Police check on bus to Mukdahan

[raysunshineray]

On my way to Mukdahan (for Savannakhet) to obtain another Single Entry Tourist Visa (my 1st ever 'Visa Run') I was surprised to find a police officer standing next to me asking to see my passport.

This occurred around 45 km before Mukdahan (there was a sign up ahead) at around 6 am. It was at a small nondescript settlement where the bus had stopped momentarily. The officer took out his torch to take a good look at my visa page. Fortunately I was on the last day of my visa. After a "Where you go?" he went his way.

I have no idea whether this is routine - I expect not, since I've never heard of it.

Should anyone - perhaps simply for reasons of convenience - decide to make it to the border one or two days late, thinking it could do no harm, and they think it's worth the fine at the border, you may wish to think twice about it.

I myself had to go out on a Saturday when my visa expired, and spend 2 days in Savannakhet before being able to go to the Thai consulate.

I might easily have thought I'd take the risk and pay the fine, preferring that to staying 2 extra nights in a hotel in Savannakhet.

Fortunately I didn't. I decided to stay legal.

This information may be useful to you and help you make the right decision. You may be checked on the bus to Mukdahan, and then what?

I don't know what others think about the likely consequences. I've heard that even if you're stopped on the way to the airport as an overstay (with a ticket to show), you'll be arrested.

There's a possibility perhaps that the officer would let you go, seeing that it's obvious you're on your way to Savannakhet. But is it a risk worth taking? I'd say definitely not.

[wobalt]

Routine - always checking buses before Mukdahan

[alocacoc]

happen often. Funny thing, last time I was the only falang in the bus. The police officer checked id cards of some other travelers, but not mine.

[Asiantravel]

I travel often on NCA buses between Pattaya and Chiang Mai and sometimes there are even two of these kinds of stops.  That route is not known as being for a visa run so I think this on board bus checking has got more to do with looking for illegal entrants from Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar.

And anyway last time the police officers accepted my Thai drivers license because I told them my passport was in my bag in the overhead locker above me so it couldn't have been about checking my Visa on that particular run.

Edited February 27, 2017 by Asiantravel

[paul18620]

Most times this happens and if your "ONE OF THE GOOD GUYS" then you have nothing to worry about, so don't stress out with the police check points they are all around Thailand ,this will never stop.

[milys]

This can happen anywhere in Thailand. Mostly they don't bother to even look at the passport when they see you're a "farang". I doubt that a normal officer outside of the tourist areas even is able to check the passport, with all these foreign letters, for such thing as overstay.  But better be safe than sorry.

[RayD]

There's a routine stop outside Aranyapratet but I've never been checked outside Mukdahan. The Aranyapretet guys are looking for Cambodians, I've seen them pull people off a couple of times. They've only ever glanced at my passport. Presumably outside Mukdahan they're looking for Laos?

 

[franck1972]

Consider yourself lucky if you're checked only one time in the bus between BKK and Mukdahan.
Can happen up to 3 times.
At the point you mentioned, then there's another one 5-10 kms further.
And if it's not your day, sometimes immigration checks you when you get off at the bus station.
Once i've been checked at the station...and there was an immigration pick up with a cage, already filled up with 20+ people squeezed together, waiting to be sent to the border.
Imagine yourself in the middle of this...

[surinderek]

from Surin to Mukdahan it can be 3 times in 1 trip, standard practice

[ChrisKC]

There are many stories on here in many subject threads that refer to an an attitude of an Officer in Authority according to who it is and in what mood he or she may be in that determines the outcome of any situation. It suggests to me that if your papers are in order, then it matters not which Official you meet, or his state of mind that can affect that outcome.

 

Are you unlucky when an Official, on a bad day or not punishes you for whatever is wrong with your paperwork or your current situation? No. you are not unlucky, you took a calculated risk and it didn't pay off!

 

Your last sentence answered your own question.

 

In nearly 15 years of travelling on buses in many directions I have never been asked for my passport while others have. But last Thursday afternoon, I was asked for the first time.

