It may sound daunting, but driving up to Malaysia or even to Thailand is not only very possible, it's also becoming increasingly popular as a drive-up holiday. With the help of one of our readers David Thomson, we've compiled a guide to help you prepare for the journey. David has not only done the drive-up, he also writes pretty well and he has taken the trouble to put it all down to share with our readers. So take a deep breath and read on...

For the avid motorist it is now more possible than ever to drive to Malaysia and Thailand. Malaysia with its new North South Expressway and developing tourism plus Thailand’s relaxation of car importation restrictions mean that not only is a road trip now possible but also enjoyable. Whether it be a quick jaunt over the causeway to Johor Bahru or an epic journey to Bangkok this guide is meant to help you prepare for the journey. At a later date I hope to update the page with regards to crossing into Laos.

Before the journey:
Car Service Check List
Eleven Rules for Driving
Preparing to Drive
Safety tips

On the Road:
Tolls and toll booths
The North-South Expressway (NSE)
Thai highways
Border crossings
Entering Thailand

Useful Links
The following are some links related to the above subject:

Import of Vehicle into Thailand - www.geocities.com/TheTropics/4893/vehicle.htm (Part of a larger web site that has helpful hints for living in Thailand)

Tourism Authority of Thailand Car Import page
http://expo.nectec.or.th/tat/general/import_tips.html (TAT’s perspective)

Singapore Automobile Association
www.aas.com.sg/intro.htm (The AAS run guided driving holidays into Malaysia and Thailand)

Malaysian Road Transport Department
http://corp.jkr.gov.my/jln/hari-jkr/road1.htm (Basic site but with links to Tourist pages as well)

Bike riding in North Thailand
www.geocities.com/MotorCity/5354/import.html (Useful hints for travelling in Thailand and beyond – written for bikes but a lot counts for cars as well)

We also have some information about driving to Malacca, including information about the sights, food and hotels in Malacca. See our Malacca City Tour or Malacca Outskirts.

• Driving from Singapore to Malacca

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