CAITA 2009: Participants and Vehicles

This event can be summarised as 26 vehicles carrying 119 participants fulfilling the same mission. (Read the objective of the mission at http://singaporecarboy.blogspot.com/2009/11/caita-2009-introduction.html.) It was sanctioned by Federation of Automobile Sports of China (FASC). The Deputy Director of FASC - Mdm Huang Meirong, can be seen here exchanging greetings with the welcoming delegate.

The handing over of the event’s flag by Mr Cen Hankang, Director of the Organising Committee (Executing Office), signified the successful completion of CAITA 2009

Mr Thomas Ma (standing, left), Director of the event’s International Liaison Department, took good care of the Singapore and Malaysia teams during our entire journey. Mr Nguyen Duc Hieu (seated, left), a participant from Vietnam , almost single handedly negotiated for our entries when we had problems with the Vietnamese customs during previous CAITAs.

The all-important role of a commander for the main body CAITA 2009 was tasked by Mr Li Xiong who is seen here sharing a light moment with Lee Huey and me.

Lee Huey, 58, is the da-jie (big sister) of the Singapore team. She’s a school teacher by profession and her daily transport is a German engineered executive saloon. Driving above 100 km/h is a thing that she rarely does. Yet, in her attempt to keep up with the convoy during her driving stint, she tipped the speedometer at 160 km/h. This was in Thailand where the undulation and sweeping turns on certain stretches can be rather challenging. For her new found driving skill, Lee Huey gave credit to the steadfast road holding and the advantage of a raised ground clearance of the Hyundai Santa Fe – Car # 23.

The Hyundai Terracan, Car # 24, had the rare credential of completing the earlier CAITAs. This workhorse, under the capable hands of rally veteran William Lyou and Eddie Keng, completed a fine hat trick in 2009.

Other than the all-Hyundai outfit elected by Singapore team, the selection of vehicles in CAITA 2009 is best described as diversified. Car # 1 is a British made Range Rover; Car # 2 is Jeep Wrangler Rubicon from USA and Car # 4 is Toyota Prado from Japan .

Car # 8 VW Touareg is also an idea choice for such event.

This Ford S-Max, Car # 9, with the rear extended transmitting device is Mr Li Xiong’s command car.

Car # 13 is this Toyota Sequoia powered by V8 engine; Car # 14 is Toyota FJ Cruiser.

Car # 20 is another Toyota – a previous generation Land Cruiser.

The Malaysian team comprised of Car # 25 - a Land Cruiser (newer version) and Car # 26 - the latest Isuzu D-Max. They joined us for this friendly pose during a lunch location in Vietnam .

The working members of the Organising Committee were ferried in Car # 3 – a Chinese made MPV.

Lastly, members from the press and media were seated in either Car # 17, or ……

…Car (or Bus??) # 21. Both units are 18-seater Toyota Coasters.

CAITA 2009: Route (Day 6 to 10)

On Day 6, we crossed the Mekong River as we headed towards Bavat - the border of Cambodia . Strangely, during the few minutes while we were transported on this ferry, my mind was filled with flashes of the once majestic waterway.


As we were approaching the Vietnamese customs at Mocbai, there was much anxiety within the Singapore and Malaysia teams. Previous entries into the country with the CAITA convoy were plagued with many problems. The authority restricts right-hand drive vehicles and approvals are only granted on a special case basis. This year, the organisers did not take any chances. As a result, our worries were unfounded. Other than this madatory disinfection wash, the border crossing was business as usual.


Seen in the background is First Hotel. It is an old-style hotel that provided us with cosy and comfortable accommodation during our stay in Ho Chi Minh.


Next morning, the streets were crowded with motorcycles as we inched our way out of the city.


We thought that we were able to increase the pace once we were in the rural areas. Not for long. We were frequently slowed by brigades of cyclists who seemed to have the right of way.


On the other hand, the drive along the coastal road of Vietnam can be rewarding. We spotted this modern eco-power generating site.


There are hills and valleys too.



Champa is located in central Vietnam . It was one of the earliest kingdoms in S E Asia and her people were known for their stone inscriptions skill. The rocky hill in this picture during our rest halt may provide a little hint regarding the historic past of the Cham.


After spending a night in Nha Trang, we continued our northbound journey towards Hue . We were constantly greeted by either the view of the Central Highlands on the left or the spectacular shore lines on the right.


Whenever we were on dual carriage ways, we would quicken the pace to make up time.


The highlight of DAY 8 must be the mountainous route in the dark, shortly before arrival in Hue . We, the self-proclaimed rally drivers, could not resist the sight of the steep and winding turns. It was akin to throwing a fish into water. We put up a spirited drive (faster than we should!) and arrived at the hotel for a late but satisfying dinner.



The following day, we made a quick stop at the 17th parallel – the boundary that divided North and South of Vietnam during the Indochina war which ended in 1975. I stood in front of the monument erected in the heart of the former Demilitarized Zone for this photo.


We witnessed an unusually high number of burial grounds throughout our drive in Vietnam . This is probably due to the long period of warring years that resulted in the great loss of lives. However, the country remains very populous. In Hanoi , this picture tells a thousand stories.




By Day 10, we were coming to the end of our memorable drive. As we left Lang Son – a border town that was briefly captured by the Chinese troops during the 1979 Sino-Vietnamese war, some drivers were donning their cars with national colours.


Finally, at Yuyi Guang (next to the Chinese CIA), the sense of home-coming was written on everyone’s face.


And here’s the happy ending to yet another well organised CAITA.

CAITA 2009: Route (Day 1 to 5)

The return leg of China-Asean International Touring Assembly (CAITA) 2009 started in the morning of 2nd Oct 2009 at Siloso Beach , Singapore . Customs clearance was a breeze at the 2nd Link. We had lunch at this convention hall in Niliai.


