Driving From Thailand To Oz

[MrWiggle]

anyone know anything much about it ?

besides follow the road ?

[Patong Bob]

Yes, just follow the (yellow brick) road. Make sure you have the red shoes on, Dorothy.

Somewhere, Over the Rainbow.......

Is it too early to start drinking ???

[Artisi]

Yes, just keep heading south from Bangkok till you come to the water, from here you can swim, catch a boat - sorry no busses as the bridge isn't finished yet. What part of Oz do you want as you will need further instructions.

[Nowhereman60]

I had to read this one to see if you are serious. The sad part about it, it seems you are.

[SeanMoran]

I had to read this one to see if you are serious. The sad part about it, it seems you are.

I wanted to ride my ten-speed bicycle from Perth to Darwin to Indonesia to Singapore to Beijing last year, although I realise one would need a fairly big boat for some of it to keep riding a nautical mile for every one that the boat does between islands, but crazy isn't sad until after it drowns. In the early stages, we should all add a little lovingkindness to our beers and think of such a courageous endeavour as heroic and beneficial to the intercontinental trasportation requirements of our fellow man.

Let's all drive to Australia next decade!

(or ride the pushy if you can't afford the benzine)

[ignis]

He did not say what car he has ??

Maybe possible

[samran]

Is indeed possible, but you'll need to figure out the route you are going to take. Most head down to Malaysia, ship their car over to Sumatra and then island hop down to Dili.

There, you need to put your ship on a weekly transport to Darwin. When you get to Darwin expect to pay a fair wad of cash to have your car stripped and cleaned by customs, who will be looking to get rid of any potential agricutural threat.

Add to that, if you are taking your car to Australia permemanently, you'll need to clear it with the RTA in the state you'll finally be residing in, and have to pay 10% GST on the purchase price of your car at the time you bought it.

Looking to do all this myself one day, taking a fortuna built in Thailand down to OZ tariff free under the Thai OZ FTA. Still will have to cop the GST and customs cleaning charges though.

[rodcourt49]

Just for your info. last week in CNX I spotted a decked out Landrover with signwriting on the side "Rottnest to Rotterdam"..so obviously they have made it in reverse. Here is the URL.

URL: http://www.rottnest2rotterdam.com

Edited January 12, 2010 by rodcourt49

[MrWiggle]

I had to read this one to see if you are serious. The sad part about it, it seems you are.

really...may I ask what is SAD about it ?

Seems from such comment you have not much inclination for anything other than a taxi ride up and down sukhumvit.

Edited January 12, 2010 by MrWiggle

[MrWiggle]

Is indeed possible, but you'll need to figure out the route you are going to take. Most head down to Malaysia, ship their car over to Sumatra and then island hop down to Dili.

There, you need to put your ship on a weekly transport to Darwin. When you get to Darwin expect to pay a fair wad of cash to have your car stripped and cleaned by customs, who will be looking to get rid of any potential agricutural threat.

Add to that, if you are taking your car to Australia permemanently, you'll need to clear it with the RTA in the state you'll finally be residing in, and have to pay 10% GST on the purchase price of your car at the time you bought it.

Looking to do all this myself one day, taking a fortuna built in Thailand down to OZ tariff free under the Thai OZ FTA. Still will have to cop the GST and customs cleaning charges though.

excellent.

I am starting to gather all the info required and was looking to ship to Darwin out of Kupang if possible.

Do you know how much and the timeframe for the customs cleaning charges. I read somewhere it was $600....which is not so bad...well it is for a clean, but the problem seemed to be it can take up to a month for them to do it. I do not want to be sitting around wasting a month just waiting for that.

We would be driving south from Darwin and then either return to Darwin, or ship it back to Los via Darwin or somewhere on the northern east coast...cairns if possible.

Looking at 3 months to do it all and return at the middle of this year, but possibly delayed until same time next year.

I saw a pommy chick driving a vw bug from england to oz on highway 2 a couple of months ago.

Also many travel companies do the overland trip from UK to Oz, so sure is done frequently, but now I am looking for some first hand experience and costs from anyone that may know it.

One worry is the ferries in Indo.

The second is driving to Malaysia.....although I think you can bypass the troubled southern regions and enter just south of Phuket....anyone know ?

Cheers for the website Rob

[MrWiggle]

Having a quick scan through that website...seems they are planning, or have driven through China.

This is something I wanted to do, but was discouraged by it because of the enormous problems and the associated requirement of needing a guide with you or following/leading you in another vehicle at all times.

I wanted to drive from Los to Mongolia and back.

[babuhavas]

TROLL

can someone post a TROLL SPRAY PICTURE HERE?

[MrWiggle]

TROLL

can someone post a TROLL SPRAY PICTURE HERE?

To early for a <deleted> like yourself to be awake innit ?

