Overhaulin'

Hello, I am driving up to Thailand (from Singapore).Please give me hints on what to look out for eg road signs?

Hello, I have a group of 6(Singapore plate) cars that plan to take a drive from Singapore to hat-yai to attend a wedding. Can y'all who have done the border crossings before tell me about the two checkpoints I need to cross? Also road safety tips- eg- signals (in malaysia ands thailand). We will be taking the N/S highway. I know it is better to take a coach, but we've got a lot of time (we're self-employed, small time business partners- 8 of us.) Our cars are all singapore registered, and, in case this is handy, the 6 cars are: Mercedes Benz 190E 2004 Toyota Vios 2006 Hyundai Avante Chevrolet Epica (abt 5-6 ys) 2003 Hyundai Matrix 2005 Daihatsu Materia THANKS A LOT! EXPENSIVE? HELLO? ONLY MINE IS A BENZ AND IT IS FROM LIKE '87!! I have been drivin toKL, but the other people have only been within JOHOR state

Public Comments

1. I think you guys should just get into a lorry, or drive a normal car. The cars that you listed are expensive and you might be rob by those people in Malaysia or Thailand.
2. Better to drive in a convoy for safety precaution because all your cars are with Singapore registration number plates. The road sign boards in Malaysia are in Malay, get someone who understands Malay driving in front to know the direction better. Do not reach the Malaysia and Thailand border between 7.00 pm and 6.00am as it will be closed.(not operating 24 hours). If you guys had no experience driving in Malaysia, it is better to drive in the day. The trip will last for 10 to 12 hours depending the speed you drive and the periods you stop for rest.
3. 8 persons - 6 cars. If that is the total number I would suggest you to reduce the number of cars. Make sure every driver has a co-driver or navigator to keep him/her company. Helps in the long drive. Put your most experienced drivers in the first and last cars to "escort" the team. With a 6 car convoy, you need to be very observant of other faster cars who may want to overtake quickly. Watch your rear mirrors. If the guy flashes his headlights, it is a sign that he is faster and you should give way. Don't have the attitude that you are travelling at speed limit and the right lane belongs to you. Also do not flash your headlights excessively. Some people get offended. Have pre-determined places to stop and rest. Also have a pre-determine signals to between the cars so that the rear cars can signal to the front car they need to stop (switch on headlights) and front car can use hazard lights to signal that he has received the signal. You can see below for the the a good highway map. Areas to watch out for (easy to make mistake or make you wonder if you are on right track) will be Nilai Utara if you want to bypass KL, after Damansara (if you bypassed KL), Ipoh (you pay toll but did not really exited highway and Juru (you exit and there are a few forks in the road and you need to be alert to go to Bukit Kayu Hitam) http://www.plus.com.my/mapp/mapplus.jpg Distance from SG to KL is about 300+km and from KL to Penang is almost 310km. Bukit Kayu Hitam is probably another 140km from Penang. Going to be a long drive but hope you guys enjoy it!
4. Potential problems you may encounter, and precautions to take for such a long drive are: >>Vehicle break-downs on the older cars, esp overheating. Have all cars thoroughly checked for pressure test on radiators, spark plugs, hoses,tyres, wheel alignment, suspension,air-conditioner, etc. Great distance between highway petrol stations. >>Never drive at night, for obvious reasons. Ensure drivers have experienced highway driving and stamina for each 3-4 hr drive. Alternate drivers to avoid tiredness and ensure complete safety. Have a small bowl of nuts and other titbits for the driver to munch on to ensure alertness. >>You have to pay a lot of tolls along the way, quite frustrating and not that cheap when accumulated. >>6 cars WILL cause much delay, now and then. Worst ones are drivers making wrong turnings. 3 would be much more practical and safe enough. There should still be space for the usual emergency spares,First aid box, ground sheets,pail, 5m rope, jumper cable, 1m stick or pipe for multi-purpose use, etc. >>Keep to 115-120kph, park sensibly and near, to avoid unnecessary fines. >>Road directions are generally well-organized but make sure you have large and small scale maps to avoid getting lost, esp in the towns. **It would be great if you could share any interesting or pleasant experiences you have, after your long trip. Many desire to take long drives and try out their cars, too--but lack the necessary experience. Plan well for the trip as it will not be easy as one thinks, and best of luck! Wish you safety and fun. Cheers! :-)))
5. I don't like driving myself, I occasionally have to drive from Singapore to KL alone, and in Thailand using a Thai registered car. The only thing I can add to the useful points above by other answerers is to stay with locals or smaller hotels while you're in Hat Yai, because foreigners have been targeted by the southern Thailand insurgency in recent years. You *would* be drawing attention to yourself with your Singapore registered cars in a convoy. My parents who have driven from Bangkok to the Burmese border and all the way down to Johor had stayed in one of the hotels in Hat Yai or Songkhla that was bombed in 2007. I doubt it was an international chain hotel even. I can't ask my father now to verify as he's asleep.
6. well, i think there are many road signs to thailand once u enter KEDAH or PERLIS. don't worry, you'll be fine. you can always ask the people, they can tell which road to take...