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Published: April 1st 2007
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Thailand visas are good for 30 days. Then you either have to apply for a 10 day extension or leave the country. The great thing is that as soon as you leave the country you can turn around and come right back in for 30 days, no charge. As my 30 day visa was coming to an end, and since I was already in Chiang Rai, I decided I would take Taco Bell's words to heart and make a run for the border, to Myanmar (one of the most oppressed countries in the world.)
Since the trip from Chiang Rai to Mae Sai (the town on the Thai side of the border) is only 1.5 hours, I figured I would take a local bus (costs about $1). I mean how bad could it be? Oh silly me. Sure enough when I get to the bus station they tell me to just buy a ticket on the bus. Hmmm, I think to myself....I guess that means there is no assigned seating. Luckily I found a seat at the back of the mini-bus is the best way I can desribe it. Probably seats for about 25 people. They quickly fill up.
Yet still more and more people start climbing on board. 30....then 35....then 40...pretty soon every square inch is filled with people sitting, standing, and downright wedged between one another. Some kid decides to use my knees as a seat, much to his mothers delight (I assume as this meant she wouldnt have to carry him). He was actually pretty damn cute so I didnt mind to much. Well it turns out the bus only stays this crowded for the first few stops as many of the locals obviously have no need to go to Myanmar to get their visas renewed. I only wish I could have gotten to my camera as I would have loved to get a picture of the state of the bus when it was full, but alas there was no way in hell I was going to be able to stand up to my camera, so this description of it will have to sustain my memory.
Once in Mae Sai you have to catch a songthaew to the border from the bus station and this is great, as I have come love the experience of hanging off the back of these 1/4 tonne pick-ups as
they taxi you across town or island.
Mae Sai was alive as we pulled up the border. Evidently it does a good business with all the tourists that use it for the same purpose that I was. The departure procedure is fairly straight forward, simply hand your passport to Thai immigration, they take your departure card, stamp your passport and wave you towards Myanmar. You cross the 'Friendship Bridge", which is an interesting name as tensions between Thailand and Myanmar seem subject to very sudden changes, and only recently Thailand closed one of its other border crossings with Myanmar after soe troubles between the two. But they never seem to stay closed that long, often I expect because the local authorities realize just how much of money maker the visa run really is for both countries. Once in Myanmar, you hand over your passport, get a 'temporary passport' which is a piece of paper with your details and picture on it, and carry that with you until you want to return to Thailand, whereupon you get your real passport back. There is also the matter of the 500 Baht you must give the Myanmar immigration officials, but once you
have you are free to return to Thailand for another 30 days. All in all, a pretty sweet business venture for the Myanmarese (?)...or is it Myanmarians?
Myanmar's border town Tachilek is really just a market. I wandered around and was offered cigarettes, viagra, cialis, girls, and finally very young girls. I politely declined on all counts. Other than that I had the hottest curry I have ever had in my life which set my mouth on fire immediately and my ass shortly thereafter.
The ride back to Chiang Rai was less crowded and more enjoyable as I had a window seat and the window actually opened so I had a nice breeze blowing the whole way back. It was on the ride back that I noticed the pineapple ladies. There were countless roadside stalls that were selling pineapples, each one manned by a woman, who more often than not seemed to be more concerned with her make-up application or plucking her eyebrows than with actually selling any pineapples. I have noticed this on several occassions, and not just at roadside stalls, but also at counters and shops in the major department stores. Thais are very fastidious about
their personal appearence, and if a Thai shopkeeper is not at work making a sale you will often find them grooming themselves in one way or another. Not that I am complaining, as I have to admit that Thai women certainly have a certain 'je ne sais quoi' about them.
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Russ
non-member comment
well did you
Did you use one of those errmm holes in the floor after the curry, I am guessing not else you would have pebble dashed the walls, which would be an alternative to the unfinished walls in your previous accomadation! however not good!