Advice / Testimonial - How To Move In Thailand From One City To Another ?

[kaizoku]

I am looking for information on how to move from one city to another (in my case Pattaya to Koh Samui).

Research on internet are difficult, I find only information about overseas moving which I'm not interested in.

I have trouble to find good "key word" as English is not my mother tongue. Over all the companies with an english website are expensive or inappropriate. What I need is a simple close van, where I can load a motorbike (PCX), fridge (small), matrass, few boxes and a dog. Except for the PCX all is feating in a songtheaw.

What I'am looking for :

- Private or company renting a small truck, SUV (where I can load the PCX), van ...

- With or without driver (I can drive).

- Drop off in another city.

or

- Profesional mover company.

Do you have any adress, link, advice or testimonial ?

Thank you for reading.

[HeijoshinCool]

Here's on piece of advice, based on your statement:

- With or without driver (I can drive).

When we moved, the truck's driver was stopped upwards of 4 dozen times over two days, for 20 to 100 baht tea money.

[mrtoad]

You should be able to find a local who has a pick up or truck to move it, generally wont cost too much. There are some professional movers in Bangkok like Santa Fe, Crown etc, that might also be worth calling

[FunFon]

Since the market for foreign-standard services is so tiny here, it will be very expensive.

I would simply hire a truck in your local area with a driver who doesn't drink alcohol. Having them price it with you covering the petrol costs is IMO the way to go, shouldn't be more than B1,500 a day, maybe 2K if you've got a lot of furniture.

You buy the cardboard and rope, they provide the padding blankets.

Ask them to recommend a couple of relatively-less lazy helpers, B500 per day would be generous, let them know you'll pay for food and then throw in few big Chang bottles after the work session at each end. Let them know they'll get healthy tips if nothing's damaged (much - some is inevitable).

If you don't actually follow along on the way there, then fly to meet them and get them to get receipts for the fuel, given them 10% more for the return trip.

Any other way will be at least 50% more expensive, more likely triple.

For perspective two days from Bangkok to Surin, five rooms worth of furniture and normal appliances, all up around 11,500 with five helpers. Driver was pretty useless even though he'd been paid more, next time I'd just pay him to be the driver and tell him to disappear during the actual loading.

Edited March 12, 2013 by FunFon

[kaizoku]

Thank you Funfon for your story.

I think this is the best way to do, 11K is a very good price for such a trip.

Unfortunatly I don't known much thai poeple here so I'll open a topic in the Pattaya section.

[sketcher]

Post your pcx via the post office, rent a vehicle that you can drop off at a different location ie through avis or similar and off you go

[VocalNeal]

You need to post in the SME section or the Samui section for a company that delivers goods to Samui and start from there.

The problem you will have with a driver from Pattaya is that he may not have been to Samui before! That been said Thais move around all the time so..

if you find a vehicle allow for about 2500 baht per day, plus fuel, ferry, accomodation etc. Better if you travel with them as they may not have enough money or be willing to spend money on your behalf to be reimbursed later.

Edited March 16, 2013 by VocalNeal

[Neeranam]

Ask around for anyone with a pick up. I asked the guys who drive the little songtaews in Sukh soi 49. They got someone to come to my house on same soi, load a heap of stuff inc fridge, bed, computer, sofa etc. The pick up was packed very high!

They delivered the stuff to house in Khon Kaen for 4500 baht. This was for petrol, labour and delivery!

I imagine the 'professionals' woul want 10 times that.

This was about 9 years ago.

Edited March 16, 2013 by Neeranam

[CharlieH]

Becareful with "hiring a local" they might just load everything up and you never see them again !!

[kaizoku]

Post your pcx via the post office, rent a vehicle that you can drop off at a different location ie through avis or similar and off you go

This is interesting, the post office will deliver the PCX in samui ? I'll go to ask, anyone made this before ?

@VocalNeal & CharlieH - No worries about that, I'll travel with the drivers as my dog will be inside the vehicule.

@Neeraman : I did the same few month ago when I moved house to the next street in Pattaya, I just stop a songtheow on the road and give him 500 bath. I took 30min everything was allready packed outside. But this time I don't think I can do it that way

[jackr]

Yes, they'll post anything, and bikes get moved around by post all the time. I'd personally rent a pick-up with drop-off in Samui (PCX will fit on a Tiger extra cab diagonally, I would think)... there'll be a drop-off charge for minimal days but saves a ton of hassle. Both Budget and Avis will do this. Have done this the length of the country on a number of occasions.

Info for posting bikes in this thread

/ Get a couple of those jacking straps for the bikes, plastic sheet and bungy-type netting//

Edited March 16, 2013 by jackr

[sketcher]

Or search 'moving truck' on the pattaya forum, there is a name and number of someone there that can help you in that thread.

[Hedghog]

Posting your bike is easy.

Produce, green book,in your name,passport,address,and address,of destination,telephone number.

Takes 2/3 days.

Remove mirrors,and have minimal gasoline in the tank.

Post office check vehicle for damage,before you sign.

Painless.

[kaizoku]

Thank you guys for all your usefull advices.

I went to the post office and get a quote for my PCX 150.

According to the staff there it take around 7 days and the cost will be :

3000 Pattaya - Surat thani

500 Transfert to Samui

150 Packing

So 3650B.

Also they said that I'm beter to go to the main office to get an offical and serious quote but it should be similar.

[FunFon]

Sounds expensive, if you have to do the truck thing anyway. . .

[kaizoku]

But I can't load the PCX and all my stuff in a SUV, so if I send it then I just have to rent a car and do all by myself that is OK. Otherwise I need to find thai to help and I have the feeling that it would be more difficult.

[FunFon]

kaizoku, on 29 Mar 2013 - 11:40, said:

But I can't load the PCX and all my stuff in a SUV, so if I send it then I just have to rent a car and do all by myself that is OK. Otherwise I need to find thai to help and I have the feeling that it would be more difficult.

-

OK didn't realize that's the only big item. Just be aware that renting a decent-sized truck isn't any more trouble and only a little more money than an SUV, if you're confident about your driving skills and willing to lug your stuff anyway don't need any helpers.

Edited March 29, 2013 by FunFon