Earlier this morning (25th August), Expedition Leader Halim Abdul Rahman introduced two PETRONAS Motorsports staff members – Zulkarnain Othman and Suhairy Md Noor, and from PETRONAS Lubricant Business, Abu Hanifah who arrived in Chiang Mai yesterday.

The trio are here to supervise the team’s first oil sampling in Chiang Rai. The PETRONAS Trans-Himalayas expedition has travelled extensively since leaving Kuala Lumpur on August 17 and oil sampling is collected every 3,000km.

En route to Chiang Rai, the convoy passed by three PETRONAS service stations: at Kodchasarn, Suan Prung, and Suan Dok. They then stopped to refuel at PETRONAS Sansai. The team is making final preparations to cross the border into Laos tomorrow. As there is no refuelling in Laos and in China until possibly Kunming, all fuel tanks and jerry cans must be filled to the brim.

Meanwhile Faruk Abdul Rahman and Somsak Burapapipath have gone ahead to the Thai-Laos border with the passports and car documents to expedite tomorrow's border crossing.

Halim has received news from Laos that it has been raining continuously, and the trails are treacherously difficult and slippery. Technical Coordinator Stiven Sim and his team of mechanics have checked all the vehicles, paying special importance to the 4-wheel-drive system. Every car driver has also ensured his winches are in excellent working condition, and made sure recovery tools are within easy reach. Tomorrow, goodbye Thailand and hello Laos!