So my question is from india to Thailand can I come through road?
If it possible what documents I need?
Thank you ☺️
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TLDR : Answer Summary
An Indian passport holder cannot travel to Thailand by road due to closed borders, particularly with Myanmar where travel is extremely dangerous and restricted. Current options for entry into Thailand are limited to flying, as land borders have remained shut since early 2020. Even when borders reopen, specific visas and permits will be necessary for land crossings.
Albert ********
No border crossings at this time.unless you sneak in. I would not reccomend it.
Ryma ******
You just make ur life complicated......😊
Lai *************
Can I drive from Thailand 🇹🇭 to Laos 🇱🇦?
Paul *******
Anyway, when it DOES become possible to cross the Indo-Burmese and Burmese-Thai land border crossings once again, you'll be allowed to enter Thailand with just your passport. Visas on arrival are available at Mae Sot, but only a 15 day stay. For longer stays or entry via any of the other 3 checkpoints (which hardly anyone uses, so I assume if you did this trip, you'd be using the Myawaddy-Mae Sot crossing) you would need a Thai visa obtained in advance, preferably back in India.
Lots of Indian motorists have driven cars and motorcycles from India to Thailand and back. Both Myanmar and Thailand require guides and permits to conduct such journeys. Prior to June 27, 2016, Indian vehicles were allowed to freely enter Thailand without a guide, but that has now been changed.
Paul *******
Normally the answer is yes, but it hasn't been possible since early March 2020, when India first closed it's two international border crossing with Myanmar, which was followed barely 2 weeks later by Myanmar closing it's Thailand crossings to all foreigners and 2 days after that, to everyone. Barely a week after that, all ports of entry closed.
No one knows when the borders will reopen (currently Myanmar is completely off-limits to most foreigners, irrespective of method of entry) and I don't expect that land based entry into Myanmar or Thailand will be possible until July 2022 at the earliest.
no sir but I can't get detailed information like in this group because here I can get answer from experienced person or native person from that country so it's help me lot that's why I asking in this group
Actually sir I'm first time travel outside country and also alone so that's why I asking questions but I asking not same question sir I have so many questions but here I don't have anyone for guide me with knowledge that's why I asking here again and again
That's true sir but still I hope may any rules change or not. yes I like flying it save my time also but still why I thought travel by land I can see more places and their culture tradition lifestyle because I'm traveling not for fun I'm traveling for to get experience from different places different culture tradition language lifestyle food everything and store these all memory with me and make into a book. That's why I like to travel by land.
hi Sir. They are neighbour country true but some inside Matter of that country how we get they don't show what happened in their country for world so that's why I didn't know about few things
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Suwan *********
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Chris *********
I can’t see land borders opening this year. Don’t you like flying?
hi sir I like flying it save my time and I have money also for flight ticket also but still why I thought travel by land I can see more places and their culture tradition lifestyle because I'm traveling not for fun I'm traveling for to get experience from different places different culture tradition language lifestyle food everything and store these all memory with me and make into a book. That's why I like to travel by land.
Not necessary. The main Indo-Thai travel corridor is quite safe (granted, there was one or two skirmishes in recent weeks) but once Covid restrictions are lifted (whenever that happens) it will be possible for foreigners to travel this corridor as we were able to pre-Covid and I've done many, many times since 2013 until early 2020.
The main corridor for overland travel from India to Thailand involves traveling from either Rikhwadar or Tamu via Mandalay and Hpa Yar Gyi to Myawaddy and then crossing into Thailand at Mae Sot.
Other border crossings exist, but are rarely used due to being further away, difficult to reach and poor road conditions.
That’s what I said in September 2020. “Things will be better in a few months.” Why the hell would you want to take public transportation from India to Thailand? It’s over 4,000 km. It’s 80 hours and that’s if you don’t stop. Is it because flying is too expensive? If you can’t afford a plane ticket then you can’t afford to come at all. Wait until April and see how much things have changed. I’m betting it won’t be any better.
