Border run to Mai Sai CLOSED

[bamboozled]

Anyone have any new news on this? That border run company still says closed. Or rather they haven't posted anything about it being re-opened so I'm assuming still closed but who knows if could re-open as quickly as it closed.

[elektrified]

On 7/7/2023 at 4:16 PM, novacova said:

All is needed is a passport to cross into Huay Xai from what I’ve recently heard, unless something changed. A few extra ฿ will get you in and out in about 45 minutes and on the next bus to Chiangkhong

That is wrong. You need a visa. New fee is 2,000 THB. They won't accept USD at the moment.

[novacova]

3 minutes ago, elektrified said:

That is wrong. You need a visa. New fee is 2,000 THB. They won't accept USD at the moment.

That is wrong. All you need is a passport and get the visa at the border. If not lazy then take a moment and read the post that was responded to. 

[bamboozled]

I just did a successful visa run today. Drove my car to Chiang Khong Friendship Bridge, parked on the left about 200 meters from immi, walked over to Thai passport control, no problem, smiles, stamped out...super quiet. Bought my 25 baht ticket for the bus across the bridge and waited only 5 minutes.

 

Crossed the bridge, got off the bus, and at the Laos immi go to the right side it says Visa on Arrival on a small office window. I told the officer I was just getting a stamp and going back and he said 1800 baht. I said $40 USD ok? He said, no, not if you're just going back straight to Thailand and not entering the country (Laos).

 

I didn't have to fill out anything nor give a photo nor walk through passport control. I paid the 1800 baht, he stamped me both in and out (two stamps) and I got back on the bus to Thailand.

 

Word of caution, on re-entry to Thailand I was given only 30 days instead of 90 for Non-O visa. Luckily, I checked after receiving my stamp and pointed it out and the immi officer was very apologetic. I guess she didn't see the visa number on the TM6. She corrected it and hopefully all the scribbles and crossed out dates don't rear their ugly heads in 90 days.

 

Again, very quiet on the Thai side, too.

 

I will say, the Thai immi there is very friendly. Was the same experience 6 months ago when I was there.

 

Good luck humans!

[GammaGlobulin]

On 7/7/2023 at 2:27 PM, Sticky Rice Balls said:

Hmmmm.I was just there last week on the 29th......took the green bus from Cm and spend the night on the 28th and did the jump on the 29th.....I walked 2 miles from my hostel on the 28th as google maps said it was open until 9pm.....nope  630am-630pm....per the night guard and signs

 

Was prob one of the quickest and easiest runs in memory....tons of cars trying to get in -out so no kids begging on the bridge....burmese side was happy to see me and take my $10 usd and stamped me before i could sit down and chat with them.....back across to LOS and the usual TM6 form (entry card)...Immig on thai side was even friendly!!! ....scanned my backpack and done!

 

walked to the bus as i had time to kill...nice folks up there in mae sai....odd to hear they shut it down albeit hopefully a temp move as I will need to go back for #2 in 2 months.......

 

Sidenote the green bus has really gone to h*ll..water dripping on my from AC and the lady was trying to tape it up for me...lol.....dirty windows with sticker glue all over so could barely see out window for 5 hr haul....I even got the VIP big seats....total cost up n back VIP AC...800 R/T.....

Very interesting account of your travels back and forth across the bridge.

However, I am left very curious about the specifics of what type of visa you are getting stamped. Also, how often you do this (annually), and how long you can stay in Thailand before you must do this again, and whether or not you can do this indefinitely.

Personally, I must renew my visa once each year.

However, I cannot say in all certainty that my situation will not change.

Hence, my curiosity about your visa, and stampings on the Burmese side.

Any info might be helpful to others, as well.

 

 

[Kammie]

Guess you guys are the main source for the hottest and latest news flashes. Should have checked here first instead of waiting till the last day of my visa. Did it so many times that I guess I got complaisant. Tachileik is indeed still closed for anyone other than Thai people. No word on when it will reopen, the immigration officer just said their boss says it's closed. So now I'm racing to Chiang khong hoping to get there in time from Chiang Rai.

