Maesai Border

[rickthailand]

can someone please tell me what time the border clopses on a saturday at maesai?

thanks

rick

[wildpikey]

Usual closing time for foreigners, (coming back into Thailand) is 17:00hrs. 18:00hrs for Thai's.

I don't think that changes for the weekend although I am not 100 % on that.

[JRA]

im headed up on the vip (green bus) bus at 8am and leaving 4ish for return, should be a long day

[millwall_fan]

Don't forget that Myanmar time is half an hour behind Thailand so you need to factor that in if you look at a Burnese clock.

[IanForbes]

im headed up on the vip (green bus) bus at 8am and leaving 4ish for return, should be a long day

It is a long day, but if you bring a music player and some head phones it helps to pass the time. I usually try to catch the bus around 8 AM and the bus back at 3 AM. I once got to the border at 5:15 PM and it was after closing time, but the nice guys processed my paper and I got across and back with no issues. I didn't want to stay over night and I had already paid for a return bus ride. It usually takes about 5 hours to get from Chiang Mai to Mesai and about 4 hours to return. The difference is caused by all the stops on the way up. All the police checks slow the trip down a lot as well. On every trip I have seen unfortunate souls hauled off the bus because their papers are not in order.

There's nothing much to look at on the Burma side unless you take several days up there.

[JRA]

im headed up on the vip (green bus) bus at 8am and leaving 4ish for return, should be a long day

It is a long day, but if you bring a music player and some head phones it helps to pass the time. I usually try to catch the bus around 8 AM and the bus back at 3 AM. I once got to the border at 5:15 PM and it was after closing time, but the nice guys processed my paper and I got across and back with no issues. I didn't want to stay over night and I had already paid for a return bus ride. It usually takes about 5 hours to get from Chiang Mai to Mesai and about 4 hours to return. The difference is caused by all the stops on the way up. All the police checks slow the trip down a lot as well. On every trip I have seen unfortunate souls hauled off the bus because their papers are not in order.

There's nothing much to look at on the Burma side unless you take several days up there.

Yes I agree Ian, long day...last year I did the visa run once but stayed in Chiang Rai then went up...I took a few pics in Burma and walked the market and had lunch and bought some soda's for the sweet children playing near me...I have a small checklist of stuff to take to pass the time as well...I am hoping my motorbike will be safe at the bus station for 12 or so hours? I pray I dont oversleep or forget anything since it's day 90 the day I go...haha...knock on wood;)

[Thaihog]

im headed up on the vip (green bus) bus at 8am and leaving 4ish for return, should be a long day

If you don't want to shop at Mae Sai, you could get the 2PM bus back to CM....