?? Driving in/around Phuket??

Hi,

I%26#39;m after any advice re: driving from Phuket airport down to Koh Lanta.

Is it safe for tourists to hire cars and drive?

Thankyou!!

?? Driving in/around Phuket??

Hi,

Have you been travel/visit Asia?? just for your information on the way local drives please look on these :

http://www.knowphuket.com/driving.htm

I%26#39;ve been to Phuket couple of times %26amp; it seems okay to hire cars %26amp; drive around.. just make sure you have map %26amp; if you need to ask for direction speak slowly to local people, mostly they understand you.

have fun

?? Driving in/around Phuket??

I have rented 2 or 3 vehicles in Phuket. Best way is to rent a scooter on your first day (ask them to quote you for a car too) %26amp; use that scooter to get around Patong/Kata, down the beach road %26amp; back up the next street in. I found it very easy to drive there, much better than KL or LA!

If you are renting at the airport to get to Lanta, perhaps rethink that. I did exactly that, with no probs, but Lanta is small, and a scooter works fine on the island. The airport has the better cars %26amp; companies, with insurance that seems to be OK. You will have no probs normally driving around, just give way to ANYTHING bigger, irregardless who is ';in the right!'; You will not need the car lots in Lanta, as you will probably do day trips around the national park, and lots of sunbaking. That said, if you have a car, you can explore Phang Nga, Krabi %26amp; the waterfalls/ crystal pools easier. I have never had an issue with security there, more likely to get broken into in NZ :(

The only common link between driving in the UK and driving in Thailand is that its on the left (most people, some of the time). Accidents rates are high - especially involving motorcycles where the death rate is frightening. If you hire in Phuket make sure you get 1st class insurance (fully comp) and check what the excess is. And also check whether you are allowed to take the car off the island, as some hire firms restrict you, but may not tell you. If you are involved in an accident you may be held liable whether you are right or wrong, and if anyone is injured or (god forbid) killed, you could be locked up until its sorted out.

A very recent case saw a young tourist on a rented scooter involved in a collision that resulted in the death of a local. He is now awaiting trial. Such things are not uncommon.

We just talked about this extensively on this thread:

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g293920-i5037-k178鈥?/a>

Many people drive here with no problem at all. I have driven here - almost daily - for six years with no problems at all.

Read the thread before you make a decision.

Sorry for two posts - we can%26#39;t edit . . .

Any way here is another important thread on the issue - possibly even better than the one above:

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g293916-i3687-k177鈥?/a>

My reason for strongly advising tourist not to drive in Thailand is because I have been driving here for 20 years on a daily basis, and am well aware of the problems tourists fall into. A freiend of mine in Phuket had a motorcycle accident there two days ago when someone jumped a red light and hit him. Required two days in hospital. There are similar reports all the time, and driving a car is equally problematical. Its fine for those who live here and are used to the way things are done, its a very different matter for visitors.

draconc said; ';A very recent case saw a young tourist on a rented scooter involved in a collision that resulted in the death of a local. He is now awaiting trial. Such things are not uncommon.';

But my question is: Should foreigners be allowed to drive around - be an an accident in which someone is killed - and NOT have a few questions asked?

I don%26#39;t know who is/was responsible in this case - but certainly in my own home country I would expect to be held responsible for a death on the highways - or at least have it seriously looked in to. No?

It%26#39;s not uncommon, here on Phuket, to see a drunken tourist on high powered motorcycles blasting down the roads at speeds that scare even me (and I am a lifelong bike rider).

It%26#39;s not uncommon in Patong to hear the loud exhausts of such bikes as the the driver accelerates up speeds that are insane for in-town driving.

Should they not be held responsible for their idiocy - should they injure or kill someone. Should foreigners and tourist be immune?

I think it is fear-mongering to suggest that isolated cases are the norm. They are not.

Just my opinion.

But then I have driven in Bangkok (lived there twice) and Phuket (for 6.5 years most recently) with no problems at all. (Fingers crossed of course!).

My opinion would be that IF you drive SOBER and RESPONSIBLY - you probably will not have any problems. Rent ONLY from reputable INTERNATIONAL rental companies (Budget Rent-a-Car is best IMO/IME for reasons I won%26#39;t go into here), drive slowly, look both ways - don%26#39;t do anything quickly - and you will be just fine.

Have there been problems and unjust solutions here? Sure. But those happen in my home country too. Just be reasonable, drive reasonably - and you will - again - be just fine.

Again, read the suggested threads - you%26#39;ll hear the opinions of many people who have come here, rented a car - and done just fine.

Draw your own conclusions.

That%26#39;s a very good site, Moila, well worth a look. As always, Ted makes some very good points too.

One thing I noticed is the extent of drink driving in Phuket.

Last year I stayed in Soi San Sabai, a street at the top of Bang La road. Many people park their scooters there while on a night out.

It was frightening, late at night, to see so many people stagger up the street, in a total drunken stupor, and then get on a bike to ride home...

So it%26#39;s just something to be aware of. Even if you obey the law and drive responsibly, others may not.

Joe

I suggest that you can hire a car and thai driver for less than the cost of a self drive hire car.

No hassles and stress trying to navigate the Thai road system, just sit back and relax.

I always hire a car and driver, the drivers are in the main very safe and helpful.