AICR 2012/ Content Page

ASEAN-India Car Rally (AICR) 2012
ASEAN India Car Rally 2012 - Background
ASEAN India Car Rally 2012 - Rally Cars
AICR 2012 - Daily Report (Part 1/7)
AICR 2012 - Daily Report (Part 2/7)
AICR 2012 - Daily Report (Part 3/7)
AICR 2012 - Daily Report (Part 4/7)
AICR 2012 - Daily Report (Part 5/7)
AICR 2012 - Daily Report (Part 6/7)
AICR 2012 - Daily Report (Part 7/7)
AICR 2012 - Rally to the Fort

AICR 2012 - Rally to the Fort

The 2nd edition of the ASEAN-India Car Rally (AICR) was held from 25 Nov to 21 Dec 2012. Starting from Yogjakarta (Indonesia), the Rally passed through Singapore, Ipoh, Hat Yai, Phuket, Bangkok, Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, Ho Chi Minh, Pakse, Savanakhet, Vientiene, Chumphone, Sukhothai, Hpa An, Nay Pyi Taw, Mandalay, Ka Lay, Kohima and Guwahati (India). India Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and the Heads of State of all ASEAN nations witnessed the ceremonial flag-down at the Rally’s final stop in New Delhi.

The following is a daily account of Leslie Chang who is the leader of the Singapore team.  

Photos: Ernest Chua / TODAY

Delhi (@ Red Fort with PM Lee and Mrs Lee), 21^st Dec 2012

Upon invitation from the High Commission of Singapore to India, the Singapore team travelled to the Red Fort shortly after lunch. The venue had been closed to the public for the day and we were received by the officials from the Commission at the entrance.

PM Lee Hsien Loong, Mrs Lee, their accompanying officials and the media arrived as per schedule. It was “ladies first” during the introduction of members to the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister was happy to note that we had a doctor onboard, and even more so when he learnt ‘RallyDoc’ Poh Heng also served as Medical Officer for the entire convoy.

PM Lee and his wife then initiated this group shot with the team.

The Prime Minister kindly accepted a cap from the Singapore Motor Sports Association.  He thanked the team for its participation in the Rally.

Thereafter, the venue officials and curator led PM Lee and his wife on a guided tour.

Inevitably, most valuables and marble inlays at the fort had been looted over the years. However, many decorative elements in the buildings are still in fairly good condition.

The tour ended at the back garden of the fort where the Prime Minister shared a light moment with Leslie.

PM Lee asked Leslie about the rally route, road conditions and if GPS was used by the cars.

Leslie candidly remarked that not only did the Singapore team work in perfect tandem with the Organisers, they also brought added value to the Rally.

While the Prime Minister was being interviewed by the media, the ladies in our team took this photo opportunity with Mrs Lee.

Mrs Lee was pleasantly surprised to hear the team’s positive comment about the Mahindra XUV 500 - the car of Indian make sponsored by Mahindra & Mahindra for the Rally. Here's one more shot for the album featuring Car # 22, one of the 2 cars driven by the Singapore team. (Note: Orient timepieces worn by the team members are also featured in this photo)

Having clocked almost 8,000 km in just 19 days, the engine bay of the Mahindra was hardly presentable. PM Lee laughed when Leslie reported that the earthy sight was due to the integration of soil from India and ASEAN countries.

Finally, the Prime Minister politely asked if he could get inside the car to check out other features.

Leslie is seen here with PM Lee and Mrs Lee, playing the part of a car salesman from Mahindra. The ‘potential buyers’ were happy to gain a better understanding of the vehicle including the use of the radio communication set which was installed in all the rally cars.

More details about the Mahindra XUV 500 can be viewed at:

http://singaporecarboy.blogspot.sg/2012/12/asean-india-car-rally-2012-rally-cars.html

AICR 2012 - Daily Report (Part 7/7)

The 2nd edition of the ASEAN-India Car Rally (AICR) was held from 25 Nov to 21 Dec 2012. Starting from Yogjakarta (Indonesia), the Rally passed through Singapore, Ipoh, Hat Yai, Phuket, Bangkok, Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, Ho Chi Minh, Pakse, Savanakhet, Vientiene, Chumphone, Sukhothai, Hpa An, Nay Pyi Taw, Mandalay, Ka Lay, Kohima and Guwahati (India). India Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and the Heads of State of all ASEAN nations witnessed the ceremonial flag-down at the Rally’s final stop in New Delhi.

