Dozens of M’sian holiday-goers unable to enter Thailand due to unresolved passport, tax issues

ALOR SETAR: Dozens of Malaysian holiday-goers wishing to go to Thailand over the long weekend had their dreams dashed at the border due to passport issues, income tax arrears, Customs tax, and unresolved old criminal cases.

Kedah Immigration director Mohd Ridzzuan Mohd Zain said the problems were detected through data obtained from the Bukit Kayu Hitam Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complex.

“There were 10 cases involving damaged passports, such as being torn, water-damaged, missing pages, and having scratches.

“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,” he said in a statement on Monday (Sept 16).

Mohd Ridzwan advised all Malaysians to check their travel status online at the Immigration’s Travel Check System (SSPI) portal to avoid last-minute stress and disappointment before making any plans to travel overseas.

“They only need to enter their MyKad number in the SSPI portal to know whether or not they are on the travel restriction list,” he said. – Bernama