Mae Sot To Myanmar

[srisatch]

Short excursion!

Can westerners, as of now, cross the bridge at Mae Sot? Can they still do it on one? day entry/exit stamps?

Can they do it without a Thai Re-Entry permit on a Non-O Visa?

Can the wife and the child go on their Thai passports or must they go on a permit?

Has anyone tried to take the car?

Thanks

[richardb]

Yes I have crossed on foot many times for the day trip. I cant answer your visa query. Thais get a photocopy of their passport at a booth cross and give the photocopy to a Thai Immigration bloke as they flood back at about 459pm. I dont think you can take te car. The Visa says "walk" on it. My Buermese friends all got very very nervous if I was in a car or van. Motorcycle taxis seem ok though!!!

Richar

[srisatch]

Yes I have crossed on foot many times for the day trip. I cant answer your visa query. Thais get a photocopy of their passport at a booth cross and give the photocopy to a Thai Immigration bloke as they flood back at about 459pm. I dont think you can take te car. The Visa says "walk" on it. My Buermese friends all got very very nervous if I was in a car or van. Motorcycle taxis seem ok though!!!

Richar

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks...any one else!!?

[Gazza]

I've crossed over into Myawaddy many times. The Burmese Immigration want 10US dollars or 500 baht. Plus sometimes a photo if you're spending time in Myawaddy, for a quick turnaround they usually don't ask for a photo.

For Thais, I've taken a couple of GFs who have gone over on a day permit. 30baht plus photo. Obtained very nearby, only about 1-2 minute walk away, from the Thai Immigration. Should imagine no problem if they have a Thai passport.

I'm presently getting 30 day stamps, going to Penang for visas all the time is very tedious.

Last time at Mae Sot was 3 months ago. I'm going back there at the end of this month. Last two months been going to Cambodia but works out more expensive even though it's nearer.

Taking a car? I'm not sure just how far you can drive into Burma. I heard that you can only walk as far as the town's limit and no further. Not sure of what there is to see outside of Myawaddy (which is very small town anyway).

Thai baht can be used.

Bear in mind also that they drive on the Right Hand side, not the left, something that surprised me the first time that I went there.

Take an umbrella for your misses. If it ain't raining then it'll be stinking hot walking over the bridge.

Edited February 6, 2005 by Gazza

[srisatch]

I've crossed over into Myawaddy many times. The Burmese Immigration want 10US dollars or 500 baht. Plus sometimes a photo if you're spending time in Myawaddy, for a quick turnaround they usually don't ask for a photo.

For Thais, I've taken a couple of GFs who have gone over on a day permit. 30baht plus photo. Obtained very nearby, only about 1-2 minute walk away, from the Thai Immigration. Should imagine no problem if they have a Thai passport.

I'm presently getting 30 day stamps, going to Penang for visas all the time is very tedious.

Last time at Mae Sot was 3 months ago. I'm going back there at the end of this month. Last two months been going to Cambodia but works out more expensive even though it's nearer.

Taking a car? I'm not sure just how far you can drive into Burma. I heard that you can only walk as far as the town's limit and no further. Not sure of what there is to see outside of Myawaddy (which is very small town anyway).

Thai baht can be used.

Bear in mind also that they drive on the Right Hand side, not the left, something that surprised me the first time that I went there.

Take an umbrella for your misses. If it ain't raining then it'll be stinking hot walking over the bridge.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes it was the walk over the bridge caused the missus to raise the car Q!

Is there anything there when you get there?

Last time I went to Mae Sai/Tachilek missus bought a ton of peacock feathers and a fake fur coat which she wore in Phuket +30degrees Celsius

[Gazza]

I used to just walk to a small temple that was down a little soi off the main road that runs through the town. The road starts at the immigration post and the first time, about a year ago, there wasn't a car, van, bus or truck to be seen. Not sure why. Though subsequent visits I've seen plenty of vehicles.

If I'm with a GF, I'll walk to the temple (10 min walk) and get a pedicab (40b) back to the immigration.

I'm sure that whatever you can buy in Myawaddy you should be able to get at the Rim Moie market next to the bridge on the Thai side.

There's very few touts to annoy you, most are on the Thai side, but some may offer you duty free Marlboros.

Overall, I think it's a nice place to visit the once just to compare town life to that of Thailand. Myawaddy has signs in Burmese and English and can't recall ever seeing anything in Thai, you don't see mobile logo stickers or posters everywhere, the sois off the main road have some really squalid slum areas, plenty of tea shops.

The only highlight for my Mae Sot trips now are to observe guys paddling across the river in huge inflated inner tubes with contraband while I'm walking over the bridge. They usually land on the Thai side only 50m from customs.

I would recommend going at least once. Unlike Mae Sai, you don't have to show 10,000 baht.

Edited February 6, 2005 by Gazza