Is the Mae Sai - Tachileik border crossing open for foreigners to travel between Thailand and Burma?

Feb 28, 2023
2 years ago
Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
ATTENTION ALL MEMBERS (especially you people up in the North West)

## Mae Sai - Tachileik Border w/Burma

I wanted to post this because I was declining too many posts from people asking about Mae Sai. :O So if you tried to make a post asking about it and got denied apologies. ;)

Just so we're 100% clear on this; even though they announced the Mae Sai / Tachileik border crossing with Burma is open, in reality, (for all practical purposes) it is NOT open for foreigners to bounce in and out at :O

By that I mean, it's not open like it was pre covid (Mar 2020). You cannot just show up pay for the day pass, bounce out-n-back with Burma and stamp back into Thailand.

You have to BUY a visa for Burma before you show up at that border. You also need a negative covid test & proof you were vaccinated. So that means before you decide to bounce there, you get a real visa to get in, either at a Burma consulate here or via the Burma eVisa website.

That makes bouncing out-n-back at that border not that attractive for the "budget conscious" travelers :P

The ONLY border with thailand and burma that is open like it was before is the Mae Sot / Myawaddy border in Tak province.

You can bounce out and back there for 500 baht. no visa or anything required to get stamped in and out of burma.

For all other border bouncing you people up in the Northwest need to do it in Chiang Rai province with Lao.

Use either Chiang Saen (where you cross in-n-out of Lao by boat) or Chiang Khong / Huay Xai (where the friendship bridge is).
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The Mae Sai - Tachileik border crossing with Burma, despite being announced as open, is practically not available for foreigners to cross freely due to new restrictions. Travelers must obtain a visa for Burma in advance, provide a negative COVID-19 test, and proof of vaccination in paper form. Currently, the only border that resembles pre-COVID travel conditions is the Mae Sot - Myawaddy crossing, which allows uncomplicated entry with a fee of 500 baht. Travelers with complex visa histories should check with passport control prior to exiting Thailand to avoid re-entry issues.
Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
We have gotten reports that now you only need to show printed vaccination history to get in/out of Burma and you pay the 500baht like before, BUT at this point I have not seen the Entry stamp from Mae Sai nor has anyone posted the entry/exit stamp for Burma from the Tachileik side

I will say it's possible the border is open like one or two people reported, BUT call me a skeptic, until I see the series of entry exit stamps (out of thailand, in/out of burma and back in to thailand) and get a first hand account, I'm not comfortable recommending people go try to bounce there yet.
Wayne *******
Tod Daniels… love your work man. Your knowledge and proactiveness has saved a lot of people from a lot of grief and heartache. Not to mention $$$ you have save them (myself included).

As we say in Oz … you’re a ripper bloke.

Thank you. 🙏
Brandon ************
Don't forget they will not accept digital proof of covid test or vaccination at Mae Sai. Paper only.
Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
One other thing I did want to touch on with these "land bounces" people are doing for the visa exempt entries.

Whether you can or can't bounce out and back by land is going to depend a LOT on your entry/stay history to thailand. If you have 2 years of covid extensions in your passport, have a back door, b/s ED visa or Volunteer visa (you KNOW what I am talking about) 😮

Even if those are cancelled correctly with the office that issued them you COULD get grief bouncing out and back by land.

If you're not bouncing out and back with a service that lugs foreigners to the border (which means you WILL get out and back) and you have an extensive entry/stay history you need to check with the officers at passport control BEFORE you stamp out of thailand. People have stamped out only to be told they couldn't get back in and needed to slog to the nearest airport and fly back.
Tod *********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Plus one last point is, just because someone else went to xxx border at yyy country and got out and back easily doesn't mean YOU will share that good fortune.

Entry history, stay history, visa/extension type, nationality, etc ALL play a factor.

Posts of people asking "What is a good border to bounce at" are pretty much worthless as tits on a tomcat 😮

and

you should post those on a group related to where you are IN thailand

I'm sure you're not the only foreigner in that area needing/wanting to bounce out and back 😛
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