Mae Sai/Tachilek Border Info

[jollyhangmon]

jai yen, dude. How many is umpteenth? One? It's semantics. You could ask 200 people what sort of visa they get when entering Swampy airport and they might all say 'visa-on-arrival' if that term bothers you, tough tamales. What do you call a ground up beef patty? A hamburger. Is it ham? no.

But you say that people who are denied an 'extension' to their 'visa' are being 'hoodwinked' out of 1900 baht. This isn't just semantics, it's plain wrong. They don't have a visa, and it's not eligible for extension aside from the emergency 7 day one for 1900 baht. The fact that the Thai government used to turn a blind eye to people obtaining repeated visa exempt stamps and decided to stop doing so doesn't change that fact.

In almost all cases, it's very easy to get a proper visa to stay in Thailand. All you need to do is a little research, and Thaivisa is a great place to do so and has helped me many times in the past. Spreading misinformation like you are doing helps nobody.

I just came across the - for me personally pretty new - info that said visa-exempts (15 defacto 14 resp. 30 defacto 29 days) can be extended for 30 days now just like it always worked for (each) touristvisa entry(s). Seems to be instead of the 7 days me too had still in mind?!

Price 1.900.- THB same old ... well, Russkies are still just granted 7 days extension for the same price, dawei, dawei ...

There's also some interesting point about (again) possible 15/30 days visa-exempts up to max. 90 days per calendar-year ...

=> QUOTE: ... And 15/30 day visa exempt possible again, restriction: You are allowed a total of 90 days under visa exempt per calendar year. Valid for ASEAN, Westerners, Russian and Japanese. Time spend under Tourist Visa or Non Immigrant or extensions are not counted towards that 90 day allowance ...

... These visa exempt entries and entries under Tourist Visa can be, as usual, extended at Thai Immigration by 30days (Russian get 7day extension only on the 30day visa exempt due to Bilateral agreements). // UNQUOTE.

==> Seems to be pretty current information as of 22OCT2015 !

===> Source: http://www.thaivisaservice.com/

Have to somewhat agree they seem to crank out 'new regulations' per the hour - no big surprise at all left hand doesn't know what right hand does (if ever they really did) ...

[villagefarang]

Is there anything you can get on the Burmese side of the border that you can't get on the Thai side? Both markets seem to be full of cheap Chinese crap that really doesn't warrant a trip up there. I guess there are those guys who try and sell you Viagra as soon as you get into Tachilek

Nothing on the border of interest to me or the wife. You pretty much summed it up.

[sceadugenga]

I like the bustle of the main street and markets, the ethnic mix you find in border crossing communities.

I like Nong Khai as well.

[ripstanley]

Some photos my wife took from our Friday trip

[boomerangutang]

Nice pics. They're from the Mae Sai side. Thai officialdom is making it difficult for farang to cross over to visit the other side of the river. One of several reasons mentioned by a Thai border official: "Why you go to Tachilek to spend money, when you can spend money in Mae Sai?"

Has any farang got a day pass recently? We're curious.

[ripstanley]

or a 30 day ? i will go monday

How was your trip to Mae Sai? Did you go today (Monday)?

[thai006]

or a 30 day ? i will go monday

How was your trip to Mae Sai? Did you go today (Monday)?

i stay in fang now lol tomorow 8 am fang to mae sai will se i am with my thai child , i hope they will see i m not stay here for tourist but take care family

[villagefarang]

I don’t want to come off as being negative but I am not sure if taking a child along is the right move. It is more about meeting the requirements and having your paperwork in order.

[thai006]

I don’t want to come off as being negative but I am not sure if taking a child along is the right move. It is more about meeting the requirements and having your paperwork in order.

i dont know if i saw a bad officier but he say no visa no go only that so forget the 30 day there , only people who got visa can go out and in

go to chiang khong , 30 day there so easy and welcome to thailand

[Donnchadh]

Surprise, Surprise, no change! and who knows when it will change and in which direction?

