Hundreds Of Foreigners Stuck On The Closed Myanmar Border

[george]

Hundreds of foreigners stuck on the closed Myanmar border

PHUKET CITY: -- An Immigration officer based in Ranong confirmed by telephone this morning that it is still impossible to make “visa runs” to the Burmese port town of Kaw Thaung, across the bay from Ranong.

The officer, who said he had no idea when the border would reopen, suggested visa runners whose permits-to-stay are set to expire consider using crossings along the borders with Malaysia, Cambodia or Laos instead.

He recommended first checking with the foreign affairs ministries of those countries before starting out, however.

“It is beyond our authority whether Immigration officials in neighboring countries choose to close border checkpoints,” he warned.

A few hundred foreign tourists remain stuck on the Myanmar side of the border since the checkpoint closure, he added.

Myint Than, operator at the Andaman Club resort and casino complex on Thahtay Kyun Island in Myanmar, also opposite Ranong, this afternoon confirmed that the border checkpoint there remains closed.

“We don’t know when it will re-open,” she told the Gazette.

--Phuket Gazette 2006-09-21

[bulmercke]

"Why" is this crossing now closed?

[baboon]

Closed by Myanmar because of the coup, I belive. Hope you visa runners will be able to sort yourselves out without too many problems. Thank Christ I went last week!

[Maejo Man]

I did some shopping in Mae Sot on monday and walked over into Mayawaddy. Tons of Humvees on the Thai side, but luckily the border was still open.

[geoffphuket]

I can't imagine what I'd do stuck at Victoria Point with no way back

[SamuiJens]

Gambling at the casino. Since it's a gamble when the border opens again. Sorry for the Runners there

[geoffphuket]

So if you're stuck at the Club Andaman on Thahtay Kyun Island, I wonder who's collecting the bill for accommodation? Many of the visa runners I've met haven't got 2 baht to rub together

[bulmercke]

Closed by Myanmar because of the coup, I belive. Hope you visa runners will be able to sort yourselves out without too many problems. Thank Christ I went last week!

Yes, but why, in particular, is the crossing closed only to Myanmar and not to other countries bordering Thailand?

Why would Myanmar alone want to close the border?

[geoffphuket]

Closed by Myanmar because of the coup, I belive. Hope you visa runners will be able to sort yourselves out without too many problems. Thank Christ I went last week!

Yes, but why, in particular, is the crossing closed only to Myanmar and not to other countries bordering Thailand?

Why would Myanmar alone want to close the border?

If you look at how many armed conflicts there have been between Myanmar and Thailand, then the answer should be obvious

[Laulen]

I hope those stuck in Burma (Myanmar) have deep pockets. It could be some time before the authorities reopen the border crossing point.

Two weeks before the appointment of a 'Prime Minister'??

[baboon]

Closed by Myanmar because of the coup, I belive. Hope you visa runners will be able to sort yourselves out without too many problems. Thank Christ I went last week!

Yes, but why, in particular, is the crossing closed only to Myanmar and not to other countries bordering Thailand?

Why would Myanmar alone want to close the border?

Good question mate, but I belive Laos is closed too. Afraid of civil unrest spilling over the border maybe? Wanting to show off as Thailand is considered by the west as a stable and dynamic country whereas Myanmar is execrated, therefore closing themselves off first to show they were right all along and show face? Your guess is as good as mine. Are you directly affected?

[geoffphuket]

I hope those stuck in Burma (Myanmar) have deep pockets. It could be some time before the authorities reopen the border crossing point.

Two weeks before the appointment of a 'Prime Minister'??

This was the point I was making. How many of the 'Several Hundred stuck' went prepared for more than a single day?

[jrincon17]

it would be prilly closed until oct 1 when they can come back in anyways cause of new laws , how bad would that be !

[serpentine]

You would have to stay at the government sanctioned Honey Bee Hotel. Overpriced about 5 times what you would pay for a similar hotel in Thailand.

I reckon I would go overland to Rangoon. Burma is quiet tourist friendly these days. Feel sorry for those border runners that do the trip with 300b in their pocket. No ATMs.

[geoffphuket]

You would have to stay at the government sanctioned Honey Bee Hotel. Overpriced about 5 times what you would pay for a similar hotel in Thailand.

I reckon I would go overland to Rangoon. Burma is quiet tourist friendly these days. Feel sorry for those border runners that do the trip with 300b in their pocket. No ATMs.

When you arrive at Victoria Point, you get an entry stamp allowing just a single day's stay.....So then what happens ? Sounds like a real tragedy to me.

[Chivas]

You would have to stay at the government sanctioned Honey Bee Hotel. Overpriced about 5 times what you would pay for a similar hotel in Thailand.

I reckon I would go overland to Rangoon. Burma is quiet tourist friendly these days. Feel sorry for those border runners that do the trip with 300b in their pocket. No ATMs.

