i have driven around Thailand plenty of times the trip is great some nice places along the way cheap hotels get a international licence its valid for 3 months message me if you want to know more and where to visit im not a fan of Phuket but each to there own
don't get it like me when my time comes to kick the bucket so be it, the price, they want from me because i have a pacemaker is so high i cannot afford to live in Thailand so i just canceled it and got funeral insurance, I get free medical if i make it back to Australia 5 hour 30 minute flight back to Perth if i don't make it bad luck , my kids have been told my excess money has already in my daughter's name ,so all the government can do is take my pension lol
a lot of people get sucked in to pay higher than govt rates stand your ground and demand govt rate until you find one there is plenty and get someone who is Thai to bargain for you i got my monthly rent down from 14,000 baht a month to 11,500 baht per month using a Thai friend to do the talking