Road trip to M'sia post Covid

[inlinesix]

Just now, Shibadog said:

do note that Thai petrol is ron95

Pump RON100 in MY 

🤭

[Shibadog]

Just now, inlinesix said:

Pump RON100 in MY 

🤭

have not seen any Petron station with ron100 up in changlun/BKH. 😅

[Blackaccent]

On 10/2/2022 at 10:53 AM, Shibadog said:

yes all occupants need to alight, show face, and take finger print (msia side) and take picture (thai side)

also remember to print the "log card" from onemotoring as you'll need it for thai customs declaration.

Also good to pump full tank ron97 at Bukit Kayu Hitam (I prefer BHP) as it's slightly cheaper than Thai ron95.

 

edit: do note that when exiting Thai and entering Msia, the Msia customs may be quite strict on checking car for contraband (alcohol, drugs).

edit #2: when entering Thai and getting the customs declaration for the car, the customs queue is on the outside of the building. On the left edge of my pic, you can see some metal railings under the overhanging signboards. That's the place to get it done. No need to enter the building. Best to follow the other people stopping there too. Bikes n cars queue at same place. 

Hi,

For all passsengers to alight, show face, and take finger print (msia side) and take picture (thai side) applicable to both exiting M'sia and entering Thai?

How about during the return leg?

Do we need to have a Thai number plate stick onto our car?

Apologies for all the questions. 

Thanks.

[Shibadog]

1 minute ago, Blackaccent said:

Hi,

For all passsengers to alight, show face, and take finger print (msia side) and take picture (thai side) applicable to both exiting M'sia and entering Thai?

How about during the return leg?

Do we need to have a Thai number plate stick onto our car?

Apologies for all the questions. 

Thanks.

yes passengers need to alight at both sides and in both directions. Just follow the signboards (for the correct lanes to take) and best way is to follow the car in front of you,

thai number plate/sticker not necessary and having one won't help in case of any incidents/road blocks but i got mine done anyway as i spend quite a lot of time driving in Thai 

 

updates from my trip last mth:

there are now signboards when entering Thai at Sadao for vehicle passengers to alight and use the main immigration building, where i guess there are more counters available. This is faster if there are no bus loads of passengers being dropped off. This also helps cars to be cleared faster. The car queue used to be horrendous before Covid. That being said, i noticed many msian cars still bring their passengers to the car counter (see left of the pic) and the immigration officer there does clear them too. Perhaps this is understandable for elderly folk but i think it's better to let fit n healthy passengers walk a bit. Link with with the car after clearing immigration just behind the building, where the car needs to stop to do the customs document anyway. SOPs there keep changing so don't worry too much, keep calm and go with the flow.

 

rare road block just after entering Thai at Sadao. No issue, just wind down windows, smile and say hello. If need be, present passport.

 

[Blackaccent]

@Shibadog  Thanks.

I will be travelling up this Sunday with my wife.

Am really nervous as this is my first time using the Sadao land border to cross over.

Will follow your suggestions to go with the flow and follow the car in front.

Hopefully everything will be smooth.

Thanks again.

47 minutes ago, Shibadog said:

yes passengers need to alight at both sides and in both directions. Just follow the signboards (for the correct lanes to take) and best way is to follow the car in front of you,

thai number plate/sticker not necessary and having one won't help in case of any incidents/road blocks but i got mine done anyway as i spend quite a lot of time driving in Thai 

 

updates from my trip last mth:

there are now signboards when entering Thai at Sadao for vehicle passengers to alight and use the main immigration building, where i guess there are more counters available. This is faster if there are no bus loads of passengers being dropped off. This also helps cars to be cleared faster. The car queue used to be horrendous before Covid. That being said, i noticed many msian cars still bring their passengers to the car counter (see left of the pic) and the immigration officer there does clear them too. Perhaps this is understandable for elderly folk but i think it's better to let fit n healthy passengers walk a bit. Link with with the car after clearing immigration just behind the building, where the car needs to stop to do the customs document anyway. SOPs there keep changing so don't worry too much, keep calm and go with the flow.

 

rare road block just after entering Thai at Sadao. No issue, just wind down windows, smile and say hello. If need be, present passport.

 

 

[Shibadog]

1 hour ago, Blackaccent said:

@Shibadog  Thanks.

I will be travelling up this Sunday with my wife.

Am really nervous as this is my first time using the Sadao land border to cross over.

Will follow your suggestions to go with the flow and follow the car in front.

Hopefully everything will be smooth.

Thanks again.

