Its safe to hire a scooter or car......but not so safe to actually drive them anywhere....
Do a bit of research on the internet ie Thaivisa/Pattaya mail....and you will find plenty of stories of Ting tong farangs getting wiped out on scooters, some very seriously hurt or even killed...
Does your B/F even have a motorbike license ?....legally in Thailand you are suppose to have a license to ride one....
There are 1000's of Thai nationals getting seriously hurt or killed every year on motor bikes and on the whole a Thai is usually learning to ride a motor bike from a very early age as its a primary means of transport....
When you get to Phuket have a look at the ankles and legs of Thai people you will find at least 80% of them have scars on the legs and ankles from riding bikes..!!!!
If you want to be a bit safer rent a car, but you need to learn to drive like a Thai pretty quickly...as not the same as where you are coming from....basically there are very few rules of the road...the laws are there...but very few people follow them....but at least in a car you have some steel around you...
Its better and cheaper to get around by taxi, bus or baht bus or even at a push a tuk-tuk
Edit...
"If you get in an accident expect to pay for the damage, your fault or not"..
....This is not strictly true provided you are driving on a legitimate license with insurance etc etc and its not your fault...where people get caught out with this one is that 9 times out of 10, they do not have a proper license, insurance etc and as with any other country in the world...if you have an accident your fault or not and dont have a license you are liable for payment....this is not unique to Thailand....
As tourist in Thailand and in an accident provided you are legal you have the same rights as anybody else....yes the injured party/police will try and make you pay up, but if insured and legal call the agent let them deal with it....if not legal...time to put your hand in your pocket and pay up...
I would not hire a scooter or car in Phuket if you have never ridden or driven one in Phuket before. Phuket has the worse the drivers in Thailand. I live in Phuket and dare not ride a scooter, cause drivers always cut you off without signaling or looking.
Also the road from Patong to Phuket Town is one of the worse streets in Phuket.
If you do decide to, keep this in mind, Although there are rules of the road, no one ever follows them. So pretty much, do what you have to do to survive.
If you are from the US or some country that drives on the "right" side of the road - don't bother with driving in Thailand until you have been there a while. Your reflexes will be different in an emergency situation and you may make the wrong decision!
There are some scams with motor scooters where you are charged for scratches and dings that you didn't make. Take a photo of the bike and any defects before you take off.
If you get in an accident expect to pay for the damage, your fault or not! Because, as a tourist that can fly out of Thailand, the police may confiscate your passport until restitution is made! Insurance companies may pay you back later but an accident will inconvenience you - if it doesn't kill you first!
yeh i hv been there 3 times & e'time we do rent-a-car. no scooter plz as it's danger & old. dangerous not only riding the scooter but also running in dark. some rd of them r stil like in forest. heard that ppl got chase behind & got robbed. so better in a car at least u can lock up rite? i'd rent the car thru Avis. it's a worldwide co. so more safe. but sounds they only hv standard gear. so c if ur bf know how to 'move' 1 ok? good luck!
why would you want to? taxis are so cheap...I would rather have a layer of metal between me and the Thai drivers, thank you...
If he can ride, it is safe.
It is cheap and safe.
Remember what side of the road you should drive on (Thais drive on the same side of the road as UK blokes, and the opposite side that Americans drive on).
Don't drive drunk
Don't go too fast
The Thais that you see with scars, it is natural, as most Thais start driving on scooters before puberty. It is the main transport for the vast majority of Thais, and for them a mishap is inevitible, HOWEVER, for a casual tourist- the vast majority who rent bikes while they are here do so without getting killed or maimed. Just be safe and you will be fine.
Riding a scooter in Phuket is very popular but you need to accept that you are taking life in your own hands. While there are roads and traffic laws, people do drive and ride how it suits them. I have seen examples of this with my own eyes and it amazed me why I didn't see more accidents while I was there.
Last statistics I read was about 10,000 accidents happen in Phuket each years - lots of them involved foreign tourists.
Also remember that - IT IS THAILAND, don't expect too much (if at all ) in terms of motor vehicle insurance. It's everyman for himself over there.
Your boyfriend might be lucky and nothing may happen. But you just don't know what is around the next corner.
Not trying to scare you. People DO hire scooters. It is a case of you are aware of what risk you are taking and if you are willing to take it.
Cheers
Car is saver than scooter. I don't recommend scooter as your BF aren't used to with traffic conditions and circumstances in Phuket. Visitors got killed almost everyday from driving motor bike.
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