The convoy arrived in Ipoh on schedule. Next morning, I encountered a problem at the customs in Sadao , Thailand .


I was unable to produce the copy of my vehicle’s registration paper – one of the requirements by the Thai CIQ. Fortunately, I was let off by being able to show a scanned image of the registration paper on my computer notebook. That moment of quick thinking cum a friendly customs officer must have saved the day. Feeling relieved, we arrived in Hatyai after a short drive. Thailand is indeed a Land of Smiles. Despite the hot weather, we witnessed this marshal who went about doing his job cheerfully directing traffic during the convoy’s lunch stop.


Stamford Sport Wheels (SSW) plant is located at Sainoi , Thailand . They have generously provided the alloys for Car # 23. Hence, I would like to take this opportunity to highlight this SSW signage which we spotted along the main truck road to Surat Thani – our night stop for Day 2.


The next day, we drove to Bangkok via Hua Hing – a decent and beautiful town that would put a smile on your face. On Day 4, we arrived at Aranya Prathes / Poipet crossing and ran into much confusion. The passengers were asked to alight at the Thai customs and walk towards the Cambodian check point. They had to wait for an hour before the cars and the drivers were allowed to follow through. This show of rejoice by William standing on Cambodian soil tells the story.


Memory of the infamous Highway # 6 is now a thing of the past. This main trunk road has been completely rebuilt. It is now flat and sits on raised ground. The travelling time has been drastically reduced that we were able to visit Ankor Wat (Siam Reap). Here’s a quick shot taken with my cell phone.


Most areas in Siam Reap were flooded. Thus, the sight of such human-powered ‘amphibian’ vehicles is rather common.


From Siam Reap, the road conditions leading to Phnom Penh have been recently improved too. The terrain remains flat but picturesque, weaving in and out along the bank of Tongle Sap (the largest freshwater lake in S E Asia). This route was also best remembered by the crossing of the 20 odd bridges sponsored by the Japanese Government. At this refueling site, the Singapore and Malaysia teams decided to take a group shot. Obviously, the midday sun was just too glaring for some.


In Cambodia , every now and then we were reminded of its difficult history. I gave a bar of chocolate to this blind man and his young daughter.


And another bar to this handicapped boy.


Not surprisingly, I ran out of chocolates very quicky.

CAITA 2009: The Singapore Team

I felt very honoured to be re-appointed as Chief de Mission for the Singapore team in China-Asean International Touring Assembly (CAITA) 2009. Along with the team’s trusty Hyundai Terracan, this was to be our 3rd attempt at the same event. (some interesting facts regarding the Terracan can be found at http://singaporecarboy.blogspot.com/2009/06/going-for-hat-trick.html) Assigned as Car # 24 for the event, the Terracan was driven by William, Eddie and Shuen. The white Hyundai Santa Fe piloted by Lee Huey, Ernest and myself was named Car # 23.


Both SUV’s had undergone preparations including under-carriage protection, and suspension tuning prior to the event. The installation of professional radio sets enabled the crew members to communicate effectively. It is also essential in taking the boredom out of the daily long driving hours.


Although most of us had previous experience in overland events, driving amid low-lying clouds must have been one of the memorable moments during the drive.


Away from the clouds and the angels, this range topping Garmin 276C GPS was a constant source of amusement for these 2 rally veterans in Car # 24.


Under left-hand drive traffic conditions, we took great care of each other and coordinated every overtaking manoeuvre.


For those who wish to have a better idea on how we managed to drive from Singapore to China in 10 days, kindly read http://singaporecarboy.blogspot.com/2009/11/caita-2009-introduction.html. This is definitely not a luxury tour. Waking up as early as 5am, driving 3 to 4 hours per interval and lack of clean toilets in some places were part and parcel of the marathon drive. But, some team members found the rush to consume our daily lunch within precious little time to be most challenging.


Thus, this 'butler' came well prepared to serve finger food onboard.


Our cars had diet problem too. In Vietnam , high grade petrol is not freely available.


Fortunately, a blue bottle of octane booster was all it takes to ensure that the engine would rev and pull happily.


On lighter days, some of us were able to find ‘windows’ for personal pleasure. William managed to check out the watches at Golden Gate Plaza (Thailand/Cambodia border).


I had the opportunity to do a morning ride with my folding bike (yes, I carried one in the Santa Fe) around the palace in Phnom Penh .


On another occasion, I ventured into several small lanes during my solo night ride around Ho Chi Ming City. That turned out to be rather silly because the lanes were poorly lit with no prominent landmark. Quite expectedly, I soon got lost, folded my bike and hailed a taxi back to hotel.



Minor incidents aside, the Singapore team displayed good understanding of the rules, demonstrated spirited teamwork and stayed cohesive throughout the journey. Once again, I am proud that our collective efforts bagged the Outstanding Team Award.

More importantly, we made new friends from China and the Asean countries.


Together with the Malaysian participants, we presented the Rasa Sayang dance during the Closing Ceremony of the event.

Our cars were then handed to the forwarder (2 cars per 40-foot container) in Fang Cheng Port while we flew home.

I am pleased to collect my car in good order on 29th Oct 2009 and wasted no time in giving it a deserving wash.


On behalf of the Singapore team, I wish to extend my deep appreciation to the Organising Committee of CAITA 2009, Singapore Tourism Board, Singapore Sports Council and Singapore Motors Sports Association. We are also grateful for the kind assistance rendered by Komoco Motors, Hyundai’s official importer, towards our vehicle preparation. Lastly, thanks to Stamford Tyres, SSW, Espace Service Centre, Tye Electronics, World Freight and all well wishes who had provided much encouragement and support towards our successful completion of CAITA 2009.