Hat yai: Ten Proton X50 owners affected by the floods in Hat Yai breathed a sigh of relief after the ‘family’ of the sport utility vehicle (SUV) rallied together to provide financial assistance for towing their vehicles back to Malaysia.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Muhammad Aliff Ikhwan Ahmad, 31, from the X50 Kedah Crew club, mentioned that he and other members had organized several fun drives to Hat Yai, with most participants typically opting for basic vehicle insurance while in the neighboring country. He noted that they usually do not take an extension to their existing Malaysian insurance for overseas cover, and the massive floods were an unexpected event. Stranded in Hat Yai from November 21 to 27, the group used funds collected by the X50 Kedah club and other X50 clubs across Malaysia to arrange their own tow trucks.

Muhammad Aliff explained that towing each affected vehicle from hotels in Hat Yai to the Proton service center in Alor Setar cost approximately RM1,100. He expressed gratitude to all X50 Kedah members for their support during the crisis. The members also pooled resources to rent boats, pay for food delivery, and hire transportation from Hat Yai to the border. He extended thanks to other X50 clubs that contributed and assisted during their time of difficulty.

Meanwhile, Travelthai.my operator Ammar Wafiy Johari highlighted the gap in insurance coverage for Malaysians driving into Thailand. He stated that while compulsory insurance (CI), voluntary insurance (VI), and travel insurance (TI) are purchased for entry into Thailand, they do not cover vehicles involved in disasters. He urged travelers to consider adding Extension 101 (E101) to their existing Malaysian insurance policies for additional disaster cover, emphasizing that the recent severe floods should serve as a reminder for securing comprehensive insurance before traveling to Thailand.