Mae Sot : What To Expect, Need Advices !

[Bates]

Hello all,

here's the deal... since i have been visiting Thailand for about 4 times now (each time 1 month), and my gf is now graduated, she is going to work as a doctor in Mae Sot. So, i'm going to take some time credit with my job in Belgium and i'm moving to Thailand for 1 year. It speaks for itself that I want to stay in Mae Sot too. I have been staying in Chiang Mai all those times I went to Thailand so i'm not quite sure what to expect... So here are some questions.:

- Big big is Mae Sot

- Are there any shoppingcenters

- Any computer plaza's?

- Are there any nice modern apartments to rent in Mae Sot?

Also i have a question about the visa. Since i'm planning to stay 12 months, i was thinking of getting a VISA for Education (learning thai at AUA)... but unfortunately there is no AUA in Mae Sot. To get the 1 year visa you have to be subscribed to a government recognised school.. I'm not sure if there is any in Mae Sot

Anyway, AUA would cost about 5000 baht per month, so i'm thinking.. wouldn't it be cheaper to do Visa runs to the Thai Burmese border? Also.. to allow me to stay 12 months, I will need 4 visa runs + 4 extentions (2 --> 3 months tourist visa). Will I be allowed to do that? Is the immigration any friendly over there? And how much would it cost me to get a new visa?

I don't want to have trouble with the Thai law and want to be correct with my visa and papers.

Also I searched the internet for Mae Sot and seems like there are a lot of Dengue and Malaria infections in that region.. I was once infected with Dengue in Chiang Mai, about 2 years ago.. should I be worried?

Thanks for answering all these questions.

bates

[thaiflyer1]

If you post again in the Chiang Mai/Rai forums ........scroll down the main forum you will come to it ,they will be able to help you with the "what to expect/whats there questions".

Regarding visa.....if you can get a 4 entry tourist visa then i can only see one major problem and that is any tourist visa with more than 1 entry has normally a validity lasting only 6 months when issued therefore the maximum you can get out of it would be 9 months...............

...........if you can persuade your local Thai Embassy/Consulate to issue it with 1 years validity then all well and good if not a 3 entry visa will give you 9 months , no need to waste money on the 4th entry (unless you wish to travel of course).

Not quite sure what you mean by "how much for a new visa"...........if you have a 3 or 4 entry visa issued in Belgium then you do not pay anything to exit and re-enter Thailand............the cost of every 30 day extension is 1900 baht.

Edited March 30, 2006 by thaiflyer1

[Bates]

If you post again in the Chiang Mai/Rai forums ........scroll down the main forum you will come to it ,they will be able to help you with the "what to expect/whats there questions".

Regarding visa.....if you can get a 4 entry tourist visa then i can only see one major problem and that is any tourist visa with more than 1 entry has normally a validity lasting only 6 months when issued therefore the maximum you can get out of it would be 9 months...............

...........if you can persuade your local Thai Embassy/Consulate to issue it with 1 years validity then all well and good if not a 3 entry visa will give you 9 months , no need to waste money on the 4th entry (unless you wish to travel of course).

Not quite sure what you mean by "how much for a new visa"...........if you have a 3 or 4 entry visa issued in Belgium then you do not pay anything to exit and re-enter Thailand............the cost of every 30 day extension is 1900 baht.

Thanks thaiflyer for your responds..

So actually I have to use the tourist visa in the first 6 months i'm there, then on the last days of the 6 months I will have to get the last entry, which will allow me to stay another 60 days + 30 days (extension) in Thailand. After those 9 months can I do a border run every month?

So if I count my expenses..

VISA (3 entries or 4): price unknown..

+ 3x extensions : 3x 1900 baht

+ 3x visa on arrival: price unknown...

Hmmm.. not sure if the Thai embassy in Brussels would issue a 1 year valid tourist visa with 4 entries.. that would be great ofcourse, then I can just go 4 time in 12 months to the border and pay nothing..

