Wah Betong so kheng wan ah...Still in my list for the past few years but evertime last minute decided to cancel..haizzz

BTW, it's far from Hatyai & even from Alor setar..haha...Located on the Northern Perak border instead of Kedah..From Kedah you can take the Baling road & from Perak..use the Kuala kangsar Gerik road ...very farrr...That's one of the reason I keeps on canceling..My aim..Visist the famous PKM tunnel. & also visit comonist camps/ villages This post has been edited by stimix: Jan 5 2011, 03:13 PM

Yeah from Penang to Baling-Pengkalan Hulu not so far..~ 100km nia...but those from the South normally use kuala kangtsar Gerik mah & that's farrrr...

My future trip to Betong still unsure to use K.Kangsar or Kulim way..

Although I haven't been to Betong, but from GPS maps, it's 6km away from the border..or sure you can't walk unless you are sportman

Yes you can ride in..Not sure about bikr procedure bcos I drove in to Thailand. No problem driving there.

For car, buy insurabce, fill up the temp import form & good to go in liao

I might be going to Betong this weekend..Wondering where is the l;ast stop to buy Thai's Car insurance? Pengkalan Hulu? Ayer Panas? Never been to this hulu park of Perak haha

Just came back on one day trip from penang
I have split some of the older posts related to Hatyai & Songkla to this dedicated Betong Thread.

Might edit the 1st pg soon and share some of my Betong day trip photos if hv time.

BTW, On the procedure on driving in, Suprisingly It's abit diff from BKH.

1) If you bring in your photostate Reg card, you need to get it Certified 1st from any Police station. Well I did not and have to U-turn back to the nearest Polise station ~ 4km b4 border

2) You need not buy any Thai Insurance as our car can be driven up Betong and Piyamit communist tunnel area without insurance. Insurance only needed if wanna go Hatyai

3) 100% no need to change to Thai Bath - The whole of Betung embraced RM ..They carried even to the smallest amount

4) Please ensure you return the "Simplified Custom Form" - i.e temporary car import permit because I did not returned mine years ago at BKH and I got summon by Thai Custom!! Not cheap - RM210 wor or thb2100

Betong - Super quiet. Roads so free and motorbikes more than cars. Size bigger abit than Danok but much smaller than Hatyai..eh..probably just 3/4 the size of Krabi or even Trang. Not much things to do at the Town actually except the big post box, the only road tunnel in Thailand, the temple on top of the tunnel & the clock tower.

Ppl go there for the Communist tunnel & nearby hot spring only.

Oh my RM210 fine is the max liao..Yeah RM10/day and I hv not ben driving in since 2008 Actually it's thb2000 (typo earlier) but dunno why they converted it so horrible to RM210 ..Lesson learnt...More exp than the fine I got in Singapore border

This post has been edited by stimix: May 30 2011, 08:06 AM

Abit on my road trip Yesterday:

The imposing nice designed immigration complex (M'sian complex abit too modern and not traditional style. As well as BKH, Everyone including those in the cars have to go down & que up to get their white card, having passport stamped & thereafter walk to the custom side to get the temporary car import permit ..Still no drive-thru like M'sian side



First glimpse of the almost deserted town..Pretty small although having few big high rise hotels:


The main Clock tower.. Arriving at the centre of the town


The famous Post Box - Well there is anothe replica which is bigger than this at the new Post office on the way to Piyamit communist tunnel



The Temple & the only road tunnel in Thailand (I think kua )


Piyamit Tunnel entrance gate:


Piyamit tunnel entrance mouth


Inside the tunnel


BTW, The tunnel is just located opposite the mountain/hill separating Kedah from Thailand. I was told by the e-communist guide that they crossedd over from the other side of Malaysia to Piyamit and built a camp there.

No-lah. i stayed at Royal Penang haha. Just made a day trip there from Penang island. Started !9:15am and reaching border ~11am. My lunch was a clean roadside stall..Tomyum beehoon & nothing to shout about. so-so nia . price..Similar to KL & penang i.e RM4/bowl.


BTW, what is puying?

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Added on May 30, 2011, 7:53 pmOh the lingua franca in this town is Cantonese. The !4 km road from the border to the town ctr is 2 lanes nicely tarred road. On M'sian side is the narrow 1 lane trunk road haha

This post has been edited by stimix: May 30 2011, 07:53 PM

Katoey me know but puying abit new to me..haha..from wiki, phuying is another meaning for Katoey meaning both above also same-lah..probably Katoey - 1/2 tranformed and puying 100% transformed liao like Nong Poy?

Haha..Me really noob when comes to Thai.

Only few words...esp the countimng system bcos having similar chinese sounding haha..

Also knew expensive = Pheng ..remembered well bcos the opposite of cantones for cheap haha

No longer cheap liao lah..A bowl of beehoon soup & Tomyum beehoon I ate at the backk row of the Post Box already cost me RM4/bowl days ago..KL price hor

Day trip can liao-lah very small town..nothing much to do even at nite

So small wor..can walk or drive all the streets in the town within 1 hr haha

For car not under your name, you need a Authorisation letter frrom the owner. no choice.

I tried. wth <5 mth to expiry - No problem passing thru ..Yours too close not sure but you can try. If kenot, just turn back & drop by at Prai/ nearby Imigration for renewal haha

Another faster way> go further using PLUS after Kuala Kangsar to Juru Toll. Turn in to Kulim at Butterworth interchange and use the Kulim Butterworth highway to Kulim > Pengkalan Hulu > Betong// musch faster.. Last time from Penang Island direct to Betong only 1.5hr

You mean you are taking public transport? and need to change bus/taxi at Baling? If by bus no idea.. But if you drive, It's just a straight forward route- Butterworth Kulim Highway> Baling>Pengkalan Hulu and Betong border haha

1) Up till Betong Town & the Communist tunnel. - No need insurance. Further than that you need.

2) You still need authorisation letter to drive in the car. Just a simple one line will do:

For eg..

I hereby authorise so & so to drive my car . can liao lor