39 Malaysian tourists denied entry to Thailand due to passport and tax issues

By Linh Le September 16, 2024 | 11:58 pm PT

The local authorities reported that 39 Malaysian nationals were barred from entering Thailand at the border during the Malaysia Day holiday, owing to unresolved issues with their passports, outstanding tax debts, and past criminal records.

Tourists visit Wat Arun temple in Bangkok, Thailand, Jan. 18, 2023. Photo by Reuters

"There were 10 cases involving damaged passports, such as being torn, water-damaged, missing pages, and having scratches," Kedah Immigration Director Mohd Ridzzuan Mohd Zain detailed the issues in a statement on Monday, as quoted by The Star.

"There were also 20 cases related to income tax arrears and nine cases involving Customs issues, making this cross-border journey more challenging for those involved,"

These discrepancies were detected using data from the Bukit Kayu Hitam Immigration, Customs, Quarantine, and Security Complex.

Mohd Ridzzuan thus recommends that all Malaysians confirm their travel eligibility online using the Immigration’s Travel Check System portal before making any international travel plans to avoid such complications.

With Malaysia Day coinciding with the birthday of Prophet Muhammad on Sep. 16 this year, Malaysians enjoyed a three-day holiday, extended by a replacement day off on Sep. 17 for some private sector employees.

According to The Sun Malaysia, nearly 100,000 Malaysian tourists traveled to Southern Thailand over the holiday, injecting over 1 billion baht (US$30,068) into the local economy.