Tachilek Visa Run
Last updated 2007-10-20
If you're living in the North of Thailand, there are a couple of reasonable options to cross into Burma/Myanmar for the purpose of getting your 90 day renewal or a new 30 day visa on arrival.
The better known option in the Mae Sai – Tachilek crossing, representing the most Northerly point of Thailand. There is very little to do here and from a foreigners point of view, it's little more than a place to leave the country, turn around and come back again, with a new stamp in your passport. You will only be given a 1 day pass to cross the bridge (by foot) into Burma, which of course is more than enough for what you need and you can combine it with a quick look around Tachilek, the border town on the Burma side. If heading from Chiang Mai, leave early and expect to lose the whole day for the round trip.
After arriving in Mae Sai, first stop by the immigration office near the border to get your exit stamp, your tuk tuk driver will know where it is, then head on down to the checkpoint itself and cross the bridge, where a gruff Burmese border guard in an office on the right of the bridge will extract the small day pass fee from you and send you on your way.
Most people kill an hour and head straight back to Thailand but if you have some free time, it's worth spending a few hours having a look around Tachilek, which is a hub of trade and activity, lots of junk, cheap CD's and crappy electronics from China to spend your money on and of course, begging children. It's a safe enough place if you keep your wits about you, although for some strange reason, I once felt a little uneasy at the crossing itself, with many odd characters hanging around, offering me 'souvenir money' and generally taking great interest in me.
Another thing (although you probably won't notice it) is this crossing is a major contraband and people trading route, where many Burmese women are sold to Thai or Chinese syndicates to wind up in brothels and bonded labour factories. As a result of this, and the very porous border, you will likely see many security checkpoints on the roads back into Thailand (on the Thai side) and indeed, you will likely be stopped and searched by Thai military or police, especially if using your own transport. If you're not carrying anything illegal, you have nothing to worry about.
It's important to note that this crossing frequently opens and closes due to border conflicts and other political reasons. You should check in our forum, where seasoned expats will be able to offer you the latest information and advice...
See also our Tachilek visa run forum thread.
Need advice? Got a question? Go to our Thailand Forum