Can you sleep in Tachileik overnight with regular entry stamp?

[KTMphil]

Can you sleep in Tachileik overnight with regular entry stamp?


Tachileik, Shan State, Myanmar, is a free zone on the other side of the Mae Sai, Thailand, international border crossing.


Tachileik can be accessed from the Thai town of Mae Sai, which sits directly south on the other side of the small Mae Sai River.[SUP][2][/SUP] There are two bridges that provide access between Mae Sai and Tachilek, one is actively used for border crossings and the other newer one was not yet being utilized as of January 2007.
It may be possible for tourists to take a bicycle across the bridge, but logistically it would be difficult. It is a porous border and is actually not difficult to wade across the river. Burmese merchants used to be able to cross over and do business in Mae Sai for days at a time. The border is also a popular destination for Westerners (referred to locally as farang) who either reside in or are visiting Thailand and who need to get their passport visas renewed.
There is no charge for a 'visa run' going from Thailand to Burma on the Thai side, but there is a charge of US$10 or 500 Thai Baht on the Burmese side.[SUP][7]


[/SUP]Tachileik - Wikipedia



Regular border crossing with a inbound immigration stamp, can you spend the night in Tachileik?


The official answer I got from tour companies in Tachiliek is NO, you cannot spend the night there on a regular border entry, you need a special border pass from a Tachiliek tour company, which then is valid for 30 days in Tachileik free zone.

 

[blackwolf]

Wikipedia is a very unreliable source of information in my experience.

Have you been to Tachileik recently? The last time I went there was in 2014 on a so-called "VIP day pass", which is apparently no longer available or only to tour groups.

My understanding is only the old bridge in Mae Sai can be used by ordinary people (Thais and foreigners) the second newer bridge is for cargo trucks only.

As in the past, for foreigners and Thais without Myanmar visas obtained in advance, I thought it was still possible to get a 14 day 13 night pass at the border provided immigration is informed first in which case you get a temporary border pass with your photo on it while your passport is held in the meantime. This costs $US10 the same as the one day pass. For Thais on a one day pass they only need an Id card pay 30 Baht for a one page document obtained from the border pass office then 10 Baht on the Myanmar side. Travel on the 14 day border pass is allowed up to Kengtung and Mongla on the Chinese border. You must return the same way you came (exit for Mae Sai) and aren't allowed to board a domestic flight to another destination. For that a passport and visa is needed. I also heard that a government guide must be hired for 1000 Baht a day but this is not necessary if you come with a visa. Personally, I think it's cheaper and easier just to obtain a Myanmar visa.

However, is my information out of date? I've checked sources on Thaivisa.com and nobody there has said staying overnight in Tachileik is out as long as immigration gives you the temporary 2-week border pass. As for spending 30 days only in Tachileik - although it's a nice town I think that would be pretty boring!