Malaysians marrying in southern Thailand urged to enter legally as 70 Malaysians remain detained, mostly over drug-related cases
SONGKHLA: Malaysians planning to get married in southern Thailand have been reminded to enter the country through legal routes and with valid travel documents to ensure that a confirmation letter can be issued by the Consulate General of Malaysia in Songklha.
Malaysia’s Consul General in Songkhla, Ahmad Fahmi Ahmad Sarkawi, said that if they entered the country illegally, such as through unauthorised routes, the consulate would not be able to issue the confirmation letter due to violations of Thai immigration laws.
He added that the consulate’s confirmation letter was important for court procedures related to the registration of the marriage in Malaysia.
“Not many, but there are still (Malaysian couples), as some come to us to request confirmation, but we cannot give it because, in principle, when they enter Thailand and commit an immigration offence, it becomes difficult for the consulate to issue the confirmation.
“We need to respect the laws of Thailand, so I urge Malaysians to understand this,” he said during a visit by a delegation from the Perlis Journalists Association (PWP) to his office at the Consulate General of Malaysia in Songkhla here on Friday (Oct 2).
Meanwhile, Ahmad Fahmi said that, so far, about 70 Malaysians are being held in prisons in southern Thailand, with the highest number in Narathiwat.
He added that the majority of them were being held in connection with drug-related cases.
