Do I need an International Driving Permit (IDP)?
Yes. Thai law requires an IDP at the wheel, although a national licence is enough to collect a car from MonkeyCar. A Russian or other national licence on its own is not valid in Thailand: at a checkpoint the police can fine you around 1,000 baht, and after an accident the insurer can refuse to pay, leaving the repair bill with you. An IDP is issued at home by the GIBDD or an MFC centre, usually in one visit. It is valid for three years, but no longer than your national licence. Get it before you fly: Thailand does not issue international permits, and Thai licences are only available with a work visa or a long-term stay. The police check the IDP together with the national licence, so carry both.
Is an IDP valid without a national licence?
No. Without the national licence an IDP is void: it is a translation attached to your licence, and the two are always checked together. Keep both on you rather than in the glovebox, so that if the car is towed or you walk away from it, your licence stays with you. If the national licence has expired, the international one is not valid either. Check the expiry date before the trip: you cannot renew it from Thailand, and if you drive without a valid licence the insurer will refuse to pay for any incident.
Do I need to carry my passport?
Take the original passport on your first drive and whenever you leave the island. The rest of the time it is easier to keep it in the hotel safe and carry a clear copy of the photo page and the entry stamp: at routine checks Thai police almost always accept a copy. Photograph the passport and the entry stamp and keep the photos in cloud storage. If the passport is lost, the consulate can issue an exit document faster with that photo.
Which car documents are kept in the car?
The registration book (เล่มทะเบียน) and the compulsory insurance (พ.ร.บ.) come with the car and stay inside it, usually in the glovebox, in one folder with the rental agreement. At a checkpoint the police look at them together with the driver's licence. Before you set off, check the insurance sticker on the windscreen: it should still be in date. If the documents get lost or wet, message your MonkeyCar manager on Telegram or WhatsApp straight away.
What age and driving experience are required?
The driver must be at least 21 with at least one year of driving experience. A second driver is added to the agreement free of charge, but in advance: send a photo of their licence before pickup. If someone not named in the agreement is driving, the insurance does not apply, even if they are not at fault. On a group trip where people take turns at the wheel, add everyone who will drive.
Do I need a green card to drive to the mainland?
No, you need neither a green card nor extra insurance to drive to the mainland: Phang Nga and Krabi are still Thailand, and MonkeyCar's insurance covers three provinces (Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi). A green card (international motor insurance) only matters when you cross a national border, for example driving into Malaysia. For Phang Nga, Krabi or Khao Lak, bring the usual set: IDP, national licence and the car's papers.
What goes into the rental agreement and the inspection record?
The agreement records the rental period, the daily rate, the deposit, the insurance terms and the list of drivers. It is drawn up in Russian and English, signed at pickup and stays with you on paper or as a file in your chat. At pickup you walk round the car with the staff member and record chips, scratches, tyres and the fuel level on photo and video. At return the car is checked against that record. Ask for a copy of the video or film your own on your phone.
