What goes Ka-Boom on the Road

Your tyres, yes they do. Especially if you have not changed them for two years and especially if you drive fast for work out country most of the time. Thailand is not like Singapore, where there is always a petrol station round the corner where assistance is readily available.

Rules of thumb. Must change tyre once every 2 years, even if they look new, because they can dry up and crack with the ultra hot weather here. Yes, it is expensive if you are using anything smaller the 55s. But stingy you must not I learn. I had them 55s for three years and change them I did not. Could have flown off the bridge in a spinning car and be mistaken for a Peugeot UFO crashing down from Venus.


Totally burnt while driving flat unaware at speeds until overwhelming burning smell detected.


Other still groovy wheels have ashes in them due to wear and tear or heat or whatever I am unaware of. Ticking random time bomb.

It sucks… maintenance sucks. Maintenance = sometimes unexpected last minute unbudgeted spending. On this episode, lucky for me I have spare. I have tools. Have car in Thailand, other then must have money to maintain (especially older cars), must be prepared for self service of everything.

Remember, Thailand is no place where you can expect AA like service and have the mechanic find you. That is if you can tell the mechanic your location in the first place. This land, all signs are Thai and all roads leads to Seven Eleven. Not care about preventive maintenance? Roads will lead to Heaven.