I needed to "recharge" my 12 month multi-O in the next few weeks so I thought I would have a run out for the day on the bike.

I visited Ban Prakob border post which is in Nathawi distict, Songkhla province. Situated about 100 km from Hat Yai.

GPS: 6.4719297085,100.7083322481

The easiest way seems along the AH18, turn right at Chana and down the 4113 to Nathawi and beyond, the AH18 isn't the best road, plenty of tired road and tarmac patches. The 4113 mostly, single carriageway, plenty of redneck drivers overtaking into oncoming traffic.

Plenty of gas stations with 7-11 if you need to fill up or take a break.

On arrival, I was quite surprised to see a young backpacker, as really there is nothing for 10 km's. A immigration officer was also surprised and he asked which bus we arrived on, I pointed to my helmet and the backpacker ignored him. Most of the customers seemed to be local on scooters, I didnt see any lorries and just a handful of pickups.

The departure counter was housed in a large deserted building, and I stamped out and walked back the way in entered.

Back on the bike, the Malaysian kiosks are less than 100m away, I rode around - no need to dismount or remove my helmet, stamped and back into Thailand.

The arrival window is the same office as the departures, the traffic so light, the same IO was manning both windows, along with the same IO boss that asked earlier. All in all, from the time i arrived at the departure window to the time I arrived back to enter into Thailand, was around 5 mins.

I asked for an immigration form, the chatty IO came out of the office to check my passport.

He asked me what I was doing here, "my wife is a teacher in Hat Yai, I'm out on a ride around the country", he checked my Malay stamps then informed me "I couldn't do this", I knew what was coming an played dumb, he said it "looked bad" in my passport if I was to turn around within the same day and I could be sent home to my country. ETS: My passport is new, this is the only visa, and one entry/exit stamp.

I explained to him I had a year non-O visa, and as far as I knew there was no minimum time limit, I showed him the last entry/exit which was a Padang Bezar, exit / entry the same day. It turned out his interpretation of the rules meant I should stay out for one night, I tried to get him to really explain why I needed to stay out for a night, to which he just babbled that I should speak to my friends about the situation in Phuket. He didn't get it when I explained i don't know anyone in Phuket.

He even came up with the reasoning, that I could exit via his border post and enter back in at Sadao or Padang within the same day, which would be fine.

In the end, I understood that he was trying to give me a helpful chat, and he had no intention of denying me entry. I explained I had no change of clothes and was playing golf earlier the next day and that brought the conversation to a head, and he allowed me to enter.

In the local area there are a couple of caves / temples in the mountains and a national park area which may make a good day out from Hat Yai, and in the general direction of the maoist caves but without your own transport, you won't get far.

I don't know where the backpacker was heading at 4.30 PM, there looked to be nothing on the Malaysian side, the whole area was really undeveloped.

If you are riding / driving in, I didn't see a JYJ office ( Jabatab Pengangkutan Jalan / Malay transport office ) office there to get a Malay driving permit, nor were there any places to buy insurance.

The place opens at 7.00 AM until 5.00 PM.

I would really avoid this border post and use Padang Bezar. There is a really informative report here regarding getting to the border from HY / HY airport.

Edited February 24, 201511 yr by recom273

Thanks, this is a very interesting report. AA