Entering in Mae Sot with TV history?

[ChristianPFC]

Since 2014, I have been spending between 10 month (at the beginning) and 7 month (now) per year in Thailand on SETV, DETV, TETV, METV and a few VE, as I don't qualify for any other visa (under 50 years old, no work or marriage in Thailand; I have the money for elite but would spend it in other ways) that allows long-term stay. I'm currently here on METV that expires end of December.

 

That was without problems until entry in Sep see here

whereas in Nov arriving in DMK no problems at immigration (this time I put a flight number on the departure card). However several friends who have been staying on TV report problems, and here on Thaivisa problems reported as well.

 

I'm planning my next visa run to Myanmar for one week to come back just before my METV expires and get another 60 days. Is entering over land via Mae Sot a safe way to get entry to Thailand?

 

I have the money (20 kTHB in cash, and more in the bank) to support my stay and really travel in Thailand for touristic purposes (if every hotel I stay in reports me, immigration should be able to check that I spend about 50 days per year in various hotels all over Thailand?).

 

More of my background/visa history:

I got into a nice routine: 2 months in summer in Germany (good weather, fruit in our garden, get METV in Berlin), autumn/winter in Thailand (with one-week visa runs around SEAsia), 2 months in spring in Taiwan (90 days visa free stay for Germans, and weather in March/April/May in Taiwan better than in Thailand), then back to Thailand for 30 days visa free before going to Germany for summer.

 

But having once encountered problems at immigration myself, and hearing from friends and reading here, it seems I have to wrap up my life in Thailand (move out of my room - which I kept even while I was out of Thailand - and store my stuff at a friend's place) and spend my time and money elsewhere in SEAsia. And tell my landlord and everyone else who wants to hear it nor not that I would love to spend most of my time in Thailand, but cannot do so any more.

 

 

Edited December 7, 2019 by ChristianPFC

[ubonjoe]

No problem at Mae Sot or about any other border crossing to get another entry from your METV.

[travelerjim]

Either get a legal job with Thai work permit, get married to Thai, enroll in a Thai university Bachelors or Masters degree program, buy the Elite Visa....or move on.

Your days living in Thailand are ending. Best to prepare for it with a Plan B.

 

Good Luck..

Edited December 8, 2019 by travelerjim

[BritTim]

My previous experiences at Maesot have always been extremely positive. I would be surprised if you have a problem. Just be polite, clean and neatly dressed.

[Nakmuay887]

I live up here and it's definitely the most pleasant border I've ever used in Thailand. Both the Thai side and the Burmese side 

 

[ChristianPFC]

I entered Thailand at Mae Sot without problems or questions asked.

 

The ride by shared taxi 10 kMMK from Hpa-an is unpleasant and immigration is chaotic on both sides, total about 1 hour to cross the border.

 

Counter 14 which processes Farang gives out the arr/dep cards. There is no designated waiting area, people just stand around. You have to know that you get the card from that counter, and skip the queue to get the card. Why don't they just put a stack of cards on the desk that is there to fill them out? (This is general for immigration everywhere; only arriving by airplane staff will give arr/dep cards to passengers, everywhere else you to get them from somewhere, and rarely is there a sign where to get them.)

Edited January 2, 2020 by ChristianPFC