Maartensworld

On 4/14/2021 at 2:47 PM, canthai55 said:

Good luck with the sale ...

3 MIL THB works out to 3,000 nights in 1,000 THB hotel rooms - 8.2 years

Not including operating expenses, depreciation, maintenance.

There is a reason why they have never caught on in LOS

I don't think the price of hotels has anything to do with "not catching on in LOS".

After all, in the US you can get a 30 USD motel-room and still thousands of people drive motorhomes starting at 100.000 USD.

You don't buy a motorhome to save money.

I also don't think it has to do with the temperature here in Thailand. I was once in Death Valley and the place was literally packed with motorhomes.

It probably has more to do with the Thai government and it's rules and regulations concerning motorhomes.

For example: Foreign motorhomes (from tourists) are officially not allowed to enter Thailand, unless accompanied by a government approved guide. (This apparently has something to do with the previous influx of Chinese tourists in motorhomes creating dozens of traffic-accidents.)

It is also not possible to convert an existing car/van/bus into a motorhome. DLT refuses to adjust the registration. 

So, only new motorhomes are available at elevated tax-rates, making a Mercedes Sprinter Camper cost 6.5 million baht. A ridiculous price for a panelvan based motorhome.

When we decided to get/buy a motorhome, we wanted to build/convert our own. But the car we wanted, a Mercedes Sprinter 4x4 would cost 105.000 USD and would take 8 month to a year to receive.  That is when we decided to buy an existing one.

Not that this was easy. Buying was, but changing the registered name was a nightmare as the registration was incorrect. It was registered as a "public transport".

It took almost a year and many trips to BKK DLT HQ and a lot of luck (turned out the toilet in the motorhome had been out of production for more than 7 years, hence proof that it was a motorhome before the laws were changed) to get the registration correct and legal.

Anyway, I think this is why you do not see much of them, which is fine by me as I would hate to see those "Death Valley motorhome traffic jams" here in Thailand.

37 minutes ago, canthai55 said:

Keep in mind that this vehicle is for sale, and the seller will highlight the positives.

Yes. Thank you for that canthai55.

Indeed it is for sale as our plans for the future have changed quit suddenly.

So, after enjoying this kind of travel ( see our videos on: https://youtube.com/channel/UC5y3GB37Yx8Iip-8g6wFopw )

someone else will get this wonderful opportunity. 

Until then, we are still enjoying it as I speak (well, write, that is)

6 hours ago, Lancashirelad said:

I know it can get cold in the north, I've been in Chiang Mai when it was 12*c for about 3 days, but the temp on that sign and your dress style don't seem to match.

That was done deliberately to make a fun photo.

Or are you suggesting that I somehow hacked into the sign and changed it ?  

FYI, doi inthanon is the highest mountain in Thailand.

8 hours ago, adexbe said:

 

The only truth clearly !

 

? ? ?   We've been sleeping in it since January 11 this year.

I guess "the only truth clearly" does not apply to us... and many others.

Did you know that at 7 in the morning it is 3 degrees (celcius) on doi inthanon ?  I guess you did not know that as there is no hotel there... just a (free) camp-site for tents and... motorhomes...  And there are many, many other such places.

11 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

 

How often doe the the 20l cassette need to be emptied with two of you using it? 

On average every 3 to 4 days.

You can empty it at any fuel-station in a toilet. It has some chemicals that are biodegradable and turn everything into a liquid without faul smell.

It's not the nicest job, but not as bad as you would think.

Gray water can be dumped at all PTT-stations or if needed, in the woods. After all, it's only water and soap.

31 minutes ago, madmen said:

You must be 100% acclimatized. No way I would attempt to sleep in a tin box in the relentless Thailand humidity 

 

 

No, I can't stand the heat. ????. But it's not a tin box, it's a fiberglass box with double walls and 5cm insulation.

Once the AC cools that (small) space down and dehumidifies it, it's pretty good.

We are doing a bit of micro-credit business with Kai Fac (sale with redeem) where the client borrows money and puts land or house up as security. 

My (Thai) wife was told by a Land-office employee that she can not do a "kai fac" contract because she has a foreign husband.

Now, that seems a violation of article 100 of the Thai constitution (anti discrimination act).

Does anyone know more about this ?

Maarten

11 hours ago, Jeffr2 said:

Doesn't it get hot inside there?  Do you have a generator to run the AC?

Yep, it has a generator and AC, but frankly, we don't use that too often.

Mostly when it stood the entire day in the sun, we run the AC for one or two hours. Then everything is cooled down and the roof-windo-fans are enough.

At night fresh ourside-air is pumped in above the bed, which makes it feel pretty cool, even cold sometimes. 

But, you do need a good AC and silent genny.

On 4/14/2021 at 2:51 PM, canthai55 said:

Where do you dump your black water ?

There's just one

I had a MCI conversion in Canada for many years so know what I am talking about.