[Dan5]

2 hours ago, paul18620 said:

Most times this happens and if your "ONE OF THE GOOD GUYS" then you have nothing to worry about, so don't stress out with the police check points they are all around Thailand ,this will never stop.

I must be l lucky. Been in Thailand many years and  never  had my passport checked by the police. But I don't take buses. Got stopped at check points while driving a few times, but they'd just look in the window and wave me on.

[JackThompson]

3 hours ago, alocacoc said:

happen often. Funny thing, last time I was the only falang in the bus. The police officer checked id cards of some other travelers, but not mine.

That was always my experience as well, for years - Until Last Week on the way to Mukdahan- when the officer took my passport and appeared to check my visa-date.  This was on the way out.  I can only assume he was checking for overstay, and it would have been trouble and/or expense if I had not been legally in the country.  I do not recall a check on the way back in.

[milys]

1 hour ago, RayD said:

There's a routine stop outside Aranyapratet but I've never been checked outside Mukdahan. The Aranyapretet guys are looking for Cambodians, I've seen them pull people off a couple of times. They've only ever glanced at my passport. Presumably outside Mukdahanstrange they're looking for Laos?

 

I am living in Aranyaprathet, and your right about that at the army stop 25 km before Aran they more or less only look for Cambodians. They manage to fill a police truck overloaded with Khmers a couple of times a day. What I don't understand is that during the holidays when many Khmers working in Thailand are returning home to celebrate they stop them at the checkpoint, take them out from the bus and put them in the police bus for further transport to the border. They were going home anyway, stop them from coming in to Thailand yes but stop them when they are going back home (???) Kind of strange, huh ? But on the other hand that is not that surprising with the Thai Immigration

[paul18620]

3 hours ago, Dan5 said:

I must be l lucky. Been in Thailand many years and  never  had my passport checked by the police. But I don't take buses. Got stopped at check points while driving a few times, but they'd just look in the window and wave me on.

You must have tinted windows then as I doubt they just look in and wave you on

but up to you.

[Anthony Loh]

This can happen anywhere in Thailand. Mostly they don't bother to even look at the passport when they see you're a "farang". I doubt that a normal officer outside of the tourist areas even is able to check the passport, with all these foreign letters, for such thing as overstay.  But better be safe than sorry.

Totally agree with this statement as a foreigner we must follow the Thai law so that we can live happily in Thailand


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

[Kasset Tak]

It can happen everywhere but more often close to a border. Going to Mukdahan or Mae Sod there are usually atleast 1 check...most I have ever experienced was going to Mae Sod when they checked my passport and visa 3 times on a 80 km trip. I have also been stoped in police checkpoints close to the provincial borders of Sukhothai - Tak, Sukhothai - Utaradit, Tak - Kampheng Phet and Kampheng Phet - Nakorn Sawan where they have checked passport and visa but I think those are more to find drug smugglers and illegal Laotians or Burmese workers... My friend told me that he used to hire illegal workers from Myanmar and that they spent about a week walking over the mountains after they crossed the border in to Thailand just to avoid the checkpoints.

[malt25]

12 hours ago, paul18620 said:

You must have tinted windows then as I doubt they just look in and wave you on

but up to you.

Care to expand on your comment ? I've been stopped at checkpoints many times & just waved on once they see I'm farang. Always lower my window prior to stopping, so they don't have to look through the tint.

[phutoie2]

2 hours ago, malt25 said:

Care to expand on your comment ? I've been stopped at checkpoints many times & just waved on once they see I'm farang. Always lower my window prior to stopping, so they don't have to look through the tint.

Care to expand on what so special about you?, many of us here get stopped at Police check points and have to answer questions. The most common being "where you go or been?". 

[malt25]

1 hour ago, phutoie2 said:

Care to expand on what so special about you?, many of us here get stopped at Police check points and have to answer questions. The most common being "where you go or been?". 

Nothing at all special about me whatsoever. Maybe attitude has something to do with it. Occasionally I get asked to show my drivers license. Once they see it's valid & I have the appropriate insurance & tax sticker displayed on the windscreen, that's it,  waved on.

I have been pullover & questioned after speeding or other traffic infringement, but I consider that a different situation to a check point.

