Mae-sot / Myawaddy Border Crossing, Tak Province

[cali4995]

i crossed over the thai-myanmar friendship bridge on saturday, april 28th. this was the beginning on my 2nd 6-month period and i received a fresh ผ-30 visa-exempt-entry, with a green highlighted #1. i will share some details on the trip as there does not appear to be much information on the topic.

the bus from morchit station to muang tak (ตาก) takes about 7 hours. there are mini-buses which run from tak to mae-sot (แม่สอด) about every hour. an extremely mountainous route it takes another 60 minutes. from the mae-sot bus station to the thai-myanmar bridge is a 2km motorsai taxi ride.

at the bridge getting your exit stamp from thailand is easy, then it's a 10 minute walk over to the myanmar side. they take your photo with a web-cam, 500 baht fee, a couple little stamps and you're headed back over to thailand. waiting to get my entry stamp to thailand was about 30 minutes. i appeared to be something of a "test case" for these officers. my history was entering for the 1st time on october 27th. two more visa-exempt entries and then a tourist visa. a 30-day extention, then another 7-day extention. i had cleared the 6-month hurdle.

it was an anxious 30 minutes, the immig officer was polite, he told me he had to telephone bangkok, they were huddling in the office, we had a brief discussion on the 90 days in 6-month rule (in thai). eventually, i got my new ผ-30 with a green highlighted #1. no mention of onward flight ticket or having to show 10k baht cash. the whole time i was at the bridge i only saw (1) other foreigner, just lots of burmese traders. i've kept this report brief and to the point because the issue seems to be endlessly convoluted. this trip is a nice alternative to the cambodian border, but of course farther to go and it will test your miming and language skills. *as always, decisions up to discretion of immigration officer on duty*

Edited April 29, 2007 by cali4995

[Badbanker]

There are also several VIP 21 seat buses that leave Morchit and go direct to Mae Sot. I have been there many times. It is then a 10 min ride by motorcycle or Tuk Tuk to the bridge. Certainly beats getting a bus to Tak and then having to wait for a minibus and all of the usual hassle.

There also used to be a flight to Mae Sot. Don't know if there still is? Not much to really do in Mae Sot!

Coming back from the visa run wait till the evening bus direct to Bangkok or get a minibus and come back to Tak to get a bus back home.

Beautiful mountains from Tak Mae Sot.

Badbanker

[aussiestyle1983]

Mae Sot is an excellent place for a visa run! The trip there is very scenic and it just beats the hel_l out of going to Cambodia............

[jeebusjones]

There are also several VIP 21 seat buses that leave Morchit and go direct to Mae Sot. I have been there many times. It is then a 10 min ride by motorcycle or Tuk Tuk to the bridge. Certainly beats getting a bus to Tak and then having to wait for a minibus and all of the usual hassle.

How much is this VIP bus, Badbanker?

[timonase]

hello,

done the vip bus trip to mea sot several time myself. the vip bus used to be around 500 baht, if i remember right. The trip is definitely more beautiful than poipet, though a bit longer. If you have time stay one night and have dinner at restaurant called " kao mao kao fang". amazing atmopshere and excelent food.

regards

Timo

[Badbanker]

Yea the VIP bus is about 500 baht and leaves at 9,10,11 pm arriving at 5,6,7 am.

Nice trip.

Badbanker

[cali4995]

Jeebus, there's the definitive info on the vip buses. as badbanker also said in a previous post, if you go this route, after you get your visa-exempt entry you will have to take the mini bus back to tak provincial bus station to get a ride home unless you want to wait for 21:00 bus departure from mae-sot.

according to the jackgolfs new page (and members reports) it looks like if you go anywhere on the cambodian border you will need an onward ticket.

http://www.jackgolf.com/en/news/86.php