What are the options for expats on METV in Chiang Mai to extend their stay without using a company for a border run?

Over and back within half an hour. Would have been quicker if I'd remembered my address. Needed to look it up as they want a street address. Did not bother with the market. They keep your psssport as you enter Myanmar and give you a yellow receipt which i presented to the officer accross the street three minutes later. He had to call across the road to the office that holds the passports for them to bring it across. Easy peasy! The lsdy at the passport chechppint re-entering Thailand would not sawatdee me or even crack a smile. But she did stamp me in until Feb 12th so I'm happy.

What are hours for the border crossing at Mae Sai? Do they close up shop at some pint?😀

sorry - maybe I am confused... If you are on your first 60 days... You can extend another 30 days... You shouldn't have to do a border run. Normally its' 60+30 per visit. Exentensions are 1800B + day at the nearest immigration.

I think there are several detailed posts on doing this (either on external blogs or maybe even in this forum). Basically, you take Green Bus ( I did this last week and it was quite easy. I recommend taking the 08:00 bus to Mae Sai and the 15:30 bus back. If you really hustle you might be able to make the 14:30 bus but I wouldn't add the unnecessary worry/stress. Mark mentioned 350 for a VIP seat. I just went with the regular (205) seat each way. The main difference is the VIP seat is much wider. You can also buy your ticket online (pay at 7-11) if you don't want to take an extra trip to the bus station.

Once you arrive at the Mae Sai bus station just hop on one of the red trucks and for 15 baht they will take you directly to the border. That is pretty easy as well. Stamp out of Thailand and walk across the bridge and then pay the entrance fee to Myanmar (US$10 with a crisp, clean bill or 500 THB). They will ask you if you plan to go shopping or not. If you don't want to shop in the local market just say no and they will literally walk you across the street, get your passport stamped and you can turn right around and re-enter Thailand. Whole thing took me about 20 minutes I think. Then look for the red trucks again (parked outside the 7-11) and get back to the station. There is a Tesco near the station (you can get off the red truck close to it) where you can grab lunch if you don't want to look for a place near the border itself. I did everything, including a leisurely stroll around the Tesco after lunch and was back waiting for the bus by 15:00.

you need to understand how that 6 month METV work

@Kor***

,

The visa is valid for 6 months from the date they issued it to you

It is good for unlimited entries into thailand with each entry getting you stamped in for 60 days.

Once the 60 day stamp is running out you either go to the immigration office and get a 30 day extension for 1900baht

OR

You go to a border, stamp out of thailand, stamp in&out of another country then stamp right back into thailand to get another 60 day stamp.

You do that for the validity of the visa itself.

There's no way you can stay inside the country longer than 90 days (60 day entry and 30 day extension) per entry on that visa.

If you're in Chiang Main, catch the "green line" bus to the Mae Sai - Tachiliek border with Burma. It cost 10USD or 500baht to stamp in-n-out of Burma then back into thailand and you'd get a 60 day stamp.

I'm hoping to stay here longer than 30 days.

I just went to immigration and asked them to extend my visa. All I had to do was pay 1900 baht.. This was in hua hin.. Took 10 minutes max.

I need to do a visa run from Chiang Mai soon as well. I'd much rather do it without a company. If you end up going on your own let me know if I can tag along.

Or do as I did today and get a 30 day extension on your METV and then decide on a "border run". Girl at the counter thanked me for having the required things in hand. About 20 minutes from walk in to walk out. Oh, this was at Krabi Immigration office, probably not as busy as Chiang Mai.

You can just take a bus to the border. Oneway VIP ticket is just 350.