This is an accurate
description of the happenings since I went to Bangkok more than two weeks ago.
The extension of the Thai temporary import permit was straight forward, in
terms of Thai bureaucracy. That means it was done within 5 hours visiting only
3 different sites and just less than 10 different offices in total. I am sure
it would have taken much longer without the support of one of Mr. Thira's, my
shipping agent, employers who did all the talking. I just had to sign a lot of
papers and pay the fine of 2000 THB.
Then I wanted to
stop by at the local
BMW Motorcycle dealer Barcelona Motors to see what spare
parts they have in stock for my motorbike (don't ever by genuine parts in
Thailand because it's so much more expensive - more on that later…). A package
from Germany with important parts for my motorcycle hasn't had arrived yet and
so I wanted to check out alternatives. The success with the import documents
made me lighthearted and careless to such an extend that I caused an accident.
This resulted in a rear end collision, 100% my own fault. Luckily, I haven't
got any scratch because it happened at low speed, but fast enough to cause some
damage to both my motorbike and the taxi I hit. The radiator of my BMW was
leaking and the taillight, the rear bumper and fender on the left side of the
car were damaged.
 |
Damaged tail light & bumper of the taxi and
leaking radiator of my motorbike. |
After the taxi driver
got out of his car, he asked me: "How much?" It's better he says a
sum, I thought, so I didn't answer. "2000" was his reaction, which
was a lot less than I had expected. So I paid the money and the case was
closed.
When I stared my motorbike I noticed that the instrument cluster wasn't
working anymore, so no warning light for engine temperature, which was
particularly bad in this situation. With a stopover at a
motorbike workshop on the way to refill some cooling liquid, I finally made it
to Barcelona Motors, but it was just before they closed and only two service
guys were still there. So I had to wait till the next day (Friday) to get a diagnosis
of the damage of the motorbike. It turns out that the fan behind the radiator
was broken, too. They said it's very likely that they can fix all the broken
parts within a couple of days and no spare parts need to be ordered. The cost
wouldn't be very high and the motorbike could be shipped as scheduled on 3rd
May. Then I had to catch my flight back to Singapore because I had to write an
exam the next day (Saturday), so I had to monitor the repair from there, which
isn't easy if people don't answer emails or phone calls...
In the end, I had to
postpone the shipping of my motorbike to KTM for one week to 10th May, order a
new radiator and fan from Germany and fly to Bangkok one more time to pick up
the spare parts at the airport myself. I contacted ADAC (automobiles club in
Germany that offers roadside assistance and related services) and asked them to
assist me. They were very helpful and
within a couple of days the spare parts arrived at BKK. The customs clearance
at the BKK cargo complex was more troublesome than for my motorbike last
November and even more expensive.
 |
Apparently, my tout
paid a bribe of 40 THB to cut this queue.
5 min later I got the package with
the spare parts in it. |
I brought the parts to Barcelona Motor and
they had them changed the next day. But my motorcycle wasn't ready yet, because
they forgot - and ignored my 4 requests over the period of two weeks - to check
the instrument cluster, which wasn't working after the crash anymore. My
motorbike was supposed to be at the packing house, where they would put it in
the crate, by the day after tomorrow (Saturday, 5th May) at latest. Imagine,
how upset I was! End of the story: I ordered a new instrument cluster from
Germany via ADAC again - to Singapore this time - and told the guys at
Barcelona Motor to make the bike ready for shipping as it is. So I'll have to
exchange the instrument cluster at Kathmandu myself.
 |
|
Mr. Keng and a
mechanic, both from Barcelona Motors,
helping me preparing the bike for
shipping.
|
 |
The guys from the
packing house did a good job
and everything was packed in a couple of hours.
|
 |
Ready for shipping:
286 kg (including most of my gear + equipment), 58 x 196 x 127 cm.
|
I met Hassan from
Iran at the packing house, he was sending two all-new Honda CRF250L to Iran, disassembled due
to Iranian import regulations. He's been doing this for 15 years. I had a nice
talk with him about Iran vs. the rest of the world and the huge difference of the
attitude towards foreigners between the Iranian people and its unpopular
government. Apparently, he doesn't like the government and ruling class at all
so he won't go back to his home country except for one reason: if there is war,
he'll fight for his country and its people as he did before during the war with
Iraq. Let's hope this won't happen!
 |
Hassan from Iran and
a disassembled Honda CRF250L.
|
Then I went back to
Singapore to get my Chinese and Pakistani visa - another story of difficulties
doing such a trip - so I spent one more week in Singapore. As I had nothing to
do but waiting for my visa I had plenty of time to do lots of the touristy stuff
one can do in Singapore and which I haven't had done during my 9 months there
as an exchange student: go to the cinema, visit museums, wander around parks
etc.; like a happy end of my stay in Singapore.
 |
Marina
Bay Sands seems to tower over Singapore's downtown
as you can see it from many
places while walking through the streets;
here from the Asian Civilizations
Museum. |
