Where to Elope | How to Elope

For Muslims: Where and How to Elope

For Muslims in Malaysia who are wondering where to elope or how to elope:

Where to Elope

If, according to sharia law, the two of you can marry, but are prevented from doing so for whatever reason, the best place to elope is the office of the Islamic Committee of Songkhla in Khlong Hae, Songkhla, or the office of the Islamic Committee of Phatthalung in Tamot, Phatthalung. Both places are in Southern Thailand, just North of Kedah.

The choice of Songkhla and Phatthalung as the best answer to the question where to elope is because of the following:

1. The office of the Islamic Committee of Songkhla and Pahatthalung are recognized by JAKIM as places for Malaysian Muslim couples to nikah.
2. Songkhla and Phatthalung are safe compared to Yala, Narathiwat or Pattani where rioting and bombing are going on almost every day. There are no riotings or bombings in Songkhla.
3. Songkhla is the location of the ONLY office of the Consulate General of Malaysia for the whole of Southern Thailand. In order to register your nikah in Malaysia, a confirmation letter from the Consulate General's office will be required. If you marry anywhere else in Southern Thailand other than Songkhla or Phatthalung, you will have to travel far to the Malaysian Consulate in Songkhla in order to get the Consulate confirmation letter.

How to Elope

Now that you know where to elope, the question to be answered is how to elope. Or, to put it in better terms, how to marry in Songkhla or Phatthalung.

You need to bring along a valid travel document, such as an International Passport or a Border Pass. The Border Pass can only be obtained by residents of Perlis, Kedah, Perak and Kelantang. You must have stayed at least 3 years in any of those states before you can apply for a border pass to enter Thailand.

Bring also you identity card and a camera or a phone that can capture video. We will make a video recording of the akad nikah, to be used as evidence in the sharia court later on.

If you are a divorced woman, brling along your original divorce certificate. If you are a widow, bring along your deceased husband's death certificate.

We will wait for you at the Duty Free Complex in Bukit Kayu Hitam. The best time for you to get there is at 8am on a working day. The nikah process will need 2 working days. At the end of the second day, we will send you back to Bukit Kayu Hitam for your journey home as a married couple. You will return to Malaysia with a complete set of documents, including the confirmation letter from the Malaysian Consulate in Songkhla.