An accident is rare, and the steps below are the same wherever in Thailand it happens. None of this is designed to be memorised in the moment — bookmark this page or save it before you drive, and follow it in order if you ever need to.
If anyone is hurt, that takes priority over everything else on this page. If it’s a minor, no-injury bump, resist the instinct to pull over out of the way immediately — take a moment first (see the next section) unless staying where you are is genuinely blocking traffic or unsafe, in which case move to the roadside once you’ve captured what you can.
191 is Thailand’s national police number and works from any phone without credit; the Tourist Police line, 1155, is staffed in English and is often the more practical first call for a visitor. Either way, get a police report — it’s frequently a requirement for the rental’s insurance to process a claim at all, not an optional formality. Call the number on your booking confirmation as well, before you agree to anything with the other driver.
Both vehicles from all four sides, the positions of both cars on the road, any skid marks, and close-ups of the specific damage. Photograph the other driver’s license plate, driving license, and insurance documents if they have them — a photo is far more reliable than a name written down in a hurry.
If you’re handed a document in Thai and you don’t have a translation, don’t sign it — ask for time, use a translation app, or call your rental company before agreeing to anything. This applies even if the other party seems to be in a hurry or the situation feels like it needs resolving on the spot.
Rental insurance in Thailand almost always assumes a police report exists if a claim is filed — driving off without one, even after a minor bump, can leave you covering repair costs personally later. This is exactly the kind of detail worth confirming with your specific rental company’s terms before you drive, rather than assuming it works the same way it might at home.
If there’s any damage at all, get a report — it protects your insurance claim more than it costs you in time.
That’s common in Thailand, but it removes the paper trail your rental insurance is likely to need — call your rental company before agreeing, not after.
Yes — the steps above are national practice, not specific to one city we operate in.