Driving From Uk To Thailand!

[Dashing Chap]

Bear with me on this one, it's not as preposterous as it sounds. It's just something I'm toying with at this time.

I'll be moving permanently to LOS to be with my Wife in the next year or so. What an adventure it would be to drive there from England! Now I know it sounds crazy but I've given it some thought and I really want to do it now.

I realize that importing my car would be prohibitively expensive and probably not possible on a permanent basis... but I know I could do so temporarily (by leaving a bond at the border). Would it be possible to do a sort of 'visa run' for my car every six months and then just bring it in again for another six months?

Has anyone attempted this drive or know of anyone who has done so? What route did they take. What logistical problems did they have. How much did it cost them etc etc etc.

I reckon on about 10,000 miles for the journey and about a month.

I relish a challenge, it's the Aries in me... and what a glorious moment it would be when my BMW rolls into my wife's village (I wouldn't tell her I was coming) and give her the surprise of her life with the words 'Honey, I'm home'. It'd be just great. A moment to really savour.

[MadFrankie]

there was a guy on TV not so long ago that had ridden his motorbike from.. I think it was singapore, to the UK.. Went thru a lot of very dodgy countrys and never had any probs at all, on the first night when he finally got to the UK someone nicked it I think it took him about 2 months

[Dashing Chap]

on the first night when he finally got to the UK someone nicked it

Why am I not surprised? There are some parts of England where if you put your arm out the car window, they'd nick your watch.

[Stocky]

There used to be a green Austin Allegro with UK number plate that parked up in Soi San Sabai in Patong Beach, not far from Patrick's Bar.

It's a few years ago now but when I'd see it I used to think, he must have driven it here, but why an Allegro?!

[The Gentleman Scamp]

It's possible, I once had an arguement about this and proved that it could be done.

A mate of mine wanted to buy a Tuk-Tuk and drive it back to Amersham but never got round to it.

Anyway, if you're really serious, then get a company to sponser you and look for other sponsers - Red Bull may sponser you for instance.

Get lots of publicity and you could do it cheaper - you may get to use the Channel Tunnel for free and then you'd only have to worry about driving through the countries ending in 'stan' which would be the dangerous bit.

I bet you don't do it though, however you'd have the admiration and respect of many if you did.

[DavidUK21]

you can do it on the train, using the chunnel, the trans-siberian and going down through china,vietnam and across cambodia. might do it myself next spring. probably a lot less tiring and more relaxing, although a different experience.

[Dashing Chap]

I bet you don't do it though, however you'd have the admiration and respect of many if you did.

Watch this space

[royar2002]

An old norwegian are one the way from Bkk to Norway on a "Bicycle" and I know a pakistan who drove from Norway to Pakistan and back to norway 6 times with his whole family in his wolksvagenbus. So I think you can do it. But Im sure you have to deal with a lot of problems and I think your BMW will lost value so much, and with all the problems on the way, it will be cheaper and not so risky to import the car and take the plane. I have friends who ride all around India by 250 Baja without planning it and I like your Idea, but alone? Risky? To much visa hassle and

problem with bordercrossing, and how to get part to a BMW in the middle of nowhere? You need a lot of planning and back up.

Good Luck

[Dashing Chap]

he must have driven it here, but why an Allegro?!

Perhaps it was the irony of it all

[Stocky]

he must have driven it here, but why an Allegro?!

Perhaps it was the irony of it all

Well it wouldn't have been for any financial reward!

Then again, getting it through the border wouldn't be a problem, a Merc or a BMW might raise suspicions, but an Allegro!

You could nip back and forth to Malaysia and renew its 'visa' without a worry, apart from the likelihood of it breaking down.

[Yohan]

It is possible to drive from Europe via Turkey, Iran, (dangerous!) Pakistan to India, but then you will have to ship over yourself and the car to Malaysia or Singapore. No way to drive over via Burma.

Another route is by shipping two times...first driving down to the Emirates, via Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Saudi-Arabia (no tourist-visa, sponsor required, but possible) and then by ship to Pakistan and driving again to India Eastern side, shipping to Penang.

[Dashing Chap]

What if I was to avoid the Middle East all together by driving right accross Russia and then dropping down through China and Laos/Vietnam/Burma? Longer route but only 3 or 4 visas to worry about and probably a lot safer.

... and why is it not possible to go through Burma? Is it political issues? Road constraints? or is it just too dangerous?

[walker]

Yohan is absolutely right. Visas/car registration are nigh onto impossible in Iran and are impossible in Burma. The Russian/Chinese route might work, if you could get the paperwork lined up (expensive and time-consuming)but would probably take six months of travel....a lot of waiting in places you don't want to be. I gave some thought, a few years ago, to a motorcycle (Benelli 650) trip from Italy to Thailand, and found Burma to be an obstacle impossible to deal with. A car would be much, much worse.

