One of the Thai-Myanmar land crossings reopened last week

[Saigon]

Hi,

 

I just saw this news that The Mae Sot -

Myawaddy Friendship Bridge reopened

on Thursday 12 January for the first time

since March 2020. Do you know if foreigners

are allowed to travel through this land border

or if there is any other land crossing will also

reopen soon?

 

Thank you in advance!

 

https://www.rfa.org/english/news/myanmar/bridge-01132023145249.html

[kelboy]

I also heard its open.

[ubonjoe]

I think it is only for Thai and Myanmar citizens.

 More info is needed. I don't think they do border passes for foreigners.

 

[DualSportBiker]

According to my Thai friend who lives there, crossings for foreigners are now open. In years past I did my 90-day crossing there as it is a fun ride up from Bkk. He told me I could pick up my old habit, but I no longer need to...

[Saigon]

WOW, that's great news!

 

I do hope that The Ranong - Kawthaung Crossing

reopens soon, too!

[BritTim]

In the past, Mae Sot has been one of the very best crossings for a border bounce. The border pass (if not changed) is US$10, and there were no hassles on either end of the bridge. For those who do not like overland travel, there is an airport walking distance from the border with Nok Air flights to Bangkok (fares very changeable).

[kelboy]

Hi has anyone gone over the bridge and done a border bounce  as I need to go on Monday 6th Thanks. 

[zzzzz]

Currently
you cant, land borders are only for Burmese / thais

[kelboy]

3 hours ago, zzzzz said:

Currently
you cant, land borders are only for Burmese / thais

I thought open is open and all the European news says it is fully open, I can go to nong kia but mai sot is  close. 

[kelboy]

4 hours ago, zzzzz said:

Currently
you cant, land borders are only for Burmese / thais

What is your proof, I can't find anything that says no falang.

[zzzzz]

13 hours ago, kelboy said:

What is your proof, I can't find anything that says no falang.

only what my friends in Burma say that own travel agencies>
Plus have not read any report Anywhere of a Farang entering Burma by road

PLUS
https://evisa.moip.gov.mm/Home/PortofEntry

Go for it !!

[kelboy]

So happy to say everyone was wrong as I just did a border bounce at mae sot and the good news is still only 500tb.

[BritTim]

9 minutes ago, kelboy said:

So happy to say everyone was wrong as I just did a border bounce at mae sot and the good news is still only 500tb.

Did you do the border bounce with a multiple entry visa or to receive a visa exempt entry?

[ThailandRyan]

Drove up to the Singkhon Border cross with Myanmar today (15km west of PKK) to do some shopping at the Border market.  A few folks who live around us used to do a border bounce there and shop as well, Yet, the border cross is still pretty much closed for all foreigners and the Border market reflects that, as only about 10% of it is up and running. Sad to see a once thriving and great market area destroyed by the border being closed for travel in and out. The only vehicle we saw coming in was a Thai Commercial truck with what might have been seafood loaded. We did buy a nice hand carved wooden eagle though at a very reasonable price.

 

Here is an older article that was updated with one sentence indicating the closure for foreigners is still in effect.

 

http://www.prachuap-khiri-khan.com/Myanmar-Thailand-border-Singhorn-Pass.php

 

Updated today the 5th.

 

But at the moment the border is still closed for Farangs.
 

 

When the border cross does open for tourism it is a great route over the hill to Mergui and the coast at Myeik.

[kelboy]

3 hours ago, BritTim said:

Did you do the border bounce with a multiple entry visa or to receive a visa exempt entry?

My No o had run out and I'm going back to the UK in 41 day so I got 45 day tourist visa. 

[kelboy]

3 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Drove up to the Singkhon Border cross with Myanmar today (15km west of PKK) to do some shopping at the Border market.  A few folks who live around us used to do a border bounce there and shop as well, Yet, the border cross is still pretty much closed for all foreigners and the Border market reflects that, as only about 10% of it is up and running. Sad to see a once thriving and great market area destroyed by the border being closed for travel in and out. The only vehicle we saw coming in was a Thai Commercial truck with what might have been seafood loaded. We did buy a nice hand carved wooden eagle though at a very reasonable price.

