Buy insurance if driving to Thailand

Article source: The Star

ALOR STAR: Malaysians driving into Thailand are advised to bring along their original car registration cards and buy Thai insurance.

Malaysian vehicles without these documents are liable to be seized by Thai authorities, said Kedah Road Transport Department (JPJ) director Ishak Ali.

He said most Malaysians brought along only a copy of the car grant instead of the original.

“It is important for Malaysians to buy (car) insurance sold at the Malaysia-Thailand border apart from obeying the rules and regulations imposed by the Thai authorities,” he added.

He was asked to comment on a recent newspaper report that Thai authorities had auctioned off 324 vehicles worth RM15mil belonging to Malaysian citizens that were seized for various offences last year.

Ishak said the Thai authorities would not accept photocopies of the car grant or if the owner’s name was not the same as the one on the grant, as they feared the vehicles could have been stolen or were being smuggled in.

Normally in such a situation, the vehicles would be seized, but Thai authorities would allow the driver a certain period to show proof of ownership, he said.

However, Ishak said, the rules were only imposed on those who wanted to go further than the 2km limit from border towns.

For those going through Kedah, the two towns within the 2km area are Bukit Kayu Hitam in Malaysia and Danok in Thailand. – Bernama