Thailand
Driving Abroad
Last verified August 7, 2026
Written for U.S. passport holders
License Requirements
- A U.S. license alone is not accepted for driving in Thailand. You must carry both your valid U.S. license and an International Driving Permit recognized under international convention at all times.
- Get the IDP from AAA or AATA before you travel; it's valid for 1 year from its issue date.
Road Basics for Americans
- Thailand drives on the left side of the road, the opposite of the U.S., with the steering wheel on the right side of the vehicle. Roundabouts flow clockwise, and it's worth consciously looking right first when crossing a street on foot, since that instinct doesn't come naturally.
- Speed limits and distances are posted in kilometers (km/h), not miles. A 100 km/h limit is about 62 mph; a 50 km/h limit, common in towns, is about 31 mph.
The Gotcha
Unlike some destinations where an IDP is a recommended backstop, Thailand treats a foreign license on its own as simply insufficient. You need the IDP alongside it as a baseline requirement, not an extra precaution, and that applies from your very first day driving there.
Sources
This page was drafted from the primary sources below. Rules change, so check the linked page directly before relying on any of this.
- Driving in Thailand (U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Thailand)