Vietnam To India

[Callum]

Good morning all,

Me and my friend are planning to buy motorbikes in Vietnam and bike to India.

Our planned route is Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar India.

I have done extensive research on this but the internet is a muddle of contradictory info.

Please could anyone give a clear answer as to whether this would be possible?

We are both British citizens with driving licences, looking at buying a 125cc.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Dodraugen]

I would say this is totally impossible. Vietnam plated bikes do not normally get into Thailand at all. And - nowadays you would normally need a guide and heaps of permits to get into Thailand with a foreign plated bike (except Lao, malaysian, and Singapore plated vehicles, countries that have a bilateral agreement with Thailand) and guide/permits would be quite expensive.

For Myanmar its the same thing when it comes to petmits and guides. Both are mandatory for foreign vehicles and not very cheap.

And to get into India you would need a Carnet, and the question would be where would you get a Carnet to a vietnam plated bike? And be aware of that there are often quite some big expenses connected to getting a Carnet.

My advise would be to rent or buy a bike in each country you would like to visit. A vietnam plated bike usually goes into both Cambodia and Laos (although there are rumors that bikes under 250 cc are not allowed into Laos nowaday, although I dont know if they enforce that on the Vietnam border. But not into Thailand.

A thai plated bike usually goes into Laos and and Cambodia with some exceptions, for excample it must be 250 cc to get into Laos.

For Myanmar its probably best to rent

And for India rent or buy.

 

[Callum]

Tha

I would say this is totally impossible. Vietnam plated bikes do not normally get into Thailand at all. And - nowadays you would normally need a guide and heaps of permits to get into Thailand with a foreign plated bike (except Lao, malaysian, and Singapore plated vehicles, countries that have a bilateral agreement with Thailand) and guide/permits would be quite expensive.

For Myanmar its the same thing when it comes to petmits and guides. Both are mandatory for foreign vehicles and not very cheap.

And to get into India you would need a Carnet, and the question would be where would you get a Carnet to a vietnam plated bike? And be aware of that there are often quite some big expenses connected to getting a Carnet.

My advise would be to rent or buy a bike in each country you would like to visit. A vietnam plated bike usually goes into both Cambodia and Laos (although there are rumors that bikes under 250 cc are not allowed into Laos nowaday, although I dont know if they enforce that on the Vietnam border. But not into Thailand.

A thai plated bike usually goes into Laos and and Cambodia with some exceptions, for excample it must be 250 cc to get into Laos.

For Myanmar its probably best to rent

And for India rent or buy.

Hi,

Thanks for your response, I have never heard of needing at least a 250cc to enter a country? If anything I thought over 125 may cause problems.

Ive read lots of reports that crossing Loas to Thailand across the friendship bridges is relatively easy as long as you have the vehicle paperwork in order.

Thailand to Myanmar and then Myanmar to India appears to be the hardest part, does anyone know if a new escort is necessary even if we have our full itinerary planned out with towns and accommodation etc and date and route we would leave the country?

Again, any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Dodraugen]

Hi,

Thanks for your response, I have never heard of needing at least a 250cc to enter a country? If anything I thought over 125 may cause problems.

Ive read lots of reports that crossing Loas to Thailand across the friendship bridges is relatively easy as long as you have the vehicle paperwork in order.

Thailand to Myanmar and then Myanmar to India appears to be the hardest part, does anyone know if a new escort is necessary even if we have our full itinerary planned out with towns and accommodation etc and date and route we would leave the country?

Again, any help would be greatly appreciated!

Well take a look here then about the 250 cc rule (scroll down to March 2017)
Entering Laos - Some History

And I wonder very much where you have seen thats its relatively easy to cross any friendship bridge between Laos and Thailand with a vietnam plated bike?

A vietnam plated bike into Thailand is as far as I know not allowed. But if anybody else know something else about this issue please inform us?

Officially you will need a guide and permit to enter Thailand as of the new rules of 2016 but there are definetively some travellers that get through the borders Laos to Thailand without having these permits and guides. The enforcments of rules and laws are as always down there a bit «floating» and particularly when it comes to these quite new laws.
But for Myanmar there are absolutely no way around. You will need a guides and permits through a travel agency with the correct licenses.

