What is an insurance excess?

The excess is the amount you'll only be liable for in case of damage (under Collision Damage Waiver) or theft (under Theft Protection) of the vehicle. Information about the excess will be clearly stated in the price inclusion when you reserve a car on QEEQ.

How can I add an additional driver?

You are advised to make a request upon your arrival at the rental counter. Additional charge per day will incur unless '1 Additional Driver Included' is stipulated on the rental. Please note that the same licence and age requirement applies to the additional driver. The additional driver is supposed to present the required licence document along with the main driver at pickup.

Essential Thailand Self-Driving Tips & Traffic Rules

The Complete Thailand Driving and Rental Guide

Hiring a car to drive in Thailand can be very pleasant as highways are well maintained throughout the country. However, when you are driving in the big cities, heavy traffic may make your road trip far more challenging. This brief guide will provide a complete cover-up aiming to help you when planning a trip to Thailand.

Speed Limit and Traffic Signs

Driving in Thailand is on the left-hand side of the road. Some driving norms in Thailand can somewhat be seen as particular depending where you come from. For instance, tailgating is quite common and accepted by the locales, and people often cut each other off or cut into lines of cars.

Speed Limit

The speed limits for Thailand are 90 km/h on open roads, 50km/h in towns and 120km/h in motorways unless signs say otherwise.

Traffic Signs

There are mainly three types of road signs in Thailand, including regulatory signs, warning signs, and informational signs.

Thailand regulatory signs have different shapes, most of them featuring red border and white background. Note that the Stop Sign is written in Thai language instead of English or by pictogram, but a typical Octagon is applied to imply its meaning like most of the countries.

Stop(Thai Language)

Give Way(Thai Language)

Slow Down(Thai Language)

No Overtaking

Give Way to Oncoming Vehicles Used to Traffic Bottleneck Points

Thailand warning signs mostly feature a yellow background with black pictogram.

Hump

Divided Road Begins

Divided Road Ends

Pedestrian Crossing

Wild Animals Crossing

No Overtake Zone

Thailand information signs are blue with rectangular or square shapes.

Dead End

Clinic

End of Motorway

Seatbelt and Child Safety

Seatbelt Laws

A new law has come into effect from the 5th of April 2017, stating that passengers in the rear seat of a car are now required to wear seatbelts in addition to the driver and front seat passenger. Failure to do so can result in a fine of up to 500 Thai Baht.

Booster Seat Laws

The Thailand law states that children should be restrained in an age-appropriate system. Children under 12 years old should not sit in the front of a vehicle.

Parking, Fuel and Toll

Parking

Because of the heavy traffic, parking in some Thai cities can be difficult to find. Parking rules and rates are usually marked on signs with English translations in tourist areas.

· Permitted Parking

- White rectangle on the road indicates a designated car parking space. Many shops, malls, restaurants, sights and hotels offer to park and if payment is needed, it will not be expensive.

- Yellow and white markings indicate a short-term parking space only, for usually no more than five minutes. These markings also indicate a bus stop. It is therefore not advised to park there.

· No Parking

- Red and white markings indicate a no parking zone, which means cars may not park here.

Thailand Parking Red and White Markings (Image from shutterstock.com)

- Multiple white diagonal lines indicate parking spaces for motorcycles only and no cars can park here.

Thailand Multiple white diagonal lines

Fuel Prices

The average price for Thailand gasoline price between July and November 2017 was 34.36 Thai Baht, and diesel was 26.79 on 4th Dec.2017.

Toll

Only the big Bangkok-area expressways demand electronic payment, while cash can be used in other places. The usual charge is between 40 and 50 Thai baht. If you do not have an electronic sensor (automatic deduction), do not go to the easy pass lane with blue marks on the ground.

Failing to pay the toll in time may lead to the car rental company paying on your behalf by debiting your credit card, charging a total amount of the toll fee and its management fee from your credit card. Please be aware that this management fee can be costly.

Traffic Violation

DUI Laws

Drivers who have had their licenses for over five years are allowed to have a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of up to 0.05% when behind the wheel, while divers under 20 years are only allowed to have maximal BAC of 0.02%. A hefty fine of 60,000 THB and/or a 6-month prison sentence will be applied in case of DUI.

Foreigners driving after an excessive consumption of alcohol may also risk being deported, depending on the severity of the case.

Traffic Fines

Speeding fines in Thailand are between 200 THB to 400 THB. Parking in the wrong place or exceeding the time allowed will result in a parking ticket. Finally, parking in a non-parking area may result in a fine of 200 Thai Baht.

Some of the fines can be paid on the spot. In case you have not paid a fine, your car hire company will collect the fine’s charge as well as an added administration fee directly from your credit card.

Should you have questions in terms of traffic fines collection, you are always welcome to contact QEEQ for assistance.