Obviously the Thai version of SLORC are as rational as their Burmese predecessors and there Beijing masters

[sceadugenga]

One who cannot be named as he is unable to post again this year contacted me privately today to tell me that a friend had been in touch and there were no VIP passes to be issued this month.

[villagefarang]

One who cannot be named as he is unable to post again this year contacted me privately today to tell me that a friend had been in touch and there were no VIP passes to be issued this month.

I thought things had gone a little quiet since the end of last month.

[sceadugenga]

Well I was refused a VIP pass at the border, he looked at my passport for a while before making his mind up.

Roadworks were no trouble, hardly slowed me at all.

[Will27]

Well I was refused a VIP pass at the border, he looked at my passport for a while before making his mind up.

Roadworks were no trouble, hardly slowed me at all.

Well, Boomer did warn you

[sceadugenga]

Someone has really pissed them off, when my friend came back they wanted my full address where he was staying on the immigration card, I had to come through with my tabien baan.

[ripstanley]

This was in the Chaing Mai forum

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/882669-noticemae-sai-visa-run/

It says that he has heard that the Maie Sai border is closed.

Does anyone here know if this is correct.

[RichCor]

This was in the Chaing Mai forum

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/882669-noticemae-sai-visa-run/

It says that he has heard that the Maie Sai border is closed.

Does anyone here know if this is correct.

Was up that way yesterday. The boarder is not closed, but due to the Koh Tao trial verdict is under heavy watch. Lots of backed-up vehicle traffic waiting to cross.

While I couldn't get close enough to ask questions, I did see a lot of Myanmar/Burma people crossing the bridge on foot.

[boomerangutang]

One who cannot be named as he is unable to post again this year contacted me privately today to tell me that a friend had been in touch and there were no VIP passes to be issued this month.

The 'One Who Cannot Be Named' is back. Orange you glad?!

I haven't been to the border in several weeks, but I spoke with a friend who was up there with a friend of his. The other guy had a 30-day entry from coming in at Bkk airport, no problem. Then wanted to visit Tachilek. He still had 3 weeks left on his visa-on-arrival when he crossed over from Thailand, but when he returned, the guard only gave him just a ONE WEEK extension. So, if he had not done a tourist day-trip, he still would have had 3 weeks to meander around in Thailand. As it happened, he lost 2 weeks of hoped-for relaxation. Now he has to scramble to go to either Vientienne or Malaysia (lots of added time & expense) if he wants to continue as a tourist in Thailand.

I was going to ask if anyone has any 1st hand knowledge of whether Thai authorities at Mae Sai are allowing VIP passes (day-trips), but it's a moot question. It's more likely they've tightened the screws even more since the KT verdict. It's ironic that; for many years, Burma was the oppressive regime which wouldn't allow protests. Now the tables are turned: Burma allows protests, and Thailand's junta doesn't - unless it's in front of (against) the US embassy.

[sceadugenga]

I wish you would not use the term "visa on arrival" if it's a visa exemption.

The usual procedure with people who obtain a visa exemption at an airport is that they get 30 days exemption, if they arrive at a land crossing they get 15.

Subsequently, any days remaining for the first exemption do not carry over.

It happened to a friend of mine a few years ago who crossed for a few hours but they accepted his explanation without imposing a penalty when he left the country by air with an unnoticed few days overstay.

A 7 day exemption is most unusual unless he already had a number of recent ones in his passport.

Visa Exemption (Bilateral Agreement)

Passport Holders who can enter Thailand without a Visa

The VISA EXEMPTION RULE allows tourists from 52 countries¹ to enter without a visa. They are granted a stay of maximum 30 days but only if entering Thailand via an international airport. However, persons, entering through a land border checkpoint from neighboring countries will be granted a maximum stay of 15 days.