[DavidUK21]

http://www.seat61.com/Thailand.htm

i think would be the safest and most practical route to follow. dont know how u'd go about getting a car through the borders, if it were possible at all. driving through the middle east and south asia would probably be very dangerous at the present time.

[Pepe']

Pleeeease don't do this to your Bimmer...

M3 kind of guy

[mouse]

... and why is it not possible to go through Burma? Is it political issues? Road constraints? or is it just too dangerous?

Spoke to young English couple that took motorcycles around the world and they also had to fly their bikes from Bangladesh to Thailand. Seems Burma has a silly rule that you have to depart their country from your point of entry into the country. Don't asl me why.

[Thetyim]

My cousin did UK to Oz, on his own, on a push bike.

All it needs is the will to do it. The trip almost killed him so the will nearly got used.

A few years back a London cab was driven from UK to Oz with the meter running, they made a TV program about it.

Go for it, you will need to be the right type to pull it off. Best of luck.

[plachon]

Remember reading a book by an old Thai hand - Harold Stephens - on making a similar long distance journey across Europe and Asia. Can't remember it's name now, but do remember that he said that it's an irony that it was easier when he did it (early 70s) than it is nowadays. places like Afghanistan and Iraq were a breeze in those days, if you could pull yourself away from the peace pipes/hookahs.

[Yohan]

1-

Burma is and was always an obstancle....forget about it.

Best ship your car from India Eastern side to Penang or to Singapore.

2-

Do this from India, you will have problems from Bangladesh...

to put a car into an airplane is more expensive than a motorcycle.

There is very regular shipping between Indian harbours to Malaysia and Singapore.

Never heard of a problem about that.

3-

Check Iran out before departure, and when there are problems (route Iran-Pakistan), then do it by the Emirates via Saudi-Arabia (better, less dangerous)

4-

There is however very regular bus/truck traffic between Istanbul - Teheran - into Pakistan and India.... possible to put your car on a local truck in Iran for transit.

5-

Do not try out the Russian route....I would call this a railway-airplane only route - lot of criminality, terrible streets, permit not so easy to get for the whole route, and you might be forced to put the car on the railway for some routes....

6-

By my opinion, the route via Turkey - Syria - Jordan - Saudi - Emirates (shipping) - Pakistan - India West - India East (shipping) - Malaysia - Thailand is the best and should be successful. And entering Bangadesh is like a dead-end...also I do not have any information, if and how you can enter from India - some routes near the Bangladesh borders are off-limits for all foreigners in India.

[Flummoxed]

lets Us know if you do it

[The Gentleman Scamp]

A few years back a London cab was driven from UK to Oz with the meter running, they made a TV program about it.

How the ###### did he manage that?

Did it convert into a hovercraft?

[Thetyim]

Yeah Ok Mr Waggi he took a ferry from Singapore to northern Oz and also a ferry to cross the English channel. I hope you are not going to disqualify him for cheating.

[Narachon]

I wonder if it's possible to drive a car from the U.S. to Thailand.... And if anyone has ever thought about attempting that feat!

[konangrit]

I wonder if it's possible to drive a car from the U.S. to Thailand.... And if anyone has ever thought about attempting that feat!

I guess it would be possible when the Bering straight is frozen over, but very much doubt that such an attempt would succeed.

I remember that before the channel tunnel had officially opened a team attempted to drive from the UK to the US. Unfortunatey when they reached the Bering straight the ice was not thick enough to support their vehicle, so the attempt was unsuccesful.

[Harry Palmer]

don't do it... you'll get wet... Engerland is part of an island you know surrounded by water...

[Dashing Chap]

don't do it... you'll get wet... Engerland is part of an island you know surrounded by water...

Good grief, I'd never of thought of that.

[ThaiPauly]

on the first night when he finally got to the UK someone nicked it

Why am I not surprised? There are some parts of England where if you put your arm out the car window, they'd nick your watch.

Must have been in LIVERPOOL

[Narachon]

on the first night when he finally got to the UK someone nicked it

Why am I not surprised? There are some parts of England where if you put your arm out the car window, they'd nick your watch.

Must have been in LIVERPOOL

What is so bad about Liverpool? Isn't that where the Beatles are from?

[Harry Palmer]

well for a start liverpool was a center of the slave trade in england during the 18th century... london never was so

[Narachon]

I wonder if it's possible to drive a car from the U.S. to Thailand.... And if anyone has ever thought about attempting that feat! 

I guess it would be possible when the Bering straight is frozen over, but very much doubt that such an attempt would succeed.

I remember that before the channel tunnel had officially opened a team attempted to drive from the UK to the US. Unfortunatey when they reached the Bering straight the ice was not thick enough to support their vehicle, so the attempt was unsuccesful.

I guess if you can put a car and go across the straits on an icebreaker type boat during the summer months, it could be possible.... That , or just waiting a century or two for the opening of the proposed Bearing Strait Tunnel....