Laos Thailand
Laos 
ThailandLast reviewed July 2026
Crossing the border
The First Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge links Nong Khai with Vientiane.
Driving rules in Thailand
- Drive on the left.
- Helmets mandatory for motorcycles — strictly checked.
- 0.05% alcohol limit.
- International licence + passport carried at all times.
What to see when you arrive in Thailand
- the Grand Palace in Bangkok
- the temples of Chiang Mai
- the beaches of Phuket and Phi Phi
- the ruins of Ayutthaya
- Railay Beach in Krabi
Once you're driving in Thailand
Destination-specific detail sourced from national road authorities, motoring clubs and rental policies — the things that catch cross-border drivers out.
Driving on a foreign licence
A foreign visitor may drive on a 1949 Geneva Convention International Driving Permit (IDP) carried with the original home licence; as of 2025 the IDP is honoured for up to 60 days from arrival (and tourists on a tourist visa effectively up to 90 days). An IDP is effectively mandatory at police checks, and driving on a home licence alone risks a fine.
Tolls & road charges
Bangkok and inter-city expressways (EXAT/DOH) charge fixed-amount tolls payable in cash at booths or electronically via the M-Pass or Easy-Pass transponder/sticker; most short urban expressway segments cost roughly 25-90 THB. Unpaid e-tolls now carry escalating penalties, so use cash lanes if your rental has no tag.
Parking in the cities
Park only in marked bays; illegal or red-and-white-curb parking draws 200-500 THB fines and towing, common in central Bangkok. Malls and BTS-area lots offer paid garages (often 20-40 THB/hr), and apps/attended lots are the safe option in dense districts.
Fines & camera enforcement
Speeding typically 1,000-2,000 THB, no-seatbelt and mobile-phone use up to 1,000 THB, and drink-driving over 0.05% BAC is heavily fined or jailed; minor fines are frequently issued on-the-spot in cash at checkpoints. Rental firms pass camera/toll tickets to your card plus an admin fee.
If you have an accident
Call 1669 for medical emergency and 191 for police (insurance/tourist accident hotline 1554); for any injury or insurance claim a police report is required. Do not move the vehicles until police or the insurer's assessor arrives unless they are blocking a fast lane and you mark positions.
Driving in the capital
In Bangkok the elevated Chalerm Maha Nakhon / Si Rat expressways bypass notorious surface gridlock but have abrupt left-exit ramps and tight toll plazas; sois (side lanes) are often one-way and flood-prone in the rainy season.
Sources: thailandroutes.com · tdl-service.com · thethaiger.com · siamcenterlawgroup.com