Driving to Hat Yai

[Bluepica]

Hi,

 

I have read thru some blogs by fellow MCF that went for a road trip to Thailand before but those blogs or thread are a bit outdated. Wonder if there's any changes at the Thai immigration side...

 

If I arrive on a Saturday morning, which crossing will be less vehicles/crowd, Padang Besar or Bukit Kayu Hitam side?

 

I read in some section that after the Msia immigration, we have to park our car somewhere and get down for immigration clearance, it is not a drive thru like in Spore or Msia. Does my passenger need to get down with their luggage for immigration clearance as well? After the immigration clearance, all the passenger get back into the car and drive thru the Thai custom (of course after driver got a car import permit from Thai custom) ? or my passenger have to wait for me to drive thru the custom first?

Haven't been there before but is sounds complicated without the drive thru system.

 

How about coming back from Hat Yai? Same procedure? (park car, get down for immigration clearance and drive thru custom, return car import form...)

 

Planning to go there this Good Friday... though most good hotels have been snapped up :(

[Yhn]

Hi Bluepica

 

did you make the trip

 

Please keep us updated of the procedures , ya ?

 

Had wanted to make trip too, but work commitment prevented it at moment.

 

 

 

Hi,

 

I have read thru some blogs by fellow MCF that went for a road trip to Thailand before but those blogs or thread are a bit outdated. Wonder if there's any changes at the Thai immigration side...

 

If I arrive on a Saturday morning, which crossing will be less vehicles/crowd, Padang Besar or Bukit Kayu Hitam side?

 

I read in some section that after the Msia immigration, we have to park our car somewhere and get down for immigration clearance, it is not a drive thru like in Spore or Msia. Does my passenger need to get down with their luggage for immigration clearance as well? After the immigration clearance, all the passenger get back into the car and drive thru the Thai custom (of course after driver got a car import permit from Thai custom) ? or my passenger have to wait for me to drive thru the custom first?

Haven't been there before but is sounds complicated without the drive thru system.

 

How about coming back from Hat Yai? Same procedure? (park car, get down for immigration clearance and drive thru custom, return car import form...)

 

Planning to go there this Good Friday... though most good hotels have been snapped up :(

 

[Raymondism]

Not sure about current practice.

 

But there are two parts to crossing... one is immigration for those in the car... and the other part is importing your car into Thailand... make sure u settle both requirements

 

Bukit kayu hitam shld busier

Edited May 2, 2014 by Raymondism

[Bluepica]

Hi Bluepica

 

did you make the trip

 

Please keep us updated of the procedures , ya ?

 

Had wanted to make trip too, but work commitment prevented it at moment.

 

 

 

 

Hi,

Yes, I did make a road trip to Songkhla city and hat yai during Good Friday.

I reached North end of NSH at Bukit Kati Hiram

Ard 12pm but I was afraid of the traffic so I took a 30mins diversion to Padang Besar border which is at Perlis side. The custom at both msia and Thailand side was free from jam. We cleared both custom in less than 20mins.

 

I bought the Thai car insurance and fill in Thai white card at the road side coffee shop along the way. You won't missed it, it has sign board all along the way as you coming closer to the border.

 

Clearing msia checkpoint is like from JB going into SG. At this custom, park ur car a the car park in front of the immigration. Get ur passport stamp and proceed to the custom counter with the insurance n ur car log card to process the import permit of ur car. Then off u go into Thailand. Keep

This permit n MANDATORY to return to custom at any exit point and sign a log book upon exiting Thailand.

Remember to bring ur log card along as the Msian border guard will also check ur log card against ur road tax n Ic to make sure the car belongs to you or any of ur passenger. If the owner is not a driver, u need to have an authorization letter from the driver even if he or she is one of ur passenger. Simply draft out a letter and sign by the owner n submit together with ur car log n Thai car insurance to the custom.

 

I exit Thailand at Sadao which is next to Bukit kayu Hitam in msia. This border a bit chaos. I let down my passenger to clear the immigration while I looking for place to park my car, even as far as crossed border into msia, walked back to the Thai immigration to stamped my passport n return the car import permit at the Thai custom just opposite the immigration counter. Asked ur passenger to proceed to the car while u doing the custom clearance.

 

And off u go back to msia.... Sounds complicated like I thought when checking info but u will know what to do when u r there... Just follow what other Msian driver do and u will be safe .

[Ah_Zai]

Any corrupted cops on Thailand roads that approach you once they realised you are SG plate?

 

 

Hi,
Yes, I did make a road trip to Songkhla city and hat yai during Good Friday.
I reached North end of NSH at Bukit Kati Hiram
Ard 12pm but I was afraid of the traffic so I took a 30mins diversion to Padang Besar border which is at Perlis side. The custom at both msia and Thailand side was free from jam. We cleared both custom in less than 20mins.

I bought the Thai car insurance and fill in Thai white card at the road side coffee shop along the way. You won't missed it, it has sign board all along the way as you coming closer to the border.

Clearing msia checkpoint is like from JB going into SG. At this custom, park ur car a the car park in front of the immigration. Get ur passport stamp and proceed to the custom counter with the insurance n ur car log card to process the import permit of ur car. Then off u go into Thailand. Keep
This permit n MANDATORY to return to custom at any exit point and sign a log book upon exiting Thailand.
Remember to bring ur log card along as the Msian border guard will also check ur log card against ur road tax n Ic to make sure the car belongs to you or any of ur passenger. If the owner is not a driver, u need to have an authorization letter from the driver even if he or she is one of ur passenger. Simply draft out a letter and sign by the owner n submit together with ur car log n Thai car insurance to the custom.

I exit Thailand at Sadao which is next to Bukit kayu Hitam in msia. This border a bit chaos. I let down my passenger to clear the immigration while I looking for place to park my car, even as far as crossed border into msia, walked back to the Thai immigration to stamped my passport n return the car import permit at the Thai custom just opposite the immigration counter. Asked ur passenger to proceed to the car while u doing the custom clearance.

And off u go back to msia.... Sounds complicated like I thought when checking info but u will know what to do when u r there... Just follow what other Msian driver do and u will be safe .

 

[Jasongcp]

I always reckon Malaysia is a much more corrupted place (no pun intended)

[Kb27]

Any corrupted cops on Thailand roads that approach you once they realised you are SG plate?

 

 

 

 

I drove to Hatyai a few years ago. Never met any corrupt cops on the roads.

In MY, yes.

[Zxcvb]

You would think Thai cops and people can generally recognize SG plate ? There are not many SG cars in the first place. Most of the time, they can't see the difference between MY and SG plate, we all look the same to them. Black license plate = MY, Yellow plate = Taxi.

 

 

 

Singapore OPC red plate on the other hand will be quite unique in Thailand.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_registration_plates_of_Thailand