Malaysians urged to take out insurance before driving in Thailand

An activist is urging Malaysians who wish to drive while travelling in Thailand to take out full insurance coverage policies to reduce problems in the case of an accident.

Abdul Halim Othman, also known as Cikgu Joe Satun, is a Malaysian activist living in Satun province in southern Thailand. He said the issue of insurance should be taken seriously because of the high cost of hospital treatment in Thailand.

The activist said that some Malaysians who hop over the border into southern Thailand for short getaways sometimes avoid purchasing insurance either to save money or because they are unaware of the difficulties that can arise while trying to fix the aftermath of an accident.

The activist told Bernama…

“As soon as we step past the Malaysia-Thailand border, even for a short meal in Danok, we are already subject to the regulations of the Thai authorities.

“Insurance will act as our ‘legal aid’ that will come to our rescue. If nothing happens, it’s okay. But if anything does happen, it will be tough without full coverage. So you need to remember this before it really happens.”

Abdul speaks from experience, volunteering to help many Malaysians involved in traffic accidents in Thailand since 2011.

“My wife is from Satun and can speak Thai and Malay, so she acts as an intermediary to deal with authorities or Thai parties involved in the accident.

“On my part, I will contact the Malaysians or the Malaysian ambassador here about the documentation needed. Without either one of us, things can’t be done.”

He reminded Malaysian citizens that insurance is in fact a requirement for any motorists wishing to drive a vehicle on Thailand’s roads.

Four types of insurance are required including compulsory insurance, travel insurance, voluntary insurance and extension 101 insurance.

For Malaysians, it is important to purchase the extension 101 insurance which will cover the Malaysian vehicle, aside from the voluntary insurance which will compensate both parties.

One Malaysian national who broke both of his wrists in a car accident in Thailand, Azizan, bought only basic compulsory insurance. He said the cost of his medical bills was reduced from around 62,000 baht (RM8000) to 23,000 baht (RM3000) with Abdul’s help.

British tourists were also recently warned to double check the conditions of their travel insurance policies to ensure they can receive a payout in the instance of an accident.