Driving To Thailand

[blimmer]

Hi Guys

I'm thinking about driving overland to Thailand from the UK next year, obviously avoiding the certain countries on route. has anyone else done this or have any advice regarding visas for myself (UK passport) or my wife (Thai passport).

any help gratefully received.

[wolf5370]

Wow,

Look around the map of Thailand. To get there by land (assuming you are not boating it in from India I suppose), you would have to either traverse China or cross Pakistan and Myanmar(Burma) - avoiding Afganistan by going through the ex-soviet states just north of it (you can't go below as Iraq and Iran are in the way). Its this bit that will be the hardest I would suggest. Neither Myanmar nor China are known for the open Visa policies!

I would suggest you don't go beyong India by road (going through the old russian states and Pakistan) and then go via boat across to Ranong. I have no idea if they run any vehicle carrying boats though. You may also want to check if you would have to pay import charges for the car+contents (though if you were leaving with it, it may be OK - I would check though andget something in writing) - in this regard it may be beter coming in by road from Burma or Indonesia.

I guess the real question is WHY? Its certainly not cheaper than a flight, would take a looooong time and may well kill your car (or you).

[Kwong]

I saw this truck when I was in Nepal 20 years ago. They started in London and their final destination was Bangkok. They had this trip 5-6 times a year.

[PhilHarries]

Good grief man, sell the car and fly. As wolf5370 says just look at the map.

Counting Poland as reasonably civilised that will be the last you'll see of civilisation. After Poland you have Ukraine (or Belarus) then Russia, then Kazakhstan (the Kazakhs hate us with a vengeance according to colleagues who have worked there), then it's China with a big loop to avoid Tibet (I doubt if you'll get permission to pass through there even if it were possible, then it's Myanmar or Laos and finally Thailand.

To go via India you'd have to go via Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, clip the NW corner of Afghanistan and through Pakistan (up in the disputed area of Kashmere. Then Indai, Bangladesh and Myanmar.

You could go southerly via Greece and Turkey (assuming you could get over the Bosphorus) but then you are head to head with Iran and they don't strike me as being too welcoming at present.

You can play with the routes all you like but IMO there are far too many 'stans in the way many of which are all but war zones excepting Afghanistan of course as it is a fully fledged democratic state.

btw I wouldn't recommend going by road from Indonesia, there are way too many pirates in the straights of Malacca.

[jubby]

I fancied doing the same thing about 15 years ago, I looked into it and it was just about feasable with a bit of luck.

The geo-political situation seems to have changed for the worse, particularly if you were thinking of taking the 'silk route' into China. I've not got my map of the world infront of me so I can't go into detail , but I would say if you head into turkey then Iran and then towards india , through India and then a Boat from India to Thailand its probably do able at the moment, but do it quickly , there's a very high possibility of Isreal taking out Iran's Nuclear facilitys before the years out and then you wouldn't be particularly welcome in Iran.

Another big problem is you usually require a 'carnet ' or vehicle Insurance for each country your going through which when I looked was very expensive. When you get to Thailand, you'll have to pay massive vehicle import duties , probably many times in excess of what the vehicles worth unless your going to temporarily import and then head back home with it.

All in all, it would be a real headache. Leave the Vehicle at home. ;-)

[Kwong]

the route taken by the tour bus/truck 20 years ago:

London-Paris-Germany-Austria-Yugoslavia-Bulgaria-Turkey-Iran-Pakistan-India-Nepal-Bangladesh-Burma-Thailand

Edited June 25, 2008 by Kwong

[Cuban]

Consider seeking sponsorship and or documenting the trip for a broadcast travelog and book rights.

The idea of 'aid' trips and carrying goods for Burma etc. are not effective - but you might consider gifting the vehicle along the way.

Talking of which - when planning your trip, plan for 'escape' options in case required enroute. There will be external reasons to call an early halt as well and inside the vehicle.

How does your wife feel about doing this, will she be driving - if not will she be bored?

Have you looked at the visa issues that she will encounter as well as those that you will have?

Sorry this is not a hugely positive response - however border guards these days see terrorists not tourists.

[richard_smith237]

This will take months and months of preparation, for visas, permits to transport your car, taxes, insurance…

On top of this, political situations change, so for every border you will need a back up. This doubles your work preparing visas, taxes, permits etc….

I’ve only learnt this from reading…..

'Who Needs a Road' a Story of the Longest and Last Motor Journey Around the World by Harold Stephens and Albert Podell. Part of their major difficulties was the Asian route, in the end they had to take a boat bypassing Burma. Their comment at the end of their book was that physically driving round the world is possible, its the people that make it impossible (or something to that effect) – Although you are not intending to drive around the world, I remember reading that most of their difficult was in the SE Asia leg.

