Malaysia: Bukit Hayu Hitam > Thailand: Sadao

Oct 2022

Overall, the crossing was fast and easy (on a Singapore-registered bike), took me about 45 mins to depart Malaysia and enter Thailand. I had to show my bike registration, DL, passport, and fill in the requisite forms for my bike and self. I didn't need a Carnet as I was on a Singapore-registered bike. I was given a 30-day entry for bike and self. As this was the end of the Covid-era, I had to fill in some extra paperwork.. Interestingly, I was under the impression there was another step I needed to do to fulfill the border crossing, but when I asked the immigration officer what I needed to do next, he waved me off and stated "go Thailand" in typical Thai "Sanuk" style. I was done, welcome to Thailand!

But regarding insurance, which is required for foreign bikes in Thailand, I had it in my mind that I would buy Thailand moto insurance after passing the border, as I had read of others doing. As I neared the Thai border in Malaysia, I saw a billboard sign advertising Thailand insurance, but I kept trucking, thinking it would be easy to sort out after the border. I expected that there would be insurance sales right after the border, and there were. But there were no people at the kiosks. So I thought, ok, will keep driving and expect to see more kiosks. But there were no more kiosks. Next, I decided I would get insurance in Had Yai. But no one could assist there.

Luckily, I connected with AA Insurance, who worked out a policy, two months of coverage, over $100 USD. In retrospect, the price was expensive (I paid about 10% of that when I entered Thailand from Cambodia later).