I bought a little Suzuki Caribain last year to build my bungalow. I hauled loads of bricks and cement over some of the rougest terrain on Koh Tao. Now that the road is paved I would like to get a newer, nicer truck. I’ll keep the Suzuki if I cant find anyone to buy it. But now that its easy to get stuff delivered, I don’t need to haul loads of concrete and bricks anymore, so a newer truck will do. I have reinforced the frame with steel plates, as the rocky roads kept snapping the suspension. With the new welded plates, it works just fine. It currently has a top on it, but I took out the headliner inside because I was going to cut off the roof and make the truck in to a pick-up. I could do this if a buyer wanted me to. It also has a back seat, which is currently out of the truck. I know 2 people who own these trucks and have hauled TONS of materials over Koh Tao roads for years. Clive in Hin Wong bay has built an entire resort hauling every stone from Sairee in his Suzuki. He estimates he has hauled 200 tonnes. My friend Lincoln has rolled his Suzuki twice and it still runs.

I paid b135,000 for the truck last year in Surat Thani, then drove it over to Chumphon and had it shipped over to the island. It has a current registration in my name, but the insurance sticker expired in May 2007. There is no need for the insurance sticker on Koh Tao, and as long as the insurance renewed every 3 years, the registration will remain current.

I am willing to sell the truck for b125,000, considering I have put only cosmetic wear on it. Admittedly it was much prettier when I bought it. But I use it to haul bricks and sand and cement. Its not pretty, but it sure is tough. You can search as much as you like, but I doubt you'd be able to find ANY 4x4 in Thailand at a price this low. So save yourself the trouble of finding one on the mainland and shipping it over. The truck is a 1999 Suzuki Caribian, and it has about 130,000kms on it.