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Driving a friends car to Chang Mai


dave-

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A friend (bar girl) has offered to take me to Chang mai for a couple of days on the 12th April, this was a few weeks back when she offered as she was planning on driving up there, ok i know i was being hit to pay for the fuel but i didn't mind this as i was thinking of visiting Chang Mai in November myself.

 

However, now she has informed me that I will be driving her (families) car up there and i am a bit unsure about this.

She says i will be insured to drive it as she will add me to the insurance, no pomplem she say.

 

But i'm not so sure.

 

Does any one know the rules on this, can i be added to her insurance only being on a tourist visa and having UK license and international driving permit.

Will the BIB target us for fines or is there less chance of this as it will be a Bangkok registered car and not a hire car.

 

She says it will not be a problem but they have a habit of being a little vague with things when it suits them.

 

Any one any ideas on this, cheers.

 

 

 

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I have driven my sister-inlaws truck after i was added but i was never stopped to find out for sure

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Well if it helps i drove over there for 7+ years was knakerd should of had a break .Sorry just a joke never had a licence one time international insured yes but always 100 bhatt note just in case did try to get a thai one would have been easy to get a N.A.S.A space one .Just take care

 cheers chris :GoldenSmile1:

Wriggley Tin 1

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Why not rent a vehicle instead the hire company's have their own insurance and its not that expensive. Just need a copy of your passport.

 

Not sure about insuring a family car I guess you can get added but weather or not you actually get added is a different thing.

 

Have some 100baht note to hand though.

 

It's close to song kran and the BIB will be after some extra $$$$$

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I'm happy to go on the bus but she wants to go in the car, I can see this turning into a fight lol

 

The close to Songkran is a worry as well with the accident stats around this time.

 

It's starting to look like a non starter, i should have thought about it before agreeing to it.

 

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I always thought most insurances in Thailand covered the car (for any driver) rather than named drivers. I would be nervous driving a car without knowing (for sure) that i was insured. One accident could be very costly. It would be deemed your fault what ever happened. Also driving all the way to CM and back would be a real pain.

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I have recently been to Loei and surrounding, was stopped twice, both times showed my Thai licence and very politely allowed on my way, just a note to say I was not picked on because Farang, they were checking everyone.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$AFBADGE.jpg

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Splash out and fly up.  IMO

Stevie

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Just get the plane a lot quicker

Sod driving for over 15 hrs unless in a Porsche ,Lamborghini

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Well the gas for the car will certainly cost you more than the bus.  On the other hand, when you get there you will have your transportation already at hand.

 

When I renew my car insurance each year I can either specify two drivers or anyone can drive.  Naturally, the unspecified driver policy cost more.  Never tried to add an additional driver for a certain time period.  I suppose it would be possible, but I'd think it may cost...just guessing.

 

Also, I would imagine for you to be legally covered you would have to have a national license and an IDP (International Driver's Permit) or a Thai license.

Anyone who cannot cope with mathematics is not fully human. At best he is a tolerable sub-human who has learned to wear shoes, bathe, and not make messes in the house.

 

Robert Heinlein

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Generally the insurance here covers the car and anyone with a valid license can drive it. In your case, here on a tourist visa, you are legal to drive with your UK car license though it might help to have an international driving permit.

 

Your chances of being stopped are the same as everyone elses. The police don;t tend to single out individual cars as they might in the UK. Usually, yours will be one of dozens of cars stopped passing through a police checkpoint. Police usually stop traffic to check for something specific - license, tax or insurance etc. Fines can often be paid to the officer that stops you which saves time though, sometimes, there will be someone writing tickets at the side of the road. Again, sometimes these can be paid there, and a receipt/ticket for the offence issued, or you might need to go to the local station to pay.

 

The fines are usually 200-400 baht for each offence and there is no endorsement of your license.

 

The same fines apply for speeding but it's not always possible to see the policeman with the radar gun, if he actually exists.

