Malaysian tourists complain after hours-long wait at Thai border checkpoint
Local businesses warn of economic impact if issues remain unresolved
Malaysian tourists complained after officials at the Sadao Customs Checkpoint in the southern province of Songkhla made them wait two to three hours to enter Thailand due to delayed document processing.
Senator Chaiyong Maneerungsakun planned to raise the issue of delays at the border checkpoint in Parliament. He revealed that he had received numerous complaints from Malaysian tourists travelling to Thailand in their personal vehicles.
Chaiyong noted that the problem has persisted for many years. Some Malaysian tourists fainted at the customs office due to the long waits, while many others gave up and returned home.
To enter Thailand with their own vehicles, Malaysian nationals must submit the required documents to officials at Sadao Customs Checkpoint. Officers manually check each document one by one, resulting in slow processing times.
Chaiyong suggested adopting an online system similar to that used by immigration. He stated that such a system would not only streamline the process for tourists but also ensure fairness and transparency, similar to how immigration moved from the TM6 form to the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) system.
He added that overcrowding and long queues at Sadao checkpoint seriously damage Thailand’s tourism image. Chaiyong stressed that higher authorities must intervene rather than leaving the matter to local officials.
The President of the Hatyai Songkhla Hostels Association, Sittipong Sittiphatprapa, also raised the same concern during an interview with the Prachachat media outlet. He emphasised that queues at the customs office were even longer during Malaysian holidays.
He stated…
“Do not assume that Malaysian tourists will inevitably come to Thailand. Malaysians bring money to local communities and generate income for the country. Officials must provide convenience and quality service to leave a positive impression and encourage them to return.
If the same problems continue, Malaysians may stop coming, which would significantly affect the Thai economy. The Customs Department must address this before it is too late.”
Sittipong expressed hope that the new government, led by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, would prioritise this issue to maintain and increase the number of tourists from Malaysia.
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