Mae Sai border open, how many days do you get?

[csaba81]

Understand it opened on the 20th. Do you get 15 days or 30?

[ubonjoe]

At this time a visa exempt entry is 45 days. 

It may be back to 30 days after March 31st.

[adv008]

Mae sai not open to foreign passport holders at this time. I went there this morning. 

[edwardandtubs]

  On 2/22/2023 at 6:25 AM, ubonjoe said:

At this time a visa exempt entry is 45 days. 

It may be back to 30 days after March 31st.

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Do you think so? I thought it was a done deal that the 45 day thing would continue for the rest of the year.

[ubonjoe]

  On 2/22/2023 at 9:31 AM, edwardandtubs said:

Do you think so? I thought it was a done deal that the 45 day thing would continue for the rest of the year.

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I have seen no confirmation it will be extended.

[kelboy]

Went to mae sot 2 weeks ago and got 45 days

[kelboy]

Every one told me mae sot was closed to foreigners but when I went it was amazingly open. 

[CMBob]

  On 2/22/2023 at 9:31 AM, edwardandtubs said:

Do you think so? I thought it was a done deal that the 45 day thing would continue for the rest of the year.

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The Tourist Bureau publicly advocated that the government continue the 45-day exempt entry for the balance of 2023 but there as been nothing in the newspaper that the government/cabinet has even considered that as yet.  Until that happens, it's back to 30 days after March 31st.

[csaba81]

  On 2/22/2023 at 8:59 AM, adv008 said:

Mae sai not open to foreign passport holders at this time. I went there this morning. 

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Jeez, I'll bet that ticked you off... What's your plan B?

[KhunBENQ]

Nice little mixups here.

Mae Sai, northern most part of Thailand north of Chiang Rai (province).

Mae Sot is in central/upper western Thailand (Tak province).

More than 400 km apart. Both border Myanmar.

 

The thread is about Mae Sai.

[KhunBENQ]

  On 2/23/2023 at 12:57 AM, kelboy said:

Every one told me mae sot was closed to foreigners but when I went it was amazingly open. 

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Mae Sot might have been in the news as opened but as mentioned the OP is about Mae Sai in the far north.

[edwardandtubs]

  On 2/23/2023 at 12:19 PM, KhunBENQ said:

Mae Sot might have been in the news as opened but as mentioned the OP is about Mae Sai in the far north.

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I think the poster knows that but is pointing out that just because someone says a border is not open to foreigners, doesn't necessarily make it so.

 

[bubba]

Just up the road at Sop Ruak (“Golden Triangle”), crossing the Mekong to Laos is an option and you get 45 days. I posted this in another thread. 
 

 

Here's how it worked:

 

Go to the immigration office in Sop Ruak. They will stamp you out and they also ask if you have at least 10,000 baht in cash and an outbound air ticket. (On arrival, they did not ask to see that).

 

After getting stamped out walk out the back door which leads to the boat dock. The boat across to Lao costs 70 baht if there are at least three passengers and they run on demand.

 

Once on the other side, you disembark and walk up to Lao immigration. The first window checks passports and hands you an arrival form, which you complete, then hand it to the next window and then pay at another window. The visa cost varies by country - for Americans it was 1,500 baht. There is a small duty free shop inside the Lao arrivals hall just after you enter with decent prices on spirits and wine. If you have USD, use those as they were doing 37 baht/dollar for purchases.

 

You can then go to departures, get stamped out and return to Thailand to get stamped in. The boat back to Thailand costs 150 baht. 

 

Once back on the Thai side, you just need to go through Thai arrivals and you're stamped back in. The immigration officer advised and confirmed that they will only allow this twice each year.

 

All together this will cost you 1750 baht which is more than the Mae Sai crossing would cost you, but it’s there if you need it while Mae Sai remains closed. 

 

[BritTim]

  On 2/25/2023 at 3:57 AM, bubba said:

The visa cost varies by country - for Americans it was 1,500 baht.

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The Lao visa on arrival price paid in baht is usually quite a bit higher than 1,500 baht now (at least at crossings like the Friendship Bridge at Nong Khai). Almost all nationalities pay US$40 if paying in dollars. However, I think they want around 1,800 baht if you want to use Thai baht. A few years ago, there were many different prices, depending on your nationality. Are the costs you are citing recent?

[bubba]

I do not know what the cost of a Lao visa on arrival is today, but at the Sop Ruak crossing it was definitely 1500 Thai baht for American nationals in the middle of last month. 

[JoseThailand]

  On 2/25/2023 at 3:57 AM, bubba said:

Go to the immigration office in Sop Ruak. They will stamp you out and they also ask if you have at least 10,000 baht in cash and an outbound air ticket.

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Are they nuts? Why would you need an air ticket at a land border?