How to travel to Thailand from Malaysia: Visas, transport, costs and more
Thailand has rightfully earned the name ‘the land of smiles’. It’s a fun and friendly place that’s easily accessible from Malaysia - but if you’re planning to travel to Thailand from Malaysia you’ll need to know about the Thailand entry requirements, the best way to get from Malaysia to Thailand and more. This guide has you covered.
Table of content
- Travel to Thailand from Malaysia by car
- What documents do I need to cross the border from Malaysia to Thailand by car?
- Step-by-step on how to enter Thailand from Malaysia by car
- Travel from Malaysia to Thailand by bus
- Travel to Thailand from Malaysia by train
- Travel to Thailand from Malaysia by air
- How do you pay in Thailand?
- How much money do I need per day in Thailand?
- Best SIMs for travelling Thailand
Travel to Thailand from Malaysia by car
The practicality of travel to Thailand from Malaysia depends on precisely where you’re starting from, and where in Thailand you need to be. Driving from KL to the southern parts of Thailand can be done in a day pretty easily - but heading to the northern areas will take a few days to give adequate rest times. With such easy flight options, driving is only really an option if you’re heading somewhere in the border regions - but well worth considering if that’s your plan, or if you want to keep your car with you to allow for more exploration once you arrive.
What documents do I need to cross the border from Malaysia to Thailand by car?
To get across the border to Thailand with your car, you’ll need your own personal documents as well as the documents relating to your vehicle. You must register your car with customs on arrival and again when you leave. You’ll normally need the following in addition to your personal passport:
A valid driver's licence
Vehicle Registration Card
Your vehicle registration and insurance
TM2 Information of Conveyance form.
TM3 Passenger List form if you have passengers
Simplified customs temporary Import/Export form
Additional documents are needed if the car isn’t registered under your own name or if it is a company car.
You’ll need to have all the paperwork related to your vehicle with you as you travel, but the rest of the documents related to customs and entry to Thailand can be downloaded or you can get them at the border.
Step-by-step on how to enter Thailand from Malaysia by car
The process to get over the border isn’t complicated as long as you have all the right paperwork, but it can be time consuming with relatively long wait times at peak hours. Here’s the basic process:
Have your passport stamped and show your vehicle documents at the Malaysian border
Go to the Malaysian customs checkpoint to have your vehicle documents verified
Have your passport stamped and show your vehicle documents at the Thai side of the border
Go to the Thai customs checkpoint to have your vehicle documents verified
Hold on to all of the paperwork you have for the duration of your visit. In particular you need to make sure the immigration officials give you back a copy of the TM2, TM3 and TM6 forms as you may be asked to present these on departure from the country. If you no longer have them, there may be a fine to pay.
Travel from Malaysia to Thailand by bus
There are several different ways you can travel to Thailand from Malaysia by bus, including reasonably comfortable options with full AC and extra features. To give an example, if you want to travel from Kuala Lumpur to Hatyai, there are daily departures with fees from around 70 MYR. Travel to the border point takes around 7 hours 15 minutes, while going on to Hatyai takes a further hour or so. Generally, if you want to go further in Thailand you’ll take the bus to Hatyai and then change there to a second bus to your specific destination.
You can book your tickets online easily with providers like these:
Details correct at time of writing - 10th December 2024
Travel to Thailand from Malaysia by train
You can also take the train from Malaysia to Thailand. To get from KL to Bangkok for example, you’d take one train from Kuala Lumpur’s KL Sentral Station to Padang Besar on the Thai border, and here either a direct train to Bangkok which only goes once a day, or take a shuttle to connect to more services via Hatyai. Trains to Bangkok terminate at Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal.
Trains from KL to the Thai border go 5 times a day and take just over 5 hours. The one train leaving from here to Bangkok departs at 5pm and travels overnight.
Book tickets online with Malaysia Trains.
Travel to Thailand from Malaysia by air
You can fly from Kuala Lumpur to Thailand, to cities including Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Krabi and Hat Yai. From KL to Bangkok takes just over 2 hours, while the flight to Hatyai is about 1 hour 20 minutes.
Flights to Thailand are offered by many different airlines which allows you to choose according to your preferences and budget. Some flights go from other departure airports in Malaysia although you might need to connect in Bangkok If you are headed to a regional airport in Thailand.
How do you pay in Thailand?
In larger cities, tourist hotspots and chain hotels, stores and restaurants, you can usually pay in Thailand with a card. However, as you’ll find in many countries there are still times when cash is needed, for example when buying smaller items or visiting markets. For many travellers, having a low cost international debit card which can be used for card payments and for making cash withdrawals at an ATM as needed is a good solution.
Consider getting a Wise account and card which you can use to spend and withdraw globally with the mid-market rate and low fees from 0.57%. Wise accounts can be topped up in MYR from your bank - and then you can either convert to THB in advance or let the card do the transaction when you pay. You get the mid-market rate in either case, with no foreign transaction fee to pay.
How much money do I need per day in Thailand?
How much your trip to Thailand will cost will depend a lot on what you decide to do while you’re there. There are plenty of budget options - but it’s also a place where you can go big on luxury if you’d like to.
| Cost in Thailand | |
|---|---|
| Accommodation | From around 130 MYR - 5 star options from around 800 MYR in Bangkok |
| Meal | Meal for 2 at a mid-price restaurant in Bangkok - 125 MYR |
Transport | 1 way local transport ticket in Bangkok - 5 MYR |
Best SIMs for travelling Thailand
If you’re heading off from Malaysia to Thailand you don’t want to end up stuck without your phone data. Solve the problem by signing up for a roaming package from your normal telco, or buy a Thai SIM at the border if you prefer. Your options to add roaming depend on the provider you use, but it’s always cheaper to arrange this in advance - for example:
U Mobile - add a travellers package for roaming in Thailand with your normal U Mobile SIM - 14 days available for 35 MYR
Unifi - get an ASEAN roaming for a week from 39 MYR, including unlimited 4G and 5G data
Your best choice for a Thai SIM will depend on your point of entry to the country, and the options available. Major airports will have plenty of options to choose from, but if you’re driving or taking the train over the border you may not have such a wide choice - adding roaming to your local phone might be easier.
Travelling to Thailand? Get your Wise card and save your travel money
You’re in for an amazing trip to Thailand. Make sure you can do as much as possible while you’re there with a low cost Wise card for easy spending and withdrawals.
Open your Wise account and order your Wise card in just a few taps. You can then add money in MYR and spend in THB right away with the Wise virtual card. Wise currency conversion uses the mid-market rate and you can either switch all your MYR to THB in your account to set your budget and lock in the rate, or you can let the card automatically convert for you when you pay or make a withdrawal.
Your Wise account can hold and exchange 40+ currencies, so you can use your Wise card in Thailand and over 150+ other countries, whenever you travel or shop online. Best of all, Wise currency exchange uses the mid-market exchange rate with no minimum balance and no ongoing fees to worry about.
Pricing/fees: Please see Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information
Summary:
Thailand is a super popular destination from Malaysia with everything from bustling cities to peaceful island retreats. No matter where you go there’s great food, interesting things to do and friendly people which makes it a great choice for your next trip. Use this guide to plan and don’t forget to check out Wise for easy ways to manage your money in ringgit and baht side by side, with low costs and the mid-market rate.