India-Myanmar-Thailand

[hanifchamadiya@yahoo.com]

Dear All,
Nowadays, I hear that there is a road opened between India-Myanmar-Thailand. So what are the requirements for travel & this road is for what purpose? Is there anybody who has more information on this? Or if someone is traveling on this route, kindly share the experience & details.

[Roshun]

This road has been recently opened, but it's really not that simple to get into your car and drive. Driving through Myanmar requires special permissions and you need to get a CarNet - a CarNet is a document that costs like close to 200% the value of your car (it's like visa for your car). Here's the link to get a CarNet: http://www.atacarnet.com/application-checklist. I know a person who has already done this drive from India to Bangkok. He's a friend of mine - Sanjay Madan. He runs a company called Adventures Overland. They organized a drive to BangKok. You can read the details of what all is necessary for this trip here:
https://www.tripoto.com/trip/india-d...angkok-by-road
To quote from his post:

This trip had and still has its own challenges and a few difficult ones; like
1. 200% Carnet Fees - Yes, to Exit and re-enter in India one needs a Carnet.Carnet is a document which is like a passport of your car . You need to cough up 200% of your vehicle's value(refundable security deposit) to obtain this piece of paper from the Automobile Association of India. Carnet is also accepted by Thailand customs as a valid document to enter in their country if you are driving a foreign registered vehicle.
(Advise : Don't approach Delhi AAUI for this as we struggled for more than 6 months to retrieve the security refund)
IMPORTANT UPDATE - Adventures Overland have made special arrangements and taking care of all the paperwork during Road To Bangkok - 2016 (23rd Jan to 8th Feb)
2. Local Guide - A Local Burmese guide is mandatory to travel with the group who needs to be hired from the travel company approved by Ministry of Myanmar Tourism.
3. Lead Car - A Lead Car for the convoy is mandatory too as per the directions by Ministry of Myanmar Tourism. This is must even if you drive a single car. Poor Sign boards and Language problem makes it a tough nut.
And a few more Third World Country problems as we are all aware of..

[hanifchamadiya@yahoo.com]

Thanks Roshun,

For a wonderful explanation.

Actually I am residing in Kuwait & here we don't have to take Carnet for crossing land borders with Saudi Arabia, UAE, & Qatar etc. So I don't know whether it is so hard to go out from India by road. But thanks again.

[Roshun]

UPDATE: CarNet fees fixed at Rs. 1 lakh for 4 wheeler and Rs. 50,000 for a 2-wheeler.

Here's some more information, courtesy the HVK Forum, for all those who are planning to drive out of India - whether to Thailand or anywhere else. There are only two ways to get out of the country - through Nepal or through Myanmar. You cannot go through Pakistan or Afghanistan, as Indians cannot pass through those countries. Even then, the bureaucratic red tape that ensues to drive out of the country through Nepal-China or Myanmar is really tiring and those of you who are not that adventurous would be better off taking a flight to whichever country you are headed to.

Driving into Nepal or Bhutan is not a problem for Indians. I have done that in 2009. All you need is an Indian government identification and make an entry at the border check post for your car. So going "abroad" by road can be easily done to these two countries alone. However, if you have to go to China or Myanmar or Thailand or anywhere else for that matter, you will need to secure a Carnet for your car.

The price you HAD to pay for a CarNet is around 200% the value of your car. (It can range from 100% to 300% depending on your negotiation skills with the officer in charge). But here's some good news: According to someone on the HVK Forum who recently did a 5-country tour on his bike, the CarNet fees have been fixed at Rs. 1 lakh for a four wheeler and Rs. 50,000 for a two wheeler.

A CarNet is like a visa for your car. The Indian Government just wants to ensure that you will bring your car back to India. Of course, this is refundable when you return.

Photos from the Asean Rally 2012: (Images: Autocar, e-pao.net)

But even that is likely to change with the new IMT Treaty that will likely come into effect in a few months, as India, Myanmar and Thailand are about to sign this treaty. This will open up a seamless land route from India all the way to Thailand - and beyond for those who want to go further. Known as the India-Myanmar-Thailand Motor Vehicles Agreement, road travel across these three countries will become hassle free. Of course, you will still need visas (unlike for Nepal and Bhutan).