[novacova]

15 minutes ago, Kammie said:

Guess you guys are the main source for the hottest and latest news flashes. Should have checked here first instead of waiting till the last day of my visa. Did it so many times that I guess I got complaisant. Tachileik is indeed still closed for anyone other than Thai people. No word on when it will reopen, the immigration officer just said their boss says it's closed. So now I'm racing to Chiang khong hoping to get there in time from Chiang Rai.

Are you sure the border control on the lao side is open today? If not then hop on plane in chiangrai and go somewhere else. Or possibly boat across the river in chiangsean, but haven’t heard anything about that border crossing for quite some time.

Edited July 15, 2023 by novacova

[Sticky Rice Balls]

15 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

Very interesting account of your travels back and forth across the bridge.

However, I am left very curious about the specifics of what type of visa you are getting stamped. Also, how often you do this (annually), and how long you can stay in Thailand before you must do this again, and whether or not you can do this indefinitely.

Personally, I must renew my visa once each year.

However, I cannot say in all certainty that my situation will not change.

Hence, my curiosity about your visa, and stampings on the Burmese side.

Any info might be helpful to others, as well.

 

 

been coming to LOS since 2008  always ONE way tix and NO visa......I get my free 30 day STAMP not a visa, at BKK...fly to CNX and extend that at immig for an other 30=60 days

 

allowed 2 LAND border runs a year....take bus from CNX to mae sai -Burma...stamp out and walk across small bridge into Burma...pay 10usd or 500 bt ...get STAMP from Burma..walk back into Thailand and again get first of the 2 allowed 30 day stamps.....go back to CNX and extend again--repeat for 2nd burma run and extend totaling 6 months..after that go home-back to work...

 

few times went to Laos but is a haul and i hate buying a laos visa just so can get a thai visa and come back.....long a$$ bus ride too...and have to stay over a night and fight crowds at consulate 300+ in crazy heat.....easier and quicker to do trip to Burma and the 2x is enough for me....

 

*suppose ill wait to get scolded for never having a visa and always buying a one way tix*

 

been doing it this way for 15 years and come her yearly   6 months here--6 months home/work

 

people were much nicer up there and got alot of stares....maybe cos of my hansum-ness   ????

 

burma immig was nice as was THAI--the ladies actually laughed with me..shocker!   555

 

did notice 1st time seeing a burmese army guy under the bridge with an assault rifle..yikes

 

side note im part of G7 which allows me this visa exempt*

Edited July 15, 2023 by Sticky Rice Balls

[GammaGlobulin]

4 minutes ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

been coming to LOS since 2008  always ONE way tix and NO visa......I get my free 30 day STAMP not a visa, at BKK...fly to CNX and extend that at immig for an other 30=60 days

 

allowed 2 LAND border runs a year....take bus from CNX to mae sai -Burma...stamp out and walk across small bridge into Burma...pay 10usd or 500 bt ...get STAMP from Burma..walk back into Thailand and again get first of the 2 allowed 30 day stamps.....go back to CNX and extend again--repeat for 2nd burma run and extend totaling 6 months..after that go home-back to work...

 

few times went to Laos but is a haul and i hate buying a laos visa just so can get a thai visa and come back.....long a$$ bus ride too...and have to stay over a night and fight crowds at consulate 300+ in crazy heat.....easier and quicker to do trip to Burma and the 2x is enough for me....

 

*suppose ill wait to get scolded for never having a visa and always buying a one way tix*

 

been doing it this way for 15 years and come her yearly   6 months here--6 months home/work

 

people were much nicer up there and got alot of stares....maybe cos of my hansum-ness   ????

 

burma immig was nice as was THAI--the ladies actually laughed with me..shocker!   555

 

did notice 1st time seeing a burmese army guy under the bridge with an assault rifle..yikes

 

side note im part of G7 which allows me this visa exempt*

A very detailed and complete answer.

Good information to have.

 

[Sticky Rice Balls]

5 minutes ago, GammaGlobulin said:

A very detailed and complete answer.