It's much more fun to travel overland provided it's possible to do. It doesn't look likely any time soon. However, this year finally there is some hope. I wouldn't make any firm travel arrangements yet, but I have the feeling international travel will largely return by the end of the year. Again, I could be wrong but there does seem to be some momentum going.
yes I like flying it save my time also but still why I thought travel by land I can see more places and their culture tradition lifestyle because I'm traveling not for fun I'm traveling for to get experience from different places different culture tradition language lifestyle food everything and store these all memory with me and make into a book. That's why I like to travel by land.
Good idea but you'll need to wait. Like I said in other posts...probably the earliest will be July, but I wouldn't be planning for anything before October.
That's what I'm telling people including my parents. Don't plan to come before October. BTW my dad is also planning to travel to...you guessed it - Myanmar and India.
We always travel into Myanmar from Thailand by land (ever since they first opened to foreigners on August 28, 2013) with me flying into Myanmar only once since then, to save time as it was already a long trip for business and I was traveling the entire country, so adding on another 4 days to the trip (2 days each way) would have been excessive.
However, my dad is not keen on crossing the Indo-Burmese border by land, even though the area of interest to us is Mizoram. He prefers flying into Kolkata and then taking a domestic flight to Aizawl AND he wants to do this from Bangkok, so he can fly his beloved THAI Airways.
Should I join him on this proposed trip (once it becomes possible to do so) I plan to convince him to travel overland the whole way. We can drive all the way to the Indo-Burmese border at Rikhwadar and then it's a one hour taxi ride on the Indian side to Chumpai and several more hours on winding roads to Aizawl.
A lot of interesting things to see and do on the way. Makes more sense to go by land to Aizawl from Chin State in Myanmar, than drive all the way back to Bangkok via Yangon, board a flight to Kolkata and then fly to Aizawl and back.
Never say never. I am not very hopeful myself but they did try to reopen two land border crossings in December, with an original plan to reopen half of all land border crossings this month.
Both plans have been shelved for now BUT I believe there is a momentum going. I think we will see at least some, possibly even all borders reopening sometime later in the year. Already Laos allows tourists on package tours to enter the country via the 1st Thai-Lao friendship bridge in Nong Khai since January 1. Entry is one way only though. While foreigners can cross in the reverse direction, it's only possible by making arrangements in advance, taking along a stack of paperwork and quarantining after arrival in Nong Khai.
I think if land borders don't reopen this year, they probably never will.
it means after I arrive Thailand I can explore by road inside the country right 🥳🥳
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Suwan *********
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Ticha *****************
Myanmar now has civil war. Even bumese have to immigrate to Thailand for their life. Some are killed by government. Army don't care who you are. They will just shot and kill. Or throw bomb from sky. It's no way safe.
There are several issues going on in Myanmar right now.
Covid restrictions: foreigners inside Myanmar have been prevented, since the first lockdown in April 2020, from freely moving about within the country. I assume that travel between the major cities, such as between Yangon and Mandalay, is fine for the most part, now that the lockdown has been lifted.
However, areas closer to the Thai, Chinese or Indian borders may be off-limits to foreigners. Even Hpa-an, which has been perfectly safe since over a decade, has been restricted to foreigners as part of Covid rules. I can't say whether this restriction has been lifted yet but remember reading an article from the Myanmar Times published in 2020 about a group of Singaporean expats from Yangon being prevented from entering Hpa-an and thus forced to return to Yangon. The Burmese were allowed to enter, but because they were in the same group as the Singaporeans, elected to return to Yangon with them.
Now there are also security reasons why foreigners may be banned from visiting certain areas that were fine to visit, immediately pre-Covid.
There is supposedly a ceasefire in place but I wouldn't worry about that now because foreigners can't enter Myanmar right now, with the exception of working expats who will find their movements outside of Yangon or Mandalay quite restricted.