A similar treaty has been worked on for Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal (BBIN), for seamless movement of vehicles across these countries - both private and commercial, which will open up better land trade routes as well.

So, who's up for a drive from New Delhi to Bangkok?

[Arjun]

That is some great news. Rs. 1 lakh CarNet fees is a good deal. Even though the deposit is refundable, the proposition to keep such a big amount as deposit was a worrying factor for many.I believe we will have many more cross country travelers very soon.

[hanifchamadiya@yahoo.com]

Thanks Roshun for wonderful NEWS, sure they have to work it out if they make away to drive out of country they must make it easy.

[Anik_93]

is this a confirmed news?
carnet fees has been fixed 50k for motorcycles?

what are the other procedure to go thailand ?

[tush.desai]

Recently a group from Surat went to Thailand - Malaysia by road in a Fortuner. I will find out the details, and contact details of those guys, if possible.

[tush.desai]

Last Year, a group went to Singapore from Surat.

Here is their FB page:
https://www.facebook.com/Road-journe.../photos_stream
https://www.facebook.com/Road-journe...9297203027021/

They must have taken the route via Myanmar.
https://www.google.co.in/maps/dir/Su...836!2d1.352083

Phone Number is also provided on that page. Being a Surti, I am sure that they will help.

[hanifchamadiya@yahoo.com]

Great I can see new opportunities are coming to visit NEW countries by cars, GREAT yaar Keep it up.

[Hafeez]

salam alaikum Mr. Hanif

who said here in gulf we don't require carnet i am here in UAE and travelled to saudi for umrah about 6 months Back and had to take the carnet as a must.
its like a passport to your vehicle i paid close to 2000 AED for the same including deposit which is refundable on return within a year.

[Roshun]

Could you tell us the process for obtaining a CarNet? Hafeez - It will help other members here to understand how to go about getting one. Did you have to go through an Automobile Association?

[hanifchamadiya@yahoo.com]

salam alaikum Mr. Hanif

who said here in gulf we don't require carnet i am here in UAE and travelled to saudi for umrah about 6 months Back and had to take the carnet as a must.
its like a passport to your vehicle i paid close to 2000 AED for the same including deposit which is refundable on return within a year.

Aalaykum Salaam Hafeez,

May be the Car is on your name(Not GCC Passport Holder) but all the cars in the name of GCC passport holders dont need any Document to travel with in GCC area. but if your an passort holder for any other country you need this (Tasheera Maroor) drive through documents to cross country border.

Also Here in Kuwait I dont know what they call it in English the drive through license to cross country border, but in Arabic they call it (Tasheera maroor) which can get it easy for 10 KD (2200 Rs).

[Hafeez]

in dubai for carnet you just need to approach the automobile and touring club with your car registration and they will issue you the carnet by collecting a deposit and service charge totaling to 2000 AED which you need to take to an RTA (located in same office) and then they will issue the NOC which is required at border.

dubai address for automobile and touring club is Al Wuheida Street, Al Mamzar - Po Box 5078
Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Tel: +971 4 2961122 - Fax: +971 4 2961133

[CorsaVeloce]

in dubai for carnet you just need to approach the automobile and touring club with your car registration and they will issue you the carnet by collecting a deposit and service charge totaling to 2000 AED which you need to take to an RTA (located in same office) and then they will issue the NOC which is required at border.

dubai address for automobile and touring club is Al Wuheida Street, Al Mamzar - Po Box 5078
Dubai - United Arab Emirates
Tel: +971 4 2961122 - Fax: +971 4 2961133

Thats some helpful information Hafeez. I have access to a BMW X5 35i in Dubai which I wanted to drive to Oman. Unfortunately, I did not have a UAE driving license and was driving a KIA Sportage on my International Driving license there. Would you know of the laws around driving a private car in Dubai for a non GCC resident?