Hi, does anyone one know if I can cross the Thailand border at Mae Sot and return 1 day later and re-enter Thailand and obtain a 30 day tourist visa? I am on my 1st tourist visa this time around in Thailand, was on a 90 day Non B, then went to a tourist visa.

Thanks

Jonny .J

Not sure how long you can stay in Myanmar at that border, going back the same day is no problem but not sure about spending the night there.

Not sure how long you can stay in Myanmar at that border, going back the same day is no problem but not sure about spending the night there.

Thanks for the info, I was thinking of looking around the area Saturday and a Sunday, my wife's friend who has a little to do with immigration said I could leave at the Mae sot border but couldn't re- enter there, I would have to fly back into Thailand which sounded strange to me. looking at going to Myanmar next weekend.

If you will not be allowed to re-enter Thailand immigration will tell you and advise you to go to another border, as on the Myanmar side you cannot travel to somewhere where you can leave Myanmar again.

If you will not be allowed to re-enter Thailand immigration will tell you and advise you to go to another border, as on the Myanmar side you cannot travel to somewhere where you can leave Myanmar again.

Thanks very much for that information Mario, have a great day.

Not sure how long you can stay in Myanmar at that border, going back the same day is no problem but not sure about spending the night there.

Get a visa. You can stay as long as the visa is valid. Border there has been open since Aug 28, 2013. I have read an unconfirmed rumour that border passes are no longer being accepted at that border and a Myanmar visa is required. Not sure if that's true, but I'd highly recommend arriving with a Myanmar visa. Last 3 times I went to that border that's what I did. I will no longer try to show up without one except/unless the Myanmar government finally introduces a visa-on-arrival system that allows one to travel to other parts of the country. Until that happens, a visa in advance will allow you to enter and exit there.

Not sure how long you can stay in Myanmar at that border, going back the same day is no problem but not sure about spending the night there.

Get a visa. You can stay as long as the visa is valid. Border there has been open since Aug 28, 2013. I have read an unconfirmed rumour that border passes are no longer being accepted at that border and a Myanmar visa is required. Not sure if that's true, but I'd highly recommend arriving with a Myanmar visa. Last 3 times I went to that border that's what I did. I will no longer try to show up without one except/unless the Myanmar government finally introduces a visa-on-arrival system that allows one to travel to other parts of the country. Until that happens, a visa in advance will allow you to enter and exit there.

I think Mae Sot has been open much longer than last year, I can recall people doing border runs there for many years.

You may be thinking of another one.

My last entry into Thailand was via Mae Sot on 17 May 2004 so it definetely has been opened for a long time but closed at times due to political and enviornmental reasons.

I have been told not a problem getting a visa for Myanmar at border crossing just that not allowed back in at the crossing, thanks for all comments

Not sure how long you can stay in Myanmar at that border, going back the same day is no problem but not sure about spending the night there.

Get a visa. You can stay as long as the visa is valid. Border there has been open since Aug 28, 2013. I have read an unconfirmed rumour that border passes are no longer being accepted at that border and a Myanmar visa is required. Not sure if that's true, but I'd highly recommend arriving with a Myanmar visa. Last 3 times I went to that border that's what I did. I will no longer try to show up without one except/unless the Myanmar government finally introduces a visa-on-arrival system that allows one to travel to other parts of the country. Until that happens, a visa in advance will allow you to enter and exit there.

I think Mae Sot has been open much longer than last year, I can recall people doing border runs there for many years.

You may be thinking of another one.

Hi Ubonjoe. What I meant was that Myanmar border checkpoints opened for full overland access on Aug 28, 2013. Prior to this date, only limited travel from the border and must return the same way you came, i.e. return to Thailand. I have read a report here on TV, which I commented on by a member who earlier this year was told by someone at immigration that Mae Sot was closed as an exit point for Myanmar if you don't have a Myanmar visa in your passport. I can't confirm that report as he made that claim. That would be in line with the Kanchanaburi crossing and any border where a foreigner of a particular country needs a visa in advance to enter (for example, Sri Lankans can't leave Thailand bound for Laos without a Lao visa in advance as they aren't eligible for VOA there).

