Advice please. Travelling through Thailand

[bill99]

Hi to all,

I am thinking of buying a car in Kuala Lumpur and travelling Thailand and then to Laos and wherever else I can.

I am a recently retired Kiwi European trying to do a bit of travelling before the retirement home.

Adventure before Dementia is a saying I have seen recently that seems to fit the situation well.

I have been told  that the roads are very dangerous and investing in a dashcam could be good in case of an accident.

Out of the cities not being able to speak Thai seems to be a problem so a translation book would be in order.

Any advice would be appreciated as I am about to book air tickets in a week or so.

Thanks Regards Bill

 

 

[bill99]

P.S. Can someone please tell me what LOS means ?

[giddyup]

7 minutes ago, bill99 said:

P.S. Can someone please tell me what LOS means ?

Hard to believe that someone who wants to travel through Thailand hasn't read up on it enough to know that LOS=Land of smiles.

[Lungstib]

A lot of problem taking a vehicle across borders, which I am sure someone will try to explain to you. Its not just a customs problem but also an insurance one. For anyone new to Thailand the driving is downright dangerous. You do want to reach that retirement dont you. The language problem out in the country is hard enough getting food and drink. Trying to fix a broken car would be something many of us 15 years here would have trouble with. Travel by train Bill. Relax, have a cold beer, meet people at the station. Get old.

[KhunBENQ]

You had started another thread in the General forum a few days ago with very similar intent.

It would be helpful to keep the info/ideas in one place.

You have quite relaxed ideas about traveling through different South East Asian countries by car or camper.

Unfortunately it's still not easy.

In the other thread you mentioned Vietnam: close to impossible to get across the border with a private car.

And that's just one example.

Are you aware that in some countries they drive on the right, others on the left.

Different rules, signs, languages/scripts.

A dictionary/book won't carry you far if your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere.

Crossing from Malaysia to Thailand and then to Laos (and back?).

Have fun with the paperwork, deposits/carnet, (health) insurance document, driving license, visas.

...

 

 

[KhunBENQ]

19 minutes ago, Lungstib said:

Travel by train Bill. Relax, have a cold beer, meet people at the station. Get old.

Domestic and regional (SEA) flights are fairly cheap and safer than any road travel.

From the Bangkok hub you can get most everywhere on the subcontinent.

Bus travel needs careful selection of company/tour operator.

Can be adventurous otherwise.

 

[bill99]

Thanks to all.

Unfortunately I was born a Taurus, the stubborn bull. I get an idea in my head and off I go. I have driven in the States for a year and  Europe on the other side of the road so am conscious of the issues with that.

I have seen the word LOS in many post's but did not know what it meant.

I have read that to get a right hand drive car into Cambodia and V

[bill99]

Thanks to all.

Unfortunately I was born a Taurus, the stubborn bull. I get an idea in my head and off I go. I have lived/driven in the States for a year on the other side of the road, so am conscious of the issues with that.

I have seen the word LOS in many post's, but did not know what it meant.

I have read that to get a right hand drive car into Cambodia and Vietnam can very down right difficult if not impossible. I am conscious of Visa issues and other language issues.

I would prefer to have the flexibility of travel of being able to go off the beaten track that I am unable to do if I try to do this by bus or train. Being able to do things in my own time is something I like, instead of being stuck to someone else's schedule

I was a mechanic in another life so am reasonably confident I should be able to address mechanical issues with a Toyota, so fingers crossed.

I do not have anyone to meet at a station and don't want to spend my time dragging my suitcase around behind me.

I accept there are some risk's involved with what I am about to do, but hey, I could step out my front door tomorrow and have a plane drop on my head.

I do not regard myself as being a blonde and have a certain amount of street smarts. I would like some adventure before the retirement home.

My other option is to stay home and fade away. I have circumnavigated by yacht when younger and spent a lot of time in the "west"

I have just helped a friend bring his new to him 60 motor boat from Langkawi to Auckland, so are up for the adventure.

Now looking for some excitement in the East, which it looks like I am about to get. Bring it on I say.

I guess if it all gets too hard, I could find somewhere to live in Pattaya, sell the car, and drink my self to death in one of the bars. (Lucky for me I don't drink) Being cheeky now. :)

I do however appreciate all of your words of wisdom and advice to be very careful.

Thanks again. Regards Bill

[Lungstib]

45 minutes ago, bill99 said:

My other option is to stay home and fade away. I have circumnavigated by yacht when younger and spent a lot of time in the "west"

I have just helped a friend bring his new to him 60 motor boat from Langkawi to Auckland, so are up for the adventure.

