“Jealous” might not be the word you’d expect from a seasoned traveller, but that’s exactly how one Thai man described his feelings toward Malaysians after learning just how powerful their passport really is.
In a now-viral Facebook post by Thai travel page Backpaeger แบกเป้เกอร์, the traveller highlighted just how lucky Malaysians are to hold a passport that opens doors, quite literally.
“Your passport can take you to 178 countries”
He began the post by sharing a striking fact: the Malaysian passport is currently ranked 6th in the world, giving holders the ability to travel to 178 countries without needing to apply for a visa.
FYI: Did you know that the Malaysian passport, our neighbouring country’s passport, is now ranked 6th most powerful in the world?
It allows holders to travel to 178 countries without needing to apply for a visa.”
To illustrate this point, he included a photo taken at an airport in Rome, showing how Malaysian travellers could access the Fast Track immigration lane, skipping the long queues entirely.
The comparison hits hard
From there, he drew a direct comparison with his own country.
As of 2025, Thai passport holders can only travel to around 40 countries visa-free, a number that pales in contrast.
Although he acknowledged that passport rankings may vary slightly year to year, Malaysia has consistently remained among the strongest, with some rankings showing access to 180+ countries.
It was at this point he made his feelings clear:
As a traveler and a citizen from a neighbouring country, I have to say, I’m jealous.”
“I already went beyond the visa-free list”
The traveler also took the opportunity to respond to a common retort often heard in these discussions: that travelers should just be grateful and visit all the visa-free countries first.
“I just want to say, I’ve already gone beyond that.”
He then hinted that he had much more to say on the topic, but preferred to reveal it gradually:
“There’s a lot I want to talk about, but it’s better to say a little at a time because some people can’t handle it when you speak too honestly.”
Even transit visas? Thailand still has to pay
One of the points he did bring up was something many travellers might not know, the issue of transit visa privileges.
While some countries allow transit visa-free access through over 100 destinations, there are still five countries excluded from this benefit.
“There are five countries that still have to pay.
And yes, Thailand is one of them.”
This small but significant detail, he felt, reflected deeper inequalities in global travel access.
The conversation spreads to Threads
As the post gained traction, the discussion eventually found its way to Threads, where many Malaysians began weighing in with their own experiences and a healthy dose of national pride.
One Malaysian user pointed out a surprising fact:
“Malaysia is the only Asian country whose citizens can enter Algeria visa-free. Even UK and US passport holders have to apply!”
Another added:
“Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam 🇳🇱 — used the autogate, didn’t even need to queue. Proud Malaysian 🇲🇾🔥”
But with privilege comes responsibility
While many Malaysians were understandably proud, several also took the opportunity to issue a reminder. With privilege comes responsibility.
“With this kind of global access, Malaysians should behave when travelling abroad.
Don’t work illegally, don’t commit crimes, just don’t do anything that could ruin it for the rest of us.”
