Road Travel in Thailand, especially in the crowded tourist areas such as Patong, can be far more dangerous than visitors will be used to back home. The test taken by Thai drivers is much less stringent than driving tests in the western world, and most drivers have no driving tuition before they take their test, it is that easy to pass. The concept of road safety in Thailand is almost nonexistent, and for this reason you need to take far more precautions when driving in Thailand than you are used to.

It is advisable to bring an international drivers licence with you to Thailand, as police have been known to detain foreigners who cannot produce such a document, even though it is not a strict legal requirement.

Although there are Thai rules of the road regarding driving behaviour, these are almost never enforced by the police and are only given tertiary consideration by the average Thai driver. Never for one moment expect another driver on a Thai road to act sensibly and responsibly, you will need to keep your eyes wide open and be ready to react to anything.

Pair the atrocious driving skills of the general Thai population with roads that are barely maintained, and the situation becomes lethal. Almost every road in Thailand is constructed without a foundation, and with no drainage. This means that even a moderate amount of rainfall can make driving conditions treacherous in the extreme. Potholes, landslides and road degradation do occur frequently, and can happen over night. That tight bend you drove around yesterday, with the perfect surface may not be the same today, never take anything for granted.

If you are considering hiring either a motorcycle or a car, then you will need to make sure you are fully insured whilst you are driving it. Additionally, when you pick up your vehicle be sure to check it over for damage, then confirm the condition of the vehicle in writing with the hirer before you drive away. This will prevent unscrupulous hirers from claiming for false damages when you return the vehicle.