Good information to have.

 

enjoy your day good Sir---shout out to the OP who posted this as I was just there and assumed it was still open---i would have had a panic attack if i showed up to discover this.......esp for the bus tours that take ppl up there for border runs......bleeding cash...

 

those boys up in burma need to pull up a chair and a bottle of sangsom and sort this out! ????

[Kammie]

10 minutes ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

been coming to LOS since 2008  always ONE way tix and NO visa......I get my free 30 day STAMP not a visa, at BKK...fly to CNX and extend that at immig for an other 30=60 days

 

allowed 2 LAND border runs a year....take bus from CNX to mae sai -Burma...stamp out and walk across small bridge into Burma...pay 10usd or 500 bt ...get STAMP from Burma..walk back into Thailand and again get first of the 2 allowed 30 day stamps.....go back to CNX and extend again--repeat for 2nd burma run and extend totaling 6 months..after that go home-back to work...

 

few times went to Laos but is a haul and i hate buying a laos visa just so can get a thai visa and come back.....long a$$ bus ride too...and have to stay over a night and fight crowds at consulate 300+ in crazy heat.....easier and quicker to do trip to Burma and the 2x is enough for me....

 

*suppose ill wait to get scolded for never having a visa and always buying a one way tix*

 

been doing it this way for 15 years and come her yearly   6 months here--6 months home/work

 

people were much nicer up there and got alot of stares....maybe cos of my hansum-ness   ????

 

burma immig was nice as was THAI--the ladies actually laughed with me..shocker!   555

 

did notice 1st time seeing a burmese army guy under the bridge with an assault rifle..yikes

 

side note im part of G7 which allows me this visa exempt*

Yes story of my life also for the last 15 years (visa exemption), until today: foreigners not allowed in Myanmar.

[Kammie]

Just arrived at the Laos border at Chiang khong. It's even easier than Chong Mek which I did last year! 1800 baht instead of 2000 baht, didn't even have to go in to Laos, they just give me visa on arrival and exit stamp at the same counter. No pictures or forms to fill out. Although an American in front of me did have to do everything: fill out the 2 forms give a picture and walk across to Laos. I'm Dutch btw.

[Sticky Rice Balls]

23 hours ago, Kammie said:

Yes story of my life also for the last 15 years (visa exemption), until today: foreigners not allowed in Myanmar.

I gotta say i feel lucky i made it thru before the closure....BUT i was talking to a gal here that drove a motorbike up there to discover this as well......someone on this thread posted about a nearby border checkpoint   chaing saen which seems to be similar distance but u take a ferry across the mekong into Laos....can get the idea on google maps and some reviews explain the details.....Ive never done it but sure seems a possible option besides the haul to Laos-Nong khai

 

 

 

[Sticky Rice Balls]

On 7/15/2023 at 2:17 PM, novacova said:

Are you sure the border control on the lao side is open today? If not then hop on plane in chiangrai and go somewhere else. Or possibly boat across the river in chiangsean, but haven’t heard anything about that border crossing for quite some time.

and that border would be the ferry across mekong into LAOS..not Burma.....can find it with reviews on google maps...

[Sticky Rice Balls]

On 7/15/2023 at 2:11 PM, Kammie said:

Guess you guys are the main source for the hottest and latest news flashes. Should have checked here first instead of waiting till the last day of my visa. Did it so many times that I guess I got complaisant. Tachileik is indeed still closed for anyone other than Thai people. No word on when it will reopen, the immigration officer just said their boss says it's closed. So now I'm racing to Chiang khong hoping to get there in time from Chiang Rai.

I got to mae sai a day early and stayed overnight and did the run on 29th as ive been in LOS long enough to expect things like this sadly.........always have a backup plan A B C and D...

[Sticky Rice Balls]

On 7/14/2023 at 8:02 PM, bamboozled said:

I just did a successful visa run today. Drove my car to Chiang Khong Friendship Bridge, parked on the left about 200 meters from immi, walked over to Thai passport control, no problem, smiles, stamped out...super quiet. Bought my 25 baht ticket for the bus across the bridge and waited only 5 minutes.

