Visa

[midnightsun]

first time exiting thailand and returning for visa stamp. so any info would be great. i will be seeing a TG in chiang rai. she tells me very easy with no problems. is this true?

how easy it is to cross the border from chiang rai?

what do i need to do?

how much will it cost?

is this a one day thing?

thanks

[chownah]

Its easy. I have been doing it every month for over a year. If you don't want to look at the shops or the market in Burma then you can do everything there in one office which is right there at the crossing in about 15 minutes.....or if you want to look around a bit you can let them keep your passport (don't worry, this is how its done.)and they give you a receipt...you go look around and return to exchange your receipt for your passport and then return to His Majesty's Kingdom.

[chang35baht]

Simply go to the immigration booth at the bridge in Mae Sai. give them your passport and they will stamp you out. you then go across the bridge and get an entry and exit stamp at the same time in the Burmese immigration office. Then come back across the bridge to the Thai Immigration booth, fill in a TM card that should be handed to you and the give it, along with your passport, to the person behind the glass. Depending on the type of visa you have you will be obliged to have either 10,000 Baht (30 days) or 20,000 Baht (60 days) in your pocket. They may not ask to see it but you better take it anyway.

It will cost you 250 Baht or 5 dollars for your entry/exit at the Burmese office.

Welcome back.

[PeaceBlondie]

I'm bumping this thread up because it's the first one in five pages that comes close to my question.

My neighbor's kid, an American citizen and adult, is on a 30 day arrival stamp/visa. He wants to visit Chiang Rai and do a visa run at Mae Sai. What bus does he take from Chiang Rai? Do those buses run all day?

Assuming he has ten thousand baht in his pocket and pays five dollars to the Myanmarese gentleman, can he reenter Thailand and get another 30 days as a tourist?

Thanks, y'all.

[Mymechew]

I'm bumping this thread up because it's the first one in five pages that comes close to my question.

My neighbor's kid, an American citizen and adult, is on a 30 day arrival stamp/visa. He wants to visit Chiang Rai and do a visa run at Mae Sai. What bus does he take from Chiang Rai? Do those buses run all day?

Assuming he has ten thousand baht in his pocket and pays five dollars to the Myanmarese gentleman, can he reenter Thailand and get another 30 days as a tourist?

Thanks, y'all.

Yes. 10,000 baht plus 250 for Burma and a neat appearance will get him another 30 days in Thailand. Good luck.

Mymechew

[chownah]

I want to clarify that the 10,000 baht is only for showing at the border...you don't pay it...just show it. This is to verify that you can support yourself for 30 days in Thailand. As for the buses...I think they pretty much run all day....but not all night so its best to take a really early one up there if you want to explore alot before returning the same day...or...of course...you could easily stay overnite in Mae Sai.

PS They have local cheap buses and also aircon tourist buses between Chiangrai to Mae Sai.

[Potter]

Rent a motorbike and drive north up the super highway untill the border or take a bus from chiang rai bus station. Transport takes about an hour.

It will cost 5$ on the myanmar side. Not so long ago they stopped accepting baht as payment and instead immigration sold them at the thai side.

It can all be done in one day. Overnight in Mae Sai is a possibility. There are good hotels in Mae sai.

Dont trust anybody on the myanmar side. On the myanmar market there are lots of good bargains.

On the way back you need to show 10,000 baht for stand ard 30 days or 20k for a longer visa. Most likely not be asked at all.

It is still considered and hassle free. Lots of things to see on the way between chiang rai and mae sai. (doi mae salong, doi dtung, monkey cave, golden triangel and a lot of other turist attractions.)

first time exiting thailand and returning for visa stamp. so any info would be great. i will be seeing a TG in chiang rai. she tells me very easy with no problems. is this true?

how easy it is to cross the border from chiang rai?

what do i need to do?

how much will it cost?

is this a one day thing?

thanks

[englishoak]

As the other posters say easy going. Just for the record it's by far the most well run border crossing I have been through in Thailand. Even the people of Myanmar don't hassle you. The only other run I love is laos but it's expensive Renting a bike is how I do it and it's great to meander back and check out some other areas. I've even been known to get on a bus from Bkk to do it. Any excuse realy to hang around Chaing Rai area.

Now if only the family were not in BKK mabe a small place would be usefull for all those border runs. Of course i'd have to spend a bit of time there, just to make it feel like home you understand

[Ormgard]

first time exiting thailand and returning for visa stamp. so any info would be great. i will be seeing a TG in chiang rai. she tells me very easy with no problems. is this true?

how easy it is to cross the border from chiang rai?

what do i need to do?

how much will it cost?

is this a one day thing?

thanks

[/quote

In addition]to other replies to your query: an air-con bus leaves Chiang Rai bus station at about 10.45 AM (check with information desk at bus station, bus comes from Chiang Mai), gets in an hour later in Mae Sai, leaving you time for visa processing and, if you feel like it, an hour or two on the Myanmar side before taking an air-con back again to Chiang Rai; there's one at 2 PM and another one at 3 (check and buy ticket when you get off the bus arfriving in Mae Sai!).

Also you'll have time for a really good lunch on a terrace restaurant by the river on the Thai side. If you stand facing the immigration buildning on the Thai side, there's a street running down towards the river on the left hand side of Thai immigration. When the street makes a 90 degree right turn and disappears under the border bridge that's where it's at, the restaurant. Very good food, Thai and European.

[Ajarn]

It will cost 5$ on the myanmar side. Not so long ago they stopped accepting baht as payment and instead immigration sold them at the thai side.

Not true, in my experience

[mumbojumbo]

It will cost 5$ on the myanmar side. Not so long ago they stopped accepting baht as payment and instead immigration sold them at the thai side.

Not true, in my experience

The rules change everyday-mi leue

[chownah]

Myanmar went through a period when they would only take US dollars...but they have been accepting dollars and baht for maybe a year now. The latest thing is that when you give the Myanmar guys 260 baht they say that they don't have 10 baht change...hahhahahha

[ImageDude]

Hi all, in the not too distant future I will be spending quite a lot of time in Chiang Rai. I have no problem with the 30 day visa run to Mae Sai, having crossed several times already. However on those occasions I have always had a return flight booked out of Thailand. I know there are some ex-pats who do this 30 day visa thing on a semi permanent basis, what I need to know is in the long term what do you enter on your departure cards if you have already lost your flight ?

any advice appreciated.

Imagedude

[chownah]

Hi all, in the not too distant future I will be spending quite a lot of time in Chiang Rai. I have no problem with the 30 day visa run to Mae Sai, having crossed several times already. However on those occasions I have always had a return flight booked out of Thailand. I know there are some ex-pats who do this 30 day visa thing on a semi permanent basis, what I need to know is in the long term what do you enter on your departure cards if you have already lost your flight ?

any advice appreciated.

Imagedude

I fill out my departure card at the same time I fill out my entry card....isn't the departure card attached to the entry card and they staple your departure card into your passport? I put whatever information it asks for....there is nothing there that would cause a problem when leaving regardless of whether you leave by foot to Tachilek or you leave by airplane to anywhere.....is there? I've never had a problem and never noticed that there could be a problem...so...can you be more specific about what problem you anticipate?

[ImageDude]

I fill out my departure card at the same time I fill out my entry card....isn't the departure card attached to the entry card and they staple your departure card into your passport? I put whatever information it asks for....there is nothing there that would cause a problem when leaving regardless of whether you leave by foot to Tachilek or you leave by airplane to anywhere.....is there? I've never had a problem and never noticed that there could be a problem...so...can you be more specific about what problem you anticipate?

Hi there, sorry, what I mean is after being in Myanmar and re-entering back into Thailand. on the departure side of the card you are asked for a flight number, presumably to prove that you will leave after the 30 days. Because I have always had a flight reserved I have been able to complete this section, but this won't be the case in the future, so how do you prove that you will leave after 30 days. Perhaps there is something else on the card that I haven't noticed.

Thanks

Imagedude

[Ajarn]

It will cost 5$ on the myanmar side. Not so long ago they stopped accepting baht as payment and instead immigration sold them at the thai side.

Not true, in my experience

The rules change everyday-mi leue

Being a regular crosser at Mae Sai (not for visa stamps) for many years, I have never paid in US money, outside of one time about 15 years ago. Maybe some people are confusing 'option' with 'requirement'.

[Axel]

Hi there, sorry, what I mean is after being in Myanmar and re-entering back into Thailand. on the departure side of the card you are asked for a flight number, presumably to prove that you will leave after the 30 days. Because I have always had a flight reserved I have been able to complete this section, but this won't be the case in the future, so how do you prove that you will leave after 30 days. Perhaps there is something else on the card that I haven't noticed.

Thanks

Imagedude

Just keep the flight information open and fill in before leaving the country. In fact the airline staff will fill in their flight number at chek in and you have to present boarding pass and departure card to immigration to be stamped out.

[ImageDude]

Just keep the flight information open and fill in before leaving the country. In fact the airline staff will fill in their flight number at chek in and you have to present boarding pass and departure card to immigration to be stamped out.

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ok, that's clear, thanks for the information.

Imagedude

[zzap]

For the 30 days stamp, you should have a ticket out of T. and be prepared to show it if requested. They may want to see proof, and an open ticket will do.

[little_muppet]

umm i want to cross the border too but.. i dont want to go alone...

[ImageDude]

umm i want to cross the border too but.. i dont want to go alone...

You're invited

Imagedude

[little_muppet]

ohh really??...............

dont joke with me coz i take it serious! hahahaha.....

[chownah]

umm i want to cross the border too but.. i dont want to go alone...

Don't worry, there are always lots of people crossing over every day.....you won't be alone!!!

[ImageDude]

ohh really??...............

dont joke with me coz i take it serious! hahahaha.....

SCARY ! ! !

Imagedude

[little_muppet]

hey imagedude...i just kidding....im too busy to go anywhere anyway.....

[Limbo]

Also you'll have time for a really good lunch on a terrace restaurant by the river on the Thai side. If you stand facing the immigration buildning on the Thai side, there's a street running down towards the river on the left hand side of Thai immigration. When the street makes a 90 degree right turn and disappears under the border bridge that's where it's at, the restaurant. Very good food, Thai and European.

Dear Ottokar, please don't mind that I suggest (imho) a more pleasant one to sit and to enjoy a better view. Food good as well (sweet and sour, hmmm...). Pass the immigration building at the right, outside the gate behind which you see people taking pictures of each other under the 'most northern point of Thailand' construction.

After fifty meters you automatically end up in the bazaar.

Go the right as you can't go anywhere else. Twenty meters after the big DVD shop you go to the left.

There is an iron stairway hanging over the little charming and extremely dirty river separating Burma from Thailand and the other way around. Collect all your courage and climb it.

What happens on the bridge looks like a movie sometimes and you are sitting in the VIP box there

Limbo (give me a call when you next time)