Does anyone know about getting to Kentung by road from
Thailand?
How long is a visa for the Kentung region, bought at
Takalek(spelling?)at the Thai Burma border, good for? How
much money does it cost?
How many dollars need to be exchanged for funny money? Can
changing money officially be avoided? Is the black market
rate still much higher than the official rate? How are the
roads (it is now rainy season and I'm in Thailand, but I
can't find out much from here) and how long does the trip
take? Anywhere worth staying over on the way?
The Lonely Planet for Burma is 3 years old and there is no
update online so I need help!
[There are 9 posts - the latest was added on Sun 23 May, 2:15]
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I went to Kemntung and Tachilek from the Myanmar side and
not the Thai, but I can tell you what I know. The road was
almost impassable in October. I think there will be no way
to make the journey in the rainy season. We had to get out
and push the jeep many times. The road is little more than
an ox cart in places. It's at least a 10 hour trip. There
was even some confusion while I was on the road, many army
check points thought it was closed to foreigners. I think
you only have to change dollars to FEC if you come through
the Yangon airport; you probably wouldn't have to change in
Tachilek. Tachilek uses Thai Baht, not Myanmar Kyat.
There's not much to see in Kentung anyway, just an old
battle site and a hilltribe; I enjoyed Tachilek more. You
can cross to Tachilek for a day for about $5. The Thai
customs office and the MTT office on the boarder have a
reciprical agreement. I don't know where you would get the
permit to go to Kentung, probably a Thai tour agency would
be your best bet. Maybe you could cross to the MTT ofice
(actually on the bridge) and talk to them about it without
paying $5. The exchange rate is 335 kyat to the dollar in
Yangon, but you would probably be lucky to get 250 in
Tachelik or Kentung. There is nowhere to spend the night on
the road. There is the usual food stop half way, but
foreigners cannot stay there. I would recommend just
visiting Tachilek. If you want to see more of Myanmar it's
probably cheaper to fly from Chang Mai to Yangon than to get
to Kentung.
the theory is that you won't be allowed to do this. burmese
visas are not valid for land border crossings. the whole
idea is that you go to tachileik for border trade only and
get a day pass to do this. you should also know that
foreigners have been killed on this road in the past two
years, and Drew did well to get through. Reading between his
lines he wouldn't do it again and is saying it's not worth
doing. As for flying into Tachileik, you have to fly Myanmar
Airlines. Last year they crashed a plane near Tachileik in
bad weather and it was reported in the Bangkok Post that
there were survivors but because they were mainly army and
their families the locals did not help them and just looted
the plane. everyone was dead when they were eventually found
by "the authorities". nice sort of area eh?
The whole border area around there is very dangerous at the
moment. The Burmese side is terrorised by a drug warlord and
his "Wa Liberation Army." Only about six weeks ago, the Wa
forces brutually tortured and beat to death about 9 Thai
villagers in that area. There have also been several attacks
recently on Thai border police stations. The US Embassy and
other western embassies have put out a warning about
venturing into that region. There is a distinct possibility
that travellers might be kidnapped and held for ransom, so
the embassies claim.
Chiang Tung, by the way, is the proper name for the town.
It's in the Shan States and that's the Shan (Thai Yai) name
for it. The ethnic Burmese mispronounce it as Kent Tung,
which is the way the Brits put it on the maps.
You are wrong about Kengtung - read the section in "Guide
to Burma" (Bradt Publications) for the correct details.
Farang kee nuk - stay in the Land of Pussies and don't
bother us with your crap.
Hi, don't let these other fools answer distract you from
doing what you want to do. I was just there and back, went
for 8 days and drove all the way to the China border. 2
Canadian ladies went with me and had a great time. Try
King Kobra Guesthouse for the latest info. on travels in
the golden triangle region. If it was this dangerous the
authorities would not let anyone travel. Fec's, 100 for up
to Keng Tung and 120 USD if you go up to the China border.
Cannot go on local transport as I have reiterated to Joe
Cummings. See you in Maesai. Don't hesitate to come to us
for the latest. Viper...
Thanks everyone.
I will see you in Mai Sai, Mr Cobra. Is it possible to get
more info about transport, visas etc. now, so I can plan for
next month at this time(Do you have an e-mail address so
that I can contact you directly)?
I have stayed at the King Kobra when I have visited Mai Sai
(but I haven't for a long time) and you might know my face
from Chiang Mai.
Good Info KK. Just cause you live there and have all the
answers doesn't make everyone else fools. If some people
want to go up the Kentung raod for 8 days, I'm glad you can
arrainge it for them. Also, I think that Yangon Airways
flies to Kentung and Tachilek, unless the situation is much
worse in the area. Kyaw certainly woke up on the wrong side
of bed this morning.
Sorry Kyaw. The flaming style didn't seem like your tone.
I should have known it was an imposter.
here's the yangon airways timetable link.
http://www.infogate.com.mm/Travel/Transport/trnYgnAir.htm