Driving To Penang

[kevdulounge]

Next month we're planning to go on a long weekend trip to Penang. We're not going for visa or anything... just visiting :-)

Anyways, we're planning to drive to there. I was wondering how long it'd take to drive from Surrathani to the border. Should we take highway 4 (in thailand) all the way ? I was told we'd need to get the plate translated, and buy an insurance at the border, so I guess we should cross the border before a certain time, right ? Anything else I should know ?

any help - experience - appreciated!

Thanks :-)

kevin

[MSingh]

Around 4 hours or a bit more to the Border if you're driving sensibly.

Not sure why you'd really want to go to Penang for a visit/holiday though if you're not going for a Visa, certainly wouldn't be my choice of Holiday destiantion.

[kevdulounge]

I dunno, I went there a couple of time, 10 years ago, I liked it... But i'd be glad to read your recommandations... Please note that we're not looking for nice beaches to lay down... as we live in samui

[UmpaLumpa]

actually if you dont go for the visa you might see the good side of it: really good indian food (the restaurant at the crossing with chulastreet and the big road was amazing), and good shopping (watches, PS2, etc..)..

[kevdulounge]

actually if you dont go for the visa you might see the good side of it: really good indian food (the restaurant at the crossing with chulastreet and the big road was amazing), and good shopping (watches, PS2, etc..)..

I'm a big indian food fan, thanks for the tip

[gusG]

I'm not sure, but I think I've heard that you have to have some kind of "car passport" issued through your local Land transport Office. Could be wrong.

[mcgriffith]

Have no idea about the car transit requirements....but I will say that I liked Penang when I first visited (many times) in the 1970's, and still enjoyed it when I briefly revisited in Sept 06. Looked up some of my old haunts like the New China Hotel (closed, being remodeled, opening under another name or a mansion for someone), the old Tiger Bar (gone), etc.

My taste has always run to old funky tramp steamer tropical port towns....and Penang still has that aura, though heavily urbanized to the South.

Let us know how your trip went!

[Tony121]

You need to get your blue book translated into english at the vehicle dept where you do your drivers license in lipa noi

If you only have a thai driving license you need this to be translated as well.

You can get insurance and your english plates just after you pass malaysian immigration, there is a row of shops on the right about 50 metres from customs.

Insurance and numbers plates are about thb 1000 for a 3.0 pick up

Then you need to get a tax disc from the malaysian govt which is next to the row of shops

[Tony121]

Best route is turn left from the ferry terminal heading to khanom, then through nakon si thamarrat, and pick up the highway from there.

Also diesel is about half the price of thailand but don't go to the ones right next to the border as some will only give you thb 300 worth.

[MengWan]

Next month we're planning to go on a long weekend trip to Penang. We're not going for visa or anything... just visiting :-)

Anyways, we're planning to drive to there. I was wondering how long it'd take to drive from Surrathani to the border. Should we take highway 4 (in thailand) all the way ? I was told we'd need to get the plate translated, and buy an insurance at the border, so I guess we should cross the border before a certain time, right ? Anything else I should know ?

any help - experience - appreciated!

Thanks :-)

kevin

Hi,

I lived in HatYai for 6 years and wanted to have a trip to Penang too ...

It is very complicated indeed, all the papers you need, especially for the car and even you risk to be blocked if anything's missing at the last minute.

And all of this is costly !

Personally, I abandoned any idea of travelling with my car (I have a "truck" and malays do NOT authorize more than 2 persons in a 2-doors pickup !), preferred the bus or plane, then rented a car on site ...

This solution is easier, cheaper and much less stressful ...

[munggri]

Next month we're planning to go on a long weekend trip to Penang. We're not going for visa or anything... just visiting :-)

Anyways, we're planning to drive to there. I was wondering how long it'd take to drive from Surrathani to the border. Should we take highway 4 (in thailand) all the way ? I was told we'd need to get the plate translated, and buy an insurance at the border, so I guess we should cross the border before a certain time, right ? Anything else I should know ?

any help - experience - appreciated!

