On 11/2/2025 at 11:30 AM, Dhmiller said:

Current Travel Restrictions for Foreigners in Mae Sot

I am new to this group chat, and would greatly appreciate any insight from those of you living in Mae Sot (or who have traveled there recently).

My family has been to Mae Sot for the past three years and have had no difficulty with freedom to travel within and between towns (though, of course, there were several check points - but never any difficulty). We plan to return to Mae Sot early January and have been reading in this group chat about some disconcerting traveling restrictions.

As of now, has any foreigner had (or heard of a foreigner having) difficulty traveling in Mae Sot or between towns surrounding Mae Sot ? Is it true that a Thai Guarantor is now absolutely required? Or is that requirement inconsistently applied? Has anyone heard of a foreigner being detailed and/or not allowed to enter into Mae Sot without a Guarantor?

Thank you kindly for any and all your responses. We greatly appreciate it.

No. However, in August and September last year, I was asked for my passport. On the first occasion, only while entering, on the second occasion, while leaving. On another occasion in late November, I was initially asked for my passport while entering but I was able to talk my way out of being photographed. The young army guys were a bit lazy and figured there was no reason to do so (and I told them I had already been through this like 2 months earlier).

On 2/20/2026 at 12:05 AM, Patong2021 said:

Thursday, February 19, 2026

Only guaranteed travelers permitted access to Myawaddy–Mae Sot Bridge

The Thai Immigration Department permits only those holding a border pass to cross the Myawaddy–Mae Sot Bridge, on the Myanmar–Thailand border, if someone guarantees that they will return to Myanmar after the specified period. This requirement has led to a surge in people providing such guarantees, with the cost rising to around 1,500 THB.

Many who previously entered Thailand on a 7-day border pass failed to return when the period expired. As a result, Thai immigration authorities now require first-time crossers of the border bridge to have a guarantor. Under the new rules, a Thai citizen or a border-area driver can serve as a guarantor, with fees ranging from 500 to 1,500 THB, according to a woman from Mae Sot. In December, the Thai Immigration Department announced that only a single type of border pass would be accepted as standard.

Border pass holders are not allowed to travel beyond Tak Province, where Mae Sot is located, to other parts of Thailand. The requirement for first-time applicants to have a guarantor was introduced in December

https://www.bnionline.net/en/news/only-guaranteed-travelers-permitted-access-myawaddy-mae-sot-bridge#:~:text=Only%20guaranteed%20travelers%20permitted%20access%20to%20Myawaddy%E2%80%93Mae%20Sot%20Bridge,-Published&text=The%20Thai%20Immigration%20Department%20permits,Myanmar%20after%20the%20specified%20period.

You can always email Thai Immigration help desk and ask. The above was published by Karen News network, so the rules may be specific for Myanmar nationals.

Very interesting, thanks for sharing. Not surprised to see this requirement surface, as many Burmese have "disappeared" into Thailand, particularly the ones not involved in border trade or who are arriving for the first time, perhaps fleeing the conscription requirement.