Mae Sariang To Mae Sot And A Visa Run

[Captain_Slash]

The route 105

Total distance 258 km

A shot of the Yuam river as I ride out of Mae Sariang

I have never seen elephants along here before and at first though it was elephant trekking but these are working elephants and the other westerners here stopped for a look the same as I did

Part of the old surface, I encountered a badly pot holed section for a bit but otherwise it was a good surface with lots of new asphalt since I last rode here in march

Now for some of the lovely new surface

The KLX gets a rest from the dirt today, I dont think my legs could take another days off road riding so todays asphalt was a nice change

The banana being gathered, I was told it was food for their pigs

Another section of old that is being widened and then resurfaced

I climb up to get this scenery shot only to see some huts down below

Nearby is this sign

I am now riding alongside the Moei river so go down for a closer look

I have not noticed this place along the 105 before

A new restaurant I think

Just before reaching Tha Song Yang there is this new fuel station at N17.14.350 E098.13.559 but despite having a benzine and a gasohol pump both of them only contained benzine, diesel was sold here too.
A few metres along was another fuel station that again only had the same fuel choice

A good road and great scenery

At Mae Ramat there are a couple more fuel stations and this PTT with a 7-11 redresses the balance by only selling gasohol and diesel at all its pumps, no benzine sold here.
This used to sell benzine but since it was refurbished a couple of years ago has only sold gasohol, I wonder if this is what the future holds for Thailand as the rumour that benzine is going to be dropped still persists

I check in at the Smile House but instead of being virtually the only guest I find there is only this double room left for 150 Baht, apparently Mae Sot is very busy at the moment

I get my own private veranda

As I have enough time today I ride to the border and cross to get a new 90 day visa, over in Burma I see this Yamaha DT 125,
I had a few of the 175 versions years ago and thoroughly loved doing offroad riding on them, in the late 70s and early 80s they were the bike of choice for green laning and that sort of thing

Sitting in the Immigration office in Myawaddy while waiting for my passport I suddenly notice there is a time diffence between Thailand and Burma but of only 30 minutes, something I had not noticed before

Now time to eat

The fajitas and a big tasty meal that completely fills me for 140 Baht

You can get the gdb file from my website here … http://www.captainslash.com

 

[KTMphil]

Good to see the Mae Sot international border crossing that re-opened on December 5th, 2011 (the Thai Kings Birthday), is functioning as normal now. I was going to shoot down to Mae Sot next week, will you stiil be there?


Map of the route from Mae Sariang to Mae Sot.

 

[KTMphil]

Colin , reports have come in that when doing visa runs to Mai Sai, Thailand / Tachiliek, Myanmar border, immigration on the Tachiliek, Myanmar side are making you wait an hour before they will stamp you with an exit immigration stamp from Myanmar.

Was this the case at the Mae Sot, Thailand/ Myawaddy, Myanmar border - on the Myanmar side?

 

[Captain_Slash]

No Phil, they asked me if I wanted to go for a walk around and when I said no they quickly got it stamped out again for me.

I dont know how long I will be in Mae Sot for, do you know what sort of date you are likely to get here?

 

[robert]

hi, you got 90 days visa..i thought 15 days for land crossing only???? thanks.

 

[Captain_Slash]

I have a Non O multiple entry Robert so I get 90 days anywhere, with no visa I would have only got the 15 days though

 

[KTMphil]

No Phil, they asked me if I wanted to go for a walk around and when I said no they quickly got it stamped out again for me.

I dont know how long I will be in Mae Sot for, do you know what sort of date you are likely to get here?

It won't be for a week Colin, I assume you'll be gone by then?

 

[robert]

thanks, captain...