 

During the last year I've made 6 trips to Nong Khai from Pattaya and of the 12 journeys I've been stopped 5 times. 1 genuine speeding fine, 1 non-genuine speeding fine (easier to pay the 200 baht and be on your way) and 3 stops where tax, insurance etc. were in order and nothing to pay.

 

I think the only real consideration for you should be how much more convenient it will be to have the car during your stay.

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Beware, you will be driving for at least 5 hours before you get north of bangers.

The whole lady world will be departing for songkran at home.

The roads are an absolute nightmare at 15 mph for miles on end

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If you don't have experience driving in Thailand - particularly if it's around peak travel times (like Songkran) then it is better NOT to drive yourself.

 

Insurance will cover you, but it's most likely 3rd-party insurance only, and if someone gets injured in an accident then insurance only covers the first 15,000 baht. You will be required to pay the balance - which could be 100,000-300,000 if someone is killed.

 

You will have to pay for any damage to the car (or cars) involved in an accident. If you get the damage repaired yourself then it can be "relatively" inexpensive - but if you bang into someone's new BMW then you'll have a pretty big bill.

 

Fuels costs are not cheap - factor about 5 baht per kilometer, so roughly 5,000 baht each way.

 

Nakhonchai Air has a really super overnight service to Chiang Mai, and only about 900 baht per person each way (snacks and a meal included).

 

Once in Chiang Mai, you can rent a car + driver (!) for only 1,000 baht.

 

Play it safe, get "professionals" to drive you around. If there is going to be any problems or accidents then THEY have to sort it out.

 

Just make sure you employ a decent (safe) driver. NCA is really good (and safe). Most hired drivers in CM are pretty good too.

 

KISS :)

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Have you thought about it being the annual Songkhran migration at that time. 

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you should take the advice of RLL or if you have a problem it could be very very expensive

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Thanks for all the replies.

 

It is looking like i will give it a miss this visit.

I think she will be going whatever i decide but i bet she won't be happy with me if she has to pay for the fuel herself.

 

I will feel a bit shitty about letting her down but i don't fancy my holiday spoiled by a bad road trip.

 

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Fly up as others have said.  Since you'll be paying for fuel anyway, maybe you wouldn't mind paying her air.

 

RT is 3200 baht all in for 1 ticket.  Subtract whatever fuel for round trip (food alone the way, snack alone the way, drinks alone the way, etc), and that's your additional cost.  I would imagine it won't be that much more.

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I have mentioned flying and the bus, but she is adamant she wants to go in the car.

 

I will be over there next Sunday so will have a few days to chat about it with her.

 

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I too was thinking of driving myself, then after looking at hire and fuel costs, realised its far easier and cheaper to let someone else do the driving. Plus Chaing Mai 1 hour by air, airport is within 10 minutes of town centre. Unless you are going to be miles from the centre, you will not need the car, or the 15+ hour journey. 

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I have mentioned flying and the bus, but she is adamant she wants to go in the car.

 

I will be over there next Sunday so will have a few days to chat about it with her.

 

Who's paying?  You are then you make the rule.  Tell her if she wants to pay then she can decide.  If YOU are paying, you decide.  And leave it up to her to decide who should decide. :-)

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A friend (bar girl) has offered to take me to Chang mai for a couple of days on the 12th April, this was a few weeks back when she offered as she was planning on driving up there, ok i know i was being hit to pay for the fuel but i didn't mind this as i was thinking of visiting Chang Mai in November myself.

 

However, now she has informed me that I will be driving her (families) car up there and i am a bit unsure about this.

She says i will be insured to drive it as she will add me to the insurance, no pomplem she say.

 

But i'm not so sure.

 

 

I have driven my sister-inlaws truck after i was added but i was never stopped to find out for sure

 

Does any one know the rules on this, can i be added to her insurance only being on a tourist visa and having UK license and international driving permit.

Will the BIB target us for fines or is there less chance of this as it will be a Bangkok registered car and not a hire car.

 

She says it will not be a problem but they have a habit of being a little vague with things when it suits them.

 

Any one any ideas on this, cheers.

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Does any one know the rules on this, can i be added to her insurance only being on a tourist visa and having UK license and international driving permit.