The following is a daily account of Leslie Chang who is the leader of the Singapore team.  

Photos: Ernest Chua / TODAY

Delhi (R & R), 18^th Dec 2012

The rallyists were ferried in coaches for a sightseeing tour around New Delhi.  Our first stop was Qutub Complex where the world famous tower (Qutub Minar) stood for more than 800 years.

We visited another UNESCO World Heritage Site known as Humayun's Tomb.  It is widely acknowledged that the design and the architecture of this structure provided inspiration to the building of Taj Mahal which was constructed 60 years later.

In the heart of the Indian capital, we saw the India Gate monument.

We also came across the majestic President’s House.

Back at the lobby of our hotel, the Singapore team had the opportunity to chat with Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr Lim Hng Kiang, who was in New Delhi to attend the ASEAN-India Ministerial Summit.

The Certificate Presentation Dinner took place at the same hotel.  On behalf of the Singapore team, Leslie praised India and the supporting countries during his thank-you speech.  To his right is the rally convoy ‘boss’ Neerja and standing on Leslie’s left is Mr. Sanjay Singh, Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.

Agra (R & R), 19^th Dec 2012

With the new Yamuna Expressway, our coach ride from Delhi to Agra exceeded our expectations as it was was faster and more comfortable.  This photograph (with Taj Mahal in the background) was taken from the room shortly after we checked in at Taj Gate Hotel.

In order to protect the white marble of Taj Mahal from turning yellow, vehicles with internal combustion engines are banned within 500 metres radius of the monument.  Hence, alternative modes of transport such as this horse carriage is a common sight near Taj Mahal.

In our case, we were ferried by this electric powered mini bus.

The structure, built with red sandstones, stood at the entrance of Taj Mahal.

As seen in below picture, the top of the doorway mirrors the shape of India’s best-known monument.

We were blessed with good weather and clear blue sky during our visit.

Hence, most rallyists had many Kodak moments.

On our way out of Taj Mahal, we chanced upon another kind of electric vehicle.

And this road side workshop happens to be a TATA authorised centre for pollution check.

Agra (R & R), 20^th Dec 2012

The Agra Fort is also known as a walled city when it once housed more than 4,000 people.  It is currently occupied by the Indian Military and a portion of the premises is open to the public, accessible through the Amar Singh Gate as seen in the background of the picture below.

This fort has double defensive walls which reach up to 70 feet in height.

It is one of the numerous UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India.

On top of Agra Fort, the legendary Shah Jahan was said to have spent the final years of his life within this tower which features a marble balcony.

Most importantly, it has a full view of the Taj Mahal which is about 2.5 km away.

During its hey days, the lawn seen in this picture was previously the Grape Garden.

The group took a final shot before ending our visit to the fort.

We returned to Delhi where we checked in Taj Mahal Hotel for the evening.

Delhi (Ceremonial Flag Down), 21^st Dec 2012

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Mrs Lee arriving at Vigyan Bhawan (the convention centre of Government of India) for the flag-down ceremony.

This is a group photo of India Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, his wife and the Heads of State of all ASEAN nations.

At 1100 hours, this patrol car led the convoy of rally cars for a drive-past parade.

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and leaders of ASEAN nations are seen here getting ready to welcome the rally cars.  (Picture taken from www.aseanindia.com)

Rally cars from the respective countries were lined in alphabetical order.  The ASEAN students who were in Delhi for an exchange programme were visibly spontaneous during the drive through parade.  These students were seated across the convention centre and gave loud cheers each time a car from its representing country drove by.

Malaysia Prime Minister Najib Razak and his wife are seen here waving to their country's rallyists.

