Tachilek/kengtung

[pfunk]

My wife and I will be spending Songkran/Thingyan in Shan State. At least we hope to be! The plan is to use the 14 day 'visa' arrangement and visit Kentung and Mong La without prearranging a visa in Bangkok.

When in Mae Sot a few weeks ago, I crossed into Myawaddy and had a nice chat with the immigration officers there. As many of you have pointed out already, they mentioned that the overland route would be open at that crossing soon (early/mid April). They also mentioned that other routes, including the Mae Sai/Tachilek route are also likely to be opened to overland travel soon but did not have any specific details.

I get the feeling that the Mae Sot/Myawaddy crossing will be the first to open since it's the most logical one to geographically (and the busiest) but thought I'd check to see if anyone on this forum has had similar conversations.

It would be interesting to know:

- when overland travel is introduced, will the 10 USD/500 THB arrangement be possible for local travel or will visas be required?

- will visas be available at the border or will they need to be acquired before reaching the border?

- when is all this going to happen?

Has anyone had any feedback on the first or second questions? I think the third is up in the air judging by other postings on this forum. Has anyone on here crossed the border into Tachilek recently? Any changes evident?

I'll make sure I ask a few questions when we cross the border into Shan State later this week. Assuming we aren't turned away at the border due to recent visa requirement policy changes.

Cheers

PFunk

[Tomtomtom69]

Don't know about Shan State but for now, the $10/500 Baht 14 day visas will continue to be available and don't look like they will require a visa in advance for entry there. Travel to Kengtung and Mongla is no problem - show up at Tachileik and request a 14 day permit. It appears that the guide requirement has been dropped so refuse any offers to take one (unless you still want one!) Make sure your wife brings her passport (I'm assuming she's Thai) as border passes can only be used for day visits and within a 5km radius of Tachileik (essentially anywhere up to the checkpoint).

For Mae Sot/Myawaddy, I was initially told that entry visas could be purchased on arrival for stays of up to 14 days, but more recently a Myanmar immigration official told me over the phone that a visa should be applied for in advance and used for entry there as soon the road opens because he wasn't sure about whether visas on arrival will become available then. The latest I've heard is that the road will open around April 24th if you arrive overland from Thailand (but it is already open if you arrive from the other side! However you can't exit Myanmar at Myawaddy until after around April 24th). Be sure to continue following the thread I started about the opening of the road as I'll post the latest information there.

Edited April 7, 2013 by Tomtomtom69

[pfunk]

HI TomTom

Cheers for the reply. Very helpful and happy to hear the 14 day permit will continue. You mention though that these are only available within a 5km radius? Did you mean that they are only available if you're travelling with a Thai ID card within 5km of the border?

My wife's an Aussie (strange - I know!) and we're flying up to Chiang Rai from Bangkok and then travelling from there to Mae Sai so she'll definitely have her passport - as will I. Do you know if the multiple passport photo/photocopies of passport pages are still required for the road up to Kengtung? Happy to hear that we're unlikely to need an expensive guide to hold our hands on the bus.

24 April, eh? Very exciting. I'll be making the Bangkok to Yangon trip overland as soon after that as possible. Based on your feedback, I'll make sure I get my visa here in Bangkok before setting off to Mae Sot.

[ARGUSEYE]

Tomtom says... "The guide requirement appears to have been dropped" ....

Well, at least about 6 weeks ago it was NOT dropped! Refuse the offer to take the guide?? Then you don't go! Very simple.

If anyone was allowed to go to Geng Tung and/or Mong Lar by shared taxi recently, PLEASE post it here, that would be great news.

[Tomtomtom69]

HI TomTom

Cheers for the reply. Very helpful and happy to hear the 14 day permit will continue. You mention though that these are only available within a 5km radius? Did you mean that they are only available if you're travelling with a Thai ID card within 5km of the border?

My wife's an Aussie (strange - I know!) and we're flying up to Chiang Rai from Bangkok and then travelling from there to Mae Sai so she'll definitely have her passport - as will I. Do you know if the multiple passport photo/photocopies of passport pages are still required for the road up to Kengtung? Happy to hear that we're unlikely to need an expensive guide to hold our hands on the bus.

