Thai culture is one of the reasons why many tourists visit the country. — Unsplash
Thailand has long been a popular holiday destination for Malaysian travellers, thanks to its close proximity to the peninsula. Now, the two countries have released a “fun map” to promote cross-border tourism.
Jointly launched by Tourism Malaysia and the Tourism Authority Of Thailand (TAT), the Malaysia & Thailand Self-Drive Route can be used as a guide and reference by travellers who wish to enter Malaysia by self-driving from Thailand.
For now, the self-drive route only involves the border states in Malaysia (Perlis, Kedah, Perak and Penang), where it connects to the southern provinces of Thailand like Satun, Songkhla and Yala. The entry points along the way include Bukit Kayu Hitam and Kota Putra (Durian Burung) in Kedah, Padang Besar and Wang Kelian in Perlis, and Pengkalan Hulu in Perak.
Thailand welcomed over 3.7 million Malaysian tourists between January and September this year, with nearly half the number entering through the Sadao Immigration Checkpoint in Songkhla Province, which is near the Perlis border, according to preliminary statistics.
The Malaysian Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry’s deputy secretary general for tourism Dr Yasmeen Yasim said this partnership can boost the upcoming Visit Malaysia Year 2026 campaign.
“It helps foster a deeper cultural exchange between our two nations. With a timely collaboration such as this, we are optimistic about achieving our target of 2.3 million tourist arrivals from Thailand in 2025. It reflects our shared commitment to strengthening regional ties through tourism,” she said in a statement, published in a press release.
She explained that through efforts like this, Malaysia reaffirms its dedication to promoting seamless cross-border travel, enhancing regional tourism cooperation within Asean, as well as ensuring sustainable growth for our tourism sectors.
The governor of the TAT, Thapanee Kiatphaibool, meanwhile, said in the press release that Malaysia is Thailand’s second largest tourism market after China.
“The Royal Thai Government, through the operation of TAT and the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, continually seeks opportunities to enhance Thailand as a global tourism destination,” she said.
You can download the map from the Malaysia Truly Asia website (https://www.malaysia.travel/explore/malaysia-thailand-self-drive), or get a physical copy from any Tourism Malaysia information centre. The website also lists many places of interests you can visit in the four states, rest stops and toll gates along the highways, and even accommodations registered with the ministry.
