BUKIT KAYU HITAM: Exorbitant fees and stringent requirements imposed on travellers to Thailand have become a major turn off for many Malaysians wanting to make a trip there despite borders having reopened since early this month.
Checks at the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complex here showed things remained quiet at the border's checkpoint.
It is understood that the situation was largely due to stringent requirements set by Thai authorities. This includes inbound travellers having to pay at least RM1,000 as an entry fee.
The situation was a stark contrast to the pre-Covid-19 pandemic era as the Bukit Kayu Hitam border check-point was usually swarming with individual travellers and tour buses.
A local tourism player, Ooi Jui Hu, 32, said he and three friends had to fork out RM5,000 to book a hotel in Hatyai.
Other than that, he said they also had to buy insurance coverage worth US$20,000 (RM84,536) with a premium fee of RM500 per person, for a seven-day stay.
"The RM500 premium fee is the cheapest you can get and if you plan to stay longer, you'll have to pay for a higher premium fee depending on how many days you wish to stay there," he said.
"We also have to bear the cost for the RTK swab test of RM350 each upon arrival at the hotel," he said.
Last week, the Immigration Department in a statement said only 6,980 travellers were recorded entering the Bukit Kayu Hitam border check-point, as compared to 160,818 people at Bangunan Sultan Iskandar, Johor Baru, as of April 4.
Lee Ai Choo, 47, who operates cross-border insurance services in Changlun said there was no immediate impact of the border reopening.
"As for now, most of the travellers using the land border check-point at Bukit Kayu Hitam are not driving their own vehicle.
"I think the number of travellers to Thailand will pick up once the Thai authorities ease the requirement imposed on inbound travellers," she said.
Her sentiment was echoed by Napoh eatery operator, Abdul Rashid Mohd Salam, 55.
"I haven't seen anything (economic impact) from the border reopening because most of my clients are still lorry drivers and local residents.
"That is why we decided to only operate between 4pm and late evening during this fasting month," he said.