24 April, eh? Very exciting. I'll be making the Bangkok to Yangon trip overland as soon after that as possible. Based on your feedback, I'll make sure I get my visa here in Bangkok before setting off to Mae Sot.

Yes, 5km radius if entering on a Thai citizen ID card or if you are only staying for the day as a foreigner (US$10 or 500 Baht). For journeys beyond that for Thais and all other foreigners, a 14 day pass and a passport are required, which costs US$10 or 500 Baht. You must mention your intention to travel to Kengtung, etc. as soon as you arrive so your special pass can be processed for you upon arrival.

Just confirmed today - must have visa in advance if entering through Myawaddy to stay overnight there starting around the 24th and travel onwards to Hpa-an, Yangon etc. - otherwise you'll still only get a 1 day pass valid for Myawaddy and surrounding areas.

Not sure about the multiple photocopies thing - if they still require it they'll let you know at immigration.

Tomtom says... "The guide requirement appears to have been dropped" ....

Well, at least about 6 weeks ago it was NOT dropped! Refuse the offer to take the guide?? Then you don't go! Very simple.

If anyone was allowed to go to Geng Tung and/or Mong Lar by shared taxi recently, PLEASE post it here, that would be great news.

6 weeks is a long time in Myanmar - since the new immigration rules have been issued (starting in March) travel to Kengtung and (apparently) Mong La should be OK without a guide as long as you head back to Mae Sai within 2 weeks of first arrival.

Just to give you some perspective, 6 weeks ago it was not legally possible to visit Kawkareik and Myawaddy coming from Hpa-an. Since last month it is. You can stay overnight in any legally registered hotel along the way between Hpa-an and Myawaddy; in practice only Myawaddy actually offers any hotels to stay in, which is possible if you have a visa in your passport, meaning that currently, to stay overnight in Myawaddy you must have travelled from Yangon, Mandalay etc. via Hpa-an. Exit to Thailand is not yet possible - only after the 24th it will be allowed.

[pfunk]

Important update from the border! We're in Tachilek at the moment and the MTT made it abundantly clear that we needed a guide before they would arrange our temporary permit. The guide from Tachilek is 1000 THB plus food & accommodation. Unfortunately, the guides don't know the Kentung area very well (only the city which I'm sure we can figure out ourselves). So we would have had to pay a fair amount for a guide not to do much an then hire another in Kengtung. Not great.

Instead, we spent an hour arguing and Googling. We found a guide in Kentung and have arranged for him to come get us in a private car for $180. Pricey but we won't have to cover his costs in Kentung (he lives there) and once they ha his name, they gave us the permit.

This could have been avoided if we had called the guide in Kengtung yesterday and he would have taken the bus down yesterday and we would have taken the bus to Kengtubg with him today. Hindsight!

So - for the time being - make sure you contact a guide in Kengtung first and arrange everything from the border onwards. If you just show up, you'll need a guide and won't have a choice of who. And you can save 180 bucks!

I'll post the name of the guy we contacted on our return if he's good.

Happy Songran everyone!

[ARGUSEYE]

Pfunk:

Thanks a million for your post. Finally some HARD FACTS about the situatioin, and not "You Should Be OK" stuff.

The MTT website isn't very clear about the Eastern Shan State, apparently you can fly in from Mandalay to G.T. without a guide. They DO NOT even mention Mong Lar.

Pfunk, I hope you enyoy G.T. Do some trekking there if they let you. I did it in the "open" days, it was the best trekking I've ever done.

[maidu]

Re; the Tachilek border crossing: I concur that a guide is required for travel outside of Tachilek. If planning to travel to Keng Tung or Mengla, it's currently required to hire a guide for Bt.1,000/day. Ridiculous, I know, but there is a silver lining. If so, go talk to someone at the tiny room just to the left of the Burmese Imm office on the north end of the border crossing bridge. If you don't state clearly at the Imm office that you want to travel farther afield (to K.Tung or Mengla) they will stamp your 14 day cardboard 'temporary visa' as Tachilek only, and it can't be changed, once done.