 

Here is an older article that was updated with one sentence indicating the closure for foreigners is still in effect.

 

http://www.prachuap-khiri-khan.com/Myanmar-Thailand-border-Singhorn-Pass.php

 

Updated today the 5th.

 

But at the moment the border is still closed for Farangs.
 

 

When the border cross does open for tourism it is a great route over the hill to Mergui and the coast at Myeik.

The only border crossing open is mae sot Tak and yes falang can  cross, don't believe in all the negative posts. 

[Denim]

There is a high tech invention that has not yet become well known.

 

It is a very esoteric , hush hush device called a telephonic ( or something like that ) whereby you can remotely call the immigration check point and get the up to date lowdown on crossings at this point.

 

Sound like sci-fi fantasy to me but who knows...one day in the future might happen.

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, Denim said:

There is a high tech invention that has not yet become well known.

 

It is a very esoteric , hush hush device called a telephonic ( or something like that ) whereby you can remotely call the immigration check point and get the up to date lowdown on crossings at this point.

 

Sound like sci-fi fantasy to me but who knows...one day in the future might happen.

Perhaps, you could share the suitable phone numbers to call at each border crossing for up to date information in English on the status of crossings for foreigners, and whether this includes those wanting visa exempt entries. Indeed, I think it would make a good sticky post. It is surprising that availability of such a simple solution has not before been well publicised.

[kelboy]

9 hours ago, Denim said:

There is a high tech invention that has not yet become well known.

 

It is a very esoteric , hush hush device called a telephonic ( or something like that ) whereby you can remotely call the immigration check point and get the up to date lowdown on crossings at this point.

 

Sound like sci-fi fantasy to me but who knows...one day in the future might happen.

Tried that last week and immigration told me to contact myanmar of witch I did but also a waste of time.So in the end I tried the old fashion way which worked, we can't all be clever clogs. 

[Mike Teavee]

On 1/16/2023 at 12:54 PM, kelboy said:

I also heard its open.

I was there on a day trip from Chiang Rai last Monday (30th Jan) & it was still closed to foreigners… 

[kelboy]

46 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

I was there on a day trip from Chiang Rai last Monday (30th Jan) & it was still closed to foreigners… 

 

Maybe but it's February and it's open.

[dcalaska]

Excellent news !!!.

[BritTim]

1 hour ago, Mike Teavee said:

I was there on a day trip from Chiang Rai last Monday (30th Jan) & it was still closed to foreigners… 

Are you sure you made a day trip from Chiang Rai to Mae Sot and not Mae Sai? If so, that must have been exhausting assuming you drove yourself with virtually no stops (leaving home around, perhaps, 3:00 am and getting back to Chiang Rai about 9:00 pm at night).

[zzzzz]

1 hour ago, kelboy said:

 

Maybe but it's February and it's open.

do u know if you can "enter" Burma if you have a visa or only do a turn around

[ThailandRyan]

54 minutes ago, BritTim said:

Are you sure you made a day trip from Chiang Rai to Mae Sot and not Mae Sai? If so, that must have been exhausting assuming you drove yourself with virtually no stops (leaving home around, perhaps, 3:00 am and getting back to Chiang Rai about 9:00 pm at night).

It would be a 14 hour round trip by vehicle so it is a doable trip for someone. Last time I went through Mae Sot I was coming from Saraburi. Took 6 hours up, 1 hour through and back with a new 60 day stamp on my Non imm O Visa ME lunch, and then back to Saraburi by late evening.......day trip. Of course that was in 2017.

[Mike Teavee]

40 minutes ago, BritTim said:

Are you sure you made a day trip from Chiang Rai to Mae Sot and not Mae Sai? If so, that must have been exhausting assuming you drove yourself with virtually no stops (leaving home around, perhaps, 3:00 am and getting back to Chiang Rai about 9:00 pm at night).

Thanks, you’re 100% correct it was Mae Sai (not Mae Sot) that we visited.

 

Hopefully I’ll get the right border crossing when we go from Udon Thani to Vientiane on Thursday ????

 

 

[kelboy]

21 hours ago, zzzzz said:

do u know if you can "enter" Burma if you have a visa or only do a turn around

Both