Thanks :-)

kevin

I drive from Phuket to Penang every year or so,to renew my "O" visa.It's a stupid way to do a

visa run,but me and the missus treat it as bit of a holiday and that tends to minimise the hassles.

Anyway, maybe some of the following will be of help.

(Last trip July 2007 - 5 runs before that)...

Before you go...

You need a vehicle registration certificate.This is basically an official translation,into english, of the cars

particulars.In Phuket this is issued at the Dept of Land Transport ,in Phuket Town,and it took them a week

to do it,the first time, and cost 50 baht.

The car belongs to my wife and she had to take along her id card,house papers (tabien baan),car registration book,insurance details,Thai driving licence and passport.They needed one copy of everything, as well.

Note that she didn't get her licence translated because I did all the driving in Malaysia.

Check Public holidays.(Thai/Malaysian).I do this to make sure the consulate is open when I go.Maybe you want

to check that you're not arriving during some obscure festival,when things might be shut.

Make up your own romanised number plate stickers,if you want to save some money.I do this with the computer

and some sticky labels.

In addition to the registration cert. I also carry the car insurance details and the blue book and I also carry

photocopies of everything.

I also carry my UK driving licence and an international one.

Run time to the Sadao border checkpoint is about 6.5 hours from Phuket,with one stop for fuel.(Using Huayot and

Trang bypass roads).

As you approach the border the road is blocked and you have to turn left and drive through a customs shed.Usually

there are loads of large trucks parked around.Just drive slowly through.I've only been stopped here once before.

About 3 kms beyond is the actual border crossing.When you get there keep to the left and park or drive past the booths,park and walk back.It's nearly always busy here and finding a parking place can be a pain.

I go to the Farang immigration booth and check out and the the misssus goes to the Thai one.

Since the car belongs to my wife, she takes the paperwork to one of the centre booths and they issue a temporary

export paper/licence.You're supposed to return this paper to them, when you come back.I say supposed to,because

the last time we went through,they didn't issue anything.(The woman who ran the computer wasn't there).

So God knows how relevent or important this is.

I've also heard that you're supposed to present a list of passengers in the car ,to the immigration officer,but I've

never done that and again I don't know how important it is.

Note: I believe the Border is open from nine in the morning, until nine at night - Thai time. (double check).

Don't be caught out by the one hour time difference between Malaysia and Thailand, as well.

Once you are through the Thai checkpoint turn right into the duty free car park.The parking here is free if

you buy more than 100 ringgit worth of goods/services.

As you go in the main entrance there is a desk on your left next to the money exchange.They will sell you insurance.

It cost me 840 baht for a week, for a 7 year old Honda civic.Change some money here as well.You'll need it for the

parking,petrol,tolls,etc.

Also, ask at the desk for a customs and immigration form and fill it in, while you're waiting on them doing the

insurance paperwork.You can get your parking ticket validated at this desk as well.

Leave the car park and turn right and at the Malaysian booths they will stamp passports,etc without you having to

get out of the car.You need to pay 3-4 ringgit at the next adjacent booth,before you can proceed to the

customs check.Once you've cleared customs you need to stop at a small building,about 50 metres past the customs

shed. It's on the right and has a bright blue roof.(U-turn needed).Ask the customs guys and they will point

it out.

In here they will take your insurance paperwork and issue you with a insurance windshield sticker.There is a

small shop next door that will make up some romanised plates for you ... if you haven't brought your own labels.

Now is a good time to bung them on the car.

Once that's squared away then u-turn again and head for Penang.Within the next couple of miles there will be a

small army checkpoint.(Plastic cones across the road).Usually a brief stop here.

The first petrol station is on the left and the petrol is cheaper than in Thailand.I've never had any problem

with how much I could buy, but things change. While you're here buy a map of Penang.....