 

Crossed the bridge, got off the bus, and at the Laos immi go to the right side it says Visa on Arrival on a small office window. I told the officer I was just getting a stamp and going back and he said 1800 baht. I said $40 USD ok? He said, no, not if you're just going back straight to Thailand and not entering the country (Laos).

 

I didn't have to fill out anything nor give a photo nor walk through passport control. I paid the 1800 baht, he stamped me both in and out (two stamps) and I got back on the bus to Thailand.

 

Word of caution, on re-entry to Thailand I was given only 30 days instead of 90 for Non-O visa. Luckily, I checked after receiving my stamp and pointed it out and the immi officer was very apologetic. I guess she didn't see the visa number on the TM6. She corrected it and hopefully all the scribbles and crossed out dates don't rear their ugly heads in 90 days.

 

Again, very quiet on the Thai side, too.

 

I will say, the Thai immi there is very friendly. Was the same experience 6 months ago when I was there.

 

Good luck humans!

good info......man I hope they open mae sai soon as it is the least painful of border runs ---ugh

[freedomnow]

5 hours ago, Kammie said:

Just arrived at the Laos border at Chiang khong. It's even easier than Chong Mek which I did last year! 1800 baht instead of 2000 baht, didn't even have to go in to Laos, they just give me visa on arrival and exit stamp at the same counter. No pictures or forms to fill out. Although an American in front of me did have to do everything: fill out the 2 forms give a picture and walk across to Laos. I'm Dutch btw.

Which visa are/were you on to come back U-turn ?

 

 

 

[novacova]

28 minutes ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

and that border would be the ferry across mekong into LAOS..not Burma.....can find it with reviews on google maps...

Right, the boat crosses from chiang Sean to Lao. 

[Kammie]

4 hours ago, freedomnow said:

Which visa are/were you on to come back U-turn ?

 

 

 

Tourist I guess, but I'm exempt so I get 30 days when I enter Thailand from Europe and a 30 day extension each time after that, either at immigration office or a border run like today. Both of which can be done 2 times per year. 

[at15]

In December 2022 we had reliable reports Chiang Khong was telling people with significant history in thailand they could not exit and come back through this border and they need to fly out of thailand. Also people trying to do the border run on the last day of their visa expiration were told they need to spend 1 night in Laos. Has anyone seen this stuff still happening?

Edited July 18, 2023 by at15

[Sticky Rice Balls]

i guess the best way to get updates i from the pic in this thread of the van co that did these mae sai border runs as seems to me their livelihood depends on that border being open and they would seem to have better ways to get the scoop......i gotta extend my 1st border run in 9 days so that gives me almost 40 days to get mae sai back open---fingers crossed...

 

 

[Sticky Rice Balls]

On 7/8/2023 at 4:11 PM, khunJam said:

I did this last November, it was pretty easy and quick. The io took me to cross the border past the line and desk so I didn’t have to wait in line and he told me to wait a half an hour then cross back in to the bus terminal and over the bridge. I think I paid an extra 2000 for the expedited service.

hmmmm.. was talking to a guy at my apt and he said his buddy did a MAE SAI run which was closed to tourists was able to bribe the IO to stamp his passport on burma side for a bribe..

i asked how much and he said....................7000!!!!!  i said he could have flown out by air for that

 

i would certainly consider paying a tip for this but no way am I paying 7000bt.....anyone ever done the border hop in chiang saen??? i got 2 weeks to figure out a plan

[elektrified]

On 8/12/2023 at 4:21 PM, Sticky Rice Balls said:

hmmmm.. was talking to a guy at my apt and he said his buddy did a MAE SAI run which was closed to tourists was able to bribe the IO to stamp his passport on burma side for a bribe..

i asked how much and he said....................7000!!!!!  i said he could have flown out by air for that

 

i would certainly consider paying a tip for this but no way am I paying 7000bt.....anyone ever done the border hop in chiang saen??? i got 2 weeks to figure out a plan

Just go to Huay Xai. Couldn't be easier. Very quiet there.

