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What are the options for visa-bouncing from Chiang Mai to Mae Sai and what are the current immigration considerations?

Visa BouncingChiang MaiMae SaiThai ImmigrationBorder CrossingVisa RegulationsPublic Transport in Thailand
Oct 18, 2018
6 years ago
Linda *****
ORIGINAL POSTER
Could any of you recommend a visa-bounce agency from Chiang Mai to Mae Sai and back?

Also, yesterday, I was advised by the local immigration officer that it’s recommended to stay at least one night in Mae Sai as its officers are cracking down visa-bouncers -Any recent experience to comment on this, please?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
A user seeks recommendations for a visa-bounce agency to travel from Chiang Mai to Mae Sai and back, mentioning advice about staying overnight in Mae Sai due to strict immigration checks. Responses indicate that crossing the border is straightforward, with some suggesting to take the Green Bus for transportation, while also addressing the confusion about staying overnight in Tachileik.
Robert *******
This sounds as travel advice, sorry but this page is for Thai Visa advice.
6 years ago
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Saffiya ********
I did it 2 months ago, very easy to go and back and take the bus back. Green bus is easy and comfortable and then songteo to boarder :)
6 years ago
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Ivan ************
Who advised you this exactly? Mae Sai is the Thai side, Tachileik is the Myanmar side. I don't believe it's even possible to stay one night in Tachikeik currently, they used give you 14 days but I think now you only get one. To get there, Green Bus, 319B each way for a VIP seat (recommended, very comfortable).
6 years ago
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Terry **********
@Ivan ***********
 when aked immigration at Tachiliek how many day in Tachiliek he told me up until 12....
6 years ago
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Ivan ************
I'd leave two hours between buses. One hour might be possible but might be a bit tight, the bus station is a few km from the border and you need to get a songtheaw or tuk tuk. I think Tachileik is worth a quick look if you have time and haven't been there before. There is a border market and Myanmar whiskey is actually quite good (a lot better than Thai whiskey) if you are a drinker.
6 years ago
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Linda *****
ORIGINAL POSTER
In conclusion, I’ll just get stamped in Tachilek and out on the same day, and it’s possible? Is it sufficient to book the return bus at least an hour after (from its scheduled arrival time) to depart?
6 years ago
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Ivan ************
Maybe they only add the second date if you tell them you want to stay overnight, but it is still possible.
6 years ago
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Ivan ************
You may be right, looking at my old passport most of them, they used put two dates on them.
6 years ago
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Biff *******
@Iv**
 that was the day I entered.
6 years ago
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Ivan ************
That says Admitted Until (in red) 15 Oct 2018 (in black, on top, obscuring the "Admitted Until" a bit)
6 years ago
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Biff *******
Nothing on mine, as far as I can see, just ‘In’ and ‘Out’.
6 years ago
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Ivan ************
Maybe they stamp you differently if you explicitly tell them you want to stay. If I look in my passport, for last year, the two "Myanmar Immigration Tachileik Admitted Until" stamps are stamped with the same date I entered. Back in 2013-4, these were stamped for two weeks in the future.
6 years ago
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Terry **********
@Ivan ***********
 friday...i been going over for 5 yr now and thought i would check,,,he told me no problem
6 years ago
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Biff *******
I should’ve taken more notice of the details of the day pass. I only had it for ten minutes. Gave it back to get my passport back on the way back to Thailand so didn’t really give it much attention.
6 years ago
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Ivan ************
When was that Terry? I have stayed over in Tachileik before, years ago, but they used give 14 days. My most recent bounce there, last year, they only stamped me in for one day. I didn't ask about staying over though.
6 years ago
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Biff *******
@Terry *********
 ok. Fair enough. 👍
6 years ago
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Terry **********
@Biff ******
 immigration told me can if dont leave Tachiliek
6 years ago
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Ivan ************
I think it's possible. The immigration officer in Chiang Mai might not know, or might have misunderstood, or might be giving general advice about bouncing (this could apply to a bounce to Cambodia for example, and has applied to bouncing to Malaysia in the past). Mae Sai is in a different province, Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai immigration don't look after it.
6 years ago
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Linda *****
ORIGINAL POSTER
The officer at the Immigration Office of Chiang Mai... Was there yesterday with a friend to extend her Visa and took the chance to ask.

For Green Bus V class, based on my understanding on its website, should I want to do the visa bounce on a Saturday or Sunday (as my current extended-visa ends on November 4th, and I need to max it out till my departure on the 17th), it's not possible?
6 years ago
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Biff *******
This is correct. You get a one day pass from Myanmar immigration if you don’t have a visa for Myanmar already in your passport, so it’s not possible under the terms of that day pass to stay overnight.
6 years ago
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Biff *******
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Biff *******
I bounced there a couple of days ago. Walked up the street on the other side of the border and walked straight back again. Stamped back into Thailand approximately ten minutes after I stamped out. No problems at all.

As for an agency to take you there, just get the bus. What would the agency do for you that you can’t do yourself other than physically take you there?
6 years ago
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Ivan ************
It's 30 days for Singaporeans. I think it may have been 15 days for Singaporeans (it was for me, from Ireland) a few years ago for land entries but that changed, and now it is 30 days for all the people who used get 15. There is no 15 day visa exemption at all any more, for anyone.

I think you will be fine doing it and coming straight back, without staying over 1 night.
6 years ago
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Linda *****
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Ivan ***********
 Yes, am singaporean, and the same officer from yesterday told me it’s not 30 days for my re-entry from Mae Sai. (I couldn’t recall if it’s 14 or 15days.)
6 years ago
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Ivan ************
It depends on your nationality. Most Westerners/Hong Kong/Japanese get 30 days. That is one to bear in mind, I don't think Koreans can bounce there at all for example. While Chinese or Taiwanese I think can buy a VOA there for 15 days.
6 years ago
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Linda *****
ORIGINAL POSTER
Thank you for clarifying! And, it’s a 14days entry granted counting from the day the passport is stamped back to Chiang Mai?
6 years ago
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Ivan ************
The 5:15 is only Monday. If there is no day beside a time, it is 7 days a week.
6 years ago
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Linda *****
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Ivan ***********
 That’s where I’m confused. For departure, the table looks to me like, it’s only for Monday with those multiple timings, while Saturday has got only 9.30pm for A Class.
6 years ago
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Ivan ************
There are multiple buses every day
6 years ago
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Biff *******
I have no idea about the busses, sorry. I drove there from Chiang Saen.
6 years ago
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Linda *****
ORIGINAL POSTER
Thank you! I'm looking at the Greenbus. Did I understand correctly that there's only Monday bus schedule which has multiple departure times from Chiang Mai, while Saturday would only have 1 class A bus that leaves at 4.15pm?
6 years ago
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Terry **********
totally correct there on friday
6 years ago
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Terry **********
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