Is it worth having a car in Thailand?

Wlodek has been driving all his adult life. I’ve been driving on my own for the past five years, and now we simply can’t imagine life without a car.

When we first arrived in Thailand, we used Bolt – a local ride-hailing app similar to Uber, but faster, cheaper, and smoother. It worked great for a while, but in the end we came to the same conclusion: there’s nothing like having your own car.

So we bought "Miśka" – a Mitsubishi Attrage. It's not the class of car we were used to, but… it drives. It has four wheels, air conditioning, and doesn’t complain. Everything works – what more do you need?

Traffic in Thailand is left-hand, just like in the UK, so I thought I’d be fine. Wlodek got behind the wheel and just drove. I… well.

Having grown used to the high driving culture in the UK – where people actually follow rules, use indicators, and give way politely – I found Thailand’s road chaos genuinely overwhelming at first.

Here, there’s really just one golden rule:

👉 “Drive in a way that doesn’t kill anyone – and try not to die yourself.”

The local driving code is more like a jungle survival manual – based on nerves of steel and quick reflexes. Hardly anyone uses indicators, and the right of way belongs to whoever is bigger or bolder. If someone cuts you off, it's not personal – it’s just: “You see me, so stop. If you don’t see me – well, too bad.”

And then there are the scooters and motorbikes – the kings of the road, the shoulders, and driving against traffic. They follow their own set of physical laws and road logic. They squeeze between cars, zoom past on the left or right, take over sidewalks and even go the wrong way – anything to get ahead.

When you're waiting at a red light and it finally turns green, you don’t move until the entire pack of scooters has swarmed past you, even if you were at the front. And no one bats an eye – that’s just the local driving standard.

🚘 Do we regret buying a car? - Not at all. Despite the stress, and the occasional silent swearing – having our own car gives us freedom. We can go where we want, when we want. We’re not at the mercy of apps, drivers, or schedules no one actually follows. You do have to learn to check your mirrors not just to see what’s behind you – but to survive. But it’s doable. And yes, I’ve even started driving alone – with my heart in my throat, but still.