Possible To Drive In Burma From Mae Sai?

[TheVicar]

I'll be making a quick visa run to Mae Sai soon. Is it possible to drive into Burma for a few days with a Thai registered car driven by a Thai? Anyone done this before? Recommendations?

thanks!

[moe666]

I do not think so but could be wrong, where would you go?

[hellodolly]

We did it 4 years ago. The driver handled all the paper work. We were booked with a tour fellow there and he had to back out at the last moment. He got a friend to take us. We were in there for three nights. We drove all the way to Monglar on the Chinese border. We spent one night there and then came back. Both coming and going we spent a night each way in Kengtong.

The driver handled all the paper work we just sat outside waiting for him. They had several stops on the way in and out to check the paper work we just sat in the vehicle while the driver did the negotiating. In Monglar all they would take was Chinese money and in Kengtong the hotel insisted on Thai money going in and I got them to accept Burmese money on the way out.

I don't know if they are still in operation now. We were at a hotel travel agency called Monkey Island. It was on the river just before you get to the bridge take the road on the left hand side that goes down to the river and turns left. It has been a long time. I believe it was about a half a kilometer up not sure.

A friend went to Kengtong on the bus and the bus driver handled all the paper work

Good Luck it is beautiful country. One stretch of road about 30 meters was one lane. They were drying coffee beans on the other lane.

[TheVicar]

We did it 4 years ago. The driver handled all the paper work. We were booked with a tour fellow there and he had to back out at the last moment. He got a friend to take us. We were in there for three nights. We drove all the way to Monglar on the Chinese border. We spent one night there and then came back. Both coming and going we spent a night each way in Kengtong.

The driver handled all the paper work we just sat outside waiting for him. They had several stops on the way in and out to check the paper work we just sat in the vehicle while the driver did the negotiating. In Monglar all they would take was Chinese money and in Kengtong the hotel insisted on Thai money going in and I got them to accept Burmese money on the way out.

I don't know if they are still in operation now. We were at a hotel travel agency called Monkey Island. It was on the river just before you get to the bridge take the road on the left hand side that goes down to the river and turns left. It has been a long time. I believe it was about a half a kilometer up not sure.

A friend went to Kengtong on the bus and the bus driver handled all the paper work

Good Luck it is beautiful country. One stretch of road about 30 meters was one lane. They were drying coffee beans on the other lane.

Good insights, HelloDolly. I assume you hired a rented car? I was thinking of taking my own and going to Kengtung.

Edited December 20, 2012 by TheVicar

[moe666]

I believe you have to have a driver in Burma. A friend who taught in Yangon for 5 years had to have a driver the entire time just for Yangon. She would drive at night when he was off, but during the day he was behind the wheel. A few years ago the gas was rationed probable still is

[moe666]

We did it 4 years ago. The driver handled all the paper work. We were booked with a tour fellow there and he had to back out at the last moment. He got a friend to take us. We were in there for three nights. We drove all the way to Monglar on the Chinese border. We spent one night there and then came back. Both coming and going we spent a night each way in Kengtong.

The driver handled all the paper work we just sat outside waiting for him. They had several stops on the way in and out to check the paper work we just sat in the vehicle while the driver did the negotiating. In Monglar all they would take was Chinese money and in Kengtong the hotel insisted on Thai money going in and I got them to accept Burmese money on the way out.

I don't know if they are still in operation now. We were at a hotel travel agency called Monkey Island. It was on the river just before you get to the bridge take the road on the left hand side that goes down to the river and turns left. It has been a long time. I believe it was about a half a kilometer up not sure.

A friend went to Kengtong on the bus and the bus driver handled all the paper work

Good Luck it is beautiful country. One stretch of road about 30 meters was one lane. They were drying coffee beans on the other lane.

Dolly if on a bus what paper work are you talking about, should only need a visa when you cross over. Interested to know. I made a trip from Yangon to Bagan years back and the driver was constantly looking for gas as he used up his ration.

[hellodolly]

We did it 4 years ago. The driver handled all the paper work. We were booked with a tour fellow there and he had to back out at the last moment. He got a friend to take us. We were in there for three nights. We drove all the way to Monglar on the Chinese border. We spent one night there and then came back. Both coming and going we spent a night each way in Kengtong.

The driver handled all the paper work we just sat outside waiting for him. They had several stops on the way in and out to check the paper work we just sat in the vehicle while the driver did the negotiating. In Monglar all they would take was Chinese money and in Kengtong the hotel insisted on Thai money going in and I got them to accept Burmese money on the way out.

I don't know if they are still in operation now. We were at a hotel travel agency called Monkey Island. It was on the river just before you get to the bridge take the road on the left hand side that goes down to the river and turns left. It has been a long time. I believe it was about a half a kilometer up not sure.

A friend went to Kengtong on the bus and the bus driver handled all the paper work

Good Luck it is beautiful country. One stretch of road about 30 meters was one lane. They were drying coffee beans on the other lane.

Dolly if on a bus what paper work are you talking about, should only need a visa when you cross over. Interested to know. I made a trip from Yangon to Bagan years back and the driver was constantly looking for gas as he used up his ration.

To Be honest I don't know I never asked him I would presume it was just the visa he got at the border.

[hellodolly]

We did it 4 years ago. The driver handled all the paper work. We were booked with a tour fellow there and he had to back out at the last moment. He got a friend to take us. We were in there for three nights. We drove all the way to Monglar on the Chinese border. We spent one night there and then came back. Both coming and going we spent a night each way in Kengtong.

The driver handled all the paper work we just sat outside waiting for him. They had several stops on the way in and out to check the paper work we just sat in the vehicle while the driver did the negotiating. In Monglar all they would take was Chinese money and in Kengtong the hotel insisted on Thai money going in and I got them to accept Burmese money on the way out.

I don't know if they are still in operation now. We were at a hotel travel agency called Monkey Island. It was on the river just before you get to the bridge take the road on the left hand side that goes down to the river and turns left. It has been a long time. I believe it was about a half a kilometer up not sure.

A friend went to Kengtong on the bus and the bus driver handled all the paper work

Good Luck it is beautiful country. One stretch of road about 30 meters was one lane. They were drying coffee beans on the other lane.

Good insights, HelloDolly. I assume you hired a rented car? I was thinking of taking my own and going to Kengtung.

Yes I hired a guide and it was his car. He was a Thai but was able to communicate with the Burmese.

I can't say for sure but I had heard in the last year you had to have a guide to travel in Burma..

There is a Thai Visa forum Perhaps they would have up to date info.

[Petey]

I went there about ten years ago driving my own car. Various documents were taped to my windscreen which were inspected at checkpoints along the way. The condition of road from the border to Kengtung was terrible and it took us almost the whole day going 10-20 kph. I understand the road is much improved now. We also had to check in at the police station in Kengtung. At this time of year the weather is very cold. Our guesthouse ( I think the name was Harry's?) thankfully had a gas-fired water heater in the shower. Thais say that Kengtung is like Chiang Mai was 50 years ago. There is a large and very colorful market in town. Many people can speak Thai and are very friendly. We went over the Christmas/New Year period which was also the Akha New Year and there were many festivities in the surrounding villages. We also went to Mong La and were surprised that it was like a Chinese town, all signs in Chinese and hardly anyone spoke Thai or English. It was like a mini Las Vegas, full of casinos and girls, busy 24 hours a day. We were in Burma for about a week, a very memorable trip. I recommend it.