A nice lady at the tiny tourist office, mentioned above, told me secretly (in hushed tones) that the Bt.1,000/day requirement (for us with pointy noses and hairy arms) will get dropped sometime in the coming months.

I've been to Keng Tung. It's ok. Stayed at Harry's g.h. north of town. Was able to rent a motocy there, but don't let Burmese authorities know, because some of them still want to forbid farang to from renting motocy's. Each day I explored a cardinal direction, n, s, e, w and it was good.

At Tachilek, I have a friend who is a local guide, SLIM, tel# 0888021004 he speaks good English (better than any of the dozens of Thais who teach English, I've known in Thailand). Tell him 'Chiang Rai Ken' with bicycle sent you.

There is also a Tachilek thread at the Chiang Rai forum here on T.VIsa.

[Tomtomtom69]

maidu, on 11 May 2013 - 08:49, said:

Re; the Tachilek border crossing: I concur that a guide is required for travel outside of Tachilek. If planning to travel to Keng Tung or Mengla, it's currently required to hire a guide for Bt.1,000/day. Ridiculous, I know, but there is a silver lining. If so, go talk to someone at the tiny room just to the left of the Burmese Imm office on the north end of the border crossing bridge. If you don't state clearly at the Imm office that you want to travel farther afield (to K.Tung or Mengla) they will stamp your 14 day cardboard 'temporary visa' as Tachilek only, and it can't be changed, once done.

A nice lady at the tiny tourist office, mentioned above, told me secretly (in hushed tones) that the Bt.1,000/day requirement (for us with pointy noses and hairy arms) will get dropped sometime in the coming months.

I've been to Keng Tung. It's ok. Stayed at Harry's g.h. north of town. Was able to rent a motocy there, but don't let Burmese authorities know, because some of them still want to forbid farang to from renting motocy's. Each day I explored a cardinal direction, n, s, e, w and it was good.

At Tachilek, I have a friend who is a local guide, SLIM, tel# 0888021004 he speaks good English (better than any of the dozens of Thais who teach English, I've known in Thailand). Tell him 'Chiang Rai Ken' with bicycle sent you.

There is also a Tachilek thread at the Chiang Rai forum here on T.VIsa.

Good to know. I was earlier referring to information I had read about the situation over on Lonely Planet, where someone pointed out that they had heard the guide requirement was about to be dropped in March/April. It doesn't surprise me that the Burmese authorities have again delayed the dropping of the guide requirement. While I haven't been over that way, I doubt there is any real danger left and therefore the guide requirement is just a way of making extra bucks. But if this is the case, one wonders why guides can't be used all over the country to access forbidden areas, but trying to make sense out of Asia's strangest country is not something I want to get into. Myanmar is a bizarre country and seemingly is only slowly trying to change.

Mind you I recently travelled to Mu-se on the Chinese border from Mandalay. I had a car with driver because I went for business and a second driver, who also acted as a guide, but really only came to share the driving responsibilities (both drivers could speak equally good English). Apparently it has only become possible to travel this road without a permit since February or March. For some bizarre reason, we were initially asked to check-in with immigration despite not intending to cross into China, nor having come from China. It was made clear that we wouldn't be allowed to cross into China at that time, but I made it clear that we 1) had no time to cross into China anyway 2) had a flight out of Mandalay already purchased 3) no visa for China. I didn't quite understand what the fuss was all about but obviously with no visa you can't cross...if we did have a Chinese visa we might have planned things differently. We were also asked to let immigration know once we left Mu-se. It seems that this strange rule is in effect due to Mu-se being located inside a special economic zone. But in any case, we were NOT required to have a permit and NOT required to have a guide. It would have been possible to travel by bus, but that journey takes soooo long and given the many switchbacks is not for the faint-hearted. I'd even go as far to say that the bus should be avoided on this journey (Mandalay to Mu-se) because if it crashes, you can kiss your life goodbye since there are no hospitals nearby and even those that do exist are so basic they wouldn't be able to help you. Although if you insist, you can break up the journey into a couple of days (and always travel in the morning so you won't arrive too late) and perhaps go by pickup rather than by bus, which can negotiate the corners more easily.

Although with a car and driver you're more in control - you decide when and where to go and if you don't like the driver's driving you can let him know.