On 25 February 2016, JOM NAIK KERETAPI embarked on a trip around the Malay Peninsular from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Hat Yai, Thailand with the northbound journey via Sungai Golok on the eastern side of the Malay Peninsular, and the southbound journey via Padang Besar, on the western side of the Malay Peninsular.
The border between Malaysia and Thailand is less than 5 minutes by foot from the Rantau Panjang bus terminal. Our arrival was at around 6am (GMT+8 Malaysia time) and we had to catch the train from Sungai Golok at 6.30am (GMT+7 Thailand time), which leaves us about 90 minutes to get to the railway station.
The checkpoint building is highly visible from the bus terminal as it is located along the same straight stretch of road.
If going by foot, keep to the extreme left.
Toilets are available before accessing the sole immigration counter for pedestrians.
After going through immigration and customs in a walk-through air-conditioned room, you will see this marker and enter Golok Bridge.
On the right of Golok Bridge when walking towards Thailand, you will be able to see the Golok Railway Bridge still standing, once a busy line connecting Sungai Golok with Pasir Mas and Tumpat.
A plaque stands in the middle of the bridge, presumably the official geographical border between Malaysia and Thailand about the history of the bridge. The bridge was opened on 21 May 1973 by the Prime Ministers of Malaysia and Thailand at that time.
The left side view from Golok Bridge towards Thailand.
The walk between the 2 checkpoints is about 5 minutes.
Access the pedestrian checkpoint in the middle of the building.
IMPORTANT: You will need to have RM2 or 20 baht ready with you for an assistant to fill up your immigration card.
Before heading for immigration, an “assistant” will be located in the health office with the immigration cards. If you do not already have one with you (from previous visits or obtaining it from other checkpoints), hand over your passport and money to the “assistant” for him to fill up your details into the immigration card. Once you have signed your immigration card, proceed back out to clear immigration as per normal.
If you do already have Thai immigration cards with you, you may skip the above step and proceed straight for immigration.
If you do not have an immigration card and proceed for immigration, you will be pointed back to the health office anyway.
After paying RM2 and clearing immigration and customs, proceed out where you could walk around 1km to the railway station, or you could hop on to one of these motorcycle taxis to get you there. The trip to the station costs RM5 or 50 baht.
The motorcycle taxi journey would take less than 5 minutes, in time to catch the Ordinary 448 train to Yala.
HI. How to buy that 6.30am ordinary train that u took? I could not find it online. Do u buy it at the counter?
You can only buy it at the counter.