Border Pass : Malaysia — Thailand (Booklet Edition 2015)

The issuance of border passes are based on regulations of the Malaysia-Thailand Cross-Border Agreement signed on 28 February 2013 that replaced the Traffic Across the Boundary Between the British Malaya and Thailand agreement that was signed in Bangkok on 24 June 1940.

A new and sleek-looking travel document in the form of booklet replacing the old document, which was in paper form was launched by Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi at the 16th National Immigration Day celebration at the department’s headquarters on 1 December 2014 despite the suggestion for the booklet has been voiced in 1998^[1]. The new passes were to be issued from 2 September 2015 at Pengkalan Hulu (Kroh), Perak, before being extended to other areas in the four bordering states (Perlis, Kedah, Perak and Kelantan), involving 19 immigration offices.

Immigration Department's security and passport director Ibrahim Abdullah said the booklet pass was aimed at enhancing its quality with the introduction of 20 security features. The new booklet format has its datapage printed with Machine Readable Zone (MRZ) which would also speed up travel procedures at entry and exit points. It is also solid and more durable than the paper form which was only a piece of paper.

APPLICATIONS
 
The minor's age was increased from 12 to 15 in 2014. Border pass holders can also choose to include their children’s details of up to eight children in the pass, as long as they were under the age of 12. Travellers above the age of 12 would need to obtain their own border pass.

The applicants must not have been declared bankrupt and must present documentary evidence to show that the applicant resides in either of the bordering states. The simplest evidence is an identification card which states the address of the holder.

The requirement for a photograph was also changed, which previously with blue background. The photograph must meet standards set similar for ICAO biometric passport with white background.


Identification Card could either be MyKad, Army Identification Card, Police Identification Card or Temporary Certificate (JPN.KPPK 09 or 11).

Form Imm 92 must be filled and can only be submitted at all Immigration Department offices of the bordering state or at the immigration offices at the border post.

The fee for the new booklet format when issued in 2015 costs the same as the previous paper-form border pass at RM10.

PHYSICAL OBSERVATIONS
 

 


Page 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15, 15-Back Cover Interior are showing maps of permitted regions on the Thai's side and Malaysia's side as their background.

LANGUAGES

The document was printed in Malay and English. Interesting, no trace of Thai remarks despite the document being intended for usage to and in Thailand.

DOCUMENT & COUNTRY'S NAME
 
NATIONALITY

The nationality of the document's holder is not explicitly mentioned.

These documents are issued to:

1. Citizens of Malaysia who are resident of the states of Kelantan, Perlis, Kedah and Perak (only residence of Hulu Perak) for not less than three years.
2. Permanent Residents of Malaysia (citizen of Thailand) and domiciled in the State of Kelantan, Perlis, Kedah or Perak for more than three (3) years.

VALIDITY

Each document upon issuance will be valid for one year and an expired document can not have its validity extended nor renewed.

GEOGRAPHICAL VALIDITY & PERMITTED COUNTRIES
The pass permits travel to five provinces in the south of Thailand: Satun, Songkhla, Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani. Travelling beyond these agreed points requires ordinary international passports.

Previously, according to standing reciprocal agreement, border pass was made valid to travel by land within 25 km from the border with reference to:
 
A Thai border pass covers four states of Malaysia, namely Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis and Perak (Hulu Perak only). Malaysia however does not accept the request to add Penang into Thai's passes.^[2]

The document allows for visiting relatives, tourism, sports, short-term training, attending seminars, meetings and conferences, or other purposes agreed upon by the authorities.

The crossings can either be by road, railway or ferry. Crossing by air for example into Hat Yai International Airport (HDY) is not permitted and requires an ordinary international passport.

The pass can only be used at entry and exit points as agreed upon by both governments.
   
TRAVELLING

The use of this border pass will require a stamping at all border points and a completed journey must have all four valid immigration stamps. Missing one stamp will cause a delay at the border. Without entry stamp into Thailand, the holder may be accused of illegal entry and without departed, stamp holder may be accused as overstayer during the subsequent trip which may be given a fine.
 
Each visit will be given a Tourist Visa Exemption (Phor30 ผ.30) for entering Thailand for tourism purposes and working is not permitted. 

Under Tourist Visa Exemption Scheme, holders of border passes from Malaysia are granted visa-free travel to Thailand for a period of up to 30 days. Previously, the paper form only allows a stay of up to 7 days.

While the exemption is granted at most twice in a calendar year when entering overland or via a sea border but there is no limitation when entering by air for other countries, Malaysian nationals do not have a limitation on the number of visa-exempt entries.

IMMIGRATION TIPPING

Tipping at a certain point has become common within Thai culture. Crossing the border would require tipping (known colloquially in Malay as duit kopi) to the Thai immigration officer in charge.

It started many years ago when Malaysians who travelled to Thailand were required to receive a malaria injection and those who don’t want to be injected paid the officers on duty.

It is believed that the practice of demanding a ringgit or two has been in place for more than 20 years. It is so widespread that some officers will refuse to stamp the passport or hold on to the passport until payment is made and most rampant at Danok and Padang Besar.

The Royal Thai Police’s Immigration Bureau is trying to clamp down on excessive demands for tips by its officers manning its land checkpoints with Malaysia and has put prominent posters with the wording “No other fees charged in passing this border (during office hours).” at every immigration counter on 12 July 2017. The bureau has ordered its immigration officers not to “impose any charges” for visitors entering Thailand during “office hours” (between 9 am and 6 pm). Any immigration transaction before 9 am or after 6 pm constitutes “overtime” by Thai immigration standards, which explains the sense of entitlement to get a ringgit or two from travellers.^[3]

OVERSTAYING IN THAILAND

Overstayer will be fined 500 baht per day and a maximum of 20,000 baht.

OFFICIAL REMARKS

Official remarks regarding the document's validity and permitted region were printed in Malay and English on the interior side of the front page.
 
APPLICATION FORM IMM.92


 

Footnotes

1. ^{^} _, (1998, Feb 18), Imigresen Cadang Pas Sempadan Bentuk Buku. Utusan Malaysia.
2. ^{^} _, (2010, Dec 17), Perluas jarak pas sempadan Thai ditolak. Utusan Malaysia.
3. ^{^} _, (2017, Jul 13), Thai immigration orders officers to stop imposing charges on visitors. The Star (Malaysia).