Mae Sot Border Crossing

[Maejo Man]

Planning a trip to Mae Sot in a couple of weeks, and wondered if anybody has crossed the border recently.

Are there any restrictions on travel inside Myanmar? Do you need a visa prior to arrival or are one day visas issued on arrival? If so are the costs the same as Mae Sai? Any information would be extremely helpful. Many thanks

[NedKelly]

Not sure if the border crossing has been upgraded to allow foreigners to cross yet ???? I went there one time in the past and farang could not cross.

[mouse]

Planning a trip to Mae Sot in a couple of weeks, and wondered if anybody has crossed the border recently.

Are there any restrictions on travel inside Myanmar? Do you need a visa prior to arrival or are one day visas issued on arrival? If so are the costs the same as Mae Sai? Any information would be extremely helpful.

You can cross without hindrance. Costs $30 to go into Burma (Myanmar). Upon entry you must state how long you will stay and where. You will get a receipt for your Passport and get it back when you leave the country. The have a strange rule that says you must exit where you enter.

No advance VISA required you get it at the border.

If driving be sure to stop at the Magic Mountain, where you car will roll uphill without the engine on and then also stop at the large market on the left side of the road on the way there. Potatoes for 10 baht per kilo and other things that you may recognize. Enjoy!

[Maejo Man]

Thank you Mouse, a concise informative reply. Might be worth the trip alone just for the spuds at 10 baht a kilo! Pity I'm going away from home, maybe on the return I'll stock up!

They have a "Magic Mountain" too! I always stop at the one near Petchabun if I have people with me, same deal, rolls uphill and amusing to watch.

Thanks for the post...Mae Jo Man

[mouse]

The magix mountain thing is just a part of the highway where you roll uphill rather than downhill, not an amusement park.

[Pi Sua]

Completly wrong

The fees are 10$ or 500 bahts. One day is allowed and as mouse said they'll keep your passeport.

The bridge opened first more than 6 years ago. Then after few months closed for 1 year. Then reopened and closed again for 3 or 4 months. Since then, it has been opened and close almost every year one or 2 day for the 1988 mass killing anniversary.

You should take new notes because they'll refuse old notes. If you give $20, they'll pretexte they don't have the change and they'll give you back 350 or 300 bahts.

You'll get 30 days in Thailand exept if you have already a double entry visa. The Thai officer may say to you not to come back next month, it depend on who. They allow crossing here 3 months, 6 months or 1 year maximum.

Be normally dressed and be correct.

Good luck and if you drink beer, the Mandalay beer is not so bad. You can pay with bahts.

[Maejo Man]

Thank you Bruno. I see that you had to pay $10, and not the $5 that you pay in Mae Sai? Any idea why the price is double? Not that it's a problem, as this is a pure shopping trip, as I have a one year visa.

Thanks for the update.

[Pi Sua]

Just a few years ago, it was 18$, they didn't accept bahts from foreigners and the note had already to be clean.

About shopping in Myawaddie (myanmar).....hum hum except the beer that is very cheap.... Don't buy the 50 baht gin....even if the price is probably up to 70 or 100 bahts...I don't need to explain for what .

You might rather buy some goods at Moei river (border) which are from China or even in Maesot market that sometimes even cheaper than Moei river.

If you intend to buy stones, buy them in Maesot but NEVER at Moei river.

About potatoes, actually the prices start at 8 bahts and can go down to 5 if you buy 10 kilos. I recommend the potatoes from the Burmese side that are better than the ones grown in Thailand. Probably due to the soil. Different colour and differents screamings when you throw them (alive) in the oil....

You can even get them 5 bahts for 1 kilo. The life is incredibly cheap here compared to Bangkok or Chiangmai.

Check this

Mae Sot Border Crossing, Still open for visa runs?

[mouse]

Yes sorry about hte amount I was thinking of somewhere else.