Can I still pay $10 USD for border runs to Mai Sai, or is only 500 baht accepted on the Burma side?

Yes Ranong is same crisp ten dollar bill usually sold at border for bad exchange rate

I did the border run a week ago. I paid 500 baht. Don't know if they accept dollars. And yeah they will keep your passport. Everything was smooth.

You can stay within Tachilek province. They have your passport and you get some sort of receipt to get your passport back later.

Larry Beck its relaxed, just make sure you fill out the arrival/departure card in full. I keep missing a line and they get pissed

Garrett Greenwald yea, I guess they just know your going back in an hour by now

Thomas Robert Peter Ashworth I haven't done it, only across the bridge and back. But from what I read if you want to go further than the city you'll need to pay for a bigger visa. I guess maybe there's other check points or possibly it's a online thing but Im really not sure, just what I've read and heard. I've been there 3 times for a land crossing tho and its definitely not $50 to enter

Garrett Greenwald Ah that makes sense. Thanks for that!

@Andy *********

Explain, I'm confused by that.

500b on the other side

@Thomas ************************

you can't leave the city without one