, they can't single out foreigners, and it's all a lot more professional. So there aren't as many stops as there used to be.

But if you do get stopped without a licence they're happy with, it's a ฿500 fine. These days you can't pay it there and then. You have to go to the police station to pay it.

My advice if you're set on a scooter

Ride with confidence, be very careful, and don't speed. Ride at a normal pace.

And stay off Sukhumvit Road if you're a beginner. It's the main road that runs all the way to Bangkok: four lanes, fast, and it can be pretty treacherous. If you have little experience, stay on the beach side of Sukhumvit, where the roads are quieter and slower, and build some confidence there before you start riding on Sukhumvit.

Happy without either? Here's how to get around Pattaya without a car.

If you'd rather have a car, Pattaya Rent a Car can help, and if you're staying a while, read buying or renting a car in Thailand. And if you're just landing, read how to get from Bangkok airport to Pattaya.