 

it's normal to feel nervous as it's your first time, but trust me, after you've come through it, you'll realise it's really easy and nothing to worry about. 

the key is preparation of the required docs - immigration cards & customs import doc. Everything else, just monkey see monkey do.

you can get thai sim card at the border shops immediately after exiting thai customs. I got a 7day tourist sim for THB150. Cheap n fast (8gbps). The also have one month types for longer trips. 

may i ask how far north are you going? 

[Shibadog]

in any case, thai people (even the authorities) are usually quite helpful to blur tourists, so just play the part. From what i've seen, most of the immigration/customs staff working at that border can speak English, so that helps. 

the worst thing to do in any situation there is to get all belligerent and disrespect the locals. Many years back at the old sadao crossing building, i've seen a rude ang moh get dragged off out of the queue by uniformed personel into the building. 

[Blackaccent]

1 hour ago, Shibadog said:

it's normal to feel nervous as it's your first time, but trust me, after you've come through it, you'll realise it's really easy and nothing to worry about. 

the key is preparation of the required docs - immigration cards & customs import doc. Everything else, just monkey see monkey do.

you can get thai sim card at the border shops immediately after exiting thai customs. I got a 7day tourist sim for THB150. Cheap n fast (8gbps). The also have one month types for longer trips. 

may i ask how far north are you going? 

Hi, Sorry for the late reply...

Will be going to Songkhla and Hat Yai only.

Thanks. 

[Blackaccent]

1 hour ago, Shibadog said:

in any case, thai people (even the authorities) are usually quite helpful to blur tourists, so just play the part. From what i've seen, most of the immigration/customs staff working at that border can speak English, so that helps. 

the worst thing to do in any situation there is to get all belligerent and disrespect the locals. Many years back at the old sadao crossing building, i've seen a rude ang moh get dragged off out of the queue by uniformed personel into the building. 

Yes.

I believe always be humble and polite. 

It will gets things done much easier.

[Hamburger]

Since the border opened up, have gone for 4 road trips to different destinations.

Kuantan, KL, Cameron HL, Genting, Bentong etc 

Any suggestions for another trip ??

 

 

 

 

[TameDriver]

@Shibadog, I’m driving to Thailand soon. Need help to refresh my memory of what it’s called in Thai since haven’t driven there 3+ years due to COVID Pandemic. 
Is it called “Gasoline Kao Har”?  

Edited November 23, 2022 by TameDriver

[Shibadog]

2 minutes ago, TameDriver said:

@Shibadog, I’m driving to Thailand soon. Need help to refresh my memory of what it’s called in Thai since haven’t driven there 3+ years due to COVID Pandemic. 
Is it called “Gasoline Kao Har”?  

gao har = 95 which is usually the Gasohol E10 mix. Most vehicles can use this, except for the very old (think > 20yr old) vehicles

if u want the pure gasoline (benzine), i believe they call it "bensin". Bensin is 95 thus no need to say "bensin gao har". Getting more rare too.

[TameDriver]

@Shibadog Thanks for confirming.  
I can recall pumping Ron95 for my beemers. However, once a fellow motorist shared that Benzine is better.  I topped up 2x with it, and kept my fingers crossed that my car works fine with it. Luckily, so far so good. 
Yes, it’s not easy to find Benzine as most petrol stations dun have it. 

 

[Shibadog]

6 minutes ago, TameDriver said:

@Shibadog Thanks for confirming.  
I can recall pumping Ron95 for my beemers. However, once a fellow motorist shared that Benzine is better.  I topped up 2x with it, and kept my fingers crossed that my car works fine with it. Luckily, so far so good. 
Yes, it’s not easy to find Benzine as most petrol stations dun have it. 

 

the only reason why bensin would be deemed better is because it gives slightly better mileage. But the cost difference negates that. 

 

[Brass]

7 hours ago, Shibadog said:

the only reason why bensin would be deemed better is because it gives slightly better mileage. But the cost difference negates that. 

 

Most important, pump full tank before leaving Malaysia. Even Ron 97 is still cheaper in Malaysia than Thailand's V Power gasohol 95.

Edited November 23, 2022 by Brass

[Fitvip]

On 11/18/2022 at 2:04 PM, Hamburger said:

Since the border opened up, have gone for 4 road trips to different destinations.

Kuantan, KL, Cameron HL, Genting, Bentong etc 

Any suggestions for another trip ??

 

 

 

 

Ipoh, Penang, Fraser Hill?

Avoid east coast for this season.

[Hamburger]

4 hours ago, Fitvip said:

Ipoh, Penang, Fraser Hill?

Avoid east coast for this season.

Yup yup...going back Ipoh for unfinished food there. Thereafter up Cameron again for places I missed during last trip.

[inlinesix]

1 hour ago, Hamburger said:

Yup yup...going back Ipoh for unfinished food there. Thereafter up Cameron again for places I missed during last trip.

Ipoh has too much nice food to eat.