Drive To Thailand

Documents that you need to drive to Thailand.

1) Original Registration Card ( This is the official requirement, I have seen some using photocopy as well )

2) If you are not the car owner, get the authorisation letter from the car owner.

Before you cross the border, you need to purchase Thai insurance to cover the 3rd party in Thailand.

There are 2 insurance here. The first one is the Insurance that you purchase at the border. That  insurance cover 3rd party in Thailand but not your own vehicle. The insurance cost about RM15 for about a week coverage. This is compulsory.

In order to cover your own vehicle, you need to purchase from your local insurance company to cover your stay at Thailand.

However, this is optional if you do not think it is necessary.

The most convenient way is to purchase an extension from your existing insurance company.

For Kurnia Insurance, the insurance premium is 20% of the 1st party insurance that you pay in Malaysia for 30 days coverage. For example, if your car 1st party premium is RM1,000.00, then you need to pay additional RM200.oo for 30days coverage in Thailand. You need to inform the insurance company before you go and when you return. Multiple entry is permitted.

For MSIG insurance, coverage for less then a week is 20% of your existing premium x 1/8. Less then 1 month is 20% of your existing premium x 1/4.  That means if your premium is RM1,000.00, the coverage for less then 1 week is RM25.00, less then 1 month is RMRM50.00

Please call your insurance company to find out more.

You can purchase the Thai insurance at any agency at Changlun town, usually those restaurant cum rest area along the highway after Changlun town offer this services.  You can have the agent to fill up the Thai arrival card/white card at RM1 each. There are a few restaurant / rest area besides the highway after Changlun town toward Bukit Kayu Hitam like the photo below.

This is the insurance document that you will get from the agent.

After you get your Thai Arrival Card/White Card and Insurance done, proceed to Bukit Kayu Hitam Check Point.

Passing through the Malaysia custom is very simple, just drive to the available counter and hand over your passport ( Passenger does not need to get down from car ). Once its done, we proceed to Thailand border where we need to park our car at the parking area and everyone must get down from the car and proceed to the immigration office. Once the passport is stamped, the car owner must proceed to custom counter in the middle of the drive through lane to obtain a car entry permit.

All you need to do is hand over the passport and the car registration card to the officer and he/she will print out a copy of the car entry permit to you.

You must proceed to the next counter in front of you to hand in the car entry permit to another officer ( The officer will ask you to sign on the car entry permit ), once you hand over the car entry permit to the officer, you can now proceed back to your car and drive through the custom, as you pass the custom, the officer will return the car entry form that you submited early on, please have a quick check to make sure that you collect the correct car entry permit.

Please keep the car import permit safely as you need to return to copy to the custom when you return to Malaysia.  Please take note that you can exit in any other checkpoint.

All done and Sawadee Khrap, welcome to Thailand.

On return, if the traffic is less, you may park your car at the counter area and return the car import permit at the custom counter, you are required to sign a log book. Please take note that you car must park in front of the custom counter when you return the document.

If the traffic is heavy, then I will suggest your go straight to the custom counter ( In the middle of the driving lane ), return the car import permit, and park you car at the car park.  Then only you proceed to the immigration counter to stamp your passport. After that back to the car park and drive straight back to Malaysia.

Back to Malaysia is a simple process by hand over the passport to the immigration counter, all passenger remain in car. The custom check point is right after the immigration. Do as what the customer officer told and answer politely.