Mae Sai/Tachilek Border Info

[sceadugenga]

Similar experience at Nong Khai crossing this week, immigration officer missed my visa page and gave me a 15 day exemption.

Luckily I checked it before the bus to Udon Thani drove off.

sceadugenga: Stop stop!!!

Bus driver: (speaking in the forum forbidden Thai language) what the #### do you want farang?

sceadugenga: Let me off, let me off!!!

Bus driver: Gladly.

Always check the dates.

Edited January 14, 2014 by sceadugenga

[ARGUSEYE]

Hi,

I've just been to the Tachilek border this morning, hoping to go to Keng Tung on an Entry Permit (see my earlier post #712) withou a guide.

To cut a long story short, and let me be very clear: NO GO!

There was the same woman at MTT I think Boomerang mentioned in his "clear as mud" posts. What he did NOT mention is the requirement of a guide (1000B/day ++) already for Keng Tung. When I mentioned to the woman that her own website does not mention the guide requirement, she suddenly could not speak english no more.

So, fact is, you can go to KT with a visa from the embassy (no guide then). The taxi driver checks you out at immigration in TC Lek, then checks you in at immigration in KT. In - between he is responsible for you. Then you are free to wander around the town limits there guide - less, no more!

This is actually more restrictive than ten years ago.

[Scarpolo]

Almost as sad, I suppose, as the boredom and loneliness that keeps you reading posts four months old.

Some of us, who are new to thailand, are reading these posts now, and not 4 months out, 4 years out!,

but the info is still needed,

I am using Ventianne tomorrow for a 60 day Non IM, and have a g/f from Chiang Rai, so,

if it is going to be more convenient (and maybe cheaper?) to renew in Myammar, onthe bordef where she has a home, I will do so,

for now, we live near BKK Sub......airport, so, Ventianne is fast and easy, for now.

I will still be looking for answers in 60-90 days, so, I hope this is still an active forum

Steve

[sceadugenga]

7 years out, my God, what fratricidal battle brought that on?

Better to leave that skeleton in the closet.

Do you need an immigration office or a consulate/embassy for your visa?

If immigration use MaeSai for sure, if the other then Vientiane is your best bet.

Just got back from there last week, the process is quite civilised, they even let you sit down while waiting now.

Edited January 21, 2014 by sceadugenga

[Scarpolo]

Returned from Ventianne last night, received the double entry Tourist Visa.

One hour first day, to drop off paperwork, with a very helpfull consulate officer,

and one minute the next day to pick up at 3pm, office deserted.

speaking of deserted, the BKK airport was nearly a ghost town at 745PM, whereas generally, before the shutdown, it was an hour at the immigration line, and another 40 minutes for a cab,

because I was w a Thai girl, they allowed thru the Thai resident side and were very very friendly....even coached me about my new visa

I can use Mae Sai for the second entry if needed, but havent figure that out yet

7 years out, my God, what fratricidal battle brought that on?

Better to leave that skeleton in the closet.

Do you need an immigration office or a consulate/embassy for your visa?

If immigration use MaeSai for sure, if the other then Vientiane is your best bet.

Just got back from there last week, the process is quite civilised, they even let you sit down while waiting now.

[sceadugenga]

Travel Agency Launches Overland Trips Between Rangoon and Bangkok

RANGOON — Travelers will soon be able to make a single-ticket overland journey between Bangkok and Burmese cities.

A Bangkok-based travel agency will launch its first trips on Saturday from the Thai capital to Rangoon as well as Mandalay, Bagan, Pa-an in Karen State, Dawei in Tenasserim Division, and Moulmein and the Golden Rock in Mon State. The agency, Vega Travel, also plans to begin trips departing from Rangoon, Pa-an and Moulmein to Bangkok later in February, with an option to travel onward to the Cambodian city of Siem Reap.

It will be the first travel agency to offer single-ticket overland trips from Burma all the way to Bangkok. Currently, buses from various cities stop in the Thai border town of Mae Sot, and travelers must book separate tickets from there to Bangkok.

“The trips are planned to start in February, and we are already accepting reservations,” says Thant Zin, ticketing manager at Vega Travel Myanmar.

Passengers will need to book tickets two days in advance. Vega Travel can assist with Thai visa applications for a 5,000 kyats fee (US$5), in addition to the visa cost of $40. Passengers to Cambodia can apply for a visa on arrival.

A ticket to Rangoon from Bangkok will cost 1,500 baht ($45). From Burma, tickets to Bangkok will cost 55,000 kyats from Rangoon, 45,000 kyats from Pa-an, and 40,000 kyats from Moulmein. The trip from Rangoon to Siem Reap will cost 60,000 kyats.