Who in the right mind crosses ANY border with just 300 baht spare to their name !!

Surely these are the guys Thailand are trying to offload ??

Chivas

[Bates]

Can anyone confirm visa runs are still possible at Mae Sot ??

[Backpack_thailand]

I reckon I would go overland to Rangoon. Burma is quiet tourist friendly these days. Feel sorry for those border runners that do the trip with 300b in their pocket. No ATMs.

There's no road out from Victoria Point, you are stuck there. It's 100% a fishing village and trading post with Thailand!

The only way is to fly out on one of the 2 or 3 scheduled flights per week to Yangon. If you're in Vic Point, you're stuck in Vic Point...!!!

[serpentine]

Maybe they are, but who travels to Victoria Point with heaps of cash and credit cards etc. You are only there 5min and most people just take the required US5 which is taken befire you actually make it to the VP pier. Apart from the few who are planning to stock up on fake viagre etc or buy burmese cigs..........eh!

[geoffphuket]

You would have to stay at the government sanctioned Honey Bee Hotel. Overpriced about 5 times what you would pay for a similar hotel in Thailand.

I reckon I would go overland to Rangoon. Burma is quiet tourist friendly these days. Feel sorry for those border runners that do the trip with 300b in their pocket. No ATMs.

Who in the right mind crosses ANY border with just 300 baht spare to their name !!

Surely these are the guys Thailand are trying to offload ??

Chivas

Normaly you wouldn't even set your feet on the ground in Myanmar - it's a 15 minute wait on the boat 'till the crew arrange the stamps in and back out. I've met plenty that hadn't got enough cash to pay for a few days overstay checking out of Thailand. I've usually only got a couple of thousand baht on me - what would I need more for ?

My next 90 day run is due in November - I'll go prepared from now on.

[serpentine]

Sh*t! I always wondered if you could travel overland from there. That could become tedious after a few hours, let alone days. I suppose most foreigners can got to the Anderman Club. It must have ATMs

[geoffphuket]

Sh*t! I always wondered if you could travel overland from there. That could become tedious after a few hours, let alone days. I suppose most foreigners can got to the Anderman Club. It must have ATMs

Could be wrong, but I've never seen one

[Fraktalkid]

When was the border shut exactly?

Because if it was shut off overnight, anyone staying there would've been prepared to stay overnight and (one would assume) would have more than 300 baht in their pocket... most people cross over and then cross back during the day if they're just a border run daytripper and skint, ie. before the border shuts in the evening and before the coup..

So most people rubbing their 2 bahts together would've come back before the border closure, right? Unless of course they decided on a gamble...

[chuchok]

You would have to stay at the government sanctioned Honey Bee Hotel. Overpriced about 5 times what you would pay for a similar hotel in Thailand.

I reckon I would go overland to Rangoon. Burma is quiet tourist friendly these days. Feel sorry for those border runners that do the trip with 300b in their pocket. No ATMs.

Who in the right mind crosses ANY border with just 300 baht spare to their name !!

Surely these are the guys Thailand are trying to offload ??

Chivas

Normaly you wouldn't even set your feet on the ground in Myanmar - it's a 15 minute wait on the boat 'till the crew arrange the stamps in and back out. I've met plenty that hadn't got enough cash to pay for a few days overstay checking out of Thailand. I've usually only got a couple of thousand baht on me - what would I need more for ?My next 90 day run is due in November - I'll go prepared from now on.

Doesn't the Law say that you should have a min of THB10,000?

[Choscura]

shouldn't the border be closed the other way....? Burma is in the longest running civil war in history, after all.

[niteowl]

It's 10,000 Baht to extend a tourist visa.

It's 20,000 Baht to obtain a stamp for your Non-Imm visa.

Although, I'd found that as long as you're nicely dressed, they wouldn't actually ask to see it.

[Cool Water Palace]

Am I naive. as never had to do border runs? Surely this is something consular officials of the various countries, whose nationals are stranded, should be involved in by now, or at least in the morning.

[Souch]

I wouldn't call the Myanmar situation a civil war. They have a Military run government, can't fight them with stones and sticks.

Must agree that Myanmar is very open to tourists now you don't need to pay the $200 entry fee anymore and the people were great.

[Huckenfell]

You would have to stay at the government sanctioned Honey Bee Hotel. Overpriced about 5 times what you would pay for a similar hotel in Thailand.

I reckon I would go overland to Rangoon. Burma is quiet tourist friendly these days. Feel sorry for those border runners that do the trip with 300b in their pocket. No ATMs.

Who in the right mind crosses ANY border with just 300 baht spare to their name !!

Surely these are the guys Thailand are trying to offload ??

Chivas

Wonder what a refugee camp in Myanmar looks like ?

[leonmac]

Can anybody confirm that Laotian border comment... or is that just bullshit....?

L