Mae Sai Border Rules--please, Cut To The Chase!

[meowchawpnom]

I have to go to Mae Sai in a few days. Will I definitely need to show 10,000 baht? Can it be in travelers checks?

I have several bank statements showing substantial assets. ALso ATM receipts. This is not enough for them?

I hope to get some simple answers and not a huge long debate like in the other threads!

Thanks.

Meow

[Guest fj2003]

like in all the other threads

there are many differnt messages nobody knows exactly how it will go

but if you stay here as a tourist u should have that money

and as a non tourist maybe check for other possibilities

or just check it out together with a good friend as a kind of bodyguard

thailand has not only flood in rainy season they have also a flood of many personal rules how to handle the law

choke dee khrap

and let us know your experience but be always aware who you deal with and keep respect

[george]

Bring USD travellers cheques. 300 or 500 USD should be enough, depending on visa type. No problems!

You buy them at any Thai bank.

[Guest fj2003]

thats anabsolut save an easy advice

hopefully it will crack down the cry over visaruns and the money

[meowchawpnom]

Thanks for the replies. Do you think the banks in Mae Sai will sell Travelers checks? It might be easier for me to buy them there 'cause I have to leave early Monday morning.

I last visited Mae Sai over a year ago. I heard there were some new rules and regulations in addition to this one.

Is it true you have to give them xerox copies of your passport and 30 day stamp?

How many?

Is it true that you no longer have to stop at the immigration department to get stamped out but can instead do it at the border? Is there a fee to do it at the border?

Thanks again for the help.

[loong]

Is it true you have to give them xerox copies of your passport and 30 day stamp?

How many?

After 3 trips, they now want photocopy, they will tell you what pages, I can't remember now. You have to write your address on 1 of the copies

undefined

[is it true that you no longer have to stop at the immigration department to get stamped out but can instead do it at the border? Is there a fee to do it at the border?]

True, no need to stop at the immigration dept now.

There is no fee

[meowchawpnom]

Thanks Loong. At least that's one piece of good news. The stop at Immig. Dept made the trip a lot longer.

[sabaijai]

A couple friends, both of whom I've known here in Thailand for the last 5 years, made a Mae Sai visa run last Thursday. One was going for the 30-day on-arrival visa. He was asked to show 10,000 baht in cash, which fortunately he had brought with him.

The other friend had a one-year multiple-entry non-B, and was prepared to show 20,000 baht but wasn't asked to show any cash at all.

They both said they saw officers comparing the names in their passports with a list of names at the desk. A rumour rippling through the line - and no one had the gumption to ask Thai immigration if it were true -- was that anyone on that list would be given 10 days only and told not to come back.

The sign specifying the rule at Mae Sai read CASH ONLY. Someone in line said he'd heard that Thai immigration had figured out it would be easy to scam on TCs (you could buy them, say you lost them and receive a refund, then keep the "lost" TCs to show at the border).

Strangest of all, as they were coming through the line, one of the immigration officers made a point of going down the line and asking everyone to prepare to show cash as specified on the sign.

The two didn't agree on what percentage of border walkers were asked to show cash (one said only a few, the other thought it was nearly half while they were passing through), but obviously it wasn't every person.

I'd say it's risky to go without having the cash on hand, though the extent of the risk probably hinges on what kind of visa you have (or don't have), not to mention how many stamps are in your passport, how you dress and behave, etc.

[lopburi3]

A couple friends, both of whom I've known here in Thailand for the last 5 years, made a Mae Sai visa run last Thursday. One was going for the 30-day on-arrival visa. He was asked to show 10,000 baht in cash, which fortunately he had brought with him.

The other friend had a one-year multiple-entry non-B, and was prepared to show 20,000 baht but wasn't asked to show any cash at all.

They both said they saw officers comparing the names in their passports with a list of names at the desk. A rumour rippling through the line - and no one had the gumption to ask Thai immigration if it were true -- was that anyone on that list would be given 10 days only and told not to come back.

The sign specifying the rule at Mae Sai read CASH ONLY. Someone in line said he'd heard that Thai immigration had figured out it would be easy to scam on TCs (you could buy them, say you lost them and receive a refund, then keep the "lost" TCs to show at the border).

Strangest of all, as they were coming through the line, one of the immigration officers made a point of going down the line and asking everyone to prepare to show cash as specified on the sign.

The two didn't agree on what percentage of border walkers were asked to show cash (one said only a few, the other thought it was nearly half while they were passing through), but obviously it wasn't every person.

I'd say it's risky to go without having the cash on hand, though the extent of the risk probably hinges on what kind of visa you have (or don't have), not to mention how many stamps are in your passport, how you dress and behave, etc.

Thanks for the report. That sign has always said "cash only" but immigration has, at higher level, defined cash to include travelers checks so do not believe they will be a problem.

If you report checks lost they are put on a list so it would take a real dunce to show them to a police officer.

[sabaijai]

This is all second-hand, and in fact if anyone posts anything to the contrary here, it's still second-hand. You'll only know when you try it for yourself.

f you report checks lost they are put on a list so it would take a real dunce to show them to a police officer.

