Daily driver rates in Thailand

Hi,

I was put in touch with a driver who speaks French

Is he 100% Thai? How were you put in touch?

It depends on the season, the type of vehicle, the route, and the company you choose.

I know a Thai guy near Chiang Rai who’s willing to go as low as 1,000 baht per day because he’s really struggling financially.

I also know another one (this one speaks French) who provides excellent service almost anywhere in the country and charges 1,800 to 2,000 baht/day + gas. The car is a sedan.

There’s also a company I know that offers pretty low rates. For this kind of service, they charge around 2,700 baht in the off-season and 3,000 to 3,200 baht during peak season. That’s also for a sedan—SUVs and 4x4s cost more.

What rate were you quoted, and for what kind of service?

so let's be reasonable and a bit clever: taxi, van, and other vehicle drivers here are people from the most remote, poorest provinces who haven’t had any education. Some eventually pick up a bit of English over time with tourism experience. But expecting them to speak a language as obscure as French (which is the 7th most spoken here, and even few guides with master’s degrees speak it)… that’s where you’ve got to realize something’s fishy. So that means illegal work: no license plates or insurance for tourist transport, making them easy targets for police at tourist sites, which means big trouble ahead and ruined vacations. Anyway… for a regular driver who speaks a few words of English, you’re looking at 2,000 to 2,500 THB for a taxi and 3,000 to 4,000 THB for a van. Add around 500 THB for an overnight stay. Think it over.

From a travel blog

PS: After checking reviews about him in traveler FB groups (which are positive), it seems he communicates in French using instant translation on his phone but doesn’t actually "speak" French. It was me who misunderstood (he never told me he spoke French but just replied to my messages in French).

I think he’s independent, it’ll be peak season, and he’d accompany us for 4 days through the different provinces around Bangkok (Ayutthaya, etc.). He told me 3,500 baht per day (gas and tolls included).

PS: After checking reviews about him on traveler FB groups (which are positive), it seems he communicates in French using instant translation on his phone but doesn’t actually "speak" French. It was me who misunderstood (he never said he spoke French but just replied to my messages in French).

CORRECTION: I was recommended this driver and assumed he spoke French because he was writing to me in French, etc. But in a comment I saw on FB (only very positive comments in the groups), it says he communicates in French using his translator...

So apparently he doesn’t actually speak French but uses instant translation with your phone.

(He never said he spoke French—it was me who misunderstood, my bad!)

Just to clarify, I Googled his name and he seems to have quite a few very positive reviews from French tourists on different Facebook groups

that's already better ask them for their license...

Hi there, One thing that makes me smile is travelers asking for opinions on a service they’ve already booked. It’s like those who ask for reviews on a hotel for a stay or an airline for a flight—after they’ve already paid for both. I’d simply say to automatically disregard comments from certain Facebook pages or reviews on various forums. Have a great trip!

From a traveler's blog

If you're not sure they're Thai, be careful: in Thailand, there's NO legal way for a non-Thai to work directly as a driver, escort, guide, etc. Yet despite this, it’s unfortunately not uncommon for some unscrupulous expats to lurk online, hunting for easy targets to offer their services. No insurance in the world covers illegal activities. On certain roads near the borders (like Highway 323 in Kanchanaburi Province, for example), police checks are frequent—even if they’re there for other reasons.

Also, keep in mind that, with rare exceptions, non-Thai intermediaries you find online or on-site who connect you with a Thai driver do so for a commission that ultimately comes out of your pocket. And you probably already know that booking an excursion before you leave via the internet always costs more than arranging it on the spot—it’s pretty much universal. Finally, in Thailand and many other countries, anything labeled "French-speaking" (tourist services, accommodations) tends to be pricier.

I trust Jojoone1 for any driver/company contacts they might share with you.

I wrote the above before your ERRATUM/PS, but don’t let that stop you from keeping it in the back of your mind.

traveler FB groups (which are positive)

Never blindly trust glowing reviews—it’s a jungle out there ($$$).

Hi,

I haven’t booked anything yet—I just asked for their rates!

I don’t know anyone in Thailand, so I’m not sure how to find a driver. I stumbled upon this one while reading blogs to plan my itinerary.

Thanks! :)

Thanks for these tips!

If I were traveling alone, as I’ve done a lot in the past, I wouldn’t have even considered booking services in advance online (and I also wouldn’t have hired a driver but taken buses). But with my young kids and a "short" trip—which makes me want to optimize travel time—I don’t see myself improvising on the spot...

