New Kanchanaburi border crossing open?

[Deserted]

Is this crossing likely to stay open perminently?

[apetley]

Is this crossing likely to stay open perminently?

It is supposed to be a major crossing point between Tavoy/Dawei and Bangkok. However......the Burmese deepsea port construction is suffering some major delay due to lack of finance so who knows but personally I find it hard to believe that once opened it would be downgraded.

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[Deserted]

okay, thanks for the info

[Tomtomtom69]

Is there anywhere to stay near the border? On either side (if they even let you stay on the Myanmar side?)

Of course they will let you stay on the Myanmar side. It's one of the 4 crossings that has opened for visa holders so show up with a visa in advance. However, my research tells me that there is nowhere to stay near the border on the Myanmar side, you'll have to travel to somewhere like Dawei, some 140km from the border for accommodation.

Visas on arrival will apparently be available soon, but for now show up with a visa in advance if you want to travel further into Myanmar or stay overnight. No idea about the one day visas but when I do show up at that crossing, I will show up with a visa as I have done 3 times already at the Mae Sot crossing.

The Myanmar authorities should consider stopping one day visas altogether since they have opened the land borders to foreigners holding visas and force everyone to buy a visa on arrival (or show up with a visa in advance as is currently the case) that allows for access to the whole country like other countries do (reportedly they will start implementing this system sometime later this year). For example, Laos does not allow foreigners to access their country on a 1-day stamp or something like that. You get a 15 or 30 day stay permit depending on your nationality (the 15 day ones are free) and it's up to you about how long you want to stay. Spending US$30 for just a 20 minute stay to satisfy the requirements of a Thai visa run is a waste of resources I think, but it's up to the individual if they want to travel further or just spend a few minutes getting a stamp. Personally, I'd always choose to spend at least a night or so (with the exception of day trips to Myanmar in the past but even there I'd always spend at least a few hours inside the border town).

[Tomtomtom69]

Is this crossing likely to stay open perminently?

It is supposed to be a major crossing point between Tavoy/Dawei and Bangkok. However......the Burmese deepsea port construction is suffering some major delay due to lack of finance so who knows but personally I find it hard to believe that once opened it would be downgraded.

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No, it won't be downgraded. Deep sea port or not, the crossing connects Dawei to Thailand and thus has every reason to become more commercially important over time. I think there should be dozens of crossings between Thailand and Myanmar given the long border between the two countries and the important social, commercial and bilateral links. The fact that there are only 4 crossings for foreigners plus a couple more that are set to be upgraded soon (two or three I can think of) suggests it will take some time for the infrastructure to be developed on the Myanmar side but at least they are working on it.

Edited January 3, 2014 by Tomtomtom69

[blorg]

@Tom- 140km is not "near" the border and I would be on the stamp/1 day pass or whatever it is, not a visa so that is out. I know they don't let you stay in Myawaddy on the day pass for example (unless that has also changed.)

Is there anywhere to stay on the Thai side? In Ban Rong? I'd be cycling a pushbike from Kanchanaburi and the 140km round trip might be pushing it, might prefer to ride there one day back the next.

[01322521959]

Quite. What is wacky BAK talking about?

[DavidMavec]

I did this just yesterday and got the 30 days, no problem. You don't actually cross the border, they won't let you, and I was told that there is just a country road on the other side. They take your money and go across for you; it took about 20 minutes in my case. I had a discussion (disagreement?) with the immigration officials and the business doing this, which by the way is not clearly marked as a business, it's in a hut next to immigration but one would believe it is part of the immigration checkpoint. I was told by immigration (and shown to the big sign on the building which does not make sense in English but is clear in Thai) stating that Foreigners need to get a visa at their embassy to cross the border.

The best I could gather is that the 700 baht you pay is basically just some scheme cooked up between the Thai/Burmese immigration officials with the private company in order for all sides to make a bit of money and the farang to get a visa run. Business as usual.

I found it quicker and nicer to go this way than to Poipet or somewhere else so I am certainly not complaining. I rode my motorbike from BKK and it is a really beautiful area near the border.

[ubonjoe]

The normal fee is 500 baht. The other 200 baht is a service charge for getting the stamps done for you.