I doubt that Thai immigration would have a copy of a list of stolen (or lost) TCs on hand, what with all the other lists they're juggling. Not that I'm encouraging carrying lost TCs, bad idea.

I'm betting that Mae Sai has their own rules about this, and that while airport immigration would readily accept TCs (though in reality they rarely check), Mae Sai may interpret 'cash only' more strictly.

I certainly wouldn't try a Mae Sai visa run right now without carrying cash baht.

[lopburi3]

This is all second-hand, and in fact if anyone posts anything to the contrary here, it's still second-hand. You'll only know when you try it for yourself.

f you report checks lost they are put on a list so it would take a real dunce to show them to a police officer.

I doubt that Thai immigration would have a copy of a list of stolen (or lost) TCs on hand, what with all the other lists they're juggling. Not that I'm encouraging carrying lost TCs, bad idea.

I'm betting that Mae Sai has their own rules about this, and that while airport immigration would readily accept TCs (though in reality they rarely check), Mae Sai may interpret 'cash only' more strictly.

I certainly wouldn't try a Mae Sai visa run right now without carrying cash baht.

I am not in the habit of posting information that is not supported. Until the following post is removed for the official web site I will believe it to be true.

Not only the cash you can carry travel cheque 

Name Pol.Lt.Col.C halermpong Vadhanasukha (61.90.14.*) [ Saturday 25 September 2004 ???? 10:03 ? ]Comment No: 13

Source: http://www.imm3.police.go.th/webboard/view.php?No=1600

As for travelers checks: if they feared what was claimed it would be very easy to check was the point.

[sabaijai]

I am not in the habit of posting information that is not supported. Until the following post is removed for the official web site I will believe it to be true.

QUOTE 

Not only the cash you can carry travel cheque 

Name Pol.Lt.Col.C halermpong Vadhanasukha (61.90.14.*) [ Saturday 25 September 2004 ???? 10:03 ? ]Comment No: 13

Source: http://www.imm3.police.go.th/webboard/view.php?No=1600

I'm not disagreeing with you Lop, I'm just pointing out that it's one thing to be supported in theory, quite another to be supported in practice.

Until someone asked to demonstrate their financial solvency in Mae Sai, actually sees with their own eyes that TCs are acceptable, then neither of us knows for sure.

Like Dr Pat is fond of pointing out, the rules don't mean a thing till someone applies them.

[lopburi3]

I am not in the habit of posting information that is not supported. Until the following post is removed for the official web site I will believe it to be true.

QUOTE 

Not only the cash you can carry travel cheque 

Name Pol.Lt.Col.C halermpong Vadhanasukha (61.90.14.*) [ Saturday 25 September 2004 ???? 10:03 ? ] Comment No: 13

Source: http://www.imm3.police.go.th/webboard/view.php?No=1600

I'm not disagreeing with you Lop, I'm just pointing out that it's one thing to be supported in theory, quite another to be supported in practice.

Until someone asked to demonstrate their financial solvency in Mae Sai, actually sees with their own eyes that TCs are acceptable, then neither of us knows for sure.

Like Dr Pat is fond of pointing out, the rules don't mean a thing till someone applies them.

BWD (bad wife day) and don't want to scare off people posting second hand information as it is important; and how we can clear some of the bar rumors.

Having the boss point out that is it cash or travelers checks is not something to be taken lightly. I would be very surprised if they did not accept them.

But this also serves to indicate the inspections are going to take place and that they are serious.

[SBACM]

Just got back From Mae sai border.for my 90 day non b renew was a bit apprehensive about new rules brought about 15 thousand baht and a few hundred dollar bills just to show i had enough I didnt have time to exchange as there is a bank right there if i needed to.

The new regulation is well posted in 4 different places.

They were very nice and didnt ask to see any money said have a nice day with a smile.

Tit-What do you do?

Be a boy scout always be prepared

PS The border on burma side was dead no one was there shopping! and the prices reflected that New Dvd's 80Baht

Felt no safety issues at all plenty of police around!

[PeaceBlondie]

Yes, everything's second hand unless you're a direct witness; good point. I find that the comments, above, by sabaijai, agree with what I saw on 8 october. The guys checking the queue before you get to the Thai immigration inbound at Mae Sai asked me if I could show cash, and I showed one savings passbook, current, with over 40K and another current ATM slip on another account, aith more than 80K. The officer at the window didn't ask me directly to show it, but maybe he got a high sign from the men in line. Nothing was mentioned or said about traveller's cheques, so I don't know about that (never use 'em anymore).

It's best to go with cash, or perhaps TC's. They're busy men, and they can't make everybody prove everything (the line would go way back into Myanmar), so they choose whom they wish to inspect more closely.

[Mali_in_CM]

A friend went early Oct.

It was 20,000B, cash or current [7 days] bankbook/ATM. Dunno anout TCs.

[sabaijai]

A friend went early Oct.

It was 20,000B, cash or current [7 days] bankbook/ATM. Dunno anout TCs.

Another friend of mine just got back from Mae Sai an hour ago and he said exactly the same thing, they were accepting cash OR a bank book that had been updated no more than 7 days earlier, or a bank statement ditto. He also said he was the only one checked in his van, probably because he had multiple stamps.