Scooter secured, stomachs too

We rented the scooter for one day. The shop charged ฿150 for it and asked for a ฿1000 security deposit. You can either deposit cash or leave your passport as security. We chose the cash option since we preferred keeping our passport with us, though it seemed safe there too.

Inside the shop, a warning note caught my eye. It mentioned a ฿1000 fine if caught by police without an IDP (International Driving Permit)—something required along with your regular license for driving abroad. While it’s rare to get stopped, especially if you wear a helmet, it’s still a risk. I learned that the hard way later in Bangkok.

While they were prepping the scooter, I noticed something interesting—they first had a dummy number plate, which they swapped out for the real one before handing it over.

While all this was going on, we grabbed lunch at a small restaurant right next to the rental shop.Read more