Trouble with electronics?

**Eriks** · #1 8 Aug 2005

Hello all you Asia travellers

Here is an electronic question:

I'm heading for the silk route and then taking a look around in the Far East. The bike papers incl. carnet is OK. However I'm travelling with a laptop, camcorder, GPS mobile phone etc... and I wonder about the attitude at the respective borders about "import" of such equipment. E.g. bringing a GPS into Russia is not popular (though Russia is not on my agenda).
I can arrange owners documents from my domestic customs authorities, though should I still expect any trouble bringing with me such gear?

**bangkok.jake** · #2 10 Aug 2005

"Cash is King"
This is from Thailand - usually government officials are open to some extra funding but never push it. I don't think they will bother with your personal equipment here. I travel with my laptop, camera & mobile and never had any problems when enter or exit Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, China, Hong Kong and Australia.
I would expect you to have problems going to Myanmar (Burma). Other countries I don't know about.
//Jake

**parkie** · #3 12 Aug 2005

never had anyone bother to look though the bike luggage and find my goodies - just don't tell the customs officers.

**simmo** · #4 13 Aug 2005

You will have to fill out a customs declaration form in each of the stans, to show what you brought in is what you take out..including cash. Had my bike searched at almost every crossing except into Russia and Iran. Leaving Turkmenistan they went through all my digital photos stored on disk. I wouldn't think you would have a problem with the gps, many have taken them through before.

http://users.netlink.com.au/~asimpson

also check out Vincent Dannas site and Sean Howmans site. The links are hiding in this mass of info somewhere.

G'day Rich.

alec

[This message has been edited by simmo (edited 13 August 2005).]

**seanh** · #5 13 Aug 2005

I was hardly searched at all in the 'Stans, they must've thought you were dodgy lookin' Simmo.
Sean

**vincent danna** · #6 13 Aug 2005

i rarely got searched over there but you should always travel with the bills of all your +/- expensive equipement to avoid problems : i guess you bought this equipement at home, if you don t have home bills, just make some "fakes" on the computer/internet, on the way. otherwise, they may tell you that you bought your equipement in their countries (and you can t prove the contrary) and tax you, like anywhere in the world almost. like the carnet of your bike proves that you bought the bike in your own country.
good luck,