Overland by rental car Thailand to Cambodia

Post by **trekkertony** » May 1, 2012, 2:19 pm

Hi,
Have sent an email to lekcarrental@aok.com and it has bounced back. Can any forum member advise if they have successfully hired a self drive car in Thailand and driven overland into Cambodia and if so could they recommend the company that provided this service.

Thanks in advance,

Post by **BobHelm** » May 1, 2012, 2:27 pm

I think that would be a tough one to do Tony.
In order to take a car into Laos from Thailand you need a 'passport' for the vehicle. This is, basically, a document that says you are the legal owner of the vehicle. You cannot, I understand, even obtain this document if the vehicle is yours but still subject of hire purchase or bank loans.
As far as I understand the name on the vehicle passport must exactly match the passport (or ID) of the driver.
That would not be possible with a hire vehicle...

I am totally unsure what the situation is with Cambodia but would think it was very similar...

Post by **Jed** » May 1, 2012, 2:50 pm

Just spoke with someone who just tried driving his truck into Cambodia. He said the only checkpoint he could do this was Pailin, and then they told him he could not drive outside Pailin.

The 2 other Cambodian checkpoints just told him no, he can't drive in.

I didn't ask him about docs, but I'm sure it's pretty much as Bob says above re. Laos.

Post by **Handsomeman** » May 4, 2012, 9:54 am

The email address for Lek car rentals is lekcarrental@aol.com, I think you made a typo?

Post by **fatbob** » May 4, 2012, 10:03 am

What rental company would allow there Thai vehicles into either Cambodia or Laos, I would think none, to risky with no insurance. Why would you want to drive a right hand drive car in a left hand drive country in the first place? Makes more sense to rent a car in Cambodia.

Post by **stattointhailand** » May 4, 2012, 1:46 pm

Not a problem driving RHD car abroad, I used to drive my British car in Europe 8 or 9 times a year.
One thing you HAVE to do is get the lights adjusted. This can be done by sticking a cover over part of the headlight. If you don't you will be "blinding" everyone you approach at night.Not sure if you can buy adjuster stickers here (doubt it), but they can no doubt be sent from UK

Post by **joepai** » May 4, 2012, 2:35 pm

trekkertony wrote:Hi,
Have sent an email to lekcarrental@aok.com and it has bounced back. Can any forum member advise if they have successfully hired a self drive car in Thailand and driven overland into Cambodia and if so could they recommend the company that provided this service.

Thanks in advance,

Sorry but you cannot do that. The easy way around the problem is to fly to PP or SR and hire a car there.

Post by **fatbob** » May 4, 2012, 5:21 pm

Years ago I bought a left hand drive camper van in London spent a year in Europe which was good, when I got back to the UK and travelled through Ireland and Scotland it was the biggest pain in the arse trying to overtake etc, the missus was in the suicide seat so I'd nudge out bit by bit waiting for her call to overtake, I couldnt see a thing until all the way out, NEVER again.

Post by **stattointhailand** » May 4, 2012, 5:26 pm

Using the rear view and wing mirrors "Thai style" were you?

Checking hair only

Post by **fatbob** » May 5, 2012, 6:38 am

Gee I tend to look forward at oncoming traffic when overtaking as opposed to where Ive already been.

Post by **Movingon** » August 30, 2012, 6:24 pm

It's not as easy as that.
In 2001 Cambodia passed a law that ALL righthand (RHD) drive cars were banned. Owners had for some years been told to convert their RHD cars to LHD. This was a big joke as it can cost $1,000 which is the average wage for a YEAR. There was also a big outcry from taxi drivers in particular. So the law has never been enforced for Cambodian cars. The reason for the law in the first place was to tackle the problem of stolen Thai cars (which are LHD) being smuggled into Cambodia. The law has, though, been enforced for people driving a LHD car into Cambodia. You cannot do it. A very polite, and surprisingly unbribeable, immigration official made it very clear that it is not possible.

Post by **Lao-miner** » August 31, 2012, 1:43 pm

Hi trekker tony
Not sure about cambodia but i recently drove my Lao registered lefthand drive car from vientiane to nha trang vietnam, left Laos at the Lao Bao border and had minimal hassles from immigration they did scrutinise the cars documents thoroughly though to make sure the ownership docs and the cars passport were one and the same (as bob advised similar when entering Laos and vice versa thailand, we returned to Laos a different route through the central highlands / attapeau/ pakse, a bloody long drive on mostly nonsense roads , i would imagine the roads and driving conditions would be much the same in cambodia , Its not a drive i will ever repeat again , at the end of the day i was left totally knackered from the amount of concentration required to avoid any nasty accidents , my advice would be to just fly there and have a holiday, thats what i will be doing in the future

Post by **trekkertony** » August 31, 2012, 3:21 pm

Thanks for the replies,

By the look of it we will go to Vientiane and then overland it by bus to Vietnam and then on to Cambodia after enjoying the scenery and culture of the southern part of Vietnam. I guess when l start to reside in Thailand l will have more flexibility re independent travel.

Post by **flycar** » November 9, 2018, 2:39 pm

This is a great way to introduce camping to them for the first time.

Post by **Giggle** » November 9, 2018, 7:29 pm

I traveled from Bangkok to Siem Reap by car several years ago. It was a package tour and included a driver. It was an interesting trip, but I wouldn't do it again.