[jimster]

On ‎2‎/‎28‎/‎2017 at 0:50 AM, Kasset Tak said:

It can happen everywhere but more often close to a border. Going to Mukdahan or Mae Sod there are usually atleast 1 check...most I have ever experienced was going to Mae Sod when they checked my passport and visa 3 times on a 80 km trip. I have also been stoped in police checkpoints close to the provincial borders of Sukhothai - Tak, Sukhothai - Utaradit, Tak - Kampheng Phet and Kampheng Phet - Nakorn Sawan where they have checked passport and visa but I think those are more to find drug smugglers and illegal Laotians or Burmese workers... My friend told me that he used to hire illegal workers from Myanmar and that they spent about a week walking over the mountains after they crossed the border in to Thailand just to avoid the checkpoints.

I travel to Mae Sot up to a dozen times a year since 5 years now and not once have I been asked for my passport. Driving during the day, in the middle of the night etc. doesn't make a difference.

 

BUT a friend who looked kinda Burmese was asked once, but only the data page of his passport was examined. There are 3 permanent checkpoints on the Tak-Mae Sot road, but they are more interested in contraband or Burmese travelers than westerners. That being said I have only ever traveled that way by car. No idea if they scrutinize you more if traveling by bus or minivan.

[Kasset Tak]

32 minutes ago, jimster said:

I travel to Mae Sot up to a dozen times a year since 5 years now and not once have I been asked for my passport. Driving during the day, in the middle of the night etc. doesn't make a difference.

 

BUT a friend who looked kinda Burmese was asked once, but only the data page of his passport was examined. There are 3 permanent checkpoints on the Tak-Mae Sot road, but they are more interested in contraband or Burmese travelers than westerners. That being said I have only ever traveled that way by car. No idea if they scrutinize you more if traveling by bus or minivan.

The worst time when they checked me 3 times I was going by the public van from Phitsanulok to Mae Sot... on the other hand I have done the Mukdahan - Mae Sot bus ride twice and then there was no checkpoints at all. I used to worked in Tak so I have friends in living in Mae Sot or so that you must travel thru Mae Sot to get to their homes, at one point I was traveling to Mae Sot 2-3 times a week now its like 2-3 times a year .I have been stopped traveling by all modes of transportation public bus, van, school van and private pickup.
But as you say they are more interested in the Burmese than in westerners as there have been more than one time when car has been stopped and then when they see a white face  and just wave us to move on. I also have had people coming on the bus/van at Tak bus terminal telling the (illegal) Burmese to get off because of checkpoints on the road to Mae Sot. And as a friend that used to hire illegal Burmese workers told me: "They walk, they walk 5,6,7 days over the mountains to avoid the checkpoints!".

 

And the checking on the provincial borders seems to have stopped now but it has happened to me totally more than 10 times over about a 3 month period Nov 2015 - Jan 2016, one day going Phitsanulok to Tak by bus they checked all passengers both at the Phitsanulok-Sukhothai and Sukhothai-Tak provincial borders. But on the other hand when stopped with my Thai friends in a sobriety checkpoint in the middle of Kamphaeng phet city I had to show my passport even thou I wasn't driving. 

 

But one thing that to me feels strange is that I have only been stopped going to Mukdahan or Mae Sot but never when leaving!?

[jimster]

48 minutes ago, Kasset Tak said:

The worst time when they checked me 3 times I was going by the public van from Phitsanulok to Mae Sot... on the other hand I have done the Mukdahan - Mae Sot bus ride twice and then there was no checkpoints at all. I used to worked in Tak so I have friends in living in Mae Sot or so that you must travel thru Mae Sot to get to their homes, at one point I was traveling to Mae Sot 2-3 times a week now its like 2-3 times a year .I have been stopped traveling by all modes of transportation public bus, van, school van and private pickup.
But as you say they are more interested in the Burmese than in westerners as there have been more than one time when car has been stopped and then when they see a white face  and just wave us to move on. I also have had people coming on the bus/van at Tak bus terminal telling the (illegal) Burmese to get off because of checkpoints on the road to Mae Sot. And as a friend that used to hire illegal Burmese workers told me: "They walk, they walk 5,6,7 days over the mountains to avoid the checkpoints!".

