Quickest Border Run From Cm?

[DocHolliday2006]

I've got a double entry tourist visa that I've renewed once at immigration for a total of three months.

I need to cross a border and then come right back to Chiang Mai to start my second three moonths.

What's the closest/easiest-to-access border from CM?

What's the best way to get there? Take a bus? Is there some sort of shuttle service that does this?

Thanks for your help.

[Saan]

The green bus to Mai Sai I have found is the shortest and most comfortable way to do a visa run from CM. Songtaew to the border (15 baht) walk across the bridge, do the business, shop or turn around and come back throught the Thai border to Mai Sai.

[chris5346]

yes san sai is quick 5 hrs to get there on the bus.

you can get bus from the arcade bus station as mentioned, i think buses are 7 8 or 9 am, there's just about enough time to get the 9 am one and get back the same day at 15:00, recommend buying tickets the day before and upgrading to the front vip seats - only 300 baht each way orsomething.

you say you have had 60 days plus ectrended 1 month already ? are you sure your visa is still valid ? what is the enter before date on it ?

[chris5346]

sorry i meant mai sai and enter into tachilec (burma) - cost 500 baht to enter for one day - if your just going for the visa and want to walk straight back into thailand say no shopping to the burmese imigration .

[elektrified]

You need to reserve the Green VIP bus from Arcade to Mae Sai more than 24 hours before. At least 48 hours, even 3 days before.

[chris5346]

there are also private companies that do this with smaller mini vans but they cost more money and they take longer collection people from there hotels in the morning.

bus is fine and big vip seats at the from if you can get one.

you could hire a car if you want to travel and explore a bit.

[chris5346]

it looks like he has been in thailand 3 months already ?

i hope his visa is still valid if not he'll only get a 14 day stamp.

[wjmark]

you could hire a car if you want to travel and explore a bit.

As the poster did say "Quickest Border Run", the car is a good idea.

Or a motorcycle can do it easily in 3 hours - mostly good roads, and nice mountain vistas.

I used to do it on my Honda Wave in well under 3 1/2 hours each way. A real bike could easily shave half an hour off...

[chris5346]

i drove there 2 weeks ago for the first time but i wouldn't recommend a small bike the first part is a bit hilly.

fuel cost under 1200 baht in total.

i was driving slowly and stopped off at the spring and white temple so it took about the same as the bus.

if you have time many people goto the market in burma (you have to leave your passport with immigration)

[hellodolly]

Been a few times a couple of times on the VIP bus and once on a tour in a mini bus.

The Vip bus was about 650 baht return. As stated earlier you have to get a songtell to the border and back.

The tour was under 1,000 baht and had some stops for touring on the way price included lunch. It took you rite to the border.

As has been pointed out here it was a long day.

While the VIP bus was more comfortable it can become a bit of a hassle as there is a fixed time to get back to it.

Either way you don't get much time to look around.

Be careful when you come back.

The first time I went I had a 60 day three time entry. when I came back they only stamped it for 30 days. Immigration here would not fix it they said I had to go back to where I got it.

I made a three day holiday of it and they fixed it no problem. A two day holiday would have been a better choice.

[Saan]

yes san sai is quick 5 hrs to get there on the bus.

you can get bus from the arcade bus station as mentioned, i think buses are 7 8 or 9 am, there's just about enough time to get the 9 am one and get back the same day at 15:00, recommend buying tickets the day before and upgrading to the front vip seats - only 300 baht each way orsomething.

you say you have had 60 days plus ectrended 1 month already ? are you sure your visa is still valid ? what is the enter before date on it ?

Beware when you go to get onboard the green bus to Mai Sai. It has moved across the way to the new terminal. Terminal 3 it departed from the other day.

[chris5346]

yes forgot to mention make sure they stamp you passport with 3 months entry and not 14 days or leave it blank like they did once to me.

is your visa still valid ? what's the enter before date shown on the visa ?

you also need to write the visa number on the arrival card (leave it blank and they will stamp 14 days only)

[chris5346]

there maybe more than one company going last time i went it wasn't a green bus , it was one of there first class buses with 12 or so larger vip seats in the front .

fairly old bus but perfectly fine and about 300 baht each way.

i would say the seats are probably bigger and better than the green bus company.

the bus station has had some changes recently so go and check it out.

good idea to book your return bus back at same time .

if you don't want to spend time shopping in burma or mai sai then the 9 am and return 3 pm is just about ok.

[canuckamuck]

Maybe I have this wrong, but aren't you supposed do your border crossing at the end of your first 60 days and then at the end of the next 60 go to immigration to have it extended the final 30?

[MJCM]

Maybe I have this wrong, but aren't you supposed do your border crossing at the end of your first 60 days and then at the end of the next 60 go to immigration to have it extended the final 30?

You can extend a Tourist Visa every time after the 60 day (1 entry) runs out, that makes it an effective stay of around 90 days (for each entry)

Each extension costs 1900 Baht at an Immigration Office.

You only need to do a border run when the 90 days run out to activate another entry. (If the visa is still valid)

Edited November 20, 2011 by MJCM

[chris5346]

you can do that,<br>but also you can extend it 30 days after the first 60 days.<br>the main problem is the expiry date which maybe 3 months from issue so even if he added 30 days he may not be able to use all 30 days.<br><br>i had a problem first time when i didn't realise the validity of my visa was only 3 months , i went to burma on the date my extension finished expecting another 60 day stamp but they said my visa had expired the week before.<br><br>you can get a maximum of 180 days out of a double entry 60 + 30 and another 60 + 30 ,  but to do this you must be efficient with your travel dates i.e enter thailand on the same date the visa is issued and do your border trip on the last day it's active i.e the enter before date shown on the visa not neceserally the same as the date stamped on the arrival card.<br><br><br>

[chris5346]

these posts about tourist visas get confusing,

the problem with understanding peoples comments is that some visas are valid for 3 months (approx. 90 days) which is the same number as 60 days + 30 days allowed entry !

the basic problem you can come across is there's 2 sometimes different dates in the passport.

1. the date that immigration stamps for the allowed stay in thailand on that current entry.

2. the date shown on the visa expiry or validity ' the enter before date' - if your on a double visa then you have to do your border trip on this date not the date shown in item 1.

[hellodolly]

<br />there maybe more than one company going last time i went it wasn't a green bus , it was one of there first class buses with 12 or so larger vip seats in the front .<br />fairly old bus but perfectly fine and about 300 baht each way.<br />i would say the seats are probably bigger and better than the green bus company.<br />the bus station has had some changes recently so go and check it out.<br />good idea to book your return bus back at same time .<br />if you don't want to spend time shopping in burma or mai sai then the 9 am and return 3 pm is just about ok.<br />

<br /><br /><br />

The just about OK is one of the reasons I don't try it.

Either it is OK or it is not and you8 will spend a nite there.

Most of the time I am sure it works out fine.

The odd time you might get caught.

[chris5346]

yes it can be tight but i have done it 5 or 6 times with no problem.<br>bus leaves 9 am<br>get to mai sai 13:30 - 14:00<br>taxi to border 15 mins<br>10 mins at the border.<br>15 mins back to the bus station.<br>catch the 15:00 back to chiang mai for 20:00.<br><br><br>first time going maybe an idea to get either an earlier bus or later leaving one giving an extra hour there.<br><br>if your not into shopping not much else to do there.<br><br>when you reach the border you enter on the left side and go through the thai part first where they take you photo and stamp you out takes no time at all, then you walk accross the bridge takes few mins, the burmese immigration is on the right hand side or road and there's a small office with  a curtain for a door walk in and they process your day pass takes 5 mins if you say no shopping they give you passport back and you walk back to thai side on the left where you fill in an arrival card that you have to ask for.<br> very quick process if you don't stay in burma.<br><br><br><br><br>

[Fishenough]

i drove there 2 weeks ago for the first time but i wouldn't recommend a small bike the first part is a bit hilly.

fuel cost under 1200 baht in total.

i was driving slowly and stopped off at the spring and white temple so it took about the same as the bus.

if you have time many people goto the market in burma (you have to leave your passport with immigration)

Those hilly bits are the best reason for taking a small bike!

[chris5346]

really i'm supprised, i may try it in the future then,

the hills aren't that steep but the car i was in i kept having to go down the gears to get up them.

i was on a bit of an economy run trying to only spend 1000 baht in fuel but ended up having to put a little more in, i was driving at 60 -70 in top gear and hoping to climb the hills .

how much fuel would a scooter take to do the trip ? i have a 110 cc airblade,

also do you get too hot on a bike ?

maybe a good idea to rent a big bike for the day.

i drove there 2 weeks ago for the first time but i wouldn't recommend a small bike the first part is a bit hilly.

fuel cost under 1200 baht in total.

i was driving slowly and stopped off at the spring and white temple so it took about the same as the bus.

if you have time many people goto the market in burma (you have to leave your passport with immigration)

Those hilly bits are the best reason for taking a small bike!

[Fishenough]

A small bike would likely use half the fuel as what your economical car used. I think I burn almost 800 bahts worth there and back on a 250, and only because I'm traveling speeds that burn more fuel on that highway run. A large 650 motorcycle driven 'sporty' would like use the same amount of gas you used.

This season you might find it quite cool in the mountains! Wearing protective gear I never feel hot well riding.

In the mountains throughout the north I've witness Auto scooters like yours traveling up long hills at speeds of 60 to 80 kph. Only once did the Mae Sai run in my truck, yes it is comfortable and the small diesel truck didn't use much fuel. But the journey is more interesting and rewarding on a small bike, and the real secret is to no your pace so your always comfortable, well quenched, feed, and just plain feeling good to enjoy the trip.

That certainly changes as you age! Where 15 years ago I could happily ride a small dirt bike 750 kms over dirt and pavement, today I'm still feeling the 4 days riding that ended Friday with 280 kms of riding that included 100 kms of back roads from Khun Yuam to Mae Cheam. It was worth it a hundred fold.

[chris5346]

i think on a scooter i would get bored doing 60 all the way there, i took the car because taking 3 of us and we wanted to shop and we also stopped over night to break it up a bit.

i have to go again in feb so i might ride it, a friend has a small chopper - would that be good bike to take ?

[E1717007]

i think on a scooter i would get bored doing 60 all the way there, i took the car because taking 3 of us and we wanted to shop and we also stopped over night to break it up a bit.

i have to go again in feb so i might ride it, a friend has a small chopper - would that be good bike to take ?

i went on a scooter having two tea-break for light meal/drink and also cool the bike engine. total fuel cost was about 400B and indeed it get a bit lonely/bored despite the nice scenery

[chris5346]

how long did it take you ?

and what speeds / engine size do you have ?

i think it's the amount of sunshine that made my tired and bored even driving a car found it hard work for quite a short journey , maybe it's me.