Thailand on a Dutch Licence — IDP Required + Driving on the Left

For Dutch drivers used to orderly lanes and clear priority rules, Thailand asks you to relearn two habits at once: which side you drive on, and how to read traffic that does not queue politely. The licence is the simplest part, as long as the permit comes with it.

The licence needs a permit beside it

The Dutch government’s travel advice for Thailand is blunt: your Dutch licence is valid there only if you also hold a valid international driving permit. The permit is issued in the Netherlands, through the ANWB, so arrange it before you fly; there is no way to get one after you land. Keep the permit, licence and passport together every time you take the wheel.

A scooter is a separate question. The same advice says you need a motorcycle licence to hire a scooter or motorbike, and helmets are compulsory by law. UK advice adds that many hire scooters in tourist areas are unregistered and cannot legally be ridden on public roads.

The big switch: left-hand traffic

The Netherlands drives on the right; Thailand drives on the left, and this reversal is what trips up most Dutch visitors. The risky moments are reflexive: pulling onto a road, taking a roundabout that now flows clockwise, or checking over the wrong shoulder. Collect the car away from city centres, spend your first hour on quiet roads, and stay deliberate at every turn until left-side driving feels natural.

Reading Thai traffic

Thailand’s roads mix cars with dense streams of motorcycles that weave through every gap, and its road death rate is among the highest in the world, with motorcyclists most at risk. The legal maximums for cars are 80 km/h in built-up areas, 90 km/h on rural roads and 120 km/h on motorways, with lower signed limits on many town streets. Treat them as a ceiling, not a target, in heavy flow. Leave space, indicate early, and assume a scooter is in your blind spot.

Before you collect the car

• Carry your international permit, Dutch licence and passport together on every drive.
• The alcohol limit is 0.05 g/dl, as at home, and 0.02 for young or novice drivers; drink nothing before driving.
• Check that your travel insurance covers the vehicle you hire.
• In an emergency call 191 for police, 1155 for the tourist police or 1669 for an ambulance.
• See the Thailand driving guide, check documents with the Driving Permit Checker, and compare limits on the Speed Limit Map.

Sources

• Nederland Wereldwijd (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), travel advice Thailand (Dutch licence valid only with a valid international permit; motorcycle licence for scooters): nederlandwereldwijd.nl
• GOV.UK foreign travel advice, Thailand: safety and security (helmets, unregistered hire scooters, insurance): gov.uk
• GOV.UK foreign travel advice, Thailand: getting help (191, 1155, 1669): gov.uk
• WHO Global status report on road safety 2023, Thailand profile (80/90/120 km/h; 0.05 and 0.02 g/dl): who.int
• WHO Global status report on road safety 2023, Netherlands profile (0.05 and 0.02 g/dl): who.int