Mae Sot and Burmese Border

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Saturday December, 22th 2007

A day in Mae Sot. I’m going to have a look at the border with Burma (Myanmar). The bridge over the river is the way to Burma. In the middle of the bridge, cars change side from left to right when going to Burma. From this side of the river, the burmese side doesn’t look to have much interest : approximately the same kind of buildings and probably the same kind of goods. I don’t see why I would cross the bridge and pay ten dollars to Burmese government to spend an afternoon there.

As I’m following the river bank to the market, there 3 heads at the level of the river bank. As I’m coming closer, three pairs of arms are waving packs of cigarettes. We’re definitely near a border and the economy of Mae Sot rely heavily on cross border trade both legal and illegal. For sure a few goods inadvertently fall from the bridge before reaching customs office.

Tomorrow, I'm leaving Mae Sot for Chiang Mae.

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