Also more recently………

’The Long way Round’, and ‘The long way Down’ journeys which were taken on motorcycle by Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman. Although their journey required a lot more planning with visa’s because they were also filming for a TV documentary and required journalist visas.

I’d suggest these books and documentary is good and interesting research.

Good luck, and if you do this please write a book about it…

[MSingh]

The World itself & many of the Countries you will have to pass through are too dangerous if you ask me..

[samran]

If you had the time, money, equipment and willingness to do it, then go for it - so long as you can work out the logistics!

Sounds like a fantastic trip.

[tw25rw]

You could do much of that distance by train which would be safer than driving through bandit country alone.

[Carib]

Sounds like an adventure, if you think you can do it......Do it !

[The Vulcan]

Go for it - I envy you.

10 years ago this was my plan for a great adventure. Others deterred me and I regret it.

Plan well and good luck

[angiud]

Here in Koh Phangan a couple of times a year I see Land Rovers or Big BMW Motorcycles with English or German or other European country plates. I Talk with one of the drivers and he confirm me they went in Thailand by road.

Beautiful Adventure! I think you need the Carnet de Passage for your vehicle. This paper allows you to pass borders without leave any money deposit.

Edited June 29, 2008 by angiud

[Briggsy]

10 years ago I met a Dutch guy on Khao San who had ridden his Yamaha FZR from Europe. He took the southern route through Iran, Pakistan, India & Bangladesh. He said there was no way the Burmese authorities would let him through. So he air freighted his bike to Don Meuang. Drove straight up on to the expressway (no doubt to the initial shock of the police, followed by glee), got stopped and got his bike impounded and had to pay $400 USD to get it out of the police station.

He was going to take the bike to Oz. He had a lot of sponsorship.

[tokachinter]

Here's a link to what four guys are currently undertaking, mostly it is the reverse of what you are planning.

http://www.crazyjourney.com/

Please note the name of their website and good luck!!

[alantheembalmer]

20 years ago, my wife and I were researching doing the trip you have in mind. You should do it, but realise that there are some major obstacles, most of which can be overcome with money. LOTS of money.

The thing that put us off the most was the potential problems that we would have had with the vehicle. For example, if you enter a country with a vehicle, then you must leave that country with a vehicle. If you don't then the authorities will assume that you sold it for a vast sum of money, and they will not let you leave their desirable homeland. This applies even if your your vehicle was stolen, destroyed, or you had any other misfortune.

We got over this problem by buying 2 bicycles and pedaling our way around the world. We just had to load our bikes onto planes as luggage to avoid places such as Burma, who would not let us in. The whole adventure took us 2 years, during which we covered about 17,500 miles, and the total cost was £5,500. However, you have to be careful of the traffic, particularly in places like India, and the occasional madman, like the nutcase in Nebraska who took a shot at me from a passing vehicle. But all in all it was a wonderful experience with some great sections like Bangkok to Singapore, and from Darwin to Sydney down the Stuart Highway. If it is your dream then do it. Who wants to spend their lives without adventure?

[ladybiker]

Ignore all those who say why not fly, take a chance and go for it overland it could be a wonderful adventure. It has been done many times before mainly by bikers, you can get loads of advice and information from horizonsunlimited.com

Go for it

Ladybiker

[petertucker48]

Have done this trip twice but with a motor bike each time.

The price of your Carnet is your greatest concern from the AA in the UK.

You must get your Iranian visas from London they will not give you one in Turkey.(they will take your money keep you waiting a few weeks and then refuse you the Visa but keep your money.)

Driving through Iran is no problem,the people are great and generous to a fault, keep to the main transit routes (Esfahan has incredible mosque) you have no reason to go to the capital,would suggest you kept well away. Petrol VERY cheap. Beer out of the question, Hope you like Chicken Kebabs !!

Be careful after Ban in the east of the country and leaving to go to Pakistan this is bandit country suggest you travel in convoy from Zahedan to Quetta.

After that no problems but be careful of the Pashawar in the NW.

You cannot "drive" through Burma at all.So either ship car from Madras or Calcutta to Bangkok or Singapore and ride through Malaysia and unless you manage to sneak ! though the border and therefor the car is not in Thailand you have six months to travel around and leave or pay the taxes.(see Thai customs regarding value of car and taxes++++)

Would very much suggest you get all the "Lonely Planets" books you can carry,although when you meet people coming the other way a straight swop is much cheaper)

Best time to start the trip is early May because of the various weather situations.

P.S getting a plane from the UK to Thailand is a great waste of an unforgettable trip.

