sipi

The "experts" that "copy and paste" wikipedia are annoying, especially when they post at 2am Thai time. Have they ever been to Thailand?

The crossing at Three Pagoda Pass is open to Thais and Burmese only.

I've crossed there, but only on a 1 day visa given to me at the border. There was a small fee, a photo taken, and a one sheet visa paper issued. Had to return before midnight. We just went to shop in the border town.

And Thank-you. Another one who has actually been there physically, and not in their dreams.

Perhaps related to the idea of being refused exit from a country:

A good number of years ago, I'd just finished working for one year with the appropriate one year visa in Japan. However, as a result of initial timing and a few days before leaving, I was actually there for 53 weeks.

Airport in Tokyo and I was refused by Japanese immigration of leaving Japan. I was "without a visa" and therefore could not leave. Eventually, they issued me another full one year visa (working) so that I could actually get on the plane back to my home country.

Weird, as with that visa, I could have walked out of the airport and remained in the country for another year, legally, and found myself another job!

I know the Three Pagodas border is variable, but years past, I have managed day trips across just to look about the Mon village.

Oh Thank-You JusMe. Finally someone who knows what he (or she) is talking about.

Oh. I forgot. My THAI Wife and Son!

Oh come on now...... how do you expect us to believe all you have written and then you left Thailand ....... and "forgot my Thai wife and Son." ????

You were so worried that someone wanted a bribe, that it upset you so much you forgot your Thai wife and son ????

Hope you left them some lunch money at least.

What are you ranting about? I forgot to mention in the previous post that my wife and son are Thai. I didn't forget them in Thailand.

The suggestion that he was looking for a bribe came from the Thais themselves, as there was no other explaination

As has been pointed out to you many, many times already on this thread: that border crossing is closed, so that is the only explanation. for his behaviour. He refused you because you would not have been allowed entry into Myanmar.

Your info is plain and simply wrong.

Oh Lord, you're kidding me. It is closed, now. It was open and I had the right paperwork. Which part is so confusing. Open...O P E N

Oh. I forgot. My THAI Wife and Son!

I am aware that the 3 pagodas pass periodically opens and closes, depending on conflict; and is now permanently closed. I checked with the Police at Sangklaburi and it was definately open at the time. The hotel staff were stunned when I told them what had happened. And no, this wasn't "in my imagination". Have any of you actually been to that particular border crossing, or are just google experts?

OK, so let's just state facts. You had no Myanmar visa, no day pass, and did not look if indeed was possible to get one, correct ?

But based on what you interpreted as a request for a bribe, instead of asking how much and for what, you had a sudden rise of pride and decided to travel all the way back to Bangkok to take a flight instead, correct ?

And then that pass is surely closed "now", but it was open back then, even if it is not said when.

Totally incorrect.Where the hell did you get that info from?!.

I was staying in a hotel in Sangklaburi and mentioned to the owner that I was going to 3 Pagodas Pass to take some photos. He told me that the border had been open for 2 days, and why don't I go over and get some photos in the village. He took me to the police station where I got a day border pass. The next day I went there and photographed around the 3 pagodas. I mentioned my plans to a young cop and he assured me all was well. I was sitting right near the border crossing finishing a bowl of noodles when an older cop stood beside me. I looked up and he was literally rocking on his heels and said "You can't cross the border". I said "Ok I'll leave", picked up my bowl, stood up and looked at him before walking off. He looked frozen and totally perplexed, like "I wasn't expecting that". When I got back to the hotel they asked to see my photos and I told them what happened. They were gobsmacked, made some calls and said the border is still open. I don't know what happened and don't care. Money, authority, thought I was doing a visa run? Whatever. The suggestion that he was looking for a bribe came from the Thais themselves, as there was no other explaination. I then returned to Bangkok, picked up my WIFE and SON AS Planned, and we came home.

Please keep to the topic "Refused exit from Thailand", and not "How to do a border crossing". Has anyone else been refused exit from Thailand (or any other country), and on what legal basis?

