Anyone exported their car back to Europe from Bangkok?

honestly the biggest headache isnt the shipping, its getting the car out of your name here. make sure u do the transfer at the DLT in bangkok or wherever your plates are registered, not just cancel the tax disc. a mate of mine skipped that step and the car sat at laem chabang for a month while the broker chased the original owner's paperwork. also, if ur shipping to a country with a green tax like denmark or the netherlands, get a quote for the eu import separately, some brokers quote u cheap on the sea leg then hit u with a surprise fee for the co2 calculation. i ended up using a smaller agent called thai freight solutions, theyre less polished than ics but they actually answer the phone at 7am when ur panicking about the bill of lading. oh and one thing nobody tells u, take photos of the odometer and any scratches before it goes on the ship, the roro guys at rotterdam wont give a damn but ur insurance claim will need proof.

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If your car is older or has any aftermarket parts, get the Thai export certificate sorted before you even book shipping. The customs office at Laem Chabang can hold things up for weeks if the paperwork isn't perfect, and the broker you pick won't rush it for you. I'd also ask about the vessel schedule directly, some agents only run once a month to Europe, so you might sit at the port for three weeks before it even leaves. For the EU side, check if your destination country needs an original certificate of conformity from the manufacturer, Thailand often can't issue those for older models, and that's what actually costs you at customs, not the shipping itself.

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The insurance side is what most people overlook. Your Thai compulsory insurance stops the moment the car leaves the port, and the shipping company's liability is only for damage during transit, not for theft or fire at the holding yard in Laem Chabang. Get a marine cargo policy through a Thai insurer like Viriyah or Dhipaya, it cost me about 15k baht for a 30 day window, and it covers the whole voyage plus the two weeks your car sits waiting for the vessel. Also, if you're shipping to the UK specifically, you'll need to pay the import VAT and duty upfront at the border, there's no deferral unless you're a registered trader, so have that cash ready before the boat docks.

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Krua Dok Mai Kao is solid but I've always found their som tam a bit tame on the pla ra. If you want the real funky version, try the shophouse spots along Soi Udomsuk 26, near the night market end. They pound it fresh with fermented fish that'll clear your sinuses, and it's like 60 baht. Different style from the On Nut places, more Lao-leaning.

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for som tam specifically i'd say the Isaan spots in Chatuchak are underrated, weekdays only though since the weekend crowd ruins the vibe. there's a stall near gate 2 that does tam pa with fermented bamboo shoots, super sour and funky, not something you see much in On Nut. if you're already heading north for Or Tor Kor anyway its worth the detour.

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honestly the som tam at Krua Dok Mai Kao is good but what got me hooked is their nam prik pla raa dip with the raw veggies, that funk hits way harder than the papaya does. think most people sleep on it cuz they just order the som tam and gai yang. also pro tip, go before noon on weekdays, after that teh pla ra gets milder cuz they batch it for the lunch rush

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