When you are visiting Bangkok, you have to move from one location to another as you try to explore the temples, museums, and other attractions located in the capital city of Thailand. Given this, you cannot avoid using some transportation modes during your visit to Bangkok. Therefore, you may be wondering whether you should rent a car when visiting Bangkok or not.
You have the choice of renting a car or not during your visit to Bangkok. This is because renting a car has some particular merits and demerits. So, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question.
Therefore, before you rent a car when visiting Bangkok, it is paramount to think carefully about the advantages and disadvantages of renting a car. If you think the merits outweigh the demerits, rent a car. If you think otherwise, don’t rent a car. Below, we will shed more light on this subject.
Why you should rent a car in Bangkok?
Of course, renting a car in Bangkok is a good idea as it comes with a plethora of benefits. As stated by Worldtravelfamily.com, here are some of the reasons for renting a car when visiting Thailand’s capital city.
- Ease of movement
If you want to move easily from one place to another when in Bangkok, you have to get a car. You can easily load your possessions in the car and move alone or with your friends and family members to hotels, tourist sites, and lots more.
Besides, if you take a public transport option such as a bus or tuk-tuk, you will likely alight at the bus stop and then walk to your hotel. If your hotel is far from the nearest bus stop, this can be quite challenging. However, with a car rental, you will drive to your hotel with no hassle.
- Convenient and easy stopovers
Do you want to stop to eat food, take some photographs in a picturesque location, or just stretch your legs? This is only possible when you rent a car when visiting Bangkok. You cannot stop a bus or tuk-tuk with other passengers in such a manner as this can lead to inconvenience for others. Therefore, renting a car makes it more convenient for you to explore and enjoy Bangkok.
- Affordability
As a visitor to Bangkok, you will likely spend more money on public transportation than renting a car, especially if you are in the city with your friends and/or family members. Besides, many tuk-tuks or taxi drivers are always looking for ways to rip off tourists. Hence, they may charge you higher than the locals. In addition, taking a cab alone will cost you tons of money.
Consequently, you may be able to save some money by renting a car in Bangkok.
Why you should not rent a car in Bangkok?
Considering the benefits mentioned above, you may be getting excited about renting a car in Bangkok. However, don’t rush into renting a car without checking out its demerits. According to Tastythailand.com and other sources, these are the reasons why you should not rent a car in Bangkok:
- Traffic congestions
Without a doubt, Bangkok has some of the worst and most frustrating traffic jams around the globe. In case you rent a car, you can spend several hours in traffic jams in the city, especially when going out in the morning or late afternoon. If you are coming from a more organized environment, traffic jams in Bangkok can make you lose interest in the capital city of Thailand.
To deal with the traffic congestion, you can take a motorcycle taxi that can easily maneuver the traffic. Boats and ferries can also access some areas that you may want to visit in and around Bangkok.
- Crazy road users
Another reason why you shouldn’t rent a car in Bangkok is that there are too many crazy road users in the city. From car drivers to motorcyclists, everyone is trying to move as quickly as possible. As a result of this, it is common to see road users that jump red lights or overtake on the wrong side of the road.
So, if you are not used to such craziness, it will be quite difficult for you to rent and drive a car in Thailand.
- Confusing street signs
If you have ever visited Bangkok, you will notice the majority of the street signs are written in both Thai and English languages. Unfortunately, most of the English names are translated wrongly from the Thai language. The name of the same street may be written in three different ways. Consequently, the name on the street sign may be quite different from the one on Google Map.
Therefore, since you are not familiar with the streets, you may struggle with finding directions.
- Expensive and difficult parking
Finding a place to park a car can be somewhat tasking in many areas of Bangkok. It may even seem as if every car owner in the city is trying to fit into the same parking space at the same time. As a consequence of this, the available parking lots are usually expensive. So, whether you are going to a tourist center or mall, it is better to take public transport so that you will not bother about parking lots and parking tickets.
How much does it cost to rent a car in Bangkok?
So, if you have made up your mind to rent a car when visiting Bangkok, you have to set aside some amount of money for it. As claimed by Holidify.com, the cost of renting a car depend on several factors such as the rental company, location, and type of car.
Nevertheless, the average rental charge per day is around 700 THB for a standard car. But if you want to rent a luxury for a day, you should budget about 3,000 THB to 5,000 THB.
Conclusion
The decision to rent a car in Bangkok depends on your needs and preferences. If you are convinced that you need to rent a car after reading this post, don’t hesitate to go and rent it. But if renting a car will not make your life easier, you shouldn’t do it in Bangkok.
