Sadao-Dannok Thai: สะเดา is the name of a small town in the Southern Gulf Coast of Southern Thailand, on the border with Malaysia.
The actual border is located at Dannok town 10km south of Sadao town and about 60km from Hat Yai. Thai immigration formalities which is officially called the Sadao Immigration Checkpoint used to be conducted at Sadao town but has since moved to Dannok just before the border gate into Malaysia. The town on the Malaysian side is Bukit Kayu Hitam.
This road crossing is the busiest between Thailand and Malaysia as both Thailand's National Highway 4 which runs all the way to Bangkok via Hat Yai and Malaysia's North-South Expressway which spans the length of the peninsular to Johor Bahru via Kuala Lumpur start from this crossing. Most long distance buses between Singapore , Malaysia and Thailand use this crossing.
Sadao town is the capital of Sadao district. It is basically a junction town where people heading to Padang Besar turn off National Highway 4.
Dannok, which used to be just a few shops clinging on to both sides of the highway just before the border gate, has grown tremendously over the last few years, mostly fed by people crossing the border in search of sleaze and shopping. On both sides of the highway many little lanes lined with karaoke bars and nightclubs, with scantily-dressed bargirls sitting outside.