Best of luck,the most difficult thing is getting started

[Patsycat]

They could pick that guy up that is walking to Norway on their way home`!!!

[The Vulcan]

Now I know I should have gone for it!

Biggest regret of my life.

[jarrowelvis]

What is your main motivation for the journey? Is it to actually drive or is it more to do with doing the journey overland?

The reason I ask is that if you are simply after an overland adventure, travelling by train would be much more straightforward to organise and plan. Something like:

London > Berlin> St Petersburg> Trans-Siberian express to Beijing> Hanoi> Reunification Express to HCM> overland by bus to Bangkok.

I might be way off here and missing the whole point of the journey you are planning (i.e. driving!) and apologies if thats the case. Either way it sounds like a fantastic adventure.

[BaBorJamie]

Having just gone through a successful application for a tourist visa for my girlfriend, and the paperwork that came along with just that one simple visa for a two week stay, i can not begin to imagine the work, and more obviously, the stress of having to secure the barrow load of visa's you would need for a journey like that.

However......., think about it this way. When you are old and grey, sitting in your rocking chair with a hot cup of tea, looking back over your 80 years on this in parts wonderful planet........, what will you remember.

The time you spent filling in forms

or

The once in a lifetime opportunity you took and grasped to see places, parts and peoples of the world that you would have otherwise never had the chance to see.

You only live once, no regrets mate. Take this chance and remember it for the rest of your life!

My only advice......, research everything thoroughly, and i do mean thoroughly. I don't think you want to be confronted by the Iranian revolutionary guard from behind the bars of a prison cell due to an oversight in your planning and application.

Good luck mate and make sure your vehicle comes with air con!!!!

Edited July 1, 2008 by BaBorJamie

[Lancashirelad]

There's an outfit called the Ozbus currently driving from London to Sydney. They've recently passed thru' Iran, then Pakistan, last heard of they were at the Indian border.

Blogs can be found here:

Ozbus

[wilko]

Go for it!

How sad that some suggest taking the plane! what a sad little life they must have......

You CAN get through Iran...i haven't looked at a map recently but it will require a lot of planning AND hanging around at borders etc ....days/weeks even.........so you need money or "exchangeables".......and TIME....

I'd love to something like that and I guess sayingI haven't the time or money is not really an excuse.........you just need the will to do it.

[Gary A]

Check this link:

http://www.tuktotheroad.co.uk/route-bangkok-to-brighton.html

Bangkok to Brighton in a tuk tuk. What a great adventure!

[teej]

There will be a travel show coming out soon that will chronicle a Thai guy's journey by train from BKK to London. 52 days, 16 countries IIRC. Your adventure would be similarly interesting.

I daydream sometimes about driving from BKK to Sweden and how tough it would be. I think it would be a great adventure. If the OP makes the journey and needs a partner to make the journey back the other way, I'm totally in. I think it would be an awesome team adventure.

I say do it! I can offer no advice as to how to plan such a huge trip, I'm useless in that regard But I really hope you do this, and I hope you chronicle your adventure for all to see! Best of luck! Good on you for having an adventurer's spirit!

[Nignoy]

There used to be an adventure travel company called Overlander based in london victoria, with a service , london to singapore, twice a year, primarily for the adventurous heading for australia,seemed like a well put together company,6 wheel drive alvis based vehicle, 16 passengers and 2 staff,one of their drivers was getting wed , so I applied for the job, passed their 4week driving and aptitude test which involved driving a unimog based 10 seater on and off road in january round europe being introduced to the joys of Sennelager and Dorbahn camp cooking and the toilet shovel, sadly my presence was required for a work contract in australia, so I had to pull out, as far as I know they are still going strong try looking them up, Nignoy

[citizen33]

There used to be an adventure travel company called Overlander based in london victoria, with a service , london to singapore, twice a year, primarily for the adventurous heading for australia,seemed like a well put together company,6 wheel drive alvis based vehicle, 16 passengers and 2 staff,one of their drivers was getting wed , so I applied for the job, passed their 4week driving and aptitude test which involved driving a unimog based 10 seater on and off road in january round europe being introduced to the joys of Sennelager and Dorbahn camp cooking and the toilet shovel, sadly my presence was required for a work contract in australia, so I had to pull out, as far as I know they are still going strong try looking them up, Nignoy

I had a quick look to see if 'Overlander' brought up anything interesting and the nearest I could find involved train travel. This isn't quite what the OP had in mind but would still be an adventure.

http://www.seat61.com/Thailand.htm#London%...land%20overland

[wilko]

The World itself & many of the Countries you will have to pass through are too dangerous if you ask me..

thank god - nobody did!