 

And the checking on the provincial borders seems to have stopped now but it has happened to me totally more than 10 times over about a 3 month period Nov 2015 - Jan 2016, one day going Phitsanulok to Tak by bus they checked all passengers both at the Phitsanulok-Sukhothai and Sukhothai-Tak provincial borders. But on the other hand when stopped with my Thai friends in a sobriety checkpoint in the middle of Kamphaeng phet city I had to show my passport even thou I wasn't driving. 

 

But one thing that to me feels strange is that I have only been stopped going to Mukdahan or Mae Sot but never when leaving!?

Generally speaking, they can and do stop you in both directions. They also tend to stop all vehicles, at every one of the three checkpoints in both directions but often they just wave you through after they've seen your face especially if you are 1) alone 2) have few belongings with you. Other times they question you, shine a flashlight into your car (if you're driving or a passenger in a private vehicle) - the passport checking in my experience is exceptionally rare anywhere in the country in my experience. In fact, I can confidently say that I've never been asked for my passport at any checkpoint anywhere in the country for any reason and I travel very often. As we both agree it's not so much about us or about checking passports, it's more about checking for illegal Burmese, contraband and logically also although this hasn't happened to me on the Mae Sot-Tak road, checking your driver's licence.

[Kasset Tak]

57 minutes ago, jimster said:

Generally speaking, they can and do stop you in both directions. They also tend to stop all vehicles, at every one of the three checkpoints in both directions but often they just wave you through after they've seen your face especially if you are 1) alone 2) have few belongings with you. Other times they question you, shine a flashlight into your car (if you're driving or a passenger in a private vehicle) - the passport checking in my experience is exceptionally rare anywhere in the country in my experience. In fact, I can confidently say that I've never been asked for my passport at any checkpoint anywhere in the country for any reason and I travel very often. As we both agree it's not so much about us or about checking passports, it's more about checking for illegal Burmese, contraband and logically also although this hasn't happened to me on the Mae Sot-Tak road, checking your driver's licence.

Drivers license and not being drunk usually don't seem to be a problem with the Thai police/law as long as you don't have an accident or you are "HiSo":
A Thai friend was fined 50,000 Baht for totally wrecking his car while drunk driving and the judge said that the only reason he didn't send my friend to jail was that he had spent 2 weeks in hospital because of the accident... the accident happened on my friends own land (50+ rai) while he was driving from the rice field back to the house!

[BuckBee]

quite common get police checks coming or going from mukdahan, never paid huge amount of interest in my passport but have seen envelope for tips from lao people on the bus and had 2 girls arrested linked to family with son who on the run, took them ages decide arrest them, was right pantomime and delayed bus well over 45 minutes ...

[USPatriot]

The visa run van I was on was stopped three times on the way back from the boarder run with in 10 kilometers of the boarder

[EcigAmateur]

Do they check car drivers also ?

[SpicyMeatball]

On 2/27/2017 at 1:38 PM, alocacoc said:

happen often. Funny thing, last time I was the only falang in the bus. The police officer checked id cards of some other travelers, but not mine.

Same here, checked everyone else & passed me by.

BTW, Savanakhet is not such a bad place for a couple nights. Good restaurants & friendly locals. The lady at the front desk of my hotel was super friendly & helpful. She even let me use her scooter!

[BritTim]

13 minutes ago, EcigAmateur said:

Do they check car drivers also ?

Cars are definitely checked at checkpoints close to the border. Sometimes, the officials may just poke their heads in your window and wave you on.

[franck1972]

Been on the bus last night to Mukdahan.
First police check, he just checked my passport first page quickly, and gave it back immediately without even bothering at the last stamp.
Second police check, didn't even want to see my passport.

[EcigAmateur]

1 hour ago, franck1972 said:

Been on the bus last night to Mukdahan.
First police check, he just checked my passport first page quickly, and gave it back immediately without even bothering at the last stamp.
Second police check, didn't even want to see my passport.

 

 

Anyway if they were able to read what is written we would all know it already...