Driving Licence and Age Requirements

As a tourist or visitor driving or renting a car in Thailand, it is necessary to have a valid foreign driving licence with a photograph. Many car hire companies require a full driving licence held for a minimum of 2 years with no major endorsements.

If your domestic driving licence is not in English (Arabic, Japanese, Cyrillic etc), an International Driving Permit (IDP/IDL) or an official translation in English or Thai is required when you drive in Thailand. Please note that an International Driving Permit (often referred to as an International Driving Licence) does not replace the requirement for a regular driving licence. And you must carry your current overseas driver’s licence, IDP or translation with you all the time when driving in Thailand.

Minimum age in Thailand is 21 years(age may vary by car category). If you're 21-25, you are likely to have to pay a young driver fee. If you're 65 or older, you may have to pay a senior driver fee.

Guest reviews

1 /

Anonymous

May 25, 2026

Destination: Chiang Mai

10Excellent

Pick-up was really quick, and returning the car was just as fast.

May 23, 2026

Destination: Koh Samui

Staff were friendly, but when I went to pick up the car, the model I’d booked wasn’t available. They said they were “upgrading” me to a 7‑seater SUV, but what I actually got was an old car with over 100,000 km on it. That said, it drove fine overall.

May 22, 2026

Destination: Bangkok

We could only get through to the rental company after asking a Thai local to call for us, then one of their staff drove over to pick us up.

Very happy with the experience, this is a genuine review. The ladies at the front desk were super friendly, no tricks or hidden charges at all. I’d definitely come back next time.

Really easy to find and use.

May 21, 2026

Destination: Phuket

Everything was perfect.

May 20, 2026

Super satisfied – everything was really convenient and the car was in great shape.

May 19, 2026

Service was pretty good overall, I’d definitely recommend them.

May 18, 2026

Budget is a big, reliable company – the car was in great condition and pickup/return was super efficient. The Toyota Yaris Ativ we booked had plenty of power, a roomy interior, and was really fuel-efficient. It felt great to drive. Highly recommended!

May 16, 2026

Super quick and hassle-free.

May 15, 2026

The car was really new, the interior was spotless, and the staff were super friendly. Definitely a five-star experience.

May 14, 2026

It was pouring that day, and the staff rushed over with an umbrella the moment they saw us—so thoughtful and heartwarming.

May 13, 2026

Super convenient and really honest staff. After returning the car I realized I’d left my driver’s license inside, and they immediately drove it back to me at the airport.

May 12, 2026

Pretty good overall.

Destination: Pattaya

Overall, I was really satisfied with everything.

May 11, 2026

The staff were really friendly and helpful

May 7, 2026

Super satisfied with the whole experience.

May 6, 2026

8Very good

We booked an 11-seater Toyota HiAce. These are pretty rare, so the vehicle was a bit old, but it still drove really well.

May 3, 2026

Got a nearly brand-new car with just 10,000 km on it, super smooth to drive. No hard selling from the staff the whole time, really trustworthy service! I’ll definitely go with Thai Rent A Car again next time!

Staff were super friendly and helpful, the car ran great, definitely worth recommending.

May 1, 2026

Overall a really good experience—the service was great and the car was in good condition.

April 30, 2026

There’s no counter at the airport itself – you have to go to the 7‑Eleven across the street instead.

April 28, 2026

They responded really quickly and were super patient, and they can speak both Chinese and Thai.

April 27, 2026

They pretty much only communicate through WhatsApp. Customer service replies were so‑so, but the staff on site were really nice.

April 20, 2026

Really great experience overall.

April 18, 2026

April 17, 2026

No sales pitch at all — just checked my ID and handed over the car.

April 12, 2026

Awesome experience.

Really good overall.

April 9, 2026

Pretty good overall—super convenient and efficient.

April 7, 2026

Super convenient, both pickup and return were really quick.

April 6, 2026

I always go with Hertz in Thailand. They’ve got way more choice than Europcar, prices are lower, and they refund the deposit really quickly.

April 3, 2026

Car was in great shape and pretty much brand new.

March 30, 2026

Amazing car rental experience.

March 26, 2026

Pretty good overall, didn’t feel ripped off at all.

The service was insanely good, honestly way better than I expected.

March 24, 2026

Overall an awesome experience! Returning the car was super easy and fast, and there were no hidden charges at all.

Overall satisfied. The car had a few scratches here and there, so make sure to take photos for the record.

March 22, 2026

Service was really good.

I’ve honestly lost count of how many times I’ve rented here—service is always excellent.

March 21, 2026

Super convenient and efficient, I’d definitely rent from this company again – they’re fantastic.

No need to say much, absolutely awesome.
Fast, no nonsense, just straight to the point.

March 20, 2026

Car was in great condition.

March 18, 2026

Everything went pretty smoothly from pickup to drop-off.

March 17, 2026

Excellent service, super efficient.

Overall very satisfied

March 13, 2026

Super convenient and the staff were really friendly and welcoming. I’d definitely book with you again next time.

Thailand Car Rentals