PM Lee and Mrs Lee waved enthusiastically at the Singapore car.

Here's a truly proud moment for the crew of Car # 22.

During his speech, the Honourable Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh gave thanks to the “leaders of ASEAN for their active support and the facilitation provided by their Governments for making this Rally a success”.

Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia Samdech Hun Sen, representing ASEAN Chair Country, delivered his remarks at the end of the ceremony.

The long rally may have just ended but, for the Singapore team, a very special moment awaited at the Red Fort.  Read the continuing story at 

http://singaporecarboy.blogspot.sg/2012/12/aicr-2012.html

AICR 2012 - Daily Report (Part 6/7)

The 2nd edition of the ASEAN-India Car Rally (AICR) was held from 25 Nov to 21 Dec 2012. Starting from Yogjakarta (Indonesia), the Rally passed through Singapore, Ipoh, Hat Yai, Phuket, Bangkok, Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, Ho Chi Minh, Pakse, Savanakhet, Vientiene, Chumphone, Sukhothai, Hpa An, Nay Pyi Taw, Mandalay, Ka Lay, Kohima and Guwahati (India). India Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and the Heads of State of all ASEAN nations witnessed the ceremonial flag-down at the Rally’s final stop in New Delhi.

The following is a daily account of Leslie Chang who is the leader of the Singapore team.  

Photos: Ernest Chua / TODAY

Mandalay to Ka Lay, 14^th Dec 2012

It was going to be a super long day, so the Singapore team had to get out of bed at 0500 hours.  Our eyes could hardly open when Rajul (standing in the center of this group shot) walked to our cars to send us off.  Rajul is a Singapore-based business man and his company, Goehka Bandoola Group, is the appointed distributor of Mahindra cars in Myanmar.  To show our support for Rajul, our team worn this white attire which is printed with Bandoola logo.

Led by India’s Tarun Vijay, all the country team leaders gathered outside the Mandalay Palace for the flag-off ceremony.

The condition of the roads posed as a challenge for us.

Our female crew members were also faced with the problem of looking for toilets.

When we arrived at Larbo Village for our scheduled lunch halt, we were overwhelmed by the warm welcome of the villagers.

Unfortunately, Car # 18 found the enthusiasm from the villagers a little too overwhelming.  The villagers were crowding to take a closer look at the rallyists (in Car # 18) who are celebrities in Myanmar.

As the crowd was getting uncontrollable, the Organisers instructed Car # 18 to drive off.  This resulted in some villagers giving chase to the departing car.

The remaining crowd appeared disappointed; and for the safety and security of the convoy, the Organisers ordered all rallyists to return to their respective cars and prepare to leave the village immediately.

The entire convoy indeed left Larbo very quickly but to our dismay we did not manage to take our lunch.

A further 10 km away from Larbo, the convoy had to come to a stop as many were not given the chance to ‘discharge water’ due to the aborted lunch halt.

Meanwhile, our convoy leader Hormazd (wearing event yellow shirt) is seen here discussing the various options with the escorting officials.

Shortly, Hormazd made an impromptu call for all rallyists to dig into their existing stockpile for lunch.  MP Vijay kindly offered biscuits to fellow participants.

Gilbert from the Philippines team seemed contented with his banana.

Members from the Singapore team had bak-kwa in their cars.

 

But it was the Thais who fared the best with their great variety of foods, including sticky rice, which were nicely spread on this ‘buffet table’.

After our most unforgettable lunch of the Rally, we proceeded on and throughout the journey we encountered more hilly roads.

Upon the arrival of the convoy at Kyaw Ywa Village for our tea break, the Organisers and the local officials were more prepared to manage the crowd.  Actor Lu Kyaw (with dark glasses) is seen here being escorted by security personnel.

Pan Htwar (with black cap) and Zar Htwe (with SMSA Cap) were also given space during the break.

This time round, even the cars were parked in an orderly manner.

The convoy continued driving after the tea break.  Although the hilly roads were over, the road conditions remained difficult.

The drive was even more arduous when night descends.

