How do you drive on the left?
Thailand drives on the left: the steering wheel is on the right, you keep to the left lane and overtake on the right. For the first few kilometres your hands pull the car to the right, especially when leaving a car park, a petrol station or a side road, so keep your speed down and keep telling yourself "left". At a roundabout give way to traffic already on it, and change lanes inside the ring only after checking to your right. Before a left turn move into the far-left lane early, and before a right turn into the far-right lane, or you will cross two lanes of oncoming traffic.
What are the speed limits in Thailand and Phuket?
By law the limits in Thailand are 80 km/h in built-up areas, 90 km/h on rural roads and 120 km/h on toll motorways. Near schools, markets and in the tourist areas of Patong, Kamala and Rawai, signs lower the limit to 40–60 km/h, and that is where fixed cameras and mobile radars are most common. Speeding is recorded automatically: the fine reaches the rental company within 1–7 days, and MonkeyCar deducts the amount from the deposit. On the hill roads of Kathu, Patong and Promthep Cape drive 10–15 km/h below the limit: the road is often wet and the verge drops away with no barrier.
What happens if you drink and drive?
The limit is 0.5‰ blood alcohol, or 0.2‰ for drivers under 20 and holders of a temporary licence. On Friday and Saturday evenings the police almost always set up breath-test checkpoints at the entrances to Patong, Chalong and Rawai. A driver who fails the test is held until morning, gets a report and a fine of up to 20,000 baht, and can lose their licence. After that the insurance does not cover an accident. If you have been drinking, call Bolt or Grab: they run across the island around the clock.
Who must wear a seat belt, and when is a child seat required?
The driver and every passenger, back seats included, must wear a belt; the fine is up to ฿2,000 for each unbelted person. Children under 6 ride in a child seat, children aged 6–9 on a booster. Carrying a child on your lap or in the front seat without a restraint is prohibited. A child seat or booster can be ordered when you book: ฿100 a day each, up to two per car. Give the child's age and weight in advance so the seat comes with the car.
Can I use my phone while driving?
Holding a phone while driving is prohibited; only a speakerphone or a Bluetooth headset is allowed. The fine is up to 1,000 baht, and after an accident with a phone in your hand the insurer will refuse to pay. Put the phone in a holder on the windscreen or air vent and set the route before you move off. Google Maps with an offline map of Phuket is the easiest way to navigate: it works without internet, including in the narrow streets of the Old Town and on the hill roads of Kathu.
When should I use headlights?
Dipped headlights are not compulsory for cars in the daytime, but switch them on in rain, in tunnels and on hill sections shaded by trees: from May to October visibility there drops quickly. Motorbikes and scooters must have their lights on at all times; the fine for riding without them is 200–500 baht. Do not use full beam in built-up areas: local drivers react to it sharply. Turn on your sidelights at sunset rather than waiting for darkness: tropical dusk lasts only 15–20 minutes.
Why shouldn't I rely on other drivers' indicators?
Thai drivers, especially on motorbikes, often change lanes and turn without signalling. Watch the wheels and the body of the car in front: they show the manoeuvre before the indicator does. Signal 30–50 metres before your own manoeuvre and keep at least a 2-second gap, or 4 seconds in rain. On the multi-lane stretches of the Bypass and Thep Krasattri move one lane at a time, checking your blind spot over your shoulder each time.
Do I have to give way to pedestrians?
Yes. By law you must give way to a pedestrian on a crossing, although in practice cars and bikes rarely stop and pedestrians are used to it. The fine for hitting someone on a zebra crossing starts at 4,000 baht, and serious injury leads to a criminal case. Slow down near schools, markets and hospitals even if the traffic does not. At night in Patong and Karon, drunk pedestrians step out from between parked cars. Giving way keeps you within the law and out of a long dispute with the police.
Where can I overtake and make a U-turn?
Overtake only using the oncoming lane and only with good visibility. Overtaking is prohibited across a solid line, on bridges, in tunnels and at pedestrian crossings. On the switchbacks of Patong Hill and the road to Promthep Cape it is especially dangerous: blind bends hide oncoming cars until the last moment. A U-turn is allowed only at marked places where the gap in the central reservation is marked and not closed by a solid line. A U-turn across a solid line often ends in a collision with a motorbike rider who does not expect it.
