What must you always check when picking up a rented car in Thailand?

Picking up the car is the most important stage of renting, because this is where it is decided whether your deposit will be returned or not. We made a checklist for ourselves and advise you to do the same. The main rule: a circular video walkaround — slowly, continuously, with comments out loud. A company employee must be in the frame, so that later no one can say: "that scratch wasn't there."

Here are the mandatory points that need to be checked and recorded:

• Lower front bumper — tourists most often hit high curbs, and this is the main "trap" for the deposit.
• Wheel rims — we photograph each one close-up; scratches on them often become a reason to withhold money.
• Windshield — we check for chips from stones. If it is not noted on the form and a crack appears during the trip, you will have to pay for the replacement.
• Air conditioning — in the Thai climate it must work perfectly. We turn it on at full power and wait a couple of minutes.
• Interior — we check for stains, cigarette smell, traces of animals. All of this must be noted in the contract.
• Trunk and engine compartment — we look there to check the spare tire, jack, wrench, engine cleanliness, and to make sure no wires are sticking out.

Do not hesitate to point out all defects found to the company employee — they are marked on the car diagram in the annex to the contract, and this is treated normally. The more you note, the fewer problems there will be upon return.

More about pickup, fines, and return — in our full guide to renting a car in Thailand. And how our pickup and return went — read in the article How we drove almost 3000 km across Thailand in 18 days in a rented car for 571 baht per day.

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