Nevertheless, the cheers from the locals on a cold winter night were more than sufficient to warm our hearts.

We finally arrived at Ka Lay around 2000 hours.  Before we called it day, we had to queue at the refuelling station (with only 1 pump working) and attended a dinner reception in the Town Hall.  Although we hit the sack close to midnight, we were comforted by the thought that we had concluded the most challenging sector of the Rally.

Ka Lay to Kohima, 15^th Dec 2012

On this cold December morning, Poh Heng was presented the black shawl by the local authority at the flag-off venue.

Driving through the valleys of north western Myanmar, our visibility was hampered by thick fog.

 

We also had to take extra precaution and look out for missing planks or exposed nails/bolts when crossing the numerous old metal bridges. 

The convoy arrived at the border town Tamu and, more significantly, it marked the end of our travel within ASEAN countries. 

We bade our goodbyes to Myanmar (and ASEAN) at the Iron Bridge Gate Checkpoint.

At the other end of the metal bridge, the army and immigration officers facilitated our entry into India.

Minutes later, we were welcomed by the officials from local authority of Moreh which is a border town in India.

Driving from one town to another, thousands of students lined the road to welcome the convoy.  English-worded signboards are a common sight in this part of India.

The text “A gap of 3 years is recommended between pregnancies….” can be seen in the signboard on the left. (click on the picture to enlarge)

For those with keen eyes, 4 mistakes can be spotted in this banner.

A grand lunch reception and cultural performance were held at Imphal where Tengguo represented the Singapore team to receive souvenir from Chief Minister of Manipur, Mr Okram Ibobi Singh.

Meanwhile, Leslie is seen here looking curiously at the bullet-proof tyres that were fitted on the Chief Minister’s car.

On this note, we observed that the Indian placed high importance on security.  While on the move, the convoy was escorted by military personnel at all times.

It was getting dark and the route was mostly uphill climb as the convoy moved into the next state known as Nagaland.   Upon arrival in Kohima, we parked our cars at an open field and were ferried by coaches to dinner and different hotels.

Our overnight stay in Kohima was best remembered as an evening of friendly host, great music and a fantastic party.

Kohima to Guwahati, 16^th Dec 2012

Kohima is the capital of Nagaland.  The image below provides a clearer picture of the open field, which is located in the heart of Kohima, where our cars were parked last night.

The flag-off ceremony created much fanfare on an otherwise quiet and chilly Sunday morning in this hill station.

We found that most of the girls in Kohima are exceptionally beautiful, wearing distinctive eye liner applied in similar style.

As we arrived at the next town known as Dimapur, more ladies continued to charm us.

A tree-planting ceremony cum lunch reception was held at Numaligrah.

Our progress for today was constantly slowed by cheering crowds as we moved from one village to another.  Occasionally, we witnessed some villagers raising their hands to welcome us.

But we were most surprised to see the elephants in some villages raising their trunks to welcome us.

During a short break at the fringe of Kaziranga National Park, the Singapore team posed for one more group shot.

Maintaining the high level of security, the India government provided helicopter to escort the convoy for today’s route.

For the later part of the afternoon, we drove on the newly completed highway leading to Guwahati.

For the second night in a row, it was another good evening. This time, we were spoilt by the pleasant outdoor atmosphere and great Indian food.

Guwahati (Official Flag Down), 17^th Dec 2012

The Official Flag Down was held at the Sarusajal Stadium.

Last night, the 1st nominated car from each country were transported to Delhi by train. Seen here driving Car # 23 (the 2nd nominated car for the Singapore team), William waved to the VIPs and dignitaries during the drive-past parade. 

The grand ceremony showcased performances by traditional dancers and school children from Guwahati.

However, it was the world-class display of precision riding by Assam Police Panthers that stole the show.

As this moto “Uniting Powers for Progress and Prosperity” suggests, unity is clearly demonstrated in the picture below showing various team leaders from all the participating countries coming together.

Cheered by the massive crowd, the team leaders ran a Victory Lap in honour of the ASEAN-India spirit.

Finally, here is one more look at the joyous Singapore team.