[ignis]

You can go the other way

Drive to Vietnam... Ho Chi Minh ship to Australia

The Ro-Ro [Drive on drive off] service is from Singapore to Australia

Thailand / Singapore to Australia

South East Asia to Australia (East to West Coast)

Sailings Every 14 days

Transit Times Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Adelaide Fremantle

Laem Chabang 13 days 15 days 17 days 19 days 23 days

Singapore 11 days 13 days 15 days 17 days 21 days

Edited January 12, 2010 by ignis

[MrWiggle]

I want to go through Indo, especially bali and then to Kupang. we need to end up in Darwin in Oz.

Many reports seem to ship from Jakarta or singapore to Perth....so this way we are not getting to where we want to go, nor via the route we want.

What is Ro Ro exactly ? presume a ferry....do you stay aboard or fly seperate and where in Oz does it land ?

Like i said, the Indo ferries do worry me. Kids will be with us and we have new proper fitting life jackets for them anyway. might end up flying each leg and shipping the car between each island.

Edited January 12, 2010 by MrWiggle

[Maejo Man]

Do you know how much and the timeframe for the customs cleaning charges. I read somewhere it was $600....which is not so bad...well it is for a clean, but the problem seemed to be it can take up to a month for them to do it. I do not want to be sitting around wasting a month just waiting for that.

The second is driving to Malaysia.....although I think you can bypass the troubled southern regions and enter just south of Phuket....anyone know ?

You will have to make the application for temporary importation, and quarantine prior to arrival, and pay the necessary fees, also a customs bond. Check out the Australia customs and quarantine website. I went throught the excerise last year.

As far as the "trouble provinces" in the south go, just drive straight through and exit Thailand at Sungai Kolok, not a major concern.

[Samuian]

who the heck would go through all this trouble - got to be a car/driving fanatic.....the traffic in Indonesia is just as relaxing, as a day on the beach...

and the shipping in/shippig out procedures...ah'well, is like in the golden days when people drove from Amsterdam all the way, through eastern Turley, Irak, Iran, Aghanistan, Pakistan to India, way up into Nepal... when one could fly ... for much less, in much less time, with much, much less aggrevation.

Guess it's some unquenchable thirst for adventure...on wheels, behind a wheel..on a petrol guzzling, exhaust fumes coughing fossil fuel engine, prone to all kinds of break downs.

Have a nice trip and a great adventure!

[ignis]

What is Ro Ro exactly ?

exactly 'Roll on Roll off'

Thought it would be clearer so as post

The Ro-Ro [Drive on drive off]

[eddiemonster]

The second is driving to Malaysia.....although I think you can bypass the troubled southern regions and enter just south of Phuket....anyone know ?

Not a problem: Krabi - Trang - (border crossing near) Satun. Did a visa run in the car at Xmas.

[MrWiggle]

good...first obstacle down.

[Jing Joe]

Good luck if you are serious.

A bit of an adventurer myself and check out OZ's Jessica Watson rounding Cape Horn about now in her solo sailing effort.

Is this a relevant story?

An Oz bloke was telling a tall story in an outback pub how he drove (moved on horseback) a mob of cattle from Darwin to Hobart (Capital of the Island Tasmania) a long time ago, and all the trials and tribulations of this vast continent's terrain with no water.

Another bar fly interrupted his half-told yarn with -- "hang on, hang on, how did you get them across (the ocean waters of) Bass Strait"?

The story teller replied--- "I didn't go that way".

Again, good luck on you planned trip.

[Chris Lawrence]

Sounds like a great adventure. Interested in the outcome; if you do go a travel-log of experience and costs would be good to hear.

Any good at video's; make one of the trip?

They do a lot of shipping out of Bali to Christmas Island at the moment; but that's for the refugees. Seriously, there might be a sipping service from Bali to Christmas Is. Then there is a service from Christmas Is to the mainland (maybe Broome?)

Good luck with the adventure.

Chris

[sandgroper2]

Sounds like a great adventure. Interested in the outcome; if you do go a travel-log of experience and costs would be good to hear.

Any good at video's; make one of the trip?

They do a lot of shipping out of Bali to Christmas Island at the moment; but that's for the refugees. Seriously, there might be a sipping service from Bali to Christmas Is. Then there is a service from Christmas Is to the mainland (maybe Broome?)

Good luck with the adventure.

Chris

[sandgroper2]

Sounds like a great adventure. Interested in the outcome; if you do go a travel-log of experience and costs would be good to hear.

Any good at video's; make one of the trip?

They do a lot of shipping out of Bali to Christmas Island at the moment; but that's for the refugees. Seriously, there might be a sipping service from Bali to Christmas Is. Then there is a service from Christmas Is to the mainland (maybe Broome?)

Good luck with the adventure.

Chris

Dont take your car to auss son, leave your car at home kid, dont take your car to auss. Boat to auss, go to a backpackers hostel in darwin, u can pick up a cheapie there.

[AjarnP]

I was contemplating a similar trip a couple of years ago and did some quite extensive research (which is why I didn't do it)

Route is no problem as one respondent put it, down to Malaysia, across the islands to Dili and then ship to Darwin (Perkins Marine?)

TWO BIG PROBLEMS: (asuming that you want to come back to LOS with the same vehicle)

1. It is not possible from my research to obtain a "Carnet du Passage" in Thailand. The Thai Customs website mentions trying the International Chamber of Commerce but they didn't reply to any of my many emails asking for details.

