Do & Don’t for a Delhi to Thailand Road Trip

Two Weeks Thailand Travel Itinerary

A drive from Delhi to Thailand is a dream of most adventure seekers and petrol heads of India. Crossing multiple borders of India, Myanmar and Thailand, you need to drive 5000 km from Delhi to reach Bangkok. Adventure lovers already set their radar on this route and they’re keen to drive on this 5000 KM road. Thailand is already hot tourist destinations among Indian and going by road is the icing on the cake for the adrenaline rush lovers.

Only a few people took this Road Trip and Sanjay Madan & Tushar Agarwal, Founder & Co-Founder of Adventures Overland among those people who conquer this route. They are sharing some tips for those who looking for some adventures on 5000 KM long routes. Do’s & Don’ts for a Road Trip to Thailand:

Below is a tentative route that can be followed:

India

Delhi-UP-Bihar-Bengal-Assam-Nagaland- (Imphal) Manipur

From Imphal, drive to Tamu-Moreh border and cross the Indo-Myanmar Friendship Bridge to enter Myanmar.

Myanmar

Once you enter Myanmar, you will need to negotiate a drive through 46 Iron Bridges, dusty, gravel roads, hairpin bends on the way to a town called Kale. Continue onwards to Mandalay from where you will get on the 16 lane Mandalay-Yangon Expressway that will take you to Yangon (previously Rangoon), the capital of Myanmar.

Following route can be followed in Myanmar:

Kale-Monywa-Bagan-Inle Lake-Yangon-Myawaddy border

Thailand

From Yangon, continue driving south towards the Myawaddy-Mae Sot border post to cross Myanmar and enter Thailand. After entering Thailand, cruise on the highway towards a town called Tak. After a night stop in Tak, you can drive to Bangkok.

Permits

India

Inner Line permits for Nagaland from Nagaland House. Yes, even Indians need Permits for Nagaland.

Myanmar

Local Permits, Temporary Driving License, Vehicle Insurance and Temporary Vehicle Registration need to be obtained from a Local Approved Tour Operator.

In addition, an Escort Vehicle is mandatory to lead your vehicle throughout your drive through Myanmar

A Tourist Visa to Myanmar is mandatory from the Myanmar Embassy in India

Give at least 4 weeks before the day you enter Myanmar to process all permits and permissions

Thailand

Carnet de Passage is the most important document that you will need to obtain in order to enter Thailand in your own vehicle. This document can be obtained from the Automobile Association of India. Normally, you will need to give a Bank Guarantee amounting to 300% market value of your vehicle. Once the vehicle returns to India, the bank guarantee is released on returning the Carnet de Passage to the Automobile Association of India.

Duration

To complete the journey at leisure, give at least 3 weeks if you are starting from Delhi.

• Number of days in India – 7
• Number of days in Myanmar – 8
• Number of days in Thailand – 6

Cost

You will need to factor in the following in order to calculate the cost of driving from Delhi to Bangkok

1. Permits
2. Myanmar Escort Charges
3. Visas
4. Carnet Fee
5. Accommodation
6. Meals
7. Fuel
8. Spare Parts
9. Contingency Charges
10. Insurance
11. Vehicle Shipment from Bangkok to India

Driving Style

India – Left Hand Drive

Myanmar – Right Hand Drive

Thailand – Left Hand Drive

Highlights

• Kaziranga National Park, Assam
• Kohima, Nagaland
• Mandalay, Myanmar
• Bagan, Myanmar
• Inle Lake, Myanmar
• Yangon, Myanmar
• Driving through 46 Iron Bridges from Indo-Myanmar border to Kale
• Driving on the Mandalay-Yangon Expressway
• Bangkok, Thailand