Bill, I was an adventure tour leader and drove tours around Africa, S. America and Asia. I understand your desires. But the Burma, Thai, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam district was never tackled by the overland business because of the vehicle documentation process. Rent or buy a vehicle ( more people do motorbikes) and drive around a country and then sell and go to the next. Its actually easier to go between S.E.Asian countries by boat, the paperwork is easier, than it is land. I am here because an English company employed me to do Bangkok to Bali by local transport, which I did for 6 years until the countries started to protect their own travel businesses, and then decided not to go back. Why not travel Indonesia. Its massive, many attractions, one language which you can read and speak from a book, and once you had your vehicle you'd not be changing country. Its 5000kms east to west, that should keep you going for a while and away from Pattaya.

[Justfine]

2 hours ago, giddyup said:

Hard to believe that someone who wants to travel through Thailand hasn't read up on it enough to know that LOS=Land of smiles.

Actually most new tourists wouldn't know about the LOS phrase. It's more of an expat thing. 

 

And it's one of the worst and most inaccurate phrases out there.

[Justfine]

52 minutes ago, bill99 said:

Thanks to all.

Unfortunately I was born a Taurus, the stubborn bull. I get an idea in my head and off I go. I have lived/driven in the States for a year on the other side of the road, so am conscious of the issues with that.

I have seen the word LOS in many post's, but did not know what it meant.

I have read that to get a right hand drive car into Cambodia and Vietnam can very down right difficult if not impossible. I am conscious of Visa issues and other language issues.

I would prefer to have the flexibility of travel of being able to go off the beaten track that I am unable to do if I try to do this by bus or train. Being able to do things in my own time is something I like, instead of being stuck to someone else's schedule

I was a mechanic in another life so am reasonably confident I should be able to address mechanical issues with a Toyota, so fingers crossed.

I do not have anyone to meet at a station and don't want to spend my time dragging my suitcase around behind me.

I accept there are some risk's involved with what I am about to do, but hey, I could step out my front door tomorrow and have a plane drop on my head.

I do not regard myself as being a blonde and have a certain amount of street smarts. I would like some adventure before the retirement home.

My other option is to stay home and fade away. I have circumnavigated by yacht when younger and spent a lot of time in the "west"

I have just helped a friend bring his new to him 60 motor boat from Langkawi to Auckland, so are up for the adventure.

Now looking for some excitement in the East, which it looks like I am about to get. Bring it on I say.

I guess if it all gets too hard, I could find somewhere to live in Pattaya, sell the car, and drink my self to death in one of the bars. (Lucky for me I don't drink) Being cheeky now. :)

I do however appreciate all of your words of wisdom and advice to be very careful.

Thanks again. Regards Bill

I would suggest car hire with full insurance for 3 months. Start in Trang and drive to Chiang Mai via Isaan and the Mekong then drive down the west coast back to Hua Hin and drop off the car there. Avoid driving in Bangkok and visit the city last.

[giddyup]

2 minutes ago, Justfine said:

Actually most new tourists wouldn't know about the LOS phrase. It's more of an expat thing. 

 

And it's one of the worst and most inaccurate phrases out there.

I would want to do a bit of research if I intended driving around Thailand, but that's me, and something as simple as typing in LOS Thailand gives you the exact answer.

[Justfine]

5 minutes ago, giddyup said:

I would want to do a bit of research if I intended driving around Thailand, but that's me, and something as simple as typing in LOS Thailand gives you the exact answer.

It's trivial nonsense. Reading up on Thai cities, car hire and points of interest is far more important than a catch phrase.

 

 

 

 

[giddyup]

9 minutes ago, Justfine said:

It's trivial nonsense. Reading up on Thai cities, car hire and points of interest is far more important than a catch phrase.

 

 

 

 

I agree, but the OP asked, when he could have Googled it.

[Justfine]

4 minutes ago, giddyup said:

I agree, but the OP asked, when he could have Googled it.

Same could be said for 90% of questions

[bill99]

2 hours ago, bill99 said:

FWIW I did google LOS. Try it your self. See what you get 

https://www.google.co.nz/search?source=hp&ei=Otr2WvyuJYad8QXBo6uACA&q=LOS&oq=LOS&gs_l=psy-ab.12..35i39k1j0i131i67k1j0i67k1l4j0i131i20i263k1j0i131k1l3.3147.4010.0.6980.4.3.0.0.0.0.590.868.2-1j5-1.2.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..2.2.866.0..0i20i263k1.0.4u_wTVkTJO8

 

 

[Rc2702]

11 minutes ago, bill99 said:

 

Yh LOS on its own can mean a lot of things but put thailand after it and your answer is there pretty quickly.

 

Your idea as has been advised, will make your adventure a difficult one.  Some say walk before run unless of course your in a rush to the retirement home.

[giddyup]

4 hours ago, bill99 said: