How to get a carnet for Thai registered bike?

[beddhist]

Hi,

I have just gained a travel companion who wants to ride her own bike with me from Thailand to NZ. Now, Indonesia requires a carnet, but Thailand is not signatory to the relevant treaties, so doesn't issue carnets.

How can we take a Thai bike through Indo? The Indo embassy here said to contact their embassy in Malaysia once we get there. I'm afraid that that will be a dead end.

Thanks for any ideas,
Peter.

PS: I remember reading somewhere that it's possible to buy a bike and obtain a carnet in Cambodia. Does anybody know anything about this, as this could be a viable alternative?

[LivinLOS]

Originally Posted by beddhist

Hi,

I have just gained a travel companion who wants to ride her own bike with me from Thailand to NZ. Now, Indonesia requires a carnet, but Thailand is not signatory to the relevant treaties, so doesn't issue carnets.

How can we take a Thai bike through Indo? The Indo embassy here said to contact their embassy in Malaysia once we get there. I'm afraid that that will be a dead end.

Thanks for any ideas,
Peter.

PS: I remember reading somewhere that it's possible to buy a bike and obtain a carnet in Cambodia. Does anybody know anything about this, as this could be a viable alternative?

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...terfiet+carnet

Looks like you can get them from Germany.

For me this would be many multiples f the bikes cost, knwing Indo fficialdom I would suspect you can bribe your way through cheaper.

I am hopeful to do an Indo run this summer.. Maybe we can find an agent that can handle the bribe process.

There is also the 'Mr Carnet' threads but that looks old.

[beddhist]

Thanks for the ideas.

The ADAC link is from 2001 and the situation may have changed. The ADAC is said to have become a little choosy in who they issue a carnet. I have a French reg'd bike and they did issue me one, but then I am a German citizen and still have a bank account there. I will ask them.

An interesting alternative, at least here in SE Asia, has just appeared with the ATA carnet. This is not at all the same as the CPD, which is for vehicles crossing borders, rather it is for companies wishing to temporarily import merchandise. However, on GT-Rider.com there is a post saying somebody has successfully used it to enter Thailand with a car. A GTR member just received an email from NZ customs saying that he can use either the ATA carnet or post a bond. (This in clear contradiction to the official website, however.) The ATA carnet seems available here and my guess is that for sea and air entry it might just be possible. My thinking is that customs at (air)ports see a lot of ATA carnets, but not many vehicles, so they are used to processing it and may just do it as a matter of course. Whether the Thai Chamber of Commerce will issue one to a person, rather than a company remains to be seen.

I'm not keen on using a fake customs document. My idea of adventure travel doesn't involve exploring operational dungeons...

[LivinLOS]

Yeah I agree with most of what your saying (and its also me on GT-R posting about the ATA carnet).. And I do think that even though indo is a non ATA carnet country they may well just read carnet = carnet.

Indo, thai bikes, and carnets is such a hassle.. Malay bikes are allowed temp import / transit I read, but I cant get any info on if Thailand has a temporary free transit agreement (like Thailand has with Cambo / Laos / Malay) with Indo..

I am really hopeful to cruise down there late this year and before thier rains, we intend to just use cheap Thai 400s (CB / Bandit / Etc) so almost disposable bikes if it really came to it. Certainly the logistical hassle of carnets on 2k usd value machines is all a bit OTT.

If you hear of any rumor and casual reports on the bribe factor at the indo side do let me know.. not got a problem with a contribution to the benevolent fund if it can get let through.

[beddhist]

The answer from the ADAC was negative.

This is starting to look like if you are from a non-signatory country then you can't take your vehicle to carnet-requiring countries. So much for it 'facilitating travel'.

Does anybody know whether carnets are issued in Cambodia? Bikes are cheaper there anyway and there seems to be more choice.

What about Malaysia? The AIT lists it as *requiring* a carnet, so my guess is they will issue it. Can a non-resident register a bike there? It's a bit of a long shot...

[beddhist]

I have asked around and got a few more answers, although the issues are still not clear (are they ever in Asia?).

Apparently, one can not get a carnet in Cambodia.

Noor Yusof wrote:

Probably you need to asked and get more information through AAM in
Malaysia, try to contact them. Of course they also provide 'carnet de
passages'.

For buying malaysian motorcycle and registered under foreigner name
should't be any problem.

AAM website ;

Automobile Association of Malaysia

Indeed the AAM issues the carnet and I downloaded their application form.

Unfortunately, Dean Lewis disagrees on the foreigner registration:

To register a vehical in Malaysia you need a visa (not a tourist visa)...

but then he goes on to say:

However I do know that between ASEAN countries normally no Carnet is required

Now this last bit, if correct as stated, is really good news. Oz and NZ can be done without carnet. I don't know about Timor Leste (East Timor), but we could skip it and ship directly to Oz from W Timor.

Can anybody confirm this? I know that agreements exist between neighbouring countries, but Thailand and Indonesia aren't neighbours.

Thanks people! HU Communities work!

Cheers,
Peter.