Driving To Malaysia

[samran]

Just for those who are interested in doing it...it is very easy.

- Prior to leaving I picked up at the department of land transport a letter translating my numberplates to romanised letters. For this you bring along the car blue book (ownership document) and verification of address from either the emabssy, or if you have one - a Thai ID card. This letter isn't needed for crossing the border, but instead to by registration and insurance in Malaysia.

LEAVING THAILAND

- Crossed the border at Sadao, after driving down from BKK. Crossing out is easy. Unlike the Laos border, where you have to fill in a lengthy application to temporarily export your car, it was explained to me that you don't have to fill one out here. Meaning, you can simply get stamped out of the country, and then drive into Malaysia. For those who are a little risk adverse (like me) there is a 'simplified' version of the temp export form. It was recommended by customs that I do one, given we were driving all the way to KL and would be there for a week.

To get this the simplified 'temp export form', you hand it over the blue book to the customs people, and they input the car chassis number and other vitals into the database, and then print out and stamp the permit. Once you have this, you can get your passport stamped out.

Note: getting the passport stamped requires you to get out of the car, as the need to take your picture when stamping your passport. Not too much of a pain, as you can drive your car right up to the booth.

ENTERING MALAYSIA

We drove the car over the border, by passing any duty free and drove right up to the immigration booths. Handed over our passports (two Thai, one NZ) and were stamped in. No forms to fill in.

One metre beyond the immigration lady, you then pay 3 ringit for the toll road.

You then get waived through customs, or like us, with a lot of luggage, you are given a cursory look by the customs guys.

Insurance and rego in Malaysia

Once through customs, you will note on the right some shops where you can buy insurance. This is where the letter from the Thai Department of Land Transport comes into use. You give this to the insurance guys, and for 800 baht, will issue a (minimum) 1 month 3rd party insurance.

They'll use the letter to produce a license plate sticker, which you stick on the front and back bumper bar of your car.

With the insurance paid for, you head next door to the Malaysian version of the department of land transport. You hand over to insurance letter, the Thai Dept of Land Transport letter, your Thai drivers license, and you'll be issued with a road tax like sticker to put on your front windscreen.

Once done, off you go.

Roads in Malaysia are great. The toll road to KL is pretty good, and roads in KL themselves approach Sinaporean standards, though the driving standards are more like BKK

[apetley]

Thanks for taking the time to write such a detailed report.

[VTR1000]

Also note that the Malaysian authorities do not like tinted windows. Anything over 40% and they can refuse entry.

[torrenova]

Would your presumably 1st class Thai insurance pay for your damage as I note your Malaysian insurance was only 3rd class ?

[teej]

Thanks samran. Good info.

VTR1000, is it true about the tinted windows? Will they flat out refuse entry or is it case-by-case (aka money)?

[samran]

righto....

just got back home an hour ago - great to see people are interested in this. Did the last strech from Chumpon to BKK (HIGHLY recommend the Novotel Chumpon as a great pitstop!). Round trip BKK- Hua Hin- Chumpon - Hat Yai - Cameron Highlands - KL - IKEA - Penang - Hat Yai - Chumpon -BKK.

Two weeks and 3600km all up, wife and 2 year old in tow. Was fantasitic.

To answer some questions and a few observations-

1) Insurance: We've got 1st class Thai insurance (through Safety Insurance). Read the fine print before I left and it is only valid for Thailand. I didn't see any first class insurance on offer at the shops we visited. That isn't to say that there wasn't any, but the shop we went to only hand 3rd party on offer as far as I could tell. Fine for us as our car is 10 years old. The insurance we got was underwritten by Kurnia Insurans (Malaysia) Berhad. www.kurnia.com.my

If you are interested in finding out more the agent at the border, his details are:

Faeza Minti Mat Yusof

Lot no 10. Gerai M.D.K.P

06050 Bukit Kayu Hitam

Kedah

Tel and Fax 049222953.

2) Tinting: It would seem that that most cars in Malaysia are very lightly tinted. I didn't see too many dark tinted ones, and they appeared to be 'important' mercs etc. Ours was lightly tinted - so no worries.

3) Tolls all the way to KL were appox 600 odd baht, give or take. For this, you get a world class express way. Puts anything in Thailand to shame.

4) Petrol in Malaysia is about 19 baht per litre for 97 unleaded. 92 unleaded is also available.

5) Nary a pick up truck, or attached moron driver in sight. The second you cross the border, they seem to vanish.

6) Malaysians don't tend to indicate when changing lanes, though, they tend to keep left if going slower, given that driving in the left lane on a highway in Malaysia isn't going to kill your suspension.

7) Departing Malaysia at Bukit Kayu Hitam is a breeze. The set up there is supurb, as they have totally different sections for cars, busses and trucks. Drive up, hand over passports. Stamp, stamp stamp, and you are through. No car related paperwork at all. The Malaysians were smart, and located their immigration facilities about 400 metres from the actual border.

