Urgent Question Re Border Run To Burma

[TechnikaIII]

Hi - well I though I'd be okay booking a few days in advance, a ticket on the train to Butterworth, to get me over the border by the 25th of this month, but when I checked at the railway station in Chong Khae (an hour South of Nakhon Sawan city) they looked for a seat and absolutely nothing available.

I was advised by a friend to get over to Burma, from Nakhon Sawan, but he wasn't 100% sure about the buses going from there.

1. Can anyone tell me if there is a bus going to Burma from Nakhon Sawan city?

2. .. the price of the bus trip?

3. Are there bus booking problems?

4. I believe it costs 500 Baht to enter Burma, then re entry to Thailand is free. True?

5. My 30 day stamp expires 25th.

...

I can not afford overstays, and want to keep my visa history clean.

I can not afford flights at the moment. The need now is to get that 15 days extra, then book the train.

(Plan is to get the 60 day free tourist visa)

All help greatly appreciated.

Thanks ..

[lopburi3]

You need a change of plan as tourist visas are not free - cost will be 1,000 baht per entry and will require at least an overnight stay.

[RubbaJohnny]

Dear Poster

there are buses originating inBangkok to Mae Sai

The border opens 6am Thai Time 0630 Burma(same time)

This is an excellent time to go as no queues

The entry charge is always stated as 500

but I always proffer a nice clean crisp unfolded $10

I think they might take 2x$5 but unlikely singles.

If there are two you could try a$20 but dont expect change of your choice i.e if you give hem $50 pot luck.

The bus station is around 3km South n the singkle main highway c30-50 in son thaew to the border or long hike.

Small good nes smokes drinks and other stuff CDs etc can usually offset the $10

Do check the press or call immigrtion to be certain its open,it has occasionally been shut by Burmese side for many reasons.

Close but not easier in my opinion,bus to Kampaheng Phet 2 hours or Tak 3 hrs then songthaew or deadly minibus up to scuffy border town of Mae Sodt riddled with mozzies prozzies and all kinds of undeirables.

Good luck.The fact train to BKK is full you could take bus to Pethaburiand then take your chances on seat South,plenty of trains to Had Yai from where local bus around $2 to borders at Sadao or padang Besar,there are all kinds of transport outside thestation and 2 trains aday .

In addition to theadvertised Train there an evening KTM malay train but not sure you could get back to Siam before border shuts as there is atime difference

[MCR2k1]

Mae Sot is much closer to Nakhon Sawan than Mae Sai. You can get a bus there from Tak and you'll need a tuk tuk or some kind of transport about 3km to the border (a bicycle rental would do if you have a lock).

Used it in December and it was quite quick and easy to walk over the bridge and back. 500 baht for burma stamp in and out. Check to make sure this crossing is still open.

[harrry]

You need a change of plan as tourist visas are not free - cost will be 1,000 baht per entry and will require at least an overnight stay.

I am pretty sure you would have to go to the capital to get a visa and I do not think that is possible by road. this means you would only get a 15 day stamp on returning from Burma. Of course if you already have a multiple entry visa ignore this.

Edited April 21, 2012 by harrry

[lopburi3]

Poster seems to know where to find a Consulate as is talking about a 15 day stay to give him time to arrange train travel to obtain a tourist visa later.

[TechnikaIII]

Thanks everyone - I will be going to the Thai consulate in Penang for the Tourist Visa after first getting the 15 day stamp, hopefully at Mae Sot.

(I have additional reasons for visiting Penang. Missing out on the train booking is a lesson for the future, because I'll be going there regularly.)

1. My specific question was for advice on getting to a checkpoint for the 500 Baht out & back in. > from Nakhon Sawan. So, it looks like a bus to Tak, then another to Mae Sot, if it is not actually the same one all the way through from Nakhon Sawan. (I'll take the bicycle lock just in case that option presents - thanks MCR2k1

2. lopburi3 - hmm .. how does the 1000 Baht per entry work out with the 500 Baht out&in? It didn't cost me anything at the airport for the 30 day stamp. Are we talking about different things here? But you seem to know for sure that there is no longer a 60 day free tourist visa.

Nakhon Sawan, wow .. what an ugly sprawl. Just getting from the railway station across town to the bus station is ordeal enough, which I haven't managed yet.

I will set off tomorrow - First leg of the journey: train from Takhli to Nakhon Sawan.

(Will next year probably go for a Non-immigrant O, but that's a way off yet - just need the 15 day stamp now, or I'm dead at midnight of the 25th.)

[lopburi3]

The 1,000 baht would be for a tourist visa from a Consulate (if two entry then 2,000 baht) allowing 60 day stay each entry that can be extended 30 days for 1,900 baht at immigration. The 15 day visa exempt entry at Burma will be free as are the 30 day visa exempt entries at an airport.

Tourist visas have not been free for more than a year.

[hullupullo]

Check Central Thailand forum.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/forum/58-central-thailand-forum/

Nakhon Sawan - ugly sprawl?

[RubbaJohnny]

Good luck

As others said Mae sodt is closer but riddles with health and other reasonsId rather fl asleep overnight on one bus used to do it from nearby K Phet to Mae Sai used to cost around atenner each way

You could have this to Mae Sot if youwant to sit in an open songthaew up very hazourdous rds to Siams Dengue hotspot in waht is a border bothel.Bon voyage

[TechnikaIII]

Thanks hullupullo for the links.

[TechnikaIII]

Mission accomplished - it was easy, except for the terrifying speeds and wild driving, both there and back.

That said, the minibus leaves Nakhon Sawan bus station at 06:30, and costs 200 Baht each way.

Oddly, the final stop at Mae Sot was not the main bus station, but the far corner of a market street. There was a van station there, and an assortment of shuttle options to the border post. Returning from the border, I had a motor bike taxi for 50 Baht to the main bus station, and was back on the highway by 3pm.

If I need to go there again, I will stay a night or two on the Burmese side, see a bit and meet a few people, and so I can be at the check-point at opening time. I was not comfortable being ushered to the front of the line because I am farang. I do not see myself as superior to the others who had been queueing in the sun for a long time.

(suggestions in the thread of taking US dollars etc as bribes, would have been highly inappropriate)

[lopburi3]

(suggestions in the thread of taking US dollars etc as bribes, would have been highly inappropriate)

I did not see any such suggestion - what I did read is the use of $ rather than Baht as total expense is less - this is not a bribe but the normal currency for entry option.