Mae Sai border Run

[Farangdanny]

Is it still possible to do the border run at Mae Sai, out in  ?

 If so, what do I need to show ?

 How many times can it be done ?

 Thanks for your experience.

[tabarin]

2x landborder per year at any border in Thailand. So not per border. 
Re-entry needs to be same visa purpose, Myanmar side 500B in and out.

You can go by bus to Chiang Rai, at bus station there is a minivan going to Mae Sai directly and fast. On the way back you could take a open air bus too.
Personally can advice you to go early morning, get back in Chiang Rai by late afternoon and stay there over night. Take the bus back next morning.

Other option is using the visa run service to there, it costs around 2K baht and goes 2x per week.

[tabarin]

P.S. If you do want to make the trip in 1 day on your own, and not stay over night, it would be smart to get bus tickets from CM to CR and back from CR to CM in advance.
Else you end up leaving later from CM and when getting back in CR by like 4-6PM, finding out there are no bus tickets left for the evening.

Edited November 18, 2019 by tabarin

[orchis]

you can got Chiang Mai Maesai direct by Green Bus, you can do return easily in one day, no need to go over Chiang Rai city or overnight.
Green Bus has an app, no need for paper tickets either.

[Farangdanny]

19 minutes ago, tabarin said:

P.S. If you do want to make the trip in 1 day on your own, and not stay over night, it would be smart to get bus tickets from CM to CR and back from CR to CM in advance.
Else you end up leaving later from CM and when getting back in CR by like 4-6PM, finding out there are no bus tickets left for the evening.

Thank you.

I will drive myself, if anyone wants to come with me ?

So what do you do after 2 times ?

I assume it is for three month ?

[Ventenio]

2 minutes ago, Farangdanny said:

Thank you.

I will drive myself, if anyone wants to come with me ?

So what do you do after 2 times ?

I assume it is for three month ?

you will get 30-days.  Then you can extend it for a fee, I think 1900 baht, for another month.  500 plus 1900 plus whatever...  two months.  

 

 

[tabarin]

11 minutes ago, Farangdanny said:

Thank you.

I will drive myself, if anyone wants to come with me ?

So what do you do after 2 times ?

I assume it is for three month ?

You can do the extension as said right after at immigration, then do mae sai 2nd time and extend again (120 days total but also like 3 days in time consumed).
There is a direct bus but in my case, as I decided late, was no ticket so had to do CR to leave in time.

Edited November 18, 2019 by tabarin

[moontang]

Use a us 10 and save 200 THB.

[ChakaKhan]

Im flying to BKK tomorrow--ugh...hoping for my 30 then extend in CNX then shoot to mae sai and extend again in CM....are they gonna want to see any cash at MS border?    20k?  And I do have my 10usd bill ????

[ChakaKhan]

21 hours ago, orchis said:

you can got Chiang Mai Maesai direct by Green Bus, you can do return easily in one day, no need to go over Chiang Rai city or overnight.
Green Bus has an app, no need for paper tickets either.

This is the way I go and do it in a day//long haul   Do i need to show any baht at the border coming back in?

[moontang]

27 minutes ago, ChakaKhan said:

This is the way I go and do it in a day//long haul   Do i need to show any baht at the border coming back in?

Been years, but I saw a family asked to show 20k before..in accordance with a posted sign.  That is actually a good border entrance.  They will check your stuff before you leave, knowing almost everyone does a turnaround.  They are open later at night, as of 2015....The few times I did it in one day, I always felt like I was with teachers working illegally and weekend warrior types..go in the afternoon, get there at 6 or 7, cross spend the night there or Chiang Rai, and do a casual return in the morning. Rooms are quite cheap in both places, and both offer some good food and fun.  Prepaid bus tickets and a two hour window is asking for trouble.  B2 hotel, cr night bazaar for 350 or so..but be aware of the two bus station situation in CR..

[BritManToo]

8 minutes ago, moontang said:

They will check your stuff before you leave, knowing almost everyone does a turnaround.

They don't have any choice, foreigners aren't allowed to enter Burma at that crossing for more than a short time, and even then they're prohibited from going out of the town.

Every non Burmese is compelled to 'do a turnaround'

Edited November 19, 2019 by BritManToo

[Farangdanny]

On ‎11‎/‎18‎/‎2019 at 2:20 PM, tabarin said:

You can do the extension as said right after at immigration, then do mae sai 2nd time and extend again (120 days total but also like 3 days in time consumed).
There is a direct bus but in my case, as I decided late, was no ticket so had to do CR to leave in time.

Thank you, and what to do after 120 days ?

[Farangdanny]

On ‎11‎/‎18‎/‎2019 at 2:11 PM, Ventenio said:

you will get 30-days.  Then you can extend it for a fee, I think 1900 baht, for another month.  500 plus 1900 plus whatever...  two months.  

 

 

Thanks, where do you extend ?

[Dante99]

1 hour ago, Farangdanny said:

Thank you, and what to do after 120 days ?

Return to your home country.

[jackdd]

On 11/19/2019 at 12:22 PM, BritManToo said:

They don't have any choice, foreigners aren't allowed to enter Burma at that crossing for more than a short time, and even then they're prohibited from going out of the town.

Every non Burmese is compelled to 'do a turnaround'

Isn't this the same at every crossing in case the foreigner gets a border pass when entering Myanmir? Afaik if the foreigner has a proper Myanmar visa they can also travel further into Myanmar and don't have to go back to Thailand at the crossing where they entered.

[tabarin]

Yeah typically at Mae Sai you know to get back in, if you were let out, they do check. As they otherwise have little choice than letting you back in.
Also went to Huay Xai, but there they didn't check upfront and I ended up being refused + stay in a little town and take a expensive plane to Vientiane (otherwise 24 hour bus that not always goes in low season). 

Edited November 20, 2019 by tabarin

[ChakaKhan]

On 11/20/2019 at 5:18 AM, Dante99 said:

Return to your home country.

thats my gameplan  120 and outta here..sick of laos haul