I have been told not a problem getting a visa for Myanmar at border crossing just that not allowed back in at the crossing, thanks for all comments

You're thinking about this the wrong way. If you want to stay overnight in Myanmar and come back to Thailand by re-entering there without scrutiny, you will want to obtain a Myanmar visa in advance. It's really, really easy and will only cost you 1-3 days waiting time if you apply in Bangkok. You WON'T be refused exit from Thailand if you have a Myanmar visa in advance. If you don't and that crossing still hands out 1 day border passes, then Thai immigration might refuse your exit on the basis that you are not re-admissible, later that same day when you return (since you can't stay overnight or travel further on a border pass).

My understanding is that you need a visa to stay overnight in Myawady. I have stayed overnight there on 3 separate trips, for a total of 4 separate night stays, all at the relatively OK Myawady Hotel before traveling further inland. Rooms start at 18750K and go up to 25000K including a basic breakfast of very greasy noodles and a cup of tea or coffee, wifi and TV (only 4-5 channels including 1 or 2 English language ones, 1 or 2 Myanmar ones and a Thai station). I would recommend traveling to Hpa-an, very beautiful, takes about 5 hours by car (private or shared car from the border) with beautiful scenery, friendly people and a great and peaceful vibe. Definitely my favorite part of Myanmar. However, I would avoid the whole region until October because the monsoon rains there are brutal, even though Bangkok seems rather dry for the dry season this year, that region has very high rainfall and flooding is a regular occurrence during the rainy season.

I think OP is talking about a visa exempt entry even though he calls it a "30 day tourist visa". He can definitely expect a grilling at Mae Sot at the very least. Even 6 months ago, tourist visa holders were grilled at Mae Sot. No visa at all could be a problem.

My last entry into Thailand was via Mae Sot on 17 May 2004 so it definetely has been opened for a long time but closed at times due to political and enviornmental reasons.

That's true, prior to about 2012 that was often the case, with the border closed for about a year for a stretch between 2010 and late 2011 I believe. However, since the opening of the Myawady/Mae Sot crossing to foreigners holding Myanmar visas last August (11 months now) that has come about due to the new government in Naypyidaw in power since 2011, I doubt that randomly closing that border or any of the other 3 international border crossings without notice would be acceptable anymore, especially in light of AEC 2015 coming up shortly and the Myanmar government trying to attract more foreign visitors, with quite lofty goals of visitor targets. In fact, the Myanmar government is pushing for more overland checkpoints to be opened with neighboring countries including China (coming up shortly) and then India (may take more time, but I'd say within 2 years) and then of course the new Myanmar-Lao friendship bridge which, once opened will allow official overland access between Myanmar and Laos for the first time in modern history.

I would recommend traveling to Hpa-an, very beautiful, takes about 5 hours by car (private or shared car from the border) with beautiful scenery, friendly people and a great and peaceful vibe. Definitely my favorite part of Myanmar. However, I would avoid the whole region until October because the monsoon rains there are brutal, even though Bangkok seems rather dry for the dry season this year, that region has very high rainfall and flooding is a regular occurrence during the rainy season.

I'm planning to go this way to Yangon on early October, 6th -9th. So what you think, better avoid and fly to Yangon?

It sounds like the OP is talking about reentering Thailand on a visa exemption, I don't think you can get a new (real) tourist visa at Myawaddy because, far as I know, there's no Thai embassy/consulate.

I went to Mae Sot mid May of this year, crossed over to Myawaddy for 2-3 hours, and then returned to Mae Sot in order to trigger off the second entry of my double entry tourist visa. Whole thing went smoothly, no problems, no questions asked. On the Myanmar side I had to pay, I think it was $10 (US cash) & leave my passport with them while I wandered around Myawaddy. When I wanted to return to Mae Sot I picked up my passport, the Myanmar gov't. had stamped a little something in it with the date, but no real visa.

BTW, from what I could see, there's really not much to see in Myawaddy, and I can't imagine ever wanting to go there again unless it was again for a visa related purpose.

But I did enjoy a cheap, tasty lunch of Burmese food . Then again, you can do the same on the Thai side, in Mae Sot….