If you are in Thailand and you have decided to rent a scooter to visit the beautiful places of this place so loved by tourists, you have certainly made the right choice: traveling by a 2 wheels vehicle, in fact, is always a great idea for the tourist, especially if you are traveling alone or as a couple. Having the opportunity to visit the various locations saving a lot of time and maximize what you have at your disposal, without getting lost in city traffic and being able to quickly reach all the places you want!
However, it can happen to anyone to find themselves with an unpredictable breakdown, even if the means of transport had been thoroughly checked before venturing around Thailand: don’t worry, because it is possible to find a suitable solution to every problem! Let’s see what are the most frequent problems and what to do to solve them.
- Flat tire: this is one of the first problems that can happen, but it is also one of those problems that should not cause your concern. In fact, if it happens to have to repair a flat tire and you find yourself out and about in Phuket, it is easy for you to find a mechanic or a workshop immediately, as the city is very busy and crowded and, therefore, also full of services and resources for citizens and tourists. There is no need to repair the tire yourself, especially if you have never done this kind of work: moreover, it is not recommended that you continue to drive because you would risk worsening the damage (which, at that point, would no longer be just the punctured rubber). In principle, the problem of a flat or punctured tire is not attributable to the rental service, but it is possible that, if you experience this difficulty, the company will help you to solve the situation if you are unable to overcome the problem on your own. . If, on the other hand, the insurance you chose at the rental company included support for this kind of difficulty, you can count on it to have the flat or flat tire repaired at the company’s expense. You must keep in mind that, if you find that your tire is flat and you continue to drive, it will surely suffer further wear and in this case no rental company will be ready to compensate you for damage that has been caused by your negligence. The preventive solution would be to check the general condition of the motorcycle (including tires) before renting it.
- Low Battery: No serious rental company will deliver you a means of transport with a flat battery. Therefore, if you encounter this problem after a few days that you have rented, it’s possible that it was you, with a distraction or forgetfulness, who made the battery drain: for example, you forgot the lights on, or you left the ignition on insert. The solution to this problem varies according to the level of discharge of the battery: moreover, the more it is discharged, the greater the consequences can be and therefore also more difficult to solve. For example, if you have left the light on for two or three hours, the damage will be more easily repairable with a simple recharge, while if the battery has worked for a longer time (for example all night) the difficulty will be greater because it is likely you will need to have it replaced. The methods for restarting the battery are: pedal start (with neutral gear and clutch engaged); jump start cables (in this case, however, you will have to go to a workshop or be lucky enough to find a motorcyclist who has these cables and who is willing to lend them to you: moreover, you must know that, when you turn it off, it’s possible that it will no longer start).
- Broken or lost key: even in this case, the fault will not be attributable to the rental service and therefore you will have to be willing to repay the company for the lost key or for its replacement in case of breakage. Also, having lost the key or broken it could cause delays in your journey, as you will have to wait for the second key to be delivered to you by the rental company. The cost of the replacement is between 300 THB (10 USD) and 1000 THB (33 USD); at this price, however, you will have to add any repair costs in the event that, for example, the key is broken in the ignition mechanism.
The problems we have mentioned are the most common ones that can be encountered when deciding to travel around Thailand, but it is clear that the difficulties can vary depending on the type of scooter, the distances traveled and the time that spend in motion. The always valid advice is to always check that the conditions, and always read the contract carefully before signing it.