Under the new provisions of the VISA EXEMPTION RULE effective December 6, 2008, passport holders of 52 countries are entitled to enter Thailand under this rule provided that they meet the following criteria:

1. The visit is strictly for tourism purposes.

2. They must have a confirmed return ticket to show that they are flying out of Thailand within 30 or 15 days of entry, as appropriate. Open tickets do not qualify. Traveling over land out of Thailand by train, bus, etc to Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia (including en route to Singapore), Myanmar, etc is not accepted as proof of exiting Thailand.

   You may be asked to show your flight ticket on entering Thailand. If you do not possess a flight ticket to show you will be exiting Thailand within 30 or 15 days of entry you will be most likely to be refused entry.

3. http://www.thaiembassy.com/thailand/changes-visa-exempt.php

There's a post in the Chiang Mai forum this week alleging that a VIP pass had been refused at MaeSai only recently.

[boomerangutang]

ok, maybe I'm old fashioned. It's been called visa-on-arrival since the buggy whip. Sorry if it's not the strictly proper semantic, but that's essentially what it is. A visa is permission to enter and legally be in a foreign country. That's what people get when they enter Thailand. I'll try to remember the proper nomenclature.

It's like people should say "may I...." when they say "can I...." I guess I got the naughty boy gene, and it's hard to get rid of it. Good thing we're not married, eh?

Edited January 2, 2016 by boomerangutang

[sceadugenga]

Well if you keep saying it often enough maybe it will become true.

[jobin]

Per request.

I went to Tackiliek from CM on the bus. Currently carry a USA passport and year long retirement visa and multiple re-entry from T'land. Exiting T'land no problem, Immig took the Departure card from my psprt and stamped me out. Walked to MM and paid 10 US$, in single soiled notes, no problem.

Was asked if returning immediately to T'land and i said no. I told the man i wanted to go to Regina Casino. He took my photo, stamped the psprt and kept the psprt. He then gave me an official card which was good for 14 days (i think). I used the card at the hotel (not the Regina; much over priced).

Next day used the card to regain my psprt at MM border post and they stamped me out. Walked over to T'land (after stopping at Big Liquor shop on bridge) and after filling a new arrival/departure card and undergoing T'land inspection by Immig was re-admitted to T'land.

Since i have now a new Departure card, i assume i will not need to make a 90 day report, due in 2 weeks.

[boomerangutang]

a friend told me he crossed the border at Mae Sai 2 days ago on a day-trip VIP pass, no problem.

[pomchop]

a friend told me he crossed the border at Mae Sai 2 days ago on a day-trip VIP pass, no problem.

Went to mae sai yesterday as have to leave every 90 days on my non imm B visa....

From time i left Thailand get stamped out enter burma stamped in paid with nice crisp US $10 bill with zero problems returned and stamped back into Thailand...total elapsed time 11 minutes...a new record time for me...no lines to speak of..

mae sai seemed very quiet yesterday and the usually crowded shopping areas were very quiet...

For those who do need to do some kind of visa run ...LUCKY you live Chiang Rai.....got to be the easiest visa runs in Thailand.

[sceadugenga]

I went down for my stamp at Chiang Rai Immigration today.

Took 5 minutes again.

[ripstanley]

I went down for my stamp at Chiang Rai Immigration today.

Took 5 minutes again.

A bit slow were they today.

[pomchop]

I went down for my stamp at Chiang Rai Immigration today.

Took 5 minutes again.

..LUCKY you live Chiang Rai

[only1]

What's the problem ?

Any bad happening recently ?

[sceadugenga]

No, no problems, a few people were refused VIP passes (a permit for leaving the country without a passport) last year but business as usual otherwise.

[JacksSmirkingRevenge]

i have done 2 border runs to mai sae and one very recently... no problems. and i always pay the Myanmar immigration with USD and never Baht and still no issues. For me, the immigration officers for both countries have always been nice with me and smiled and polite.