Mae Sai

[AndyW]

Has anybody done this without getting a re-entry visa first (1000baht)? I would just like to do a bit of shopping on the Burmese side.

[Ajarn]

Has anybody done this without getting a re-entry visa first (1000baht)?  I would just like to do a bit of shopping on the Burmese side.

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http://www.chiangmainews.com/ecmn/2005/march05/Measai.php

....If you do not have reentry permit but want to make the crossing anyway, take a photocopy of your current visa and info page and ask the Thai officer to stamp the copy. They will usually do this in exchange for a, ahem, service charge of around B100, keeping your actual passport untampered with until you return to the Thai side.

Never tried it, never heard of it before....

[ovenman]

http://www.chiangmainews.com/ecmn/2005/march05/Measai.php

....If you do not have reentry permit but want to make the crossing anyway, take a photocopy of your current visa and info page and ask the Thai officer to stamp the copy. They will usually do this in exchange for a, ahem, service charge of around B100, keeping your actual passport untampered with until you return to the Thai side.

This pretty much describes how one crossed the border at Mae Sai before it was upgraded to a "real crossing" for foreigners in 1998 or so. Thai immigrations held on to your passport while you were in Tachileik, you never oficially left Thailand nor entered Myanmar. I wasn't aware that immigrations still let people cross in this manner but nothing surprises me where the possibility exists of making service charges on the side.

[AndyW]

http://www.chiangmainews.com/ecmn/2005/march05/Measai.php

....If you do not have reentry permit but want to make the crossing anyway, take a photocopy of your current visa and info page and ask the Thai officer to stamp the copy. They will usually do this in exchange for a, ahem, service charge of around B100, keeping your actual passport untampered with until you return to the Thai side.

This pretty much describes how one crossed the border at Mae Sai before it was upgraded to a "real crossing" for foreigners in 1998 or so. Thai immigrations held on to your passport while you were in Tachileik, you never oficially left Thailand nor entered Myanmar. I wasn't aware that immigrations still let people cross in this manner but nothing surprises me where the possibility exists of making service charges on the side.

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One can only try. Was hoping to hear from someone who'd actually done this.

[Lordfoul]

I have done this 2 or 3 times over the past couple of years and it works just as Ajarn described. You will still have to pay US$5 to the Burmese so Don't for get to buy one from Thai immigration before you go over to the other side.

/sm

http://www.chiangmainews.com/ecmn/2005/march05/Measai.php

....If you do not have reentry permit but want to make the crossing anyway, take a photocopy of your current visa and info page and ask the Thai officer to stamp the copy. They will usually do this in exchange for a, ahem, service charge of around B100, keeping your actual passport untampered with until you return to the Thai side.

This pretty much describes how one crossed the border at Mae Sai before it was upgraded to a "real crossing" for foreigners in 1998 or so. Thai immigrations held on to your passport while you were in Tachileik, you never oficially left Thailand nor entered Myanmar. I wasn't aware that immigrations still let people cross in this manner but nothing surprises me where the possibility exists of making service charges on the side.

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One can only try. Was hoping to hear from someone who'd actually done this.

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[AndyW]

Lordfoul, do you hand your passport to the guy who would normally stamp you out, & then pick it up again at the re-entry side of the road?

[Lordfoul]

I just did this on Sunday, Here is what I did Exactly.

Go to the Copy stand right next to Passport control, They will make you 2 coppies of the Photo page of your Passport.

Go to the window where you would normaly get your passport stamped and tell them "No Stamp" and hand them your Photo Copies, 100 Baht and your Passport.

They will give you back a copy to give to Burmese immigration.

Don't Forget to buy a US$5 if you don't already have one.

Goto Burmese Immigration and hand them you Photo copy, they will give you a reciept (same as the one you get if you give them your passport).

On your way back pick up your photo copy from Burmese immigration and walk back through to the thai side.You do not have to fill out any paper work and you do not have to stop at a any of the immigration windows here, the guy on the stool will probably stop you and tell you to walk back into Thailand then go to the window you left your passport hand them the photo copy and they will return your passport.

It looks like there is a crack down on going on regarding DVD sales, I am not sure who is doing the cracking down but, that L shaped shop everyone knows so well is gone and all the store fronts of the dvd sellers have been cleared out. Most of the places are still there it just seems more secretive and Prices of DVD are now 45-50 Baht per disc for DVD 5 (Most TVshow Boxed sets) and 80 Baht for DVD 9 (Most Movies). This was the first time in Three years of going up there that I saw these shops filled with Thai shoppers wich made it hard to move around as some how 1 skinny Thai can manage to take up more space than a heard beer bellied farang.

As for The Crack Down I don't get who is responsible ... Niether Burmese Immigration Or Thai Custom cared at all that I was carring several Bags filled with DVDs (Side Note: Thai customs is now set up at a Table in the Passport Control "room" so you have to walk by them, but they didn't stop me or any one else while I was there)

/SM

Lordfoul, do you hand your passport to the guy who would normally stamp you out, & then pick it up again at the re-entry side of the road?

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Edited March 14, 2005 by Lordfoul

[AndyW]

I just did this on Sunday, Here is what I did Exactly.

Go to the Copy stand right next to Passport control, They will make you 2 coppies of the  Photo page of your Passport.

Go to the window where you would normaly get your passport stamped and tell them "No Stamp" and hand them your Photo Copies, 100 Baht and your Passport.

They will give you back a copy to give to Burmese immigration.

Don't Forget to buy a US$5 if you don't already have one.

Goto Burmese Immigration and hand them you Photo copy, they will give you a reciept (same as the one you get if you give them your passport).

On your way back pick up your photo copy from Burmese immigration and walk back through to the thai side.You do not have to fill out any paper work and you do not have to stop at a any of the immigration windows here, the guy on the stool will probably stop you and tell you to walk back into Thailand then go to the window you left your passport hand them the photo copy and they will return your passport.

 

Lordfoul, do you hand your passport to the guy who would normally stamp you out, & then pick it up again at the re-entry side of the road?

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Thanks alot your Lordship.