Oh, and thanks for telling me all about myself; as if I didn't know. And again, you are totally WRONG!

Yes, I'm sure the senior bloke was after some pocket-money. The info I had was that I could get a border pass for $US10 on-the-spot. He hadn't even looked at my passport before refusing my exit. And the look on his face when I said "Ok, I'll just return" was priceless.

And the look on his face when I said "Ok, I'll just return" was priceless.

And your imagination as to what he wanted and what his response to you meant is priceless too. Try reading the posts above to understand what the reason was. If you wouldn't be allowed back into Thailand and you had no visa for Myanmar entry, would you prefer that they let you wander back and forth in limbo?

THAT would be priceless.

I am aware that the 3 pagodas pass periodically opens and closes, depending on conflict; and is now permanently closed. I checked with the Police at Sangklaburi and it was definately open at the time. The hotel staff were stunned when I told them what had happened. And no, this wasn't "in my imagination". Have any of you actually been to that particular border crossing, or are just google experts?

Yes, I'm sure the senior bloke was after some pocket-money. The info I had was that I could get a border pass for $US10 on-the-spot. He hadn't even looked at my passport before refusing my exit. And the look on his face when I said "Ok, I'll just return" was priceless.

So your info was wrong. He actually did do you a favour, your accusation he was after pocket money is ludicrous,

The reliable source of my info was "wrong", including his junior. I didn't just travel by bus, train, bus, and truck to do a border crossing for fun.

The first time I arrived at my in-laws place and they realized I was hopeless at sitting cross-legged on a concrete floor, they searched the village; and came back with a giant teddy-bear for me to sit on. That was 10 years ago, and I still have the teddy-bear; actually, my son does.

Yes, I'm sure the senior bloke was after some pocket-money. The info I had was that I could get a border pass for $US10 on-the-spot. He hadn't even looked at my passport before refusing my exit. And the look on his face when I said "Ok, I'll just return" was priceless.

Three Pagodas is not an entry point for Myanmar unless you have a visa from the embassy in Bangkok. They do not do border passes for foreigners.

Thanks, I was wondering what the problem was. My experience with border crossings (and I have done hundreds, mostly through Africa) is that you formally exit a country into "no-mans-land", and then formally enter the next country. If you don't have the appropriate visa/ pass, then you return to the previous country. I have never been refused exit from a country, ever. I have been "detained on entry" until the paperwork was sorted.

And I mean my thanks. So what happens, hypothetically, if you are refused "exit" from Thailand (say at Savarnabhumi) because you don't have the pass for your place of arrival. Can you still be held in contempt of your Thai visa, although you have been refused exit? If you are refused "exit" and not detained for travel to your place of origin, can you hypothetically "stay forever". Maybe I'll just play by the rules next time.

I still think it is wrong that you can't check out a Mon Village for a few hours, especially at the end on one of the worlds most famous railway lines, without all the "crap".

I know this sounds like a dream, but I was recently refused exit from Thailand on a tourist visa. I can understand refused entry, but exit? Do they have the legal right to do that? The situation was at the 3 pagodas pass border crossing into Myanmar. The firs officer gave me the all clear and his senior officer pulled me up. There were no conflicts going on. I can only think he was after a bribe. I did a u-turn back to Sangkhlaburi, back to Bangkok and flew out.

Take a 1 hour flight from Bangkok Don Muang airport to Udon Thani, mini-bus to Nong Khai. Kick around the Mekong for a few days; and make up your own mind.

Where are you from? Imagine life back home without all the rules and regulations. Somethings are good, others bad. You won't get arrested for J-walking, but you might get food poisoning.

You'll be fine. If they start taking body-bags away I'd worry. How many people get sick drinking water from machines? Very few.

Ask her if you can meet her parents/ siblings. If she says "no", get rid of her. If she says "Yes"; do it and see if money comes up. If money doesn't come up then "ok". If money comes up then "maybe". It all comes down to meeting Mum and Dad...