And again - to get into India you will need a Carnet as India is a Carnet demanding country.
Carnet de Passages en Douane - Wikipedia
Usually it is an Automobil organisation that issues a Carnet.
Some international travellers also use the Carnet in Laos, Thailand and Myanmar although these countries are not officially Carnet countries.

I dont know for sure but I suspect it will be difficult to get a Carnet for a vietnam plated bike and if it is possible I suspect it will be a quite costly and time consuming process, and hardly worth it for a little 125 cc scooter.
And whats important with a Carnet is that you have to deposit a bond for the vehicle you get the Carnet for and usually you have to bring the vehicle back to the country of origin to get your bond back.

 

[stewarch]

Well take a look here then about the 250 cc rule (scroll down to March 2017)
Entering Laos - Some History

And I wonder very much where you have seen thats its relatively easy to cross any friendship bridge between Laos and Thailand with a vietnam plated bike?

A vietnam plated bike into Thailand is as far as I know not allowed. But if anybody else know something else about this issue please inform us?

Officially you will need a guide and permit to enter Thailand as of the new rules of 2016 but there are definetively some travellers that get through the borders Laos to Thailand without having these permits and guides. The enforcments of rules and laws are as always down there a bit «floating» and particularly when it comes to these quite new laws.
But for Myanmar there are absolutely no way around. You will need a guides and permits through a travel agency with the correct licenses.

And again - to get into India you will need a Carnet as India is a Carnet demanding country.
Carnet de Passages en Douane - Wikipedia
Usually it is an Automobil organisation that issues a Carnet.
Some international travellers also use the Carnet in Laos, Thailand and Myanmar although these countries are not officially Carnet countries.

I dont know for sure but I suspect it will be difficult to get a Carnet for a vietnam plated bike and if it is possible I suspect it will be a quite costly and time consuming process, and hardly worth it for a little 125 cc scooter.
And whats important with a Carnet is that you have to deposit a bond for the vehicle you get the Carnet for and usually you have to bring the vehicle back to the country of origin to get your bond back.

Having just completed a ride to India from Singapore, Carnet is required for Myanmar and India. Guide is also compulsory for Myanmar. You need to return bike to original country to get Carnet deposit back so I also believe your planned ride would not be possible, plus expensive for guide/Carnet.

 

[DavidFL]

Callum
Sorry mate, don't like your chances at all.

Pleasetakea lokherefor some more info

Border Crossings


Stewach
Nce one mate. That sounds like a really good trip you've done. If you want to share some info & a brief report on GTR it would ereally cool.

 

[Callum]

Thanks all for your replies perhaps was a little in dreamland with the idea.

We are now thinking of travelling Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and North Thailand with the bikes, do you have info on whether this would be possible with a Vietnamese bike?


Thanks,

 

[Dodraugen]

Again - I dont think you will get into Thailand at all with a Vietnamese plated bike.
Laos and Cambodia used to fine with a vietnamplated bike, there were heaps of backpacker travellers that did that earlier on, but Im not sure if the 250 cc law is enforced on the Vietnam/Laos borders.

 

[canthai]

Don't know if possible, but with ASEAN ...
Buy in Malaysia, ride Thailand Laos, Kampuchea, Vietnam
I think they all member states and allow cross border visits - only one I don't know is entry to VN with Malaysia bike. I seem to recall it is no sweat, but my memory fuzzy on this. And other things 2 !!!
The rest easy peasy

 

[Dodraugen]

You can read more about vietnam plated bikes into Thailand here....
Can't Enter Thailand With A Vietnamese Motorbike ?

It seems that a few vietnam bikes have been able to enter Thailand via Cambodia up through the years. But most often they are turned back. The fact that someone slips through do most probably come from slack enforcement of the laws. So its noting you can rely on.
In general you will need to be on a organised ride with permits and guides arranged in advance.

 

[princey]

Just rent in each country is my advice.
Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy
Cuts out all the Border shit and guides needed?


This is how 1 guy done it a few years ago,


Link....Renting my way through Asia | Adventure Rider