Real APARTEL Guest Stories: Police, Accidents and Returning Renters

Updated: July 20, 2026 · APARTEL Rental · Русская версия

Any rental shop can write "we are reliable". Instead, we went through two years of guest chats and picked the stories where something actually went wrong — so you can see what the team did. For context, our track record: 486 rentals, 3 accidents, 4 deposit deductions. Everything below is real; the only thing changed is the names — we identify guests by country and the area where they stayed.

The police impounded the scooter — on delivery day. Solved in 2 hours

November 2024, a guest from Kazakhstan, a PCX for 15 days, Nai Yang near the airport. On the morning of delivery day we discovered the scooter was "in chains" — impounded by the police. We could have stalled and invented excuses. Instead we messaged him exactly what happened: "We won't make it on time — the police took the scooter, it's chained up, we're sorting out the fine right now." We handled the fine and the conversation with the police ourselves, and the guest got his PCX the same day.

A week later his battery died — we noticed the scooter had been sitting idle and asked first whether he needed help. He managed, and extended the rental.

A year later the same guest came back — and asked for "that same PCX"

November 2025. The same guest writes again: flying in for three weeks, wants the same scooter. He got exactly it — at last year's price: 5,250 ฿ for 21 days, when the seasonal rate was 420 ฿ per day. Delivery free, as always. Mid-rental our mechanic spotted cracks in a tyre — we collected the scooter, took it to the workshop and replaced the wheel at our own cost while he rode a replacement. A guest returning a year later is the best review a rental company can get.

An accident in Rawai: a bill itemised to the baht — and "Are you both okay?"

October 2025, a couple from Russia, an NMax for 14 days, a villa in Rawai. Two months before the flight the guest ordered an International Driving Permit through us — we delivered the permit and the scooter together to the villa (moved the slot from evening to morning because of heavy rain, and warned him in advance). On the last day of the rental the couple went down: he strained a ligament, she got away with bruises.

The bill for two damaged parts looked like this: 1,370 ฿ + 410 ฿ + 120 ฿ petrol = 1,900 ฿. Exactly by line item — no "plus repainting and distress fee". Paid by card transfer at the exchange rate. And the first message after the sum was not about money:

"Are you both okay?"

That is the honest answer to every tourist's biggest fear — "what happens if I drop the rental scooter". What happens is a bill at spare-part prices, and a question about your health.

"Rays of kindness": a breakdown in the middle of moving house

January–March 2025, a guest from Russia, two months with a scooter, Surin and Patong. On the day she was moving to new accommodation the scooter would not start — the worst possible moment. We picked it up ourselves, fixed it and delivered it to her new hotel the same day; she simply left the key at the old reception. At the end of the rental we did not charge for a minor scuff — ruining someone's mood over small change costs more. Her message afterwards is one we keep as a trophy:

"Just rays of kindness to you"

Stopped by police in Patong — walked through it live from the chat

December 2024, a guest from Kazakhstan on an NMax, staying in Kamala. She had no A-category licence — we had warned her about the risks before the rental, no fairy tales. When the police stopped her in Patong she messaged the chat and had an answer within a minute: the fine is standard, 500 ฿, here is what to say, don't worry. The holiday was not ruined. A season later, in April 2025, she came back — and got 350 ฿ per day instead of the seasonal 420 ฿ as a returning guest. And that first time we had delivered her scooter at 10 pm in the rain — then started the rental clock at 9 the next morning.

Wintering in Phuket or coming for a holiday? Monthly rental with a fresh scooter, a replacement if anything breaks and one-message extensions. Write to us — we'll price your dates.
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Frequently asked questions

What does APARTEL do if a guest crashes a rented scooter?

The first question is always whether you are okay. Then comes an itemised bill, not a number out of thin air: in October 2025, after a fall in Rawai, the bill for two damaged parts came to exactly 1,900 ฿ at spare-part prices. Across 486 rentals we have had 3 accidents and 4 deposit deductions.

Will you help if the police stop me?

Yes. Message us in chat and you get an answer within a minute: what the fine is (usually 500–1,000 ฿ without an A-category licence), how to behave, where to pay. If your scooter disappears from a parking spot, we immediately send the direct numbers of the Tourist Police and your district's police station.

What if the scooter breaks down during a long rental?

A replacement scooter is part of the monthly rental terms: we bring you another one and take yours in for repair. Wear and tear is our job: when we spotted cracks in a long-stay guest's tyre, we collected the scooter, took it to the workshop and replaced the wheel free of charge.

Is monthly rental really cheaper?

Yes — a month costs roughly the same as 12–14 days at the daily rate. And returning guests keep last year's price: one guest who came back a year later in high season got the same PCX for 5,250 ฿ for 21 days when the seasonal rate was 420 ฿ per day.