Crossing The Burma Border

[lanky]

I currently hold a two month tourist visa would like to do some quick shopping across the border into burma is there any special visa that will not forfiet my tourist visa for entry into burma just for some shopping for the day or for a hour I did that once in loas at a market which allowed me half hour shopping into some part of loas so just would like to know if that is possible with burma

[gpdjohn]

There is a small office close to the border where they will photocopy your passport and give you a letter from the police asking permission of the Myanmar immigration for you to spent the day in "freakville" for shopping purposes.

Hand it to Thai immigration at the border along with your passport. Keep the letter provided for you and cross in Myanmar. Cost is 500 baht w/ Myanmar immigration in a little tiny seedy room.

When you cross back into Thailand, see the boys/girls at Thai immigration and they will hand you back your passport.

Sorry, cannot provide any further info on where this office is to get the letter, but I'm sure others here will know of it.

Not much to shop for in Tachileik, except for DVD's but that's illegal so I won't tell ya where the best shop for them is...oh yeah and Viagra and ciggys from the touts who will constantly harrass you.

[Sansai Sam]

There is no "letter" required. Take two copies of the photo page of your passport and hand them along with your passport and 100 baht through the regular entry desk window at the border and say "no stamp please". They will staple a small paper that says "VIP" to one copy and hand it back to you. They will keep your passport. At the border is a small office on the right that says "passport control". Go in and give them your paper and 500 baht. They will stamp the paper and give it back. Go do your shopping. On the way back across is a guy sitting on a stool opposite the office that stamped your paper. Hand it to him and he will stamp it again. Cross the border with the paper visible in your hand and go back to the first window and retrieve your passport. Simpler than it sounds. I do it often. The deals at the duty free shop are good for liquor purchase. Viagra and cigarettes are copies and crap. There are also good deals on copy watches, purses and wallets too....have fun!

[vagabond48]

I haven't done the normal Mae Sai border run for over a year. At that time, you had a choice of paying either 500baht or $10US which was a better value. I am not sure if Burmese Immig for the border visit the OP is wanting to do, will accept the $10 as well.

[ThaiPauly]

I haven't done the normal Mae Sai border run for over a year. At that time, you had a choice of paying either 500baht or $10US which was a better value. I am not sure if Burmese Immig for the border visit the OP is wanting to do, will accept the $10 as well.

The last time I went ,about 8 months ago, they would not accept the $10 because it was worth quite a lot less than 500B.

Even though I pointed out the notice on the wall that gives you the option.

They were having none of it

[vagabond48]

I haven't done the normal Mae Sai border run for over a year. At that time, you had a choice of paying either 500baht or $10US which was a better value. I am not sure if Burmese Immig for the border visit the OP is wanting to do, will accept the $10 as well.

The last time I went ,about 8 months ago, they would not accept the $10 because it was worth quite a lot less than 500B.

Even though I pointed out the notice on the wall that gives you the option.

They were having none of it

Interesting. When I went was there June 08 the baht was about 33.5. Was it ever near 50baht to $1US.

[Sansai Sam]

It was 56 to the dollar in January 1998.

[Donnyboy]

I haven't done the normal Mae Sai border run for over a year. At that time, you had a choice of paying either 500baht or $10US which was a better value. I am not sure if Burmese Immig for the border visit the OP is wanting to do, will accept the $10 as well.

The last time I went ,about 8 months ago, they would not accept the $10 because it was worth quite a lot less than 500B.

Even though I pointed out the notice on the wall that gives you the option.

They were having none of it

says alot when a 3rd world country refuses USD

[vagabond48]

It was 56 to the dollar in January 1998.

I missed that one. According to Xrate.com, the 50's baht rate was just a blimp on the radar. I wonder if some folks here saw it a a terrific buying opportunity. It dropped big time shortly after.

[sabaijai]

It reached 57 to the dollar for two days, as I recall.

[Sansai Sam]

Official currency of Thailand. It is divided into 100 satang. Until 1897, the baht was subdivided into 8 fuang, each of 8 att. Until the 1940s it was named tical, then renamed to baht.

Forex issues: From the end of World War II until 1980 the Baht was pegged to a USA Dollar at an exchange rate of twenty Baht to a USA Dollar. A strengthening USA economy caused Thailand to repeg its currency at 25 to the USA Dollar from 1985 until July 2, 1997, when the country was stung by the Asian financial crisis. The Baht was floated and halved in value, reaching its lowest rate of 56 to the Dollar in January 1998. It stabilized again at a rate of about 40 per Dollar, where it has since remained. Before 1880 the exchange rate was fixed at eight Baht per Pound sterling, falling to ten to the Pound during the 1880s.

Then your recollection is better than Forex!

[john b good]

I haven't done the normal Mae Sai border run for over a year. At that time, you had a choice of paying either 500baht or $10US which was a better value. I am not sure if Burmese Immig for the border visit the OP is wanting to do, will accept the $10 as well.

The last time I went ,about 8 months ago, they would not accept the $10 because it was worth quite a lot less than 500B.

Even though I pointed out the notice on the wall that gives you the option.

They were having none of it

says alot when a 3rd world country refuses USD

You're being very kind DB

Burma a 3rd world country. Ya gotta be kidding.