Don't get confused between "helping" and "spending money on". We bought my wifes mother a washing machine, We bought my mum a handbag. We bought my wifes father a jacket and pair of shoes. We bought my dad a box of chocolates......

No-one was "helping" anyone.

I don't know anyone in the west who ever gave their parents money.

I do know many in the west who received money from their parents, until their parents died.

So no, never helped my parents out, but they gave me loads.

(Same for my wife in America, her parents gave, we received)

I hope my children give me money, FAT CHANCE!

You're joking, That is terrible. My Thai wife and I, and my siblings look after my mother in Australia. Not just money, but around the house. My friends do the same. To us it goes without thinking.

I say the same thing, I love my wife so within limits I help them. People do the same in the west. If your wife's mother has to go into a nursing home and they can't afford a good one, but you can, you'll help them out, it's natural, so why should it be different here. The only difference is here most westerners are married to poorer farm girls so their families tend to need more help than a western lady's family. Oh within limits means excluding good for nothing relatives that do nothing to help themselves.

Yes George,I agree entirely. Your quote "their families tend to need more help than a western lady's family" includes a $2 belt for the tractor, hey "a couple of beers". They ask for nothing. Thank you for your kind reply.

So you dont help then, except for a $2 belt for the tractor, and whats this nonsense about a western ladys family ?

Read it again. S l o w l y.

!: My wifes parents are reritired & know I look after their daughter, and ask for nothing, However..They have access to my money through a debit card.

2: We give them a few thousand baht each time we visit once or twice a year to help out.

3: I buy little things for her siblings ie A few beers or a tractor belt.

4: Please keep this a secret, but we also buy the nephews/ nieces clothing, presents, toys...

I posted this topic because there is an assumption that if you give money to your Thai in-laws, you are considered a sucker.

What "nonsense about a Western ladies family" ? I can't see this being different to being married to someone from another nationality. We spend a couple of hundred dollars a year on them, a few dollars a week. You can't even take a pack of biscuits to your "Western" inlaws for a coffee every fortnight for that. Don't even think about XMas presents. So many men belly-ache about "helping" their Thai Family..

Ummm Choo choo, Pardon??

I say the same thing, I love my wife so within limits I help them. People do the same in the west. If your wife's mother has to go into a nursing home and they can't afford a good one, but you can, you'll help them out, it's natural, so why should it be different here. The only difference is here most westerners are married to poorer farm girls so their families tend to need more help than a western lady's family. Oh within limits means excluding good for nothing relatives that do nothing to help themselves.

Yes George,I agree entirely. Your quote "their families tend to need more help than a western lady's family" includes a $2 belt for the tractor, hey "a couple of beers". They ask for nothing. Thank you for your kind reply.

So you dont help then, except for a $2 belt for the tractor, and whats this nonsense about a western ladys family ?

I'll start again for those of "us' who didn't understand. They ask for nothing...

sipi, may I ask, how much you send to help the family and what are the Family's circumstances?

Parents working? Retired? Farmers? etc.

Assuming it goes to your wife's parents, what contributions do the other Family members contribute?

How do you send the money?

What other major help have you given them?

As you can see ... curiosity has got this cat ...

.

Thank you David for your sincere questions.

Parents working? No. They are "retired".

Parents family contribute what they can afford, as we all do.

I either turn up in person with cash in hand, or they have authority to withdraw from my debit account, at an ATM.

What other help have I given them? My wife planted 3 paw-paw trees on their house block, if that counts, Cost me nothing.

Thank you David for your sincere questions.

Curiosity has got the cat.. Good news David. Please let your curiosity lead you..

I might add. I look after their daughter. What else can a parent ask for??

OP, I'll tell you a secret.

The best moments in my life in Thailand, is when I give some money and a wai to my mother in law.

You should see her eyes and facial expression, to appreciate what I am talking about.

I wish I could give her more.

I hear you Costas. I used to great my wifes mother with "Sawadee Khup Ma". She smiled. Until my wife explained that I was actually saying "Good morning dog". "Sawadee Khup Mer" is apparently "Good morning Mum"...But that was 10 years ago.