The journey from Rangoon to Bangkok will take about 24 hours. Travelers will depart Rangoon at 6 am and arrive at the Burmese border town of Myawaddy at about 4 pm or 5 pm. After checking in with immigration across the border in Mae Sot, a double-decker bus will depart about three hours later, at 7 pm or 8 pm, and arrive in Bangkok the next morning. From there, travelers can continue on for another eight or nine hours to Siem Reap.

Vega Travel says it will schedule trips on days when buses are allowed to pass the Dawna mountain range to Myawaddy.

In August, Burma’s Ministry of Immigration and Population announced that foreign visitors with Burmese visas would be allowed to enter and leave Burma overland through four gates along its eastern border with Thailand. In the past, travelers could only go between the countries by plane.

For decades earlier, international road travel was restricted by the former military regime, which was wary of foreign visitors and wanted to limit access to the conflict-ridden ethnic areas along the border.

President Thein Sein’s quasi-civilian government has signed ceasefires with most major ethnic armed groups since 2011, and peace talks are ongoing.

Officials and ethnic representatives said last year that the decision to open the border for overland travel would boost tourism and facilitate foreign investment in ethnic areas and the rest of Burma

http://www.irrawaddy.org/burma/travel-agency-launches-overland-trips-rangoon-bangkok.html

[boomerangutang]

I got the latest from Tachilek tourist office. The tiny office next to the entry office, at the bridge.

Some of this info has already been mentioned in prior posts, but here goes:

If you come across from Mae Sai, the rules for going on to Keng Tung or Meng La are the same as what they were months ago. You can travel up-country, but you (or your group) are required to hire a gov't approved guide for Bt.1,000/day. You cannot go to other places in Burma.

If, however, you come over on a bona fide Burmese visa (gotten from Bkk), the you can travel to other parts of Burma from Tachilek, BY PLANE, not by bus.

Either way, you need to tell the immigration office officers, before they stamp your passport. If not, they will restrict you from leaving Tachilek.

[Chicken George]

Who buys CD's anyway? Outdated obsolete springs to mind. I for one eoulf like to see most if the cheap but no really so cheap copy dhoos vlise. I fo not think they benifit any local people just mafia types. But vhsnge foes not happen overnight.

Sent from my GT-I9082 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[sceadugenga]

Wel sed.

[Chicken George]

Fat fingers. .lol

Sent from my GT-I9082 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[sceadugenga]

No preblom.

[harrry]

No preblom.

THets HOK.

[nellyp]

I got the latest from Tachilek tourist office. The tiny office next to the entry office, at the bridge.

Some of this info has already been mentioned in prior posts, but here goes:

If you come across from Mae Sai, the rules for going on to Keng Tung or Meng La are the same as what they were months ago. You can travel up-country, but you (or your group) are required to hire a gov't approved guide for Bt.1,000/day. You cannot go to other places in Burma.

If, however, you come over on a bona fide Burmese visa (gotten from Bkk), the you can travel to other parts of Burma from Tachilek, BY PLANE, not by bus.

Either way, you need to tell the immigration office officers, before they stamp your passport. If not, they will restrict you from leaving Tachilek.

A friend needs to stay in Burma for 1 day and night, can he simply go over the border get a stamp into the country, and stay in a nearby town, or does he need to hand in his passport and hire a guide even though he is only staying for 1 day? Also what would be the best place to stay, should he just stay in Tachilek (if possible), or go to one of the other towns you have mentioned?

Thanks for any info

[sceadugenga]

I think he's ok staying in Tachilek for a few days, as long as he doesn't stray too far west.

The local resorts have agencies at Chiang Rai airport and I cannot see that you would need a visa, indeed I cannot see that they could issue one; so the border stamp must suffice.

[nellyp]

I think he's ok staying in Tachilek for a few days, as long as he doesn't stray too far west.

The local resorts have agencies at Chiang Rai airport and I cannot see that you would need a visa, indeed I cannot see that they could issue one; so the border stamp must suffice.

just to make this clear or myself. You think that a stamp at the border and no visa would be Ok if he stayed in Tachilek, and that he would not have to pay for the guide?

if this is correct he will be very happy

[harrry]

I think he's ok staying in Tachilek for a few days, as long as he doesn't stray too far west.

The local resorts have agencies at Chiang Rai airport and I cannot see that you would need a visa, indeed I cannot see that they could issue one; so the border stamp must suffice.

just to make this clear or myself. You think that a stamp at the border and no visa would be Ok if he stayed in Tachilek, and that he would not have to pay for the guide?

if this is correct he will be very happy

He must tell them how long he will be staying when he enters Tachilik. He does not need a visa. He can travel for sure in the city and I believe the area extends for about 10k.

THere are hotels in tachilik...I believe they are not the greatest standard but he will be OK as long as he keeps away from the casino rooms.

[nellyp]

I think he's ok staying in Tachilek for a few days, as long as he doesn't stray too far west.