 

I guess you know about NA & Canadian motorhomes. Not EU, Ausi or (for that matter) Thai motorhomes.

They have NO black-water tank. They use cassette-toilets where you "pull" the cassette (usually 20 ltr) out of the side of the motorhome and empty it (legally) in any toilet. Like at a fuel-station.

So, again: What infra-structure ?  These campers/motorhomes have their own infrastructure.

And sleeping in hotels? Yeah, but what if you like the country-side and the quiet of nature?  Wanne spend the night in one of those 6.000 baht baloon-tents on the mountainside, with 10.000 other people? 

Not everyone likes hotels or mass-tourism. And those are the people who buy a motorhome.  (And there is quit a lot of us)

In fact, while I type this, I am sitting, comfortably (without the AC) in my motorhome somewhere in a forrest in the Isaan.

And it does not cost me a single stang.

Each his/her own.

After thoroughly enjoying it in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, and even driving it from Thailand to the EU, we have decided to sell our motorhome and focus on other things.

It is build on a Isuzu NPR71 truck and because it is officially licenced as a motorhome, you can drive it with a regular B driving-license. (Even though it has 6 wheels and weighs almost 5 tons)

The Thai issued international driving-license also lets you drive this in the rest of the world (except for Vietnam and Costa Rica when righthand-drive vehicles are not alowed)

It is in perfect technical condition. Everything (literally everything) works. 

All papers 100% correct and legal. Includes international plates.

Engine:  
4.5 liter turbo-diesel, 130 HP, manual gearbox with "low gear", double diesel-tank (200 ltr, range 1.400 km)

Cab:
3 seats, 10" sat-nav with worldwide (very) detailed maps, AC, rearview camera with nightvision, cruise-control, radio/cd/usb/bluetooth-player, several LED lightbars (2 front, 2 side, 3 rear), air-horn, tire-pressure-monitor, etc.

Living-area:
Seating/dining for 4 adults. 
Fully equipped Kitchen with 2 hob gas-stove, vapor-extractor, microwave oven (profi type, no turntable), sink with hot/cold and drinking-water taps, 40 ltr Engel fridge/freezer, several drawers and cabinets with all equipement in rattle-free foam.
Bathroom with cassette-toilet (Thatford C2), sink with hot/cold water and shower.
Bedroom with (fixed, but electric moveable) queen-size bed, large wardrobe and extensive storage. (The dining-area can also convert in a queen-size bed)

There is a roof-AC/heater which runs on a (on board) silent generator or external power (220 and 110), 2 roof-fans (one with thermostad and rain-sensor which closes when it rains) and a 5 Kw diesel powered heater.
The floor and roof are thermo-insulated.

Water is stored in several tanks: 150 ltr clean-water, 20 ltr drinking-water, 20 ltr toilet-flush-water, 40 ltr hot water (boiler works on engine-heat, generator or external power) and there is a 80 ltr waste-water tank. (The toilet has a seperate 20 ltr waste-cassete which is easy to empty).

Electrical:
A 2.5 Kw/h Lithium battery is charged by the engine, by 350 watts solar-panels, generator and external power. (2.5 Kw/h is enough to feed "normal use" for 5 days without any input. With normal sunlight it remains between 90 to 100% full indefinitely)
All lights, inside and outside, are LED.
With the 1.500 watt inverter you can power 220 volt appliances from the Lithium battery. (Including the microwave oven)
There are USB-charging ports throughout the vehicle.
On-board silent Honda eu-2.0 generator.

External power can be 220 volt or 110 volt. (On 110 volt it is limited to 4 Kw due to the transformers.)

All windows can be opened and have blinds and mosquito-mesh, including 3 roof-windows

Other equipment:
Included are 2 comfortable, foldable outside chairs, 2 outside tables, outside shower (only cold water), a large awning, bicycle-carrier, air-compressor (profi, not chinese), wheelnut-tourqe-amplifier, jack, gass-bottle, the obligated emergency-gear, etc.

The vehicle has a build-in, real-time satelite-tracker which updates its location every 5 minutes (via sat-phone, so no phone, sim or other connection required).

This is the ultimate travel-vehicle and it is ready to go, fully outfitted. 

We have driven it extensively around south-east Asia and from Thailand to Europe (videos available) without any serious problems.
Since it is based on a truck-chassis, it has a life-expectancy of well over 500.000 km,s. It has done a bit over 100.000 now.

Last but not least, the price.

It's not cheap as it only has EU-sold components.

We are asking 3 million baht. But remember, all you need to bring is your cloths and toothbrush. The rest is there.

1 hour ago, canthai55 said:

Can stay in a lot of hotels, for a long time, for what it costs to purchase, insure, tax and run a motorhome, along with the genset to run the aircon.

In N. America - lots of them.

Here ... no infrastructure

Infrastructure?  That is exactly what is so great about a motorhome: You don't need any infrastructure.

As far as cost goes, it is not cheap to buy, but when we travel in it we spend less than when we stay at home. (And have more fun)