I have no reason to think he’s not Thai (though, of course, I don’t have any guarantee of that yet either).

But if @JoJoone1 has contact details for drivers/companies to share, I’m totally interested! !

I don’t know anyone in Thailand, so I’m not sure how to find a driver (...) but with my young kids and a "short" trip (which makes me want to optimize travel time), I can’t see myself improvising on the spot...

Do you absolutely need French? English—which, don’t worry, won’t be anything like what’s spoken at Oxford—wouldn’t be enough? Because a car and driver (more or less English-speaking) is the kind of service any accommodation owner could find* for you quickly. You can sort it out on the day you arrive (including haggling), and the next day, you’re on the road.

* There are few services they can’t arrange.

I speak English well, it was mostly that I thought it would be nice for my kids if he spoke French. But since it seems he doesn’t speak French, a driver who speaks English would work just fine for me!

Hello, I know Thailand quite well (around fifty trips over 35 years of traveling). During my stays, I’ve very rarely met Thai people who speak French—only occasionally some tour guides. These days, with technology like smartphones and translation apps for written or voice messages, it’s really easy to make yourself understood and have conversations. I use them regularly myself. So, grab your phones and get translating!

I know a Thai guy near Chiang Rai who’s willing to go as low as 1,000 baht a day because he’s totally broke.

Not entirely, Joël—it’s also because he no longer has the status (the right? the license?) to be a taxi driver. I actually just mentioned this in my latest travel journal post: https://voyageforum.com/forum/autre-aspect-voyage-en-thailande-villages-nature-campagne-montagne-d10775840/ Message 160

I know another one (this one can communicate in French) who provides excellent service almost anywhere in the country and charges 1,800 to 2,000 baht/day + gas. Car = sedan.

So with gas, that comes to around 3,000 baht per day. Based on my very recent experience, that’s the going rate these days.

Hey there, since I see you’re online at this late hour

Hey there too,

Like a huge number of Thais, this driver lost a big part of what he’d spent decades building during Covid.

He couldn’t pay for his license anymore, nor the rental for the vehicle he used as a taxi. He also had to sell his house to move into what’s basically a cottage, and he sold off part of his fields.

Françoise and I were really touched by his story. After that, we can debate for ages about choosing one Thai driver over another.

Back to the rate you mentioned—don’t forget your price experience was in Chiang Rai during peak season, so rates were higher. Plus, trips around Chiang Mai (see, this time I didn’t abbreviate 😛) often involve mountains, which means extra charges.

You can find companies charging 1,600 THB all-in for a trip like Bangkok to Hua Hin, for example. That’s 200–220 km… And just to be clear, that’s the price for a regular car.

So let's be reasonable and a bit clever: taxi, van, and other vehicle drivers here are people from the most remote, poorest provinces who haven’t had any education. Some eventually pick up a bit of English over time with tourism experience. But expecting them to speak the unknown language of France (7th here, with even very few guides holding a master’s degree)… that’s where you’ve got to realize there’s something fishy. So this means illegal work: no license plate or insurance for transporting tourists, making them easy targets for police at tourist sites, which means big trouble ahead and ruined vacations. There you go… for a normal driver who speaks three words of English, they’ll charge 2000 to 2500 baht for a taxi and 3000 to 4000 baht for a van. Add about 500 baht for an overnight stay. Think carefully.

I don’t want to be too contrary, but in the outskirts of Phitsanulok, a young woman working at a slightly risqué karaoke bar had no problem telling us the bill total (something like five hundred seventy-five) without any issue. Well, yeah, there are universities there too...

As for the idea of being easy to spot at tourist sites, I’m skeptical. In my experience, as soon as police see foreigners in a car, they wave them through. Clearly, they’re interested in other things. The only times there were interactions and questions was when the driver was Thai. Besides, right now, you have to really look to even see Thai police. I don’t know where they’re hiding. Generally, they’re active when there’s a big operation ordered by the hierarchy due to repeated abuses, and it’s usually limited to places like Samui or Phuket. But yeah, you’ve got to see the scene there...

Thanks for these tips!

If I were traveling alone, as I’ve done a lot in the past, I wouldn’t have even considered booking services in advance online (and I also wouldn’t have hired a driver but taken buses instead). But with my young kids and a "short" trip (which makes me want to optimize travel time), I just can’t see myself winging it on the spot...

