Advice: freighting bike to Thailand?

pexa

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Jan 10, 2007
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Bike registered in Finland. Freighted possibly from Kathmandu, Nepal, to Suvarnabhumi airport, some time in November or December.

Before that the bike will have been taken into India and Nepal on the CDP, Carnet de Passages-customs document, but at the moment I dont even know, if Thailand require, or recommend, or accept the CDP to be used as import document? Or if some other temporary-import document will be used?

Anyone have 1st-hand experience about the costs, and how things will work at the airport (much more efficient and quicker than they would at the harbour, or so they say!).. and if theres anything special to keep in mind when you want to import your own bike into Thailand?

Any specific length of time that your allowed to have your bike in Thailand? Im planning to go on to Cambodia and Laos, too, so that shouldnt be a big obstacle.

What a pity you cant ride thru Myanmar, or take a detour north thru China (well maybe you could, but my budget probably wouldnt allow!) so at the moment this seems to be the way to go. They should change the government in both countries, starting with Myanmar, to make them accessible for bikers [:D] !!

BTW, there is no ferry from India (Chennai or Kolkata?) to Malaysia, is that right? I hear there used to be one years ago, but not after it caught fire and sank. I still feel like checking out, if theres a ferry from India to the Andaman&Nicobar islands (could be), and another to somewhere in Thailand or Malaysia (maybe not).
 

daewoo

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Dec 6, 2005
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pexa,

The best site for finding information more closely related to Round The World (RTW) touring is www.horizonsunlimited.com/ and the associated forums. This site is more aimed at touring in The Golden Triangel and Northern Thailand, then Thailand, and then Asia in General.

That said, David has set up a good guide to the different possibilities of bringing your own bike on the GT-Rider website https://www.gt-rider.com/bikes.html#BRINGINGYOUROWNBIKE and http://www.ultimatejourney.com/Chap27.html

I think generally CDP is not recognised by Thailand, but sometimes the Customs people will stamp it for you which might make it easier when crossing into other countries at land borders.

Hope you find a route that suits you, and please post a report here, or post a link to any report you might write somewhere else.

Cheers and Good Luck,
Daewoo
 

HIKO

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Nov 7, 2005
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HI PEXA,

The CDP is not any longer accepted in Thailand. When you get your CDP from the automobile association in Finland Thailand is one of the few countries that are printed on the Carnet but over lined together with Israel and Egypt. I think that you anyhow need the Carnet in other countries so pls aply for it. Be careful to keep the Carnet clean so if you take an income stamp you must have an exit stamp also. If your Carnet is not clean when you return it you may have to wait up to 5 years for the refund of your deposit which is nowadays quite hefty.

I"ve seen either on this site or Horizons Unlimited an specific thread from a guy who sent his bike from Kathmandu to Bangkok without problem.I remember that the cost was quite low.

On the other hand I think that it is more "professional" to drive down to Kolkata and put the bike on a cargo boat to Penang. Malaysian customs are easy and there is regular boats from Kolkata to Penang.

In Thailand you have to fill up a Temporary Import Paper+ some stupid immigration papers which aloud you to keep the bike 30 days in the Kingdom.Airport Customs are normally more flexible than Harbour Customs.

HIKO
 

pexa

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Jan 10, 2007
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ok, thank you for these! Dont know how the sums used to be, but now the AA in Finland (Autoliitto) want, on top of all fees, 5000 euros (yes, FIVE_THOUSAND_EUROS) as a deposit, to issue the carnet! Thats more than 50% of the value of my bike. Im going to negotiate with the bank, maybe I can make a sort of ´bank guarantee´, well not really but more like when you rent a house, and leave a deposit. That way I wouldnt have to put so much money into it myself, I hope it´ll be ok with the bank (and Autoliitto). I will definitely need it to get to Pakistan and India, and probably Iran as well, so theres no option but to get it. Rest assured I will be careful to get all exit stamps, too.

Its good to hear there are frequent boats from Kolkata (though I feel that maybe I dont have to do everything 100% "professionally", afterall its my first big trip so pls forgive me, Im only learning!) Some say shipping out of India will be troublesome, I dont really know why that is? Maybe this is why so many seem to want to go to Nepal instead, and ship from there. Unless the cost turns out to be sky-high, then airport to airport might actually be the way to go.