Will the BIB target us for fines or is there less chance of this as it will be a Bangkok registered car and not a hire car.

 

She says it will not be a problem but they have a habit of being a little vague with things when it suits them.

 

You've hit the nail on the head - Thais will be vague about the details, probably because they don't really know for certain themselves.

 

But if the shit hits the fan then you will be expected to pay for the clean up operation, no matter who's fault it is - particularly if you're in the driving seat. The safest option is TO HAVE YOUR OWN SEPARATE INSURANCE (perhaps a kind of traveler's driving and public liability insurance), so that any costs not covered by the car owner's insurance will be covered by yours. Be careful! Very few people buy comprehensive insurance, it's relatively expensive. It doesn't usually matter who's driving - it's the CAR that's insured (or not). However, if there's some technical issue with your license then the insurers could always turn around and refuse to pay out. Besides the amount of cover is often quite small, you will still have to pay the balance. And even then, you will probably be required to repair the damage to your girlfriend's car.

 

And even safer option is either not to drive at all (which is what I recommend) or to hire your own car - from one of the larger, reputable dealers - and check the fine print very carefully regarding insurance and the "excess" charges. Be warned that if you LOSE the car (i.e. it gets stolen), you are liable for the full cost of replacing it at the current NEW price, which may be in excess of 1 million baht.

 

If you get bullied into taking the family car then offer to pay for the fuel costs BUT DON'T DRIVE THE CAR. Let the girlfriend or someone else do so. Pretend you can't drive because you have astigmatism or something that affects how you see moving objects!!!! Learn to lie like a Thai, LOL.

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I have decided not go, sent her a message this morning and not heard back yet, she is probably thinking of various ways she can kill me when she gets her hands on me lol.

 

She's not my girlfriend, she is just a good friend i have known a while so should be quite easy to smooth things over.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

If you don't have experience driving in Thailand - particularly if it's around peak travel times (like Songkran) then it is better NOT to drive yourself.

 

Insurance will cover you, but it's most likely 3rd-party insurance only, and if someone gets injured in an accident then insurance only covers the first 15,000 baht. You will be required to pay the balance - which could be 100,000-300,000 if someone is killed.

 

You will have to pay for any damage to the car (or cars) involved in an accident. If you get the damage repaired yourself then it can be "relatively" inexpensive - but if you bang into someone's new BMW then you'll have a pretty big bill.

 

Fuels costs are not cheap - factor about 5 baht per kilometer, so roughly 5,000 baht each way.

 

Nakhonchai Air has a really super overnight service to Chiang Mai, and only about 900 baht per person each way (snacks and a meal included).

 

Once in Chiang Mai, you can rent a car + driver (!) for only 1,000 baht.

 

Play it safe, get "professionals" to drive you around. If there is going to be any problems or accidents then THEY have to sort it out.

 

Just make sure you employ a decent (safe) driver. NCA is really good (and safe). Most hired drivers in CM are pretty good too.

 

KISS :)

 

Good advice, if you don't need to take the car don't do so. Also most Thais don't have 1st class insurance (or any).

 

JDM

if you are Looking to rent an apartment in a condo take a look at my website.

 

http://www.condopattaya-rent.com

 

 

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Bit of a shame Dave as i think it could be a decent road trip.

I enjoy driving (but not in the UK for obvious reasons) and find driving in Thailand much like Australia, similar roads, speeds, traffic volumes and even attitude as it comes with driving Thai built pick ups..

As she is Thai I guess the car is a truck and these are ideal for long hauls but not much joy on the curves.

Expect about 30mpg.

Add dropping in at a temple, decent hotels at 600 baht, the Thai habit of having villages specializing in specific products and with your own guide an interesting mini holiday.

Assuming insurance is for the car (she will be carrying it and should include for full assistance in the event of disaster) and you have licence and IDL she should yak yak you out of any misdemeanor for five quid or so.

Bit like going on safari in Kenya, if you are not time poor reconsider and post your trip.

Best wishes.

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