I have no reason to think he’s not Thai (but at the same time, I obviously don’t have any guarantee he is yet...).

But if @JoJoone1 has contact details for drivers/companies to share, I’m totally interested!

The one I know, to make it worth it, only accepts bookings for 10 days to 3 weeks, as far as I know. Well, people do live somewhere, have families, and aren’t going to cross the country for just a few days.

If it’s not peak season, if it’s not a super luxurious vehicle, if it’s in the plains, and if the workdays aren’t excessively long, I’d say a reasonable range is 2,500 to 2,800 baht. Especially if you hire someone for several days.

Like an astronomical number of Thais, this driver lost a large part of what he had spent decades building during Covid.

He could no longer pay for his license or the rental of the vehicle he used as a taxi. He also sold his house to move into what can only be described as a cottage and had to sell part of his fields.

Françoise and I were really moved by his story. After that, we can debate for a long time about the choice of hiring one Thai over another.

But I completely agree. I just mean (it’s worth saying to someone who’s asking, right?) that without his license, the passenger is taking risks in case of an accident or a police check. You know I took that risk and decided to do it again during my 3 weeks in Chiang Rai.

Going back to the rate you mentioned, let’s not forget that your price experience was in Chiang Rai and during peak season, so rates were higher.

You meant Chiang Mai, I assume? Slip of the tongue. Since in Chiang Rai, I used the driver I mentioned above.[;]

You meant Chiang Mai, I assume? Slip of the tongue. Since in Chiang Rai I used the driver mentioned above.😉

Exactly! What a relief, isn’t it, to see we’re not the only ones getting older? 🙂

[ You meant Chiang Mai, I assume? Slip of the tongue. Since in Chiang Rai I used the driver mentioned above.😉

Exactly! What a relief, isn't it, to see we're not the only ones getting older? 🙂

Making a slip of the tongue isn’t a sign of aging. Good night, I’m off to bed.

The young woman you met probably hung out with a French guy for a few months, maybe even a year or two... and the first thing they learn is how to count—especially in a karaoke bar 😉

As for university, I have serious doubts in this specific case.

When it comes to the police, they’re always nowhere to be found, especially with tourism down this year. But at the slightest order, the tourist police go overboard near the sites, as you mentioned. Three years ago, during a meal with the consul, he told us about 800 cases of French travelers caught breaking the rules—20% of them didn’t even have enough money left to finish their trip. Everything was paid upfront to fake Thai or farang guides without a license, proper tourist transport plates, or adequate insurance. So I always warn people to be *very* careful with those "kind French guys" or locals who speak French and "offer help" for a fee... .

There’s no correction needed about what I experienced. My wife heard it just like I did. Yeah, well, this young woman learned French at university—it’s not like I said she flew in from the Magellanic Cloud in a flying saucer! 🙂

As for the rest, paying for an entire service upfront abroad means you’ve got to accept the risks. And honestly, it’s still less serious than having an accident without insurance.

I should add that neither the consul nor the authorities would have the means or the information to mention the thousands of cases where everything went smoothly. That said, I rarely use services offered by foreigners, if only because they’re usually significantly more expensive than those offered by Thais—assuming the same quality, of course.

That said, I’ve rarely used services offered by foreigners, if only because they’re usually much more expensive than those offered by Thais. For the same quality, of course.

Totally agree! I boycott all of them—whether it’s hotels, restaurants, travel agencies, or car rentals. This applies in Thailand, India, and probably elsewhere in Asia... and the rest of the world too. When I went to Bali, I heard that these "tourist businesses" were heavily regulated or even banned to prevent them from financially harming local entrepreneurs.

Ah, right—if you actually heard she learned it at university, that’s different. Rare case, but it happens. ...especially in a karaoke. We’ve got 3-4 friends of my wife who did learn French (it’s the 7th language here, after all!) and work as guides or translators. One of her former professors even writes in French... he used to be Thaksin’s translator. But you’ve got to look for them... As for farangs who dare to offer their services, don’t be fooled—off the books, they undercut prices. Some lurk on forums to lowball tourists with their "friendly French-speaking" act... I think there are quite a few around Chiang Mai.

There are some really great ones, and some that don’t have the best reputation—definitely true. I won’t dive too deep into the topic because there’s a legality question involved. Let’s just say I’ve had excellent surprises with less official drivers and less pleasant experiences with some official ones.