[DavidMavec]

The normal fee is 500 baht. The other 200 baht is a service charge for getting the stamps done for you.

At Mae Sai it is 500 baht for a one day visa but at this crossing you are not actually allowed into the country.

[DavidMavec]

Does anyone know if this border is open on Sundays? I was thinking of going tomorrow. Any ideas? Thanks.

[ubonjoe]

I am sure it is open 7 days a week like other crossings are.

[DavidMavec]

I am sure it is open 7 days a week like other crossings are.

Ah, OK. I wasn't sure if most crossing were open seven days a week. I'll go tomorrow then. Thanks!

[Tomtomtom69]

@blorg I didn't say 140km was close bit Dawei is more or less the nearest place with accommodation on the Burmese side.

[blorg]

At Mae Sai/Tachileik it is $10 (300 baht) if you know the fee is actually denominated in dollars, as it is at Mae Sot/Myawaddy. This 700B crap really sounds ridiculous.

What is the nearest accommodation on the Thai side, does anyone know, if you can't actually stay in Myanmar?

Edited February 1, 2014 by blorg

[Tomtomtom69]

well as mentioned even with a visa there doesn't seem to be any accommodation on the Burmese side either. Phu nam ron should have some basic guesthouses but they'll be easier to find if you can read Thai.

[DavidMavec]

ubonjoe or anyone else: do you know what time the border crossing closes tomorrow? I am guessing 5 PM but was wondering if anyone knew.

Thanks.

[neilf]

Are there any shops for cheap fags an booze please on burmese side accessible thanks

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[WilliamCave]

How far is this from nontaburi, sounds like a good day trip because I like kanchanaburi,

And on another note do Thais need a passport to cross for the day?

[aidenai]

How far is this from nontaburi, sounds like a good day trip because I like kanchanaburi,

And on another note do Thais need a passport to cross for the day?

From Tiwanon Soi 38 to the border crossing is about 200 km and takes 2 hours and 45 minutes by car. I think Thai nationals can get a day pass with their Thai ID similar to the procedures at any other border crossing.

Edited February 12, 2014 by aidenai

[WilliamCave]

Thank

I will give it a try there next time, I always like to venture out to other countries in the area and from different crossings

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[br12stol]

I will give it a go I think as I am on west side of BKK (Bang Khae) Just to recap you dont need a visa to burma in advance, just show and pay 700bht?

[ubonjoe]

It is a total of 700 baht. The Myanmar entry is 500 baht and then a 200 baht fee for taking passport across no mans land for the stamps and back again.

[edwinchester]

Are there any shops for cheap fags an booze please on burmese side accessible thanks

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None at all but told that will change in the future.....when the future is who knows?

[Niranut]

Anyone done this crossing through a BKK-based service? I'm looking for options for a friend of mine who is a bit older and looking to avoid the long van rides to Cambodia/Laos/Northern Thailand.

Did an online search and came up with Siam Visa Run (www.siamvisarun.com). Sounds reasonable enough, but haven't heard back from them, so just curious if there are other outfits from BKK doing this yet?

Thanks.

[ubonjoe]

See Phu Nam Ron trip report, closest border to Bangkok for Visa extensions

More info about a border run company there..

[UKJASE]

the fee is up to 900B now somebody told me yesterday

[br12stol]

Just did trip today and can confirm it is now 900Baht, also I had to drive my car along a dirt road about 1km into burma to their immigration. they asked me to take two other guys as well, a Aussie and a Brit.

Still it was still pretty hassle free being about 3 hours from BKK. Also spent Saturday night in Kanchanaburi to see the War Museum and Bridge over the river Kwai.

[DualSportBiker]

Makes a viable alternative to riding up to Mae Sot from Nonthaburi... Takes me 5 hours via Suphan and Mae Wong, so should save 3 hours plus and 30 litres or more of max-price 95 benzine. The extra charges are frustrating, but I will still come out ahead.

Thanks for all the details.

Sent - how is not that important...

[Tayida]

Sorry as i told in other post,my problem is the quiet finishspace on my passport,waiting the new one.Are the stamps small,or take a pages like Cambodia Border?How to get there from Pattaya?