Drive my car from Krabi to Penang, what’s required?

[0zr0cks]

Hi, 

Does anyone have experience with this trip? Would like to know what’s required. I have a Thai licence and the cars blue book in my name

[fxe1200]

You need to have insurance for Malaysia, which is expensive at the border and cheaper through a local agent. You also need to have a sticker with the translated Thai number plate on your car in front and back. You may not drive into Malaysia if your car windows are more than 25% tinted. You must have a valid international drivers license, or an officially translated Thai drivers license. You may not drive with the Thai drivers license in Malaysia for longer than one month. You also must have evidence with you, that you own the vehicle. That's all AFAIK.

Edited March 6, 2020 by fxe1200

[recom273]

I only ride my bike through, but it’s pretty similar for cars.

 

You need a translation of your blue book from Dept. of land transport, you can get this before, I think it takes a day and 20B.

This document will have the translated reg number, which you need to turn into a black sticker. There are plenty of places that will make the sticker in Hat Yai, there are some places near Diana dept. store, any local sticker place will do it, but there are regulation sizes ( which aren’t adhered to )

 

Insurance - I have looked around locally, I couldn’t find a local in agent, the best I found was someone who went to the border and arranged it and then met you before the border.

I get mine from the border, the easiest place is Sadao. It’s best to enter Malaysia before then do all your paperwork in one place. You get insurance for 1 month, 3/6 month and one year.
There are places in Dannock that will sell it but they are a little more expensive than at the border. I also have a contact who will do everything for you, including dealing with JPJ, the land transport dept, but at a cost.

 

If you go to Sadao, you go to the big Zurich insurance tent, which is on the right, after you pass Malay immigration, pick up your insurance, then walk to the brick building next to insurance tent, this is JPJ, the Malaysian equivalent of Thai LTO - take all of your documents, inc driving license and they will give you a recirculation permit, which is like a big tax disc you place in your windscreen. This is free if you do it yourself.

 

They don’t bother about the details too much at Sadao, but if you go to other borders they may check your VIN number and the tinting on your car. They open at 7.00 Malay time, which is 6.00 Thai time, you can count on an hour to do all the papers inc insurance,
 

Where will you leave? If you leave via Sadao, you shouldn’t have to queue at immigration to stamp out, just follow the signs for cars and there is a roadside booth where you can stamp out.
If you go via Satun Wang Prachan, insurance and stickers is in the Thai market but many times they aren’t there and need to call someone to come and sell insurance also JPJ are a bit slow and methodical. You will also waste a lot of time getting to the motorway, which is the fastest route. If you use Padang Bezar, you need to enter Malaysia to get insurance and then go back to JPJ which is in immigration complex. 
 

You should also prepare a 2 copies of TM2, a Thai immigration form that you are taking your car out and who is in it. It’s best to have this ready, sometimes they don’t bother you on the way out but then want you to do both on your return, incoming and outgoing.

 

This is the official way, I have been through dozens of times, although not that recently, there are people that say you don’t need the translation doc, that the insurance people will help you, that they didn’t need the TM2, or license plate, some don’t bother with Insurance / recirculation permit, and they are correct, the insurance people may help you, sometimes JPJ aren’t that worried about translation but sometimes they are and can send you back to Hat Yai to get one, I also know a guy with no insurance that had his bike confiscated on the way to Penang or others were warned to go back and sort their insurance.

 

if you need some numbers, shoot me a PM, I have agents where you can send a photo of your details via LINE and they can supply insurance or do everything for you, but the latter costs but will save you an hour or two at the border. 

 

Edited March 6, 2020 by recom273

[0zr0cks]

2 hours ago, recom273 said:

I only ride my bike through, but it’s pretty similar for cars.

 

You need a translation of your blue book from Dept. of land transport, you can get this before, I think it takes a day and 20B.

This document will have the translated reg number, which you need to turn into a black sticker. There are plenty of places that will make the sticker in Hat Yai, there are some places near Diana dept. store, any local sticker place will do it, but there are regulation sizes ( which aren’t adhered to )

 

Insurance - I have looked around locally, I couldn’t find a local in agent, the best I found was someone who went to the border and arranged it and then met you before the border.

I get mine from the border, the easiest place is Sadao. It’s best to enter Malaysia before then do all your paperwork in one place. You get insurance for 1 month, 3/6 month and one year.
There are places in Dannock that will sell it but they are a little more expensive than at the border. I also have a contact who will do everything for you, including dealing with JPJ, the land transport dept, but at a cost.

 

If you go to Sadao, you go to the big Zurich insurance tent, which is on the right, after you pass Malay immigration, pick up your insurance, then walk to the brick building next to insurance tent, this is JPJ, the Malaysian equivalent of Thai LTO - take all of your documents, inc driving license and they will give you a recirculation permit, which is like a big tax disc you place in your windscreen. This is free if you do it yourself.

 

They don’t bother about the details too much at Sadao, but if you go to other borders they may check your VIN number and the tinting on your car. They open at 7.00 Malay time, which is 6.00 Thai time, you can count on an hour to do all the papers inc insurance,
 

Where will you leave? If you leave via Sadao, you shouldn’t have to queue at immigration to stamp out, just follow the signs for cars and there is a roadside booth where you can stamp out.
If you go via Satun Wang Prachan, insurance and stickers is in the Thai market but many times they aren’t there and need to call someone to come and sell insurance also JPJ are a bit slow and methodical. You will also waste a lot of time getting to the motorway, which is the fastest route. If you use Padang Bezar, you need to enter Malaysia to get insurance and then go back to JPJ which is in immigration complex. 
 

You should also prepare a 2 copies of TM2, a Thai immigration form that you are taking your car out and who is in it. It’s best to have this ready, sometimes they don’t bother you on the way out but then want you to do both on your return, incoming and outgoing.

 

This is the official way, I have been through dozens of times, although not that recently, there are people that say you don’t need the translation doc, that the insurance people will help you, that they didn’t need the TM2, or license plate, some don’t bother with Insurance / recirculation permit, and they are correct, the insurance people may help you, sometimes JPJ aren’t that worried about translation but sometimes they are and can send you back to Hat Yai to get one, I also know a guy with no insurance that had his bike confiscated on the way to Penang or others were warned to go back and sort their insurance.

 

if you need some numbers, shoot me a PM, I have agents where you can send a photo of your details via LINE and they can supply insurance or do everything for you, but the latter costs but will save you an hour or two at the border. 

 

Thanks indeed for your help ????????