Even with the map you'll probably find that the one way system in Penang, is a monumental pain in the arse.You'll

also find out that the people in Penang drive in the same manner as the Thais.In Georgetown it seems that no

matter where you stop there will always be someone to charge you for parking.

The Malaysian motorway from the border to the Penang bridge is good and the speed limit is 110 kms/hr.There are

3 sets of tolls to pass and the total cost is around 20 ringgit.Keep to the far left booth at each toll in order

to pay an attendant.It's just a straight road until you get to the bridge turn-off and it's all well sign posted.

There is an alternative road,the scenic route, which runs down the coast and it would probably make for a

slower more interesting drive to Penang with a stop or two along the way.

If I was you I'd stay at a hotel that has it's own car park.I've never had any problems in Penang but why leave a

car with Thai plates on the street.If you stay at a cheapish hotel then you might be looking at 80 ringgit a

night for a double room.(bed and breakfast).

There are loads of restaurants in Georgetown along Chulia street and the Penang road.I like the Star of India

on the road to Batu Feringgi as well.Good old banana leaf cuisine.

There are Chinese and Thai temples to see (Bhuddist ones are on Lorong Bangkok) and there is a funnicular railway

which will take you up to the top of government hill.

If you're into computers check out the shops at the Pranglin mall and the Midlands building.Some things are

cheaper here and there is more availability.

Anyway drive around the island and have a look.

When you cross back into Thailand,take the romanised plates off the car, as soon as possible.If you leave them

on then you risk making yourself a bigger target than usual.

One last thing....if you like Carlsberg beer, then it's still available in Malaysia.I usually stock up on the way

back at the duty free shop.Which I suppose is the main reason for me driving there, in the first place.

(Severely hungover at the minute, hence shitey spelling,etc).

Hope this helps.

Have a good trip.

Edited March 7, 2008 by munggri

[kevdulounge]

wow, many thanks! that's really helpfull!

Two more things : I've got a thai license, but it's a new one (issued in 2008), and it already is in english / thai.. so I guess I don't need to have it translated, right ?

Also, I still have red plates... Altho I'm pretty sure I'll have my perm. plates by then, do you beleive I still can cross the border with red plates / red book ?

Thanks again

[munggri]

wow, many thanks! that's really helpfull!

Two more things : I've got a thai license, but it's a new one (issued in 2008), and it already is in english / thai.. so I guess I don't need to have it translated, right ?

Also, I still have red plates... Altho I'm pretty sure I'll have my perm. plates by then, do you beleive I still can cross the border with red plates / red book ?

Thanks again

I would guess that your licence will be o.k..as I think the translation is needed in order to present

a certified document,in english, to the Malaysians.

I wouldn't go over the border with red plates.I think you might have some problems if you try that.

When you stop at the building with the bright blue roof,they will check your licence,passport and

insurance details,before giving you the insurance windshield sticker.

It's a police/customs post of some description.

Two other things....

You will find more info. at the phuket gazette site...

http://www.phuketgazette.com/issuesanswers...ails.asp?id=688

One section in that report does confuse me .....

On returning to Thailand, you must first prove to Malaysian Customs that you are legally in possession

of the car.They will then give you a permit that will allow you to take the car out of Malaysia.This permit

must be shown to Thai Customs officers when you enter Thailand.

I've never done it this way,although he might be talking about the temporary export paper,that I mentioned, in the previous post.

Fire up google earth and you can zoom into the Sadao border crossing and see some of the buildings

I was writting about.

Cheers.

[Tony121]

I think you will find it a big problem with red plates as your not even meant to drive your car in the evening in thailand.

[kevdulounge]

I think you will find it a big problem with red plates as your not even meant to drive your car in the evening in thailand.

Yeah thought so... anyways, the dealer told me I should get my perm plates anyday now, so it should be ok...

By the way, how come there's so many cars in samui without plates at all ? Is it like driving with red plates at night: nobody gives a dam_n ?