[Sticky Rice Balls]

3 hours ago, elektrified said:

Just go to Huay Xai. Couldn't be easier. Very quiet there.

any links or info on that run....man i just wish mae sai would open up...frustrating!

[SiSePuede419]

30 minutes ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

any links or info on that run.

I did Huay Xai in March.

 

You stamp out of Immigration.  Take a boat across the river.  Get a Laos visa.  Make a U turn, stamp out of Laos.  Take a boat back across the river to Thailand. Maybe 5 minutes to cross the river.  Go through Immigration in Thailand.

 

They gave me 45 days after some questions.

 

Oh, if you're really up for adventure, there's high rise hotels and casinos on the Laos side built by Chinese mafia, where they're supposedly running human trafficking of underaged girls, drugs and endangered wildlife, so there's where the party is at (if you speak Chinese, presumably). 

 

Good luck. ????

 

Edited August 14, 2023 by SiSePuede419

[Sticky Rice Balls]

22 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

I did Huay Xai in March.

 

You stamp out of Immigration.  Take a boat across the river.  Get a Laos visa.  Make a U turn, stamp out of Laos.  Take a boat back across the river to Thailand. Maybe 5 minutes to cross the river.  Go through Immigration in Thailand.

 

They gave me 45 days after some questions.

 

Oh, if you're really up for adventure, there's high rise hotels and casinos on the Laos side built by Chinese mafia, where they're supposedly running human trafficking of underaged girls, drugs and endangered wildlife, so there's where the party is at (if you speak Chinese, presumably). 

 

Good luck. ????

 

did you drive yourself?   could I do it on a motorbike or bus from CR?   cost of laos visa?

 

need to show money or onward tix?     man i hate wasting money on  a useless laos visa...

[elektrified]

On 8/14/2023 at 4:28 PM, Sticky Rice Balls said:

any links or info on that run....man i just wish mae sai would open up...frustrating!

Why? Chiang Khong is roughly the same distance and is very quiet. Much easier than Mae Sai. The visa process at Huay Xai takes about 10-15 minutes to  get your passport back. The only difference is the price of the visa which fluctuates daily.

[elektrified]

On 8/14/2023 at 4:59 PM, SiSePuede419 said:

I did Huay Xai in March.

 

You stamp out of Immigration.  Take a boat across the river.  Get a Laos visa.  Make a U turn, stamp out of Laos.  Take a boat back across the river to Thailand. Maybe 5 minutes to cross the river.  Go through Immigration in Thailand.

 

They gave me 45 days after some questions.

 

Oh, if you're really up for adventure, there's high rise hotels and casinos on the Laos side built by Chinese mafia, where they're supposedly running human trafficking of underaged girls, drugs and endangered wildlife, so there's where the party is at (if you speak Chinese, presumably). 

 

Good luck. ????

 

That's not Huay Xai. You are referring to Chiang Saen. Altogether different.

[elektrified]

On 8/15/2023 at 3:20 PM, Sticky Rice Balls said:

did you drive yourself?   could I do it on a motorbike or bus from CR?   cost of laos visa?

 

need to show money or onward tix?     man i hate wasting money on  a useless laos visa...

He/she is confused and is talking about Golden Triangle to Laos SEZ by boat. You can drive to Chiang Khong in roughly the same time it takes to drive to Mae Sai - maybe 30 minutes longer. I don't know about CR, but you can catch a bus at Arcade at 9:30 A.M. to Chiang Khong. Arrives at 16:30. Tuk tuk to Immigration 50 Baht. Bus over Friendship Bridge 25 Baht each way. Laos visa cost fluctuates day to day. 1500-2000 Baht. You can stay in Huay Xai or in Chiang Khong. Lots of cheap options for food and accommodation on either side. I don't know about showing onward ticket. What kind of visa do you have?

Edited August 16, 2023 by elektrified

[elektrified]

4 minutes ago, elektrified said:

 

 

Edited August 16, 2023 by elektrified