Burma Travel Forum

Hey, I'm going to be wandering aimlessly around SE Asia for the next few years and hoped to cross the Burmese border at some point.... but according to my travel agent, I would need a visa with pre-arranged entry and exit dates.... which really sucks, because I had hoped that my interary wouldn't be so organised.

Does anyone know what the story is for visas into Burma (for an Australian citizen) and is there any way to aquire one from within Thailand?

Thank.

Hello from Chiang Mai, Thailand:

Sure, you can get it in Bangkok from any travel agent within days, or even hours. Tons of travel agents will do it for you quickly off of Khao San Road, as well you can get visas for all over SEAsia and South Asia. Note that you can just cross in with a day visa for US$5 from Thailand for just a day (by Ranong in the south or Mae Sai in the golden triangle up north). Aslo note that the Myanmese gov. makes you exchange US$200 upon arrival in Myanmar. Have fun!!

Besides SARS Myananar is not among the friendliest countries in the world. Suggest you rfead travel warnings from both US and UK.

It's not too bad, just the problems caused by a military government. Things are really better than the "west" makes them seem. Some restrictions on travel, but not much.

As the others said it is easy to get your visa in Bangkok. I got mine in one day from the Consulate in Bangkok and I felt the the people of Myanmar were some of the most friendly and honest people I've ever met!! You will absolutely enjoy yourself!! I've just returned from Myanmar 5 weeks ago so unless something drastic has happened this information is fairly current.

Scott, you are the VT Myanmar/Burma expert!

The best place to get a visa is in Bangkok, go the Myanmar Embassy and you can collect your tourist visa the next day. The current rule is that the visa is valid for three months from the date of issue but once you enter then it's only for 30 days.

Note that if you enter as an FIT (foreign independent tourist) you will have to change $200 cash or credit card at the airport into FECs. This can sometimes be waived by a bribe - my husband and I settled for $200 worth between us.

This charge does not apply if you go in with a tour group.

you would not require a prearranged entry or exit dates, you can obtain a 28 day tourists visa.

yes, the best or shall i say one of the easiest places to get visas or burma is in thailand. i would not recommend you getting it at the border, there's always a chance that you will be rejected.

scondly, NEW STUFF: if you are flying into burma, but coming in from a SARS listed destination, you will not be given a visa to enter burma.

you will need to stay in thailand or other airline gateways into burma for at least 10 days then you will be granted the visa.

we are on the same street, the embassy is 2 mins down the road from us.

Thanks to everyone who replied.... but can you explain the exchanging $200 thing again? Didn't quite understand it.....

Technically when you arrive in Burma you are supposed to change U$200 into Foreign Exchange Certificates (FECs). But it's now a relatively common thing to give a 'present' to the person/s manning the FEC counters (after going through immigration service) to avoid buying FECs. The main reason to avoid FECs is because most people want to keep their hard earned money from going directly into the military government's coffers. So the less you exchange, the less SLORC/SPDC gets.

It's pretty much a game in which most travellers ask, 'May I exchange less than U$200?', to which they will ask for a 'present', and the norm is U$5 for exchanging only U$100, or U$10 for a couple to reduce from U$400 down to U$200. There have been some reports of people avoiding the FEC requirement completely and a few reports of people not getting away with the 'bribe'.

The other major reason to avoid FECs is because you can get a better rate of exchange by exchanging crisp large U$ notes for the local currency called the kyat.(U$100's preferred, then 50's, with smaller U$ notes getting less kyats.)

For example, in mid-January, U$1=~1100 kyats, whereas 1FEC=1,000 kyats. In Dec. 2003, the dollar hit a high of 1200 kyats but since then has declined to under 1,000.

You can use FECs to pay for
1-your accomodations,
2-most temple admittance fees (for example, the U$10 pass for Bagan,),
3--some forms of transportation (if you're taking a flight or going on the Bagan Express Ferry between Mandalay and Bagan), but most road transport is paid in kyats,
4--and also, when leaving the country by air, there's a 10FEC departure tax.

I got mine in Dhaka/Bangladesh, valdi up to 3 months from the date of issue.
Lot of hassle though (in Dhaka) -I needed onward plane ticket and it took 3 working days.

About the $200. I changed $50 and spend $1 note for "gift".

Thanks for the information. I'll bring a special 'present' in case anyone is interested....

.... but now the question of the border.

I heard something about you can't cross the border by land? What's that all about? I know the Thai/Burmese border is a pretty hostile place with a lot of fighting.... but does anyone know if it's possible to gain entry by road?

last year feb. the situation was that you could cross overland at some places but not continue.
You had to continue by plane which is not only more expensive than regular BKK-Yangoon or Chaing Mai-Mandalay flights but is also considered "not done".

The bordercrossings very are popular for travelers to renew their Thai visa , but as far as I know usually not used for further travel into Birma.

The crossing from Bangladesh was closed for tourists last year.

oooh, just forgot to wish you good travels...wandering aimlessly around SE Asia for a few years...sounds not too bad!

If you cross from Thailand at Takchilek you can get as far as Kengtung and Mongla, but no further...
They issue 14 day visas at the border at Takchilek. This crossing does sometimes get closed due to rebels fighting with the Burmese army in the area, so its not something that you can 100% bank on being open...

Well, that's completely ass.

I won't be in the vicinity for quite a while anyway, so I have plenty of time to learn more.... hopefully I will meet some people along the way who will know the current situtation and I'll be able to ask them about it.

Thanks to everyone who replied.