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.

Recent discussion here on AN.

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1356936-difficulties-foreigners-face-entering-mae-sot-and-surrounding-areas/

 

ETA:  I've just noticed you've posted the same enquiry on that thread.

On 11/2/2025 at 11:43 AM, Dhmiller said:

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.

On 11/2/2025 at 11:43 AM, Dhmiller said:

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.

Sorry to only see this post now. Hope my belated post can still be of some help, despite coming 4 months late!

No, the only issue you might encounter now is that you could be asked for your passport and be photographed while entering or leaving Mae Sot (or both). This did not happen to me last month, but it did occur in the second half of last year.

As per the other thread, you may find that access via routes 4003 or 1175 might still be blocked to foreigners (this is unclear). However, few foreigners would go that way anyway, the vast majority enter via AH12 from Tak or route 105 from Mae Sariang. The latter is more chill with asking for documents, although the officials stationed at the Mae La refugee camp have been known to occasionally ask for passports too but won't take photos, unlike officials at the last checkpoint just before entering Mae Sot along AH12.