I expect the situation to be quite free, once Covid restrictions are lifted. That could still be some months (or more) away.
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Paul *******
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Ian *******
I am in Myanmar now and driving through here would be very dangerous at this time or actually most times. Get on an airplane.
it’s not possible to travel to Myanmar right now or to do border crossing is extremely dangerous. There is a war going on almost everywhere in country and even the Myanmar people has to flee to other places. So don’t think of that as an option.
I am not a citizen. I am a guest, but I am in Yangon now and I can tell you that there is is definitely a war going on all over the country. You can travel within country to some places but by airplane. Sure you can drive but there is enough danger along the way that papers ain't going to help you because who is going to see it during a fight.
I thought there was a ceasefire signed recently but I guess that isn't being respected.
However, fighting isn't the only problem. Ever since Covid started, travel restrictions have been strictly enforced, especially for foreigners. Back in 2020 (before the coup) foreigners in Myanmar were being turned back from the Hpa-an checkpoint in Kayin State.
Basically right now, foreigners who are in Myanmar have severe movement restrictions and it's best to stick to the old tourist quadrangle, bounded by Yangon, Mawlamyine, Mandalay and Bagan. Anything outside of that could prove problematic, never mind that pre-Covid, you could travel to most parts of the country except the restricted areas in remote parts of Shan, Kachin and a few other places that few visitors go.
Since Covid and especially since the coup, things have become a lot more uncertain on several fronts.
I understand now sir. That's true so situation is not good travel by road in Myanmar so everyone in war mood so no one not see who I'm or they don't have time to see I'm traveler or citizen they take action on me also right
And it probably always will, but even that is a pipe dream right now, because the Indo-Burmese land border isn't opening up to foreigners for some time, and I think Myanmar in general won't be reopening until the second half of this year at the earliest.
OK. Don't know what good papers will do you if they don't see them. Bombs from the air ain't checking papers guy. It ain't safe period.
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Ian *******
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Kool *******
You can not drive from India to Thailand. Myanmar is closed. You can not drive across Myanmar to the Thai border as a foreigner without a special permit, and an escort. The border with Myanmar and Thailand is closed. You can not drive into Thailand as a foreigner crossing the border. There is no chance of this changing even if the covid rules change, until the government of Myanmar changes, and that isn't happening anytime soon. You might make it across Bangladesh, but you will not make it into, or across Myanmar to the Thai border.
hi sir actually I'm not driving actually I thought travel that country public transport. And also I understand now all border closed but I have last option is malaysia hope I can go Thailand through malaysia
Reply to
Suwan *********
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Frank-Steven ***********
I wish it was possible. Would want to go the reverse way soon. Driving from Thailand to India.
Not at this time, no. I don’t know about India / Myanmar border crossing. I would think closed. But certainly the Myanmar / Thai border is closed. Or would you want to go through China and Laos? Closed as well.
I think when some sort of normality returns (assuming it ever does) the first border to open will be the Thai-Myanmar crossings. They are the most important for tourism and next to Muse (China), for trade as well.
Presumably, once there is some momentum going, I expect the Indo-Burmese crossings to reopen within weeks of the Thai-Burmese crossings re-opening. The Chinese border is largely irrelevant, because it's never been officially open to foreigners.
The Thai-Lao crossings will probably re-open around the same time as well.
In March 2020, it was roughly on March 8 that India first closed it's borders with Myanmar and by March 19, Myanmar stopped allowing non-Thais and non-Burmese to cross the border into Myanmar (foreigners and Thais might still have been permitted to exit Myanmar though). Then, on March 21, the border was shut altogether to everyone. The first Thai-Myanmar friendship bridge at Mae Sot has been shut ever since, however, the second bridge (which only opened officially on October 31, 2019) has been operating for freight and repatriation purposes since then.
Once some sort of normality resumes, I assume the 2nd friendship bridge will become the main crossing for all, with the 1st crossing subsequently only for local crossings.
