THE Bukit Kayu Hitam Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) complex saw an unusually heavy flow of vehicles entering Malaysia yesterday as Malaysians caught in the Hatyai floods began returning home.
In contrast, traffic heading into Thailand was markedly sparse, with many travellers opting to delay or cancel planned trips across the border.
Commander of the Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) Bukit Kayu Hitam, Senior Assistant Commissioner Mohd Nasaruddin M Nasir, confirmed the shift in traffic patterns, noting that Malaysians were now steadily making their way back through the checkpoint.
“The number of travellers heading to Thailand has dropped from 9,950 recorded on Friday to just 5,812 on Saturday. This sharp decline shows that many turned back or postponed their trips as soon as they learned of the severe flooding in Hatyai,” he told reporters at the ICQS complex.
He advised the public to postpone trips to Hatyai for at least the next two weeks until flood conditions there fully subside.
Mohd Nasaruddin added that authorities had received no reports of damaged passports or border passes involving Malaysians affected by the floods. - November 24, 2025