Thai Hostages Still Missing a Year After Hamas Attack

[12DrinkMore]

Got back yesterday, so this is all the latest

Malaysia

Take Green Book, translation from the Land Transport dept (which they will only give you in the province the bike is registered or a border province), fix new number plate with translated characters as shown on the Green Book translation. You can buy insurance for Malaysia at the border, except on the day I went (Sunday) when the office was closed. This was a bit dodgy, as I was stopped shortly after the border and asked if I had insurance. Giving my best convincing steady look in the eye, I lied and didn't have to produce anything.

Next day I went to a Kurnia office and sorted out the insurance. A new regulation in Malaysia is that now all bike under 10 years old have to have fully comprehensive insurance. I ended up paying over 100 Ringitts (1,000 baht plus) for a few days insurance . And spending around two hours due to being bounced from person to person and telephone to telephone, plus "the computer system is slow today"

After that no problems, bikes do not pay tolls on the motorways, just take the scenic narrow bike lane on the left about 50 metres before the "Toll Plazas".

Singapore

Now you really want to consider whether you want to do this. After all the hassles I recommend leaving the bike in Malaysia. But, as they say, "up to you".

There are two bridges into Singapore, Bridge number one out of Johor and bridge number 2.

If you take the bridge number 2 be aware that this is the only place in Malaysia that bikes have to pay the road toll. To make it even more difficult cash is not an acceptable medium of payment, you need one of the prepaid "touch 'n go" cards. As by this time you are sitting in a narrow bike lane with a line of bikes behind you and a barrier in front, this is a smallish problem. The solution is to give the guy behind you 2 Ringitts and use his card. The toll is about 1.70 Ringitts. This worked on the way in and the way out.

The other bridge to Singapore out of Johor is best avoided during the motocy' rush hour; which starts at 04:00 am and goes on to way past 09:00. Unless you want to feel part of a massive bike community, and I mean MASSIVE. Take a book, and be prepared to slowly inch by painful inch push your bike to the immigration official, no engines allowed, no honking, no smoking and no chewing gum. No protection from the rain or the sun either. Presumably the same problem exists in the evening coming out of Singapore.

So, now the fun really starts.

You have been stamped in, but the bike still has to be dealt with.

Step 1: Park bike and start walking to the LTA (Land Transport Authority Office).

Step 2. Get told by an official that you can't park the bike there; go back and move bike.

Step 3. Pick up some nice brochures about "Autopasses" and "ERPs" and fill in the form.

Step 4. Stand in a queue and watch a series of people getting frustrated about the inflexible system until its your turn.

Step 5. Present the tax disk, passport, Green Book, Green Book translation, Malaysian insurance document, which states clearly "valid in Singapore". Now wait whilst the whole thing proceeds up the Authority Pyramid until the judgement from the top is passed all the way back down to. In my case the decision was that the Malaysian insurance policy was not acceptable because my bike was registered in Thailand and I needed Singporean Insurance. OK, how much? That will be 47 Dollars and 50 Cents for one day, around 1,000 Baht.

Right OK, now you need to purchase an Autopass Card so that you can pay any road tolls etc. A mere 10 Dollars and you will be in posession of a nice green and yellow card.

Now the Big Decision Time. To ERP or not to ERP. ERP = Electronic Road Pricing. Having a motorcycle we are unfortunately at a big disadvantage to those needing the support of four wheels. These guys can select the easy option of paying 5 Dollars/day flat rate. The ERP system is basically a dynamic charging system on certain roads, certain areas at certain times (which may or may not change at random). in order to do this, they have erected horrible gantries above the roads and all traffic passing under the gantries has to have an IU (In-Vehicle Unit) fitted.

Motorcyles have three options.

1. Buy a unit for 155,80 Dollars (including installtion!)

2. Rent a unit for 5.15 Dollars/day (minimum 2 days) / deposit 125 Dollars.

3. Avoid the gantries when they are active (generally rush hours, working hours in the "business area" and lunchtimes. The fine for gaily passing under a gantry with an IU is 70 Dollars every time. Which is a bit heavy, you will get the bill on leaving Singapore....

More info on www.lta.gov.sg

I went for option 3.

After that everything was OK, except that riding in Singapore is not a fun experience, parking is a pain and watching out for the gantries is a stress.

Next time, if there is one, I will park the bike in the new multistory car park in Johor for 20 Baht/day and walk to the huge terminal building and take a bus for a few Baht and then travel on public transport.

Oh, and the remaining couple of Dollars on the Autopass card can be claimed back by

"Submitting the Autopass Card with the refund application, a photocopy of the vehicle's registration card/insurance and the vehicle owner's passport

A check with the remaining cash will be mailed to you"

Think I'll pass on that, Singapore. Enough bureaucracy is enough, thank you.

[djayz]

Thanks for the update. Interesting. Just out of curiosity have you ever taken a bike over to Laos or Cambodia? Is this problematic?

Am heading that way in about 2 months and really wanted to take my bike with me (it's only a small Honda - but it's exactly what I need/want). Ta!

Edited June 12, 2010 by djayz

[12DrinkMore]

Thanks for the update. Interesting. Just out of curiosity have you ever taken a bike over to Laos or Cambodia? Is this problematic?

Am heading that way in about 2 months and really wanted to take my bike with me (it's only a small Honda - but it's exactly what I need/want). Ta!

Hi, nope, not yet, but it has been done, apparently not too much hassle. Check out the GT Riders site for info.