What is TM2/3/4 - Needed for Malaysia ?

[recom273]

Just doing some weekend research.

A guy posted on fb that to enter Malaysia, it was a good idea to print of these forms http://www.rideasia.net/motorcycle-...der-blank-crossing-documents-tm2-tm3-tm4.html and have them ready - they are immigration forms, but what is the purpose ?

I live on the Malay border and regularly ride out through Betong, Sadao, Padang and Satun and in through Padang. The first time, I found an immigration official showed him my green book, and all I could get from him was 'Mai bpen rai'. So these forms are news to me.

The only customs staff I see at any point are lounging in plastic chairs on the incoming side. They have never been concerned let alone approach me.

The fb poster, advised the OP to complete these forms, then stated he was approached by staff at Tak Bai, Naratthiwat to check their bikes back into Thailand with customs.

As far as I knew there was no temp export document needed for Malaysia and I find the best policy is to only do what is asked, if we start producing documents that aren't required then suddenly it becomes mandatory.

I always buy a months insurance, I usually get two rides in on that month, so Im used to dealing with the JPJ. I have a translation document and I gather a lot of people don't even bother one or both of these when entering Malaysia. If you watch the locals, there is nothing more than a passport stamp on the Thai side.

Has anyone else completed these forms to enter Malaysia ?

 

[Lone Rider]

The TM 2 - Information of Conveyance which shows the name, type of vehicle, engine/frame number, etc. is used to prepare the Temporary Export Document for your bike or car but I am not sure if these are required when you do a border hop from Thailand to Malayisa. You do need them for Thailand to Laos border crossings and, depending on which border crossing you use, lots of photocopies of the Green/Blue book, passport etc.

On the Lao side they normally will prepare a temporary import document for your bike/car which, when you leave the country, needs to be returned and sometimes the police will ask for the when they check things

The TM 3 and TM 4 are the Crew and Passenger list which probably are a hold-over from ancient days when people entered by boat. Again not sure if these are used for Malaysia but at the Thai/Laos border crossing they normally ask for them even-though the immigration people just throw them in a drawer probably to be filed later.

As you mention that the Thai Customs/immigration do not ask for them, I would not bother and, in case they suddenly would want them, they should have the forms over there.

 

[recom273]

Thanks for the reply. This makes a lot of sense to me.

I travelled through Chong Mek and sat with the IO shift commander ( or whatever ) and had a ciggy, I remember he summoned the paperwork and he sat and did all the paperwork for me while we chatted - I called into the immigration booth first, he stamped whatever, checked it against the greenbook and guided me next door to the customs booth.
A Pretty stress free service.

I was also told to take plenty of copies of everything too. No copies are retained on the Malay border, the insurance woman copies your passport / translation document and these are stapled to your insurance cover note. The JPJ just enters the info from the application form into a computer and stamps up a 'pass'

Unlike Laos, Malaysia doesnt require you to produce a temp export license before completing your ICP. I'm sure the JPJ would be pretty hot on the required documents before sending you one your way.

Also TM3/4 - If its a passenger list, I think you would be required to complete them coming in on a mini-van - And casting my mind back 10-15 years ago, I think, there was a passenger list passed around the van. It has been 5+ years since a van trip to Penang, so I'm presuming these are long forgotten.

I know the immigration boss at Padang, now I know a little more, I will get the official line from him and then go and speak to the customs guys.

 

[Captain_Slash]

Malaysia requires you to have your bikes green book translated into English as well as your number plate and a licence in English too, nothing else has ever been asked for on my crossings

 

[recom273]

Malaysia requires you to have your bikes green book translated into English as well as your number plate and a licence in English too, nothing else has ever been asked for on my crossings

Exactly - Same here.

It's not really about Malaysia - the forms are Thai immigration although as lonerider says, the TM2 is a document prepared for customs.

Anyway, we both know from experience over a few years what is required and what has never been required .. It was just a Facebook post, strange place, more experts than TVF, however, it would be interesting to find out the "real" process.




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[Lone Rider]

............however, it would be interesting to find out the "real" process.

A bit of an oxymoron in my opinion - Thailand and the "real" process. My experience with Thai border crossings is that each border crossing and probably also each border crossing official has its own rules of what is and what is not required. It can be very frustrating when you don't have what they want/need at a particular border crossing but with a bit (sometimes a lot) of patience, some smiles and jokes and you are over the border

 

[recom273]

I left from Betong on Monday, and for the first time, returned through Betong.

He spotted my bike jacket and handed me 2x TM2 forms - I asked why 2x ? One for outgoing, one for incoming. I told him in Thai that no one had said anything when I was departing, he said, he was telling me now ! wtf
I partially completed 2, handed over my green book so he could do whatever he liked, he took the outgoing and handed me the inbound, scratched my head and folded it up.

 

[recom273]

++ Update ++

I just returned from Cameron Highlands - I disembarked through Sadao, the place is still a bit of a mess but the 'departures' part has been completed, coaches drop off their passengers at the door, then drive around the new building, then instead of parking in the designated coach park - drive around to the exit door and clog up the road for other vehicles. Great planning !

Private vehicles can bypass the main building and there is a immigration booth for vehicles, it still means stopping, leaving the your truck or bike but at least theres no need to queue with the Malaysian coach parties.

Despite being in the vehicle lane and asking how I arrived there - the immigration officer didnt ask me to complete a TM2/3.

On returning to Thailand through Sadao, soaked through to the skin, after getting caught in a thunderstorm the immigrations officer informed me that I needed to complete a TM2/3 which they have combined onto one double sided sheet. I told him that no one had asked me on the way out, he said - doesnt matter, you need to fill these in now.

This is the third time I have been asked to complete these forms, on returning through Natawi, Sadao and Betong. Its becoming enough of a ball ache to keep a couple of sets completed and printed off in the top box.

After returning the water soaked forms, the officer didn't even look at the details, just stamped them and handed one back ( I'm not too sure if he kept the right one )

 

[Lone Rider]

Weird that they ask you to fill in a TM2 when you cross back into Thailand from Malaysia. But then again this is Thailand so maybe I should not be surprised as Thailand and logic don't always go together.

 

[recom273]

Weird that they ask you to fill in a TM2 when you cross back into Thailand from Malaysia. But then again this is Thailand so maybe I should not be surprised as Thailand and logic don't always go together.

I have been crossing the Malaysian border on bikes for many years, just as Capt. Slash.

When I first started, I thought there was some kind of computer database that once registered my bike on would make future crossings easier ( i think i was thinking about the customs database ) and I walked around Padang Bezar immigration point, poking my head in all offices asking what to do when departing Thailand. No one knew what I was talking about, they just waved their hands in the direction of Malaysia "man bpen rai".

Since I made the first post, a few months back, things seem to have changed, its still not asked for when returning through Padang, but at Betong, Natawi and Sadao.
Seeing the printed vinyl signs at Sadao, makes me think that someone above has decided the rules need to be enforced.

The TM2 from Betong seems a first generation official printed form, just as the one available here .. but has printing on the reverse face for a final declaration and signature.

I will pass back through and acquire a fresh copy to scan and post to the library.

The Sadao ones were very faint photocopy, the TM2 from rideasia / Nong Khai printed on one side and the TM3 printed on the reverse.