By the way, is there any rule telling tourists should carry money when doing a border run? I heard once tourists had to carry atleast 10.000 baht...

Thnx

[Ajarn]

If you're American, appy at any of the honorary Thai consulates. I personally recommend Denver.

Pay the fee, fill in the application, send it and your passport, and you'll get your 1-year non-immigrant visa (still requires at least a border crossing each 90 days) within a week.

[Bates]

If you're American, appy at any of the honorary Thai consulates. I personally recommend Denver.

Pay the fee, fill in the application, send it and your passport, and you'll get your 1-year non-immigrant visa (still requires at least a border crossing each 90 days) within a week.

As you can read in my previous post, i'm Belgian.. I already called the Thai Embassy in Brussels and asked them my options:

They can only give me a non immigrant visa if I have about 800.000 baht on an account in Thailand (eeuhm.. i'm only 24 so i don't have that much money)

Secondly, I would get a 1 year education visa if I got a letter from a government recognised school for learning Thai.. which imho there is none in Mae Sot.

Only option i have is.. I think getting the tourist visa? Is it?

[Ajarn]

First, I would suggest a check on the internet for a local honorary consulate- They seem to generally have fewer rules to follow...

Your consulate is referring to a type 'O', it seems. Odd because it's for retirement...

Try or the multi-entry one year tourist visa might be your easiest bet.

It's a long drive to Mae Sai from Mae Sot... Figure 6 hours each way.

No shopping centers that I've seen, by the way

One internet cafe, that I know...

[mobile69]

It's a long drive to Mae Sai from Mae Sot... Figure 6 hours each way.

Why would he need to drive to Mae Sai? Has the border closed at Mae Sot for visa runs? Very easy for visa run if you're staying on the border.

Agree about trying to find a local consulate rather than the main Embassy. Consulates will normally accept a letter of guarantee from family or friend in Belgium & give you a non immigrant-O visa.

Edited March 30, 2006 by mobile69

[Ajarn]

It's a long drive to Mae Sai from Mae Sot... Figure 6 hours each way.

Why would he need to drive to Mae Sai? Has the border closed at Mae Sot for visa runs? Very easy for visa run if you're staying on the border.

Don't know where my mind was. Of course Mae Sot is better.

[JungleBoy]

Also i have a question about the visa. Since i'm planning to stay 12 months, i was thinking of getting a VISA for Education (learning thai at AUA)... but unfortunately there is no AUA in Mae Sot. To get the 1 year visa you have to be subscribed to a government recognised school.. I'm not sure if there is any in Mae Sot

Hmmm...there is a border crossing in Mae Sot. I live in Chiang Mai and went to Mae Sot for 30 day tourist stamps for almost two years. Mae Sot Immigration is the best (2nd is CM). Never asked any questions, always smiled, stamped and never asked to show money. I also had 2-3 overstay times of 1 day each and had very little trouble tho I strongly advise not to overstay and why should you when you will probably live within 10km of the border. Myanmar Immigration is a snap. Tho, they do charge 500 baht whereas Mai Sai only charges 250. The Myanmar officials (official really, as I only dealt with one man every time I went. Guess he never gets a holiday). He would always ask if I was going into Mae Wadi, but I always said no, that I was going back. He always said ok. I have since gotten a retirement visa and don't go there anymore. The last time I went (and I knew it was the last time) he said something about wanting to go have a beer with his friends. I gave him 100 baht and wished him well. He is the skinny one who always wears the brown ....hmm sarang??? Looks a bit devilish, but is very accomodating. The last 5 times I went, he didn't even have me fill out any paper work...just the baht.

I never stayed or did any touristy thing in Mae Sot, tho the 1st two times I went, I took the song thaews that went thru the super huge, dirty, smelly market. That said, what I saw of it is nothing but junk city. Good luck in finding something to do there. Seems like a very backward area. Just remember, I never saw the place, just a quickie observation many many times. It may be your cup of tea!