Malaysia? They're sticking to a stubborn and strict policy. Although Malaysia and Singapore did reopen their common land border crossing a few weeks back, the border slammed shut again after just a few days.
I believe they will reopen all borders sometime later this year.
Oh. Ok. Did not thought about that. Hardly ever heard someone do it that way before. You still would need land borders to be opened. I think currently, they are not. ✌️
Once Covid restrictions are lifted worldwide (assuming they ever are) it will be possible to travel the India-Thailand land corridor.
Safety in border areas of Myanmar has long been a concern and the government in Myanmar doesn't allow foreigners into dangerous areas anyway (though someone of Indian appearance might be able to sneak their way through a checkpoint in a way a farang wouldn't be able to). Not that that would be a good idea, but just saying.
However, I believe the same rules that applied pre-Covid will apply, this time they might be intensified further: foreigners can travel to/from Myawaddy (the border town with Thailand) from within Myanmar, but must not deviate more than a short distance from the main highway, after Kawkareik, because of possible fighting in the border areas. They will also be restricted from heading south of Myawaddy along the border road, which has been the scene of recent fighting.
Of course, by the time the border does reopen, the skirmishes that took place there a few weeks ago could be considered ancient history and normal access might be allowed again.
Then again, hardly any foreigners have ever been down that way. There's a mountain, 2000m high called "Mulayit Taung", which is very popular with Thai pilgrims, who cross sans passport from Phob Phra, though it's also possible to access the mountain from Myawaddy.
I can't imagine more than a couple of dozen non-Thai foreigners having ever been down that way in the history of Myanmar/Burma not counting colonial times or World War 2.
hi bro. No I don't know about Myanmar thanks for remembering Myanmar I will join Myanmar group soon and ask with Myanmar country people how was the situation in Myanmar
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Suwan *********
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Stuart *********
No. All land borders are closed. You can only fly into Thailand.
Even on the Hippie Trail days I dont think the tribes could pass Burma overland. One would take a packet freighter to Penang, from Kolkata. Then shave beard, cut hair and decent clothes for entry to the Kingdom. "Thailand no Hippy"
Myanmar has been closed to overland travel ever since the end of colonial days (or at least since the military takeover in 62, not sure which one) until August 28, 2013, when 4 Thai-Burmese land border crossings opened to foreigners for the first time.
Prior to this date, 3 out of these 4 crossings (the 4th one had only opened 2 years earlier, to facilitate Italian-Thai bringing in equipment to upgrade the road and for the Dawei deep sea port project) were only open for either day trips or limited travel from the border with the proviso that you had to return the same way you came.
Interestingly, it appears as though Thai citizens were allowed to cross the border at Mae Sai to Tachilek then catch a domestic flight to Yangon or elsewhere but foreigners from other countries were prohibited from doing so, until 2013.
Oh yeah and another condition is hiring a guide even to go to Kengtung (can be hired on the spot at immigration). A strange rule is that even since 2013, if you arrive without a visa, you need to hire a guide for 1000 Baht a day, but if you come with a Myanmar visa, you're free to make your own way up there without a guide! Really weird rule.
Until August 28, 2013, you could travel up to Kengtung and back and sometimes even Mong Lar on the Chinese border but you had to return the same way you came. Immediately pre-Covid, the same rules applied (whether you had a visa or got the USD 10 on arrival pass) but to travel to the rest of the country, a flight from Tachilek or Kengtung was necessary. Accessing Mong Lar has become more difficult since around 2017 or 18 due to increased insurgency in the hills surrounding the city. I think they have required you go with a guide from Kengtung for years now.
Unlikely. July is probably the earliest. If you want to travel via Myanmar note that Myanmar is likely to open later than Thailand. So even if you could cross the Thai-Myanmar land border crossing at Mae Sot by then, which I don't think will happen by April but let's say it does, you're not getting into Myanmar from India by land at that time.
My suggestion is to keep waiting and make tentative plans for the end of 2022.
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Paul *******
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