If you’re feeling adventurous or appreciate the journey as much as the destination for your travels, then travelling from Malaysia to Thailand via train is a fantastic option.
One of the economic options to do this is by taking the KTM inter-city train to Padang Besar, Perlis and then taking an RM6 shuttle train from the Padang Besar KTM station to Hat Yai train station in Thailand which will make a quick stop at the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complex for you to legally cross the border.
However, given that the shuttle train only operates twice a day, many travellers opt to just cross the border by foot or taxi from Padang Besar KTM station and then take a shuttle van to Hat Yai instead.
Continuous closure of the footbridge to ICQS Padang Besar
Well, the ‘by foot’ part might not be a viable option as of now, despite the close distance between Padang Besar KTM station and the ICQS Complex, as the pedestrian bridge linking the two has been closed for quite some time, forcing travellers to either walk quite a far distance or take the taxi.
In fact, since its temporary closure in 2020 for security reasons, access to the footbridge has continued to be closed, with the closure continuously being extended. This is despite its reopening being announced in February last year.
Recently, one Malaysian took to X (former Twitter) to reveal this seemingly arbitrary closure, sharing not 1, not 2, but 5 times KTM changing the expected opening date for the footbridge!
Shared by @maxzchua in two X posts, he attached 5 photos of different notices being put by KTM at the same spot on the closed-off footbridge. The first notice said that the pedestrian bridge was expected to open on 30 October 2023.
The second said an expected 30 November 2023 opening, the next asserted 30 December 2023, then 30 January 2024 and the latest photo announcing the expected opening being 30 April 2024.
In the first X post, @maxzchua asserted,
“In order to safeguard the shared taxi cartel… I don’t think this bridge gonna open anytime soon.”
Meanwhile, on the second X post, @maxzchua said,
“Updated to 30 April ??”
“Forced to take taxi”
In the replies to the X post, one commenter lamented how the closure has made the lives of travellers harder as they’re forced to pay marked-up prices for taxis just to get to ICQS due to there being no other options.
Meanwhile, another commenter sarcastically said that if there was no intention to reopen the footbridge, just build a wall closing off the pathway to the ICQS Complex.
Besides that, several commenters also tagged Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook so that he could take action on the matter.
However, @maxzchua clarified that the footbridge is not under the purview of the Transport Ministry but instead the Home Ministry as it involves an area near the border.
The footbridge is under the purview of the Home Ministry
Back in February 2023, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail announced that the government was building a temporary fenced walkway for the ease of travellers. The fenced walkway will be built through the Railway Assets Corporation (RAC) and is expected to cost RM300,000.
Saifuddin also said that the fenced walkway is a temporary measure while the government is constructing a new pedestrian bridge connecting the Padang Besar KTM station and the ICQS Complex which would cost RM3 million. However, up until now, the new footbridge is still not operational.
Home Minister, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail
[UPDATE]
The footbridge finally reopened on 14 February!
Travellers rejoice! Some 2 weeks after we first shared this story, KTMB and the Railway Assets Corporation announced that the footbridge has opened to the public again since 14 February.
Taking to its official Facebook page, the Railway Assets Corporation said that the pedestrian bridge is open to the public every day from 6am to 10pm.
It is unknown what changed that the Home Ministry allowed the footbridge to reopen earlier than the expected April 2024 time frame announced previously.
So, what do you guys think of the whole situation? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.
