Almost everything that goes wrong for a visiting driver in Thailand was decided before they turned the key. The wrong licence in your wallet does not stop you renting a scooter — the shop will hand it over regardless — but it decides whether your insurer pays when you come off it. That is the gap this section closes.
Start with which of your licences Thailand actually recognises and whether you need an International Driving Permit. If you are staying longer than a holiday, the route to a Thai licence is more straightforward than most people expect. Then read what your travel insurance really covers — the answer surprises people, and it surprises them at the worst possible moment.
There is also an honest reckoning here with the question underneath all the others: is it safe to drive in Thailand at all? The short answer is that the risk is real and it is not evenly distributed, and a handful of choices move it a long way.
When you have worked through it, the licence checker will tell you in one screen whether you are legal, and this summary covers the whole picture in one page.
