Answered7 years ago

Do Thai citizens need a passport or just ID cards to cross into Myanmar via Mae Sot?

Myanmar Border Crossing Thai Citizens ID Cards Passports Mae Sot Visa Requirements

Don *********

asked Aug 7, 2019

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I'm thinking of taking my thai family to Myanmar via mae sot for a day was wondering do they need a passport or just there I'd cards i know Laos they just needed there I'd cards

Answer summary

Thai citizens typically need to have passports to cross into Myanmar. Some commentors shared experiences indicating that while some Thai citizens can travel with just their ID cards, they may require additional paperwork from immigration offices. One user noted that their family could not cross the border with only ID cards, and another mentioned that they often get the necessary documentation before attempting to cross.

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Biff *******

My family came with me to Mae Sai and weren't allowed to cross the border into Myanmar because they only had their ID cards with them. If they wanted to use their ID cards to cross over, they would've needed to go to their Amphur office and get some kind of paperwork to go with it.

7 years ago

Terry **********

my wife and family regulary come with me to Mae Sai and they first go to Immigration place in Mae Sai with there I c cards get a piece of paper and then go to border we do it all the time

7 years ago

Biff *******

Wearing? I'm not sure what you mean. We didn't get that far into the conversation because they weren't crossing the border. They don't all have passports so whether or not they would've needed the Myanmar day pass was completely beside the point as it wasn't going to happen.

I'm not sure what you mean about constantly being subjected to this bureaucracy either. Countries have arrangements with each other about how they allow their citizens to travel across borders. Laos allows Thai citizens to enter with their ID cards. Myanmar is a hotch-potch of ex drug lords with sketchy authority granted to them in each of their little fiefdoms in exchange for dressing their paramilitary gangs up in the national army uniform and has odd rules and regulations about who can enter the small regions near the border (but not travel further in country).

At this particular border, Myanmar doesn't allow Thai citizens to cross the border unless they have the correct paperwork. There is a reciprocal arrangement where Myanmar citizens are allowed into Thailand to work on day passes. Most countries would require foreign citizens to have at least a passport in order to cross the border.

Seeing as all there is on the other side is a pretty shitty market it wasn't really an issue. If we had wanted to make a day trip out of it we would have got the necessary paperwork. I was just bouncing in and out to get another 30 day stamp so, no big deal really. We went to the market on the Thai side after I came back. It was fine.

7 years ago

William **********

@Biff ******

“Didn’t getvthat far in the conversation “ - er, relatable 😝

7 years ago

William **********

@Biff ******

wearing......!!?

Constantly subjected to this bureaucracy....

oh my lord!!

I empathise ! 😢

7 years ago

Biff *******

Yeah they were told they would. Not all of them have passports though so that wasn't an option. I'm not sure what they would've needed from the Myanmar immigration though, if they would've needed the ฿500 day pass or not. We didn't get that far into the conversation.

7 years ago