Border Crossing - Without Getting A New Visa

[dsys]

Had my parents turn call me last week to announce they had decided to come to visit and were waiting at CR airport to be picked up. So travelled down to CR, picked them up and was instrutced to take them to Burma( their hobby is collecting visa stamps in their passports - sad i know).

I had heard that you could get round the $10 charge at the burma side by depositing your passport at Thai immigration for B100 and get a day pass.

Thai immigration gladly took by 100 baht but when we walked over the bridge I was directed into the passport office and had to hand over the $10. So I ended up paying an extra 100 baht and did not "extend" my 90 days. Was none to happy.

Incase you are wondering why I did not want to get another 90 day stamp - i had done this the previous week and thought I could save the $10.

Anyways is it possible to leave you passport at Thai counter and not pay the $10. Just thinking of dvd shopping etc.

[kash]

no there is no way around - unless you are Thai, then the cost is 20THB for a day pass, and btw $10 = 300THB

Edited December 23, 2007 by kash

[dsys]

no there is no way around - unless you are Thai, then the cost is 20THB for a day pass, and btw $10 = 300THB

I was told I could get the day pass by paying Thai immigration the 100 Baht, they kept my passport and I had the photcopy same as my thai wife. Guess there is no way round it and I was just stupid.

As an aside I also once tried turning around on the bridge without going into Burma but that didnt work either.

[Awk]

As an aside I also once tried turning around on the bridge without going into Burma but that didnt work either.

Heh. please tell more. ;-)

After last time I did this to get a new visa stamp, I started thinking that since

there is nothing I need to buy on the burma-side of the border, next time I will just turn back

into thailand, without going in/out of Burma. Why does that not work?

[ISPY]

As an aside I also once tried turning around on the bridge without going into Burma but that didnt work either.

Heh. please tell more. ;-)

After last time I did this to get a new visa stamp, I started thinking that since

there is nothing I need to buy on the burma-side of the border, next time I will just turn back

into thailand, without going in/out of Burma. Why does that not work?

That works. We came overthere several times without buying something. Just a little walk (to the left side, because it is quiet overthere) and after about 10 minutes....we usually went back. No problem. And so we were on the way back within 25-30 minutes after all.

[chang35baht]

You have no obligation to buy anything in Burma. But you are obliged to go to the Burmese imigration office, on the right hand side as you cross the bridge, to receive your entry and exit stamps. Without those in your passport you wil be turned away from the Tha Imm. on your return.

Edited December 26, 2007 by chang35baht

[Crow Boy]

You have no obligation to buy anything in Burma. But you are obliged to go to the Burmese imigration office, on the right hand side as you cross the bridge, to receive your entry and exit stamps. Without those in your passport you wil be turned away from the Tha Imm. on your return.

That is correct - the Thai immigration rules require you to show that you have exited Thailand and entered another country ie Burma. This is done with the stamps. Sometimes the Burmese officials would put their stamp on a different page to the Thai one which made it messier, then they changed to putting them parallel to each other on the same page. I had pages with columns of Thai and Burmese stamps in sequence. Made life easier for all concerned.

When I used to do border runs I would get my exit stamp from Thailand walk directly to the Burmese office and they would ask if I wanted to go straight back to Thailand or go shopping. Most times I would go straight back. I think my best time in and out through Immigration on both sides was twenty minutes. No customers waiting on either side.

CB

[ISPY]

You have no obligation to buy anything in Burma. But you are obliged to go to the Burmese imigration office, on the right hand side as you cross the bridge, to receive your entry and exit stamps. Without those in your passport you wil be turned away from the Tha Imm. on your return.

That is correct - the Thai immigration rules require you to show that you have exited Thailand and entered another country ie Burma. This is done with the stamps. Sometimes the Burmese officials would put their stamp on a different page to the Thai one which made it messier, then they changed to putting them parallel to each other on the same page. I had pages with columns of Thai and Burmese stamps in sequence. Made life easier for all concerned.

When I used to do border runs I would get my exit stamp from Thailand walk directly to the Burmese office and they would ask if I wanted to go straight back to Thailand or go shopping. Most times I would go straight back. I think my best time in and out through Immigration on both sides was twenty minutes. No customers waiting on either side.

CB

Yes, like I did. When you are at about 8.30 am in Mae Sai, you can be on your way back before 9 am (or have a cup of coffee of course in Mae Sai )

[goski]

Yes, I like that time schedule since Mae Sai is one of the most boring places I know. I´m so old fashioned that I have to do a visa run next month and it´s going to be the quickest one ever. Does shopping in the liquor store across from the Burmese office count as active time being there or can I count it out?

[ISPY]

Yes, I like that time schedule since Mae Sai is one of the most boring places I know. I´m so old fashioned that I have to do a visa run next month and it´s going to be the quickest one ever. Does shopping in the liquor store across from the Burmese office count as active time being there or can I count it out?

And you can have a cup of coffee at Doi Chaang overthere and buy some CD's. The owner (F) has a CD shop (downstairs) too.

[tom21]

the cost into burma is $10 us or 500thb is it stiil that. good exchange rate