Travel to Thailand from KL

[jusbella]

Hi guy, I going visit Hatyai just 3-5 days only....

I'm thinking driving my car go up, den parking around Bukit Kayu Hitam, heard there got duty free parking....

so my question, I heard some ppl said better don't park at duty free, its dangerous, is it true? How dangerous?

Or any idea? I just no plan to drive my car go in Hatyai because the petrol damn expansive there....

[silverbeauty]

Hi guy, I going visit Hatyai just 3-5 days only....

I'm thinking driving my car go up, den parking around Bukit Kayu Hitam, heard there got duty free parking....

so my question, I heard some ppl said better don't park at duty free, its dangerous, is it true? How dangerous?

Or any idea? I just no plan to drive my car go in Hatyai because the petrol damn expansive there....

Go to our community thread and look for other MfM member trip postings on Thailand for their shared "experiences"

[musangking]

The parking area is not at the duty free complex. That's already past the Malaysian border. As you approach Bkt Kayu Hitam, there are many public parking areas along the way especially near Changlun and you pay them to look after your car. Many people leave their cars there and take a taxi across not because petrol is expensive (you can fill up the tank before you cross the border) but you need to have a copy of your registration card and if it is under financing, you need a release letter. Insurance is not necessary if it is just to Hatyai. The procedures at the Thai side are a bit haywire but once you get the feel of it, it is quite easy.

I personally like the freedom of driving around to look for food and to visit the attractions so I vote to drive. And MFM is comprehensive there so it is very easy to get around.

[jusbella]

The parking area is not at the duty free complex. That's already past the Malaysian border. As you approach Bkt Kayu Hitam, there are many public parking areas along the way especially near Changlun and you pay them to look after your car. Many people leave their cars there and take a taxi across not because petrol is expensive (you can fill up the tank before you cross the border) but you need to have a copy of your registration card and if it is under financing, you need a release letter. Insurance is not necessary if it is just to Hatyai. The procedures at the Thai side are a bit haywire but once you get the feel of it, it is quite easy.

I personally like the freedom of driving around to look for food and to visit the attractions so I vote to drive. And MFM is comprehensive there so it is very easy to get around.

OK thanks... My car still under loan, how do I apply for it?

[maxjohn]

Actually you can get original JPJ registration certificate or photostate JPJ registration certificate with chop validation from nearest police station.
Once you approach Changlun R&R shop, there has counter to help ppl fill up white card and buy Thailand card insurance.
In the border show them you JPJ registration certificate if Malaysia Police request, then drive into big car park which located behind of Thai custom.
After chop your passport, next counter for those drivers to submit their JPJ cert and Thailand insurance to issue the temp Thailand RoadTax (White paper).
When going back from Thailand remember to return the White Paper when you depart at custom.
MFM are very useful in SouthThailand and Have a nice journey.

[jusbella]

Actually you can get original JPJ registration certificate or photostate JPJ registration certificate with chop validation from nearest police station.
Once you approach Changlun R&R shop, there has counter to help ppl fill up white card and buy Thailand card insurance.
In the border show them you JPJ registration certificate if Malaysia Police request, then drive into big car park which located behind of Thai custom.
After chop your passport, next counter for those drivers to submit their JPJ cert and Thailand insurance to issue the temp Thailand RoadTax (White paper).
When going back from Thailand remember to return the White Paper when you depart at custom.
MFM are very useful in SouthThailand and Have a nice journey.

need to get police chop? I heard a lot ppl said no need any chop, just owner car photostat IC, owner IC photostat will do... haiz... so confusing now..

[JasonLee]

Actually you can get original JPJ registration certificate or photostate JPJ registration certificate with chop validation from nearest police station.
Once you approach Changlun R&R shop, there has counter to help ppl fill up white card and buy Thailand card insurance.
In the border show them you JPJ registration certificate if Malaysia Police request, then drive into big car park which located behind of Thai custom.
After chop your passport, next counter for those drivers to submit their JPJ cert and Thailand insurance to issue the temp Thailand RoadTax (White paper).
When going back from Thailand remember to return the White Paper when you depart at custom.
MFM are very useful in SouthThailand and Have a nice journey.

need to get police chop? I heard a lot ppl said no need any chop, just owner car photostat IC, owner IC photostat will do... haiz... so confusing now..

I am afraid you are confusing yourself - not those who are trying to help you.

Bro Maxjohn said that you need to get a chop from the nearest police station IF YOU ARE INTENDING TO USE A PHOTOCOPY OF THE JPJ card. This is to verify that the photocopy is a certified true copy - standard procedure but if you use the original, then there is no need to certify with a chop.

What Bro Maxjohn mentioned about White Paper, is what I told you is the Import Form. You will be importing your car into Thailand albeit for a brief period only.

Your problem is to convince the Malaysian Customs that you are not driving a stolen vehicle and that the legal owner consents to you driving the car out of the country. Just so simple an issue. How you go about proving that the car is not stolen and that the legal owner consents to allow you drive the car out of the country is for you to figure out what will be acceptable to the Malaysian Customs. Don't forget if your car is under finance, there will be a rubber stamp on your JPJ card stating that ownership is claimed by the finance company. As long as the Malaysian Customs sees that, they will want to see an authorisation from the legal owner.

One final word on insurance. Malaysian Insurers have a deal with their Thai counterparts that your Malaysian insurance is valid up to 50Km from the border (same deal in Singapore). Do you wish to face an argument on this score? Is the 50Km line-of-sight or road distance? If by road distance, the centre of Hat Yai is more than 60Km from the border.

Since the 3rd-party Thai insurance is only RM16 for 9 days, it is no big issue to buy. However, that covers only the third party involved in any accident. If your car gets damaged or stolen, you are not covered. If you want that to be covered, you will have to pay extra to your Malaysian insurer. I pay 25% extra on my premium per year to have my comprehensive cover extended to the whole of Thailand.

Hope you are less confused now.

[ajay]

sorry to UP this quite old thread..

i plan to drive to phuket in november via wang kelian. the travelling day is on a sunday. is it recommended to enter thai through wang kelian on a sunday, as it's open for sunday market?

[Rob7711]

sorry to UP this quite old thread..

i plan to drive to phuket in november via wang kelian. the travelling day is on a sunday. is it recommended to enter thai through wang kelian on a sunday, as it's open for sunday market?

Wang Kelian crossing is not as popular as other border crossings viz Bukit Kayu Hitam and Padang Besar. The steep and winding hill climb and down before reaching the border restricts heavy vehicles. As such traffic is much lighter at this crossing. However the gates only open at 8:00am.

[ajay]

sorry to UP this quite old thread..

i plan to drive to phuket in november via wang kelian. the travelling day is on a sunday. is it recommended to enter thai through wang kelian on a sunday, as it's open for sunday market?

Wang Kelian crossing is not as popular as other border crossings viz Bukit Kayu Hitam and Padang Besar. The steep and winding hill climb and down before reaching the border restricts heavy vehicles. As such traffic is much lighter at this crossing. However the gates only open at 8:00am.

i understand about the steep & winding road before reaching the border. in fact, being less popular is my primary reason to choose this route. but my concern is with regards to the crowd at sunday market. will it hinder traffic going into thailand & thus causes jam, which defeats my original intention to avoid traffic?