Mai Sai back to back visa exemption (UK passport)

[damole]

I have a friend here with her 18 year old daughter who came for medical treatmement.  The daughter arrived on a 45 day visa exemption and has extended at immigration for 30 days.  Her mother is not comfortable with her doing the crossing by herself so I would happily go with her, I arrived on the 14th May visa exemption.  Her stay expires on the 29th May and her flight back to the UK is 12th June.

 

Is there any reason we would be denied entry and could obviously ask at the immmigration post once we are there to be sure?

[racket]

Land border crossings are allowed 2 times per calendar year, except for flying in and out. 

 

The 45 days exemption has been returned to normal 30 days, which is what she will get if she does a border run. Once done, she can do another border run as well.

 

Nope, I don't see any reason for being denied entry at all.

 

Edit: Chiangmaivisarun a reputable company in Chiangmai that do border runs to Mae Sai.

Edited May 22, 2023 by racket

[KC 71]

There should not be any problems 

 ( i found the people on the Tachilek side to always be friendly and helpful  in the past )

[Finlaco]

5 hours ago, KC 71 said:

There should not be any problems 

 ( i found the people on the Tachilek side to always be friendly and helpful  in the past )

Especially if you haven't done your homework and hand them ฿500 for a $10 visa (they pocket the difference).  

 

Pay the $10 and spend a nice 2 hours walking around experiencing a wee bit of Myanmar 

[Mac Mickmanus]

4 minutes ago, Finlaco said:

Especially if you haven't done your homework and hand them ฿500 for a $10 visa (they pocket the difference).  

 

Pay the $10 and spend a nice 2 hours walking around experiencing a wee bit of Myanmar 

They only sometimes accept Baht , and you have to convince them that $10 is the only money you have left in your pocket before they accept it 

[sabaiguy]

I thought the $10 deal ended several years ago (pre covid)..  Years ago yes.  Made sure I brought a nice crisp new $10 bill from home.  But the last few border bounces I did pre covid the Myanmar IO's never mentioned $10 and I just paid the 500bt.  Finlaco your homework based on recent personal experience?

[freedomnow]

12 hours ago, KC 71 said:

There should not be any problems 

 ( i found the people on the Tachilek side to always be friendly and helpful  in the past )

TOTALLY.

If only the Thai immigration were like that lot....the Burmese immi. are super friendly !

[farangbuffalo]

12 hours ago, sabaiguy said:

I thought the $10 deal ended several years ago (pre covid)..  Years ago yes.  Made sure I brought a nice crisp new $10 bill from home.  But the last few border bounces I did pre covid the Myanmar IO's never mentioned $10 and I just paid the 500bt.  Finlaco your homework based on recent personal experience?

Of course they wouldn't mention $10 if you hand them almost $15

[sabaiguy]

A massive financial windfall $5

[Finlaco]

@sabaiguy  The learning curve when new to Asia is steep for some and shallow for most.  Locals take advantage of those who aren't aware of their perceived abilities v reality.  Some have the advantage over others if they have backpacked through Asia and made an effort to understand.

 

[BritTim]

3 hours ago, sabaiguy said:

A massive financial windfall $5

$5 x (a few hundred a day) x (365 days a year) mounts up. For a Myanmar immigration official on a salary of probably about $300 per month, this amounts to way more than his official salary.

[freedomnow]

3 hours ago, sabaiguy said:

A massive financial windfall $5

$5 = a nice wee cargo of Guinness bought on Burma side where its a quarter of Thai prices or something....or Beer Lao if lucky..rarerly there up to covid time in booze building on way back in.

 

I'd rather drink it than give it away needlessly.

[sabaiguy]

Finlaco, you make some interesting assumptions.  New to Asia?  How about 40 years on and off in Thailand.  Married 25 years to my Thai wife. Own a home in Chiang Rai.  But proud to never been a backpacker.  When I make my bounce in a few weeks I'll specifically ask about the $10 but gladly pay 500bt and report back.

[sabaiguy]

it makes me laugh when people accuse me of padding the pockets of those Myanmar IO's.  Anybody anywhere anytime that uses a visa agent is padding who's pockets?

[Finlaco]

@sabaiguy 'the Myanmar IO's never mentioned $10 and I just paid the 500bt'.     Yes, I assumed you were very new to Asia.

 

 

[Haljabra]

I just want to be clear about this, is Mae Sai now open for border runs/IO's for foreigners now?

[Caldera]

3 minutes ago, Haljabra said:

I just want to be clear about this, is Mae Sai now open for border runs/IO's for foreigners now?

Yes, it's open. 

[sabaiguy]

Ask Finlaco he's the backpacking expert.

But make sure you only bring $10 and not pay 500bt like a fool.

Edited May 24, 2023 by sabaiguy

[RoadRunner69]

On 5/22/2023 at 8:45 AM, damole said:

I have a friend here with her 18 year old daughter who came for medical treatmement.  The daughter arrived on a 45 day visa exemption and has extended at immigration for 30 days.  Her mother is not comfortable with her doing the crossing by herself so I would happily go with her, I arrived on the 14th May visa exemption.  Her stay expires on the 29th May and her flight back to the UK is 12th June.

 

Is there any reason we would be denied entry and could obviously ask at the immmigration post once we are there to be sure?

OP... did you have any problems doing the 'back to back' border bounce at Mae Sai / Tachileik?

[damole]

I didn't go eventually as my friends went back to England earlier than expected.