PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN: The Singkhorn temporary checkpoint on the border with Myanmar has been upgraded and will be opened as a new permanent pass on Wednesday.

Provincial governor Veera Sriwattanatrakul said the opening had been confirmed by both countries. It would be marked at a ceremony on Wednesday at Singkorn pass.

Singkhorn, in Prachuap Khiri Khan's Muang district, is opposite Mortong town in Myanmar. It is one of three checkpoints to be upgraded as permanent crossings to boost trade between the two countries.

The checkpoint connects Thailand with Mergui, one of the major towns in Myanmar.

See more here - http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/637649-singkhorn-new-myanmar-border-crossing-opens-may-8-2013/

Pity the original article got the name of one of the town's wrong - Myeik has not been referred to as Mergui for a LONG time.

Would be very interested to make the trip overland from Myeik - especially since reading "Siamese White" by Maurice Collis some years back.

The overland route from Mergui (as it was known then) to the gulf of Thailand was a well known trade route from India to the court of Siam at the time (late 17th century)

Open only to Thai nationals, and only for day visits. It was de facto open to them anyway, as long as they had business on the Burmese side of the border. I was there last year and Thais were coming back and forth regularly. The large concrete gate seems to have been built years ago.