Border crossing at Pengkalan Kubor, can you cross on foot or with car

[tomtaylor1]

Am thinking of driving to Malaysia and crossing at Pengkalan Kubor is this possible, have passport for the car, what about insurance, can you buy just for a few weeks or does it have to be for 1 year.

Alternatively can we park up safely and cross on foot, we wish to end up in either Tumpat or Khota Baharu and take the jungle train to Singapore.

Any information would be thank fully received.

Regards Tom

[Rooo]

Moving to SEA forum & leaving link in Southern.

[recom273]

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/386787-narathiwat-visa-run/

I haven't been to Narathiwat town for many years now. You can buy your car insurance in Hat Yai and also in Sungai Kolok, from agents around the train station. Im sure you can buy 3 month policies. No reason to think there wouldn't still be an agency in Narathiwat.

You will also need a translated number plate, I'm sure the insurance agent can suggest a place.

I don't know the route of the train, but looking at google maps, Tumpat is the end of the line, then KB then onto Pasir Mas .. Pasir Mas is closer to Sugai Kolok and maybe a more convenient crossing.

If you want to drive to Malaysia then leave your car in a carpark, then I would suggest Pasir Mas to be a safer place. There is a taxi office ( not far from the station / next to a small market ) out of sight of the road with a large car park by the station, the guys there speak Thai, maybe they could hook you up.

Im sure the agents by Sungai train station also offer secure parking - then you could just motor down there, walk over and catch the bus to KB, its about 50 minutes in a bus.

Im sure Kolok is more set-up for this kind of request, things seem to be pretty calm there, but as you move closer to Narathiwat town, you will see things change, more army foot patrols, people leaving their bike seats up to show there are no bombs under the seats.

[phuketrichard]

u need a permission letter from the motor vehicle dept ( its just the translation of your blue book) takes a day cost 50 baht

insurance min is 1 month ( 2 months ago it was 800 baht for a honda civic) u can get the English translation stickers at the border same place u buy the insurance.

Make sure u window tint is less than 40%. Last trip they would not let me thru at Sadao and had to strip mine off, ( they have the small hand held meter there to check ) other crossings do not

I have not entered there but did exit there in April

Kota Bahru is a nice small town , good food an overpriced accommodations compared to Thailand

[dabhand]

I used this crossing many times back in the 90's. But I was crossing from PK to Tak Bai, the Thai border post, with the crossing by ferry - occasionally by long-tail boat if I had missed the last ferry!!

I would usually park my car in a secure car park at the rear of a local shop. That would cost a few RM's but was only an over-nighter. longer term was no doubt possible, but you would have to ask around for that. The taxi stand would be my first port of call. Or you may wish to head for the train station at Tumpat and take your chances of getting a carpark there. I passed the station when heading towards PK but cannot recall seeing a carpark. Likely to be one, but maybe not secure, but asking around should give you a location.

Normally I would stay at the Tak Bai Lagoon Resort, about 2kms from the border, basic rooms but with an open restaurant looking onto the lagoon. Very pleasant outlook. The owner back then was a Swiss guy, I think, but it was run by his wife, who spoke excellent english. That may have changed. So, if you had any issues crossing at the border you could use this place as a base while you get sorted.

As well as being off the main road, it also had a decent sized parking area so you may be able to set up an arrangement to have your car parked there during your travel in Malaysia. Then you would have no issues getting over the border - a 5min ferry ride - and pick up a taxi in PK to take you to Tumpat for the train to Singapore.

Now, I am basing my comments on past experience so the current status would need some review.

Best of luck.

[tomtaylor1]

Hi All, thank you for the information given, much appreciated.

Tom