Under the new agreement between the two countries, travelers who cross the border from Myawaddy-Mae Sot crossing will be allowed to stay in Mae Sot areas for seven days. The new agreement is effective from October 1, 2016.

The Burma Ministry of Labor, Immigration and Population and Ministry of Interior and the Royal Thai Immigration Department agreed on the extension permit.

Previously, people who crossed over at the Myawaddy-Mae Sot border with their temporary border pass were allowed a one-day stay from 6 am to 6 pm.

Under the new agreement, frequent travelers and cross border visitors agree that the new arrangement is more convenient for them.

Ko Tun Tun, a driver who runs a Myawady–Mae Sot motor vehicle service told Karen News that the extension will be of benefit to visitors.

“It is convenient for people who want to visit and want to seek medical care. They are allowed to stay in Mae Sot for seven days and travel around Mae Sot as they wish. However, I have heard that the over stay fine will be 500 Bahts a day.”

According to official sources, to get the temporary border crossing pass, people need to have the Burmese NRC card and have to pay 1,500 Kyats for registration at the Burmese immigration office and 20 Bahts to the Thai immigration office. The pass holders will be allowed to visit as far as Phop Phra and Mae Ramat district in Thailand’s Mae Sot area.

The visitors who cross with their private cars will be charged 25,000Kyat and will be allowed to visit within he Mae Sot municipal area and but are not allowed to visit Phop Phra or Mae Ramat.

While there are many different kinds of people legally crossing the Thai-Burma Friendship Bridge to work in Mae Sot on a daily basis, there are many others who cross the border by boat through several illegal crossings under the bridge.

There are a total of six on-land border crossing between Thailand and Burma. These include Tachileik-Mae Sai, Myawady-Mae Sot, Three Pagoda Pass- Singkhorn, Htee Khee-Phunaron and Khawthaung-Ranong.