2. The maximum duration for a temporary export permit is only two weeks. Ergo, if you are coming back it will be a new import with all the taxes that go with it.

That said I will follow this thread with interest to see what others may turn up by way of info.

Bon Voyage

[MrWiggle]

Well thats interesting and if true will put the breaks on it immediately.

Will have to try and find out about it some more.

As for shipping to xmas island and then to broome....good idea if possible as I do not mind missing the eastern parts of Indo and was looking for a way to include broome without doubling back or going to perth.

Anyway, no point worrying about that until i find the info re thai customs and cars etc.

[samran]

I was contemplating a similar trip a couple of years ago and did some quite extensive research (which is why I didn't do it)

Route is no problem as one respondent put it, down to Malaysia, across the islands to Dili and then ship to Darwin (Perkins Marine?)

TWO BIG PROBLEMS: (asuming that you want to come back to LOS with the same vehicle)

1. It is not possible from my research to obtain a "Carnet du Passage" in Thailand. The Thai Customs website mentions trying the International Chamber of Commerce but they didn't reply to any of my many emails asking for details.

2. The maximum duration for a temporary export permit is only two weeks. Ergo, if you are coming back it will be a new import with all the taxes that go with it.

That said I will follow this thread with interest to see what others may turn up by way of info.

Bon Voyage

Doing the temporary export form was 'optional' down at the Thai Malaysian border. We filled one in, but I was told that I didn't have to, and that cars with Thai plates are waved straight through, which I was. I had to get out, and walk back to find the person to return the ruddy form to.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Driving-Malaysia-t184695.html

i've also seen reports from people on TV who've kept their cars in Malaysia a good amount of time (ie months) and bought them back, no problem. Might be an idea to depart and re-enter Thailand via Malaysia to save the import duty hassle.

Edited January 14, 2010 by samran

[MrWiggle]

Not possible as car will have to be shipped from Oz after the trip back to Los.

I would find it incredibly starnge that you cannot drive out and stay out for a given lengthy period...2 weeks just sound not right.

I have other reports from another website of goood standing...that it is possible and the timeframe is longer, but just not sure how much longer.

Another question is that the carnet card you get is in Thai, at least the one we got to drive over into Laos is, the purple book...surely there must be another book in english you cann get for more international travel ? Doubt anyone on the Singapore, Indo and Oz borders speak or read thai.

[samran]

Not possible as car will have to be shipped from Oz after the trip back to Los.

I would find it incredibly starnge that you cannot drive out and stay out for a given lengthy period...2 weeks just sound not right.

I have other reports from another website of goood standing...that it is possible and the timeframe is longer, but just not sure how much longer.

Another question is that the carnet card you get is in Thai, at least the one we got to drive over into Laos is, the purple book...surely there must be another book in english you cann get for more international travel ? Doubt anyone on the Singapore, Indo and Oz borders speak or read thai.

To go to Malaysia and Singapore, you can get a letter from the Land Transport Department. This translates your vehicle registration into Latin letters and lists your vehicles particulars in terms of chassis, registration etc all in English. I used this particular letter to cross into Malaysia when we drove down to KL in 2008 as the Malaysian authorities and insurance firms use this to register the car temporarily in Malaysia.

As far as my understanding goes, the Carnet isn't needed for every country, though it is helpful. So we know to take a thai car to Singapore and Malaysia you don't need one, so it is worth checking if it is needed for Indonesia and Australia, or whether other forms of "Car ID' are possible.

The department of land transport (where you got your car passport for Laos) will be able to tell you what countries Thailand has bilateral agreements for where you can take a Thai vehicle. Last time I went I was told that it was possible to get a car PP for Vietnam and China, though these countries as I understand restrict foreginers actually driving there...so it is a catch 22 for those places at least!

[AjarnP]

Sorry, but what you are referring to as a "carnet card" is not a carnet. It is simply a vehicle travel permit and as far as I know (but I'm ready to stand corrected) for use within the ASEAN region, it is no good in Burma for example.

A carnet du passage is a document which permits the TEMPORARY import of a vehicle into another country with the intention of re-exporting that vehicle when ready to do so. The carnet permits you to do tis without having to fork out the import duty and then try to get it back later. The carnet is ALWAYS based on the value of the vehicle and is, in fact, a guarantee against you leaving the vehicle behind without having paid the relevant import duty to the country in question. the carnet is normally issued by a motoring organisation (e.g. AA or RAC in UK) who stand as guarantor. Meaning that if you fail in your obligation (to re-export) they will pay the duty on your behalf.

Sorry this sounds rather official but it's teh best way to explain it.

Keep trying thoughj, I'm still trying to work out how to do it myself.

I did in fact find out through Australian Customs that one can do without a carnet by putting the cash down (hoping you'll get it back) and I was unable to find out whether some of the intermediate countries need one.

Having worked on this for some two years now, I'm inclined to say that it needs placing in the "too hard" basket.

Cheers

AjarnP