KOTA BARU: Malaysian tourists heading to Southern Thailand are advised to adhere to local laws, including observing speed limits while traveling on the country's highways.
Thailand Tourist Police (Seventh Region) Deputy Chief Lt Col. Sakarin Anusaman Sakul advised Malaysian motorists to maintain a speed of less than 100kph while traveling on highways in Thailand.
"In Thailand, the speed limit on the highway is set at 120kph but l would like to advise Malaysian drivers to drive slowly or less than 100kph because in Thailand, many rural villagers will also sharing same route.
"They will ride bikes or three-wheeled motorcycle along the highway. Therefore, Malaysian drivers who are not familiar with the situation are urged to be more careful.
"Thai tourist police also realise that since the end of last month, many Malaysian tourists have visited Thailand following long public and school holidays.
"I want to give my assurance that the Thai tourist police will ensure Malaysians are well taken care of while travelling in our country," said Sakarin when contacted last night.
Sakarin, who is based in Hatyai, reassured Malaysian tourists that they need not worry if they encounter any issues, as the tourist police are available to assist them.
"We have deployed our officers to the tourist destinations that Malaysian love to visit such as Hatyai and they will be monitoring the areas round-the-clock.
"If Malaysian tourists face any problem, they can go directly to the tourist police who are on mobile to get help. They can also dial the hotline number at 1155," he added
He also advised Malaysian tourists not to rely on Thai agents for booking accommodation.
"If possible, deal with the hotel directly or just walk-in. This to prevent them from being cheated by fake agents.
"Last year alone, more than 50 Malaysian tourists were cheated by fake agents and we (tourist police) helped them to find the hotels. We do not want this to happen to Malaysian tourists again," he added.
It was reported on Tuesday that nearly 100,000 Malaysian tourists took advantage of the long weekend in conjunction with Malaysia Day to vacation in Southern Thailand – contributing more than 1 billion Baht (RM126 mil) to the local economy.