The local resorts have agencies at Chiang Rai airport and I cannot see that you would need a visa, indeed I cannot see that they could issue one; so the border stamp must suffice.

just to make this clear or myself. You think that a stamp at the border and no visa would be Ok if he stayed in Tachilek, and that he would not have to pay for the guide?

if this is correct he will be very happy

He must tell them how long he will be staying when he enters Tachilik. He does not need a visa. He can travel for sure in the city and I believe the area extends for about 10k.

THere are hotels in tachilik...I believe they are not the greatest standard but he will be OK as long as he keeps away from the casino rooms.

Cheers mate i'll tell him tomorrow

[harrry]

Tell him that he will need cash in Tachilik and he may not be able to get it from banks there (though these days he probably can use his card for a bank withdrawal). Best to take a few days supply with him. Tachilik speaks baht as well as dollars.

Edited February 12, 2014 by harrry

[boomerangutang]

Tachilek as one ATM that I know of. It's at a KTB (bank) about 500 meters east of the crossing bridge, on south side of main hwy. The bad news: it only dispenses Burmese money - kip. The good news: you'll readily become a millionaire.

[harrry]

Tachilek as one ATM that I know of. It's at a KTB (bank) about 500 meters east of the crossing bridge, on south side of main hwy. The bad news: it only dispenses Burmese money - kip. The good news: you'll readily become a millionaire.

Maybe the wrong bridge? Doesn't myanma use Kyat?

[boomerangutang]

Tachilek as one ATM that I know of. It's at a KTB (bank) about 500 meters east of the crossing bridge, on south side of main hwy. The bad news: it only dispenses Burmese money - kip. The good news: you'll readily become a millionaire.

Maybe the wrong bridge? Doesn't myanma use Kyat?

you're right, I got the name wrong.

[heybruce]

I did the combined visa stamp/shopping trip to Mae Sai yesterday and was surprised at how busy the border was. I've done this crossing many times in the last eight years, always in the early afternoon, usually on weekends, and normally spend less than five minutes in line leaving and returning to Thailand. Yesterday the line to exit Thailand extended out into the street and took me over 30 minutes, the return line was not as long but still took almost 30 minutes. I also saw traffic back-ups on both side of the border crossing. Is this the new normal, or did I just pick a busy time for the border crossing?

BTW, the air in Mae Sai was much worse than Chiang Mai, and air in Chiang Mai is pretty bad. We got some rain late in the day, I hope it covered Mae Sai and all the other burning areas.

[sceadugenga]

Heybruce, what time was that?

I was there about 9.30 and found the same situation.

A lot appeared to be Chinese.... when they answer their phones with weyyyy it's usually a good sign...

One thing I noticed on the Burma side was that they dispensed with the temporary pass, he just stamped my passport and took my money.

[heybruce]

Heybruce, what time was that?

I was there about 9.30 and found the same situation.

A lot appeared to be Chinese.... when they answer their phones with weyyyy it's usually a good sign...

One thing I noticed on the Burma side was that they dispensed with the temporary pass, he just stamped my passport and took my money.

I arrived at the border a little before 1 pm, and got through a little after. I got in line to leave Burma at 2:30 and got through about 3 pm. There were a fair number of Chinese, but there were more westerners in line than Chinese. However any increase in the number of people passing through passport control can lead to lines forming. So maybe maybe we can blame it on the Chinese.

Perhaps this is just a Songkran thing, the Chinese were definitely here in Chiang Mai in numbers last year, and are already present this year.

[phonebooks]

Just did a run today around 10:30am. No hassle getting in, gave the officer 500baht and took only 1 minute. He gave me both entry and exit stamp to Tachilek. There was a long line to get out, took about 20 minutes.

[heybruce]

Just did a run today around 10:30am. No hassle getting in, gave the officer 500baht and took only 1 minute. He gave me both entry and exit stamp to Tachilek. There was a long line to get out, took about 20 minutes.

Maybe I hit them at a bad time. I hope so, I hate waiting in line. Was there a lot of vehicle traffic crossing the border?

[wdrk7]

Anyone knows any shop in thaichilek that sent dvd across the border to measai or do it by post . Need to get some recent dvds and do not want to cross over .

[my friend I]

Dvds are for sale along the shopping alley to the west of the main street. Go up the road that goes up the hill to the temple for about 100 yards then turn right.

[sceadugenga]

Anyone knows any shop in thaichilek that sent dvd across the border to measai or do it by post . Need to get some recent dvds and do not want to cross over .

Do you know you can cross without having a record placed in your passport?

It's called a VIP pass and only cost an extra 100B on the Thai side.

[Dancealot]

Last week I did my fastet border run ever there. 5mins out, 1 min stamp and pay B500, 5 mins back in.