If and when you do go to Mae Wadi Immigration, speak English not Thai.

jb

Edited March 31, 2006 by JungleBoy

[Puwa]

Hi,

I lived in Mae Sot for 5 years, though I left in 2000, and don't know what has changed since. It's a small provincial town that grew as a trading center with neighboring Burma, and as an agricultural supply center for settlers who came from other parts of Thailand to clear new farmland to the north and south. There is also a large Thai military presence, with Special Task Force 34 stationed in a complex near the border. Many of the Thais there, apart from the Thai-Chinese shopkeepers, are government employees working in the school, hospital, administrative offices etc.

When I was there, there were no shopping centers, and no modern apartments. I rented a big Thai style house for about 2000-3000 baht per month. I'm sure the town has changed somewhat, but I doubt it has added too much in the way of creature comforts. Computer plazas--no way. But by now there are probably shops that sell some equipment or can order what you need. There were one or two restaurants serving western food, but after the nearby refugee camps closed, and the population of foreign volunteers shrank, I heard that they went out of business.

In short, the pros are that it is a small, relatively quiet, inexpensive place to live. The cons are that it is a very odd slice of Thailand--a border town governed by black market and stratified into distinct classes based on race and nationality.

My personal opinion is that Mae Sot is not a terribly pleasant place to live. There is a small, wealthy, powerful business class and many poor and exploited Burmese workers. At least half the population are young Burmese laborers (mostly Pwo Karens from Pa'an, Hlaingbwe, Myawaddy) who take menial jobs and are constantly in fear of the immigration police. In fact, I had heard that immigration police throughout Thailand try to get stationed in Mae Sot because it is so easy to extort money from Burmese walking down the street. On the surface Mae Sot is quaint; below the surface, it's seedy.

For many years Mae Sot was a center for illegal logging, cross-border smuggling, and the arms trade. So there are a lot of shady characters there. It's not really a dangerous place if you mind your own business, but it doesn't have the same carefree feeling that you see in much of Thailand.

There is at least on large government secondary school in town.

There is an immigration checkpoint right at the border, so it is very convenient to cross, renew, stamp, etc. I remember that the officials were quite accommodating.

Anyway, I am not trying to discourage you. All small towns in Thailand have a certain charm. And since you are considering moving there to be close to your girlfriend, you have a compelling reason to give it a try.

Good luck, Puwa

[Ajarn]

but after the nearby refugee camps closed, and the population of foreign volunteers shrank, I heard that they went out of business.

There is still a very large refugee camp in Tha Song Yang district, an hour north....

[Bates]

Thanks all for your replies.

Well i'm going to stay in Mae Sot because my gf has to be there for her work as a doctor.. I ave been staying for about 4 times (each time 1 month) in Thailand, so this is actually the first time i'm going to stay for a long term. I'm only 24 and I loved Chiang Mai, it's my favourit city in Thailand. Nice people, quiet areas in some parts of the city, great food and always something to do. Anyway, destiny found it's own way, so Mae Sot it'll be this year. We will have a car so driving to the immigration won't be any problem (my gf will join me everytime I go to immigration). I have never done any visa run because my previous stays were always based on a visa on arrival. Anyway, i'm pretty confident that everything will be fine. Though... i'm a bit scared of dengue (since i had it already 3 years ago) and also malaria. I didn't knew it was so cheap to rent a thai house . Any chance to live in a garded area with thai houses? I mean.. if the price is so cheap why shouldn't I consider a nice house then.

In Chiangmai there were some area's where there were gards 24hours a day.. is that available in Mae Sot? If not, what would be the best area to rent a house, considering I like some comfort and rest. I'm living in a small town of about 3000 civilians overhere in Belgium...

Thnx

[Puwa]

I am sure that as a doctor your girlfriend will meet lots of people who can help you find a nice house to rent. I don't know what prices are like now. I'm sure they have gone up but not by too much. Enjoy Mae Sot!