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For all the car rental companies that we represent the answer is yes. This is true of all on airport car rental companies. All the brand names will ask for a credit card in the name of the lead driver. Cash deposits or debit cards will not be accepted. However, they are flexible, if for example, another person has a credit card they can be named the lead driver and you could be added as a free extra driver. To rent a car without a credit card you need to go to local car rental companies.

Most rental companies with the exception of a few will offer free one ways for rental 7 days or over. With Budget car rental Thailand only 4 days is needed to qualify for a free one way. This gives you the option to make a road trip without retracing your steps. For example pickup your car rental at Bangkok airport and return to Chiang Mai airport or Phuket airport. If you are going to cover a lot of ground we would recommend choosing midsize or full size for that added luxury.

Most countries will put a limit on the number of miles and charge you extra above that limit. This can add a substantial amount to the final cost of the car rental. In Thailand you will not face that problem as all suppliers offer free miles without any limit.

The prices quoted are fully inclusive of airport fees and taxes. The only extra that you will pay is for any extras added. Naturally, any fuel that you use must be replaced before the car rental is returned, otherwise they will charge to refuel. The refuelling charge is not exuberant like most other countries, but it is still best to return at the same level received.

Most suppliers allow you to add additional free drivers, some suppliers only allow 1 free extra driver, some 3 and some unlimited. The deal on free extra drivers will be made clear during the booking stage. Please be aware that the additional driver or drivers must be present to be added. It is also possible to return to any of the supplier depots during the rental period and add an additional driver to your rental agreement.

The key requirement is that you have held a clean licence for a minimum of one year. The minimum age with Budget and other Thai rental suppliers is 21. If you are under 25 and rented say in the USA for example, you will be aware that suppliers can charge a so called under age charge, The good news this does NOT happen in Thailand. To repeat the minimum age is 21 with a clean licence held for at least one year.

You will need an international driving permit. This, along with your passport should be carried in the rental vehicle at all times. The rental company will accept your normal licence from country of residence. That international licence is only enforced by the Thai police, so if you only have your county licence expect a roadside fine. This will mean a trip to the local police station. In most cases the policeman will be happy with a small payment THB 500  to a THB1,000. You are unlikely to be stopped unless speeding so it is a not a big issue..

All Thailand car rental companies that we represent will accept the licence from your country of domicile ( where you live ). If your licence is not in the Roman alphabet (for example, Hebrew), then you must bring an official translation or use an international driver's permit. In summary, if you hold a drivers licence from Canada, USA, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Germany or any European Country it is acceptable (without the need to have an international driver's permit)

Most rental companies apply an excess to your rental. This means, should you be in an accident deemed to be your fault, you will be liable for that excess amount. The amount of excess in some countries can be substantial and daunting if this is your first time hiring a car. The rental company will normally offer you an option to buy additional daily excess insurance to reduce the amount to a reasonable amount, or in some cases waiving the excess completely.

In Thailand, most companies will charge an excess. The good news, it is substantially lower than other countries. For example, with Thai Rent a Car the excess is TB5,000 for mid and small size car categories. For full size that would include the Camry and Accord the excess is THB10,000

The excess amount must be paid using the credit card of the lead driver, cash will not be accepted ( no exceptions ). All suppliers will give you an option to purchase additional daily insurance to waive the excess. This can be arranged at the pickup depot. With Thai Rent car is currently (2019) THB200 per day to waive the excess to zero. 

Zero excess does not mean that you have no liability. It is normal that windows, tires and underside are still the responsibility of the driver. Budget do offer to include these in their insurance package. 

Personal injury is not included, and this is the standard in the car rental industry. All Thai car hire suppliers will offer you the option to purchase personal insurance. This can be added to your contract at pickup time. You can also take out your own insurance to cover personal injury prior to travel.  

Whilst we hope this does not happen, it is better to know the procedure. The first thing is to contact the rental supplier. Emergency numbers will be in the documentation given when picking up the rental. They will send an insurance rider on a motorbike (to get there quickly). In the meantime, please do not move the car from the scene of the accident. Even if it is blocking traffic. This may sound wrong, and I agree, but this is how it is done in Thailand. It is also time to take some snaps of the accident scene, especially if you are the innocent party. In some cases, the police will arrive first and chalk out the car and take more pictures. They will then ask you to move to a lay-by so traffic can keep moving. It can take up to 45 minutes ( depending ) for the motorbike rider to arrive, so please be patient. When he does arrive, it should be all completed in 30 mins. If the accident is minor, the rental company will let you continue with the same rental car. If you do wish to change, then they will also oblige.

This is common practice in any country that you rent a car. The deposit acts as a bond and covers the rental company for a variety of possible scenarios, for example you return the vehicle empty (will need refilled), filthy dirty and smelly (will need valeting and maybe retired until the smell dissipates), you caused malicious damage to the interior, return the vehicle full of sand and extremely dirty , return late. All the aforementioned events will cost the rental company, and as such they ask for a deposit that is refundable in full should you follow standard instructions and take proper care of the rental vehicle. 

This will be difficult. All cars on all fleets are automatic with the exception of the 2 door pickup which is manual and the 12 seater minibus which can be manual or automatic ( you can choose ).

The cheapest car to rent in Thailand is the 2 door manual pickup. Please note the rear seat is a bench seat with no seat belts. The rear may be covered or open.

Yes, currently Sixt Thailand offer the Good Cat and the MG EP Estate for rental from its Bangkok depot locations 

Thai Rentals in the past provided a meet and greet service at Suvarnabhumi airport, now for your convenience, all Thailand car rental suppliers now have a desk on the second floor.  This is true of most airports in Thailand and no lengthy shuttle service is required, so you can commence your journey quickly after landing. 

This depends on the rules of the rental company. The scam of charging for a full tank and asking customers to return empty does not exist in Thailand. The way it works in Thailand is that you are expected to return the vehicle with the same amount of fuel as when you picked it up. Most times that will be full to full, but sometimes it may be half full return half full. The amount of fuel in the tank will be documented and you will only be expected to return the same. We advise making sure you know where the nearest gas station is on the way to airport and factor in some time for this task. If you are not able to don't worry, they will not charge you an excessive fee for fuel as in other countries.

Here is a checklist for car rental pikcup at any location thailand and worldwide, please click here.

All Thai rental companies give you one hour grace. What this means is if you are due to return the rental at 14:00 you have until 14:59 before they will charge any additional fee for late return. If you return after the 1-hour grace period, you will be liable for extra charges, and you may also affect the holiday of someone else. So please bear this in mind when calculating the journey time to the airport or rental depot.

The car Representative will do a walk round with you and mark any damage on paper. A copy of this will be given to you after agreeing and signing the car condition report. Sometimes small things can be missed out so please make sure you actually check that all scratches or minor dents have been marked on the report. On completion you will sign the damage report, please keep this safe as it will be required when you return the rental car. If you are renting from a roadside rental company you will need to pay extra attention at this stage and also check tires for excessive ear. It will also make sense to check the spare isolated and you have the necessary tools (lug wrench and jack) to change if needed.