Continue up the hill, top of the hill, cross into Thailand. CHAOS!!!! Trucks, cars, lorries, coaches all vieing for the same entry into Thailand.

Immigration facilities start 5 metres from the border. Nominally, there are seperate lanes for cars, busses and trucks. Forgetabout it. The second you cross back into Thailand, hang a left and go park your car in the car park. Walk over and line up with everyone else, get stamped back in. Get back in the car and then drive back through the border control area.

If you (like me) filled out a temporary export form, you need to return it. Make sure you have signed it at the bottom, and then hand it back to one of the customs agents who stand and wave the cars through. If you haven't filled one in (see my OP, it appears that you don't have to, but I like to cross all the 't's and dot my 'i's) and you have Thai plates, they simply wave you through.

8) Malaysia, as far a we saw, was very kid friendly. Every RR stop on the express way had playgrounds, clean toilets and changerooms, and the food halls all had high chairs (as well as ever resturant we went to).

9) Plenty of cheap parking available in KL. 5 Ringitt per entry at street level car parks. Leave it overnight, no worries.

Probably more things to write, but too zonked now.

[VTR1000]

VTR1000, is it true about the tinted windows? Will they flat out refuse entry or is it case-by-case (aka money)?

Yes. I went down and had my passport etc stamped into Malaysia. Got the insurance but when the officer in the Ministry of Transport office saw the windows on my car, I was told no way could I go in. They are dark though, 80% but I've previously been into Malaysia in other vehicles, one of which had 'mirror' windows with no problems at all. I did notice that some Thai vehicles were entering Malaysia with all windows down so maybe they know something I don't. Having said that, it might just have been a bad day. In a way I was pleased though because I was taking a couple down to Butterworth and that saved me the journey. Just stuck them into a taxi and I went home .... after a quick stop at the duty free.

[samran]

here are a couple of photos.

1) Well maintained facilities on the Malaysian border.

2) Chaos at the Thai border.

3) The best of Thai roads (it happens sometimes for stretches of 5 - 10kms!!!)

4) The standard of the Malaysian expressway system - same everywhere you go.

[Jingjok]

I also did a similar trip, from Phuket to KL, a few weeks ago. My experience was similar to Samran's: the border is easy. I didn't bother with the customs form at all - one effectively just drives through, a few quick stamps and you're on your way. The vehicle may remain in Malaysia for up to three months.

I was taking my Thai-registered Land Rover to KL for an accident repair (then flew back). Land Rovers are ubiquitous in Malaysia, and the parts and repairs much cheaper than in Thailand.

Like Samran says, the Malaysian roads are excellent. With a stop over in Penang it's a very pleasant trip, and highly recommended.

I've just signed up for a car rally, Singapore-Phuket in April 09. It's only three days, and I do worry about delays at the Thai border (for 50 cars). How long did the crossing take on the way back?

[samran]

I also did a similar trip, from Phuket to KL, a few weeks ago. My experience was similar to Samran's: the border is easy. I didn't bother with the customs form at all - one effectively just drives through, a few quick stamps and you're on your way. The vehicle may remain in Malaysia for up to three months.

I was taking my Thai-registered Land Rover to KL for an accident repair (then flew back). Land Rovers are ubiquitous in Malaysia, and the parts and repairs much cheaper than in Thailand.

Like Samran says, the Malaysian roads are excellent. With a stop over in Penang it's a very pleasant trip, and highly recommended.

I've just signed up for a car rally, Singapore-Phuket in April 09. It's only three days, and I do worry about delays at the Thai border (for 50 cars). How long did the crossing take on the way back?

Can I have details of the rally please, I'd love to hear about it!

As for crossing the border, on the way back, it was a little bit of a pain. As you can see from the photos, on the Malaysian side you simply drive up and hand over your passports while sitting in the car: 45 seconds max.

On the Thai side, maybe 15 mins of pissing about. Once you are through the Thai border gates, I had to park my car, walk over with wife and bubs, queue, and get the PP stamped. There was a bit of pissing about too as I did return the temp export form (which you are right, really isn't needed!).

[Jingjok]

Can I have details of the rally please, I'd love to hear about it!

It's called Cannonball 8000. I first heard about it recently from Top Gear magazine.

http://www.cannonball8000.com/sea/rally-20...aporeLaunch.php

I usually stay in Phuket, but am in UK for a couple of weeks, so went to meet the organiser, Conrad Wall. It sounds like the rally will be great fun, and I was impressed by the arrangements, so I signed up. I'm only the second driver so far. They are looking for fifty cars.

This would not be possible for me were it not for the Malaysia My Second Home scheme! I got a Lamborghini Countach into Malaysia tax free. I can not even imagine what the tax might have been had I tried to import the monster into Thailand

I'll start a thread on here once I have more details.

[Khon Baan Nok]

Thanks a million, I am just now contemplating doing this, and your report is very helpful and confidence-inspiring. Much appreciated...