South
Thailand / Ranong / Entry to Myanmar (Burma)
Opposite
Ranong, on the other side of the Fjord separating Thailand
and Myanmar (Burma), is Victoria Point, a small township
only, but the southernmost town of Myanmar.
Victoria
Point is not Burmese mainland; it is located on a small island
(in Burmese called Kaw Thoung, in Thai referred to as Ko Song)
in the mouth of a wide Fjord opening into the Andaman Sea of the
Indian Ocean.
Southern
Myanmar, of which Victoria Point is the southernmost point, is
geographically connected to the Burmese mainland, but not in matters
of transportation. The nearest Burmese cities worthy to be called
cities, Tenasserim and Mergui are more than 300
kilometres to the north. On the dirt roads which are the only
roadways in the area, it would take four days to a week to cover
the distance.
Thais and
Burmese have, rather unhindered, for years been travelling back
and forth between Ranong and Victoria Point and never gave much
about border crossing regulations. Shopping used to be,
and is, the reason for these short trips into the neighbouring
country.
The Burmese
come to Ranong, as they did for decades, to buy medicine
and other goods for their daily needs. The Thais, nowadays, go
to Victoria Point to buy cheap Western cigarettes, beer and spirits,
which are bought duty-free in Singapore and then shipped to Victoria
Point.
Although
at the present, Victoria Point is famous for its market of rather
harmless smuggled goods, there are much sought-after Burmese
products for sale, such as gem stones. Victoria Point also used
to be a market for ivory.
Traditionally,
the Burmese authorities have never been much concerned about Thais
entering Myanmar. But until recently, other foreigners, especially
Western foreigners were not allowed to visit Victoria Point.
The times
have changed: By now, it is perfectly legal for Western
foreigners to enter Myanmar from Ranong for short stays. But they
have to join a tourist party for that purpose.
All a Western
tourist needs to enter Burma is a passport. The passport
is photocopied and a border pass is then issued. A Burmese visa
is not required to join a tour to Victoria Point.
Participants
of such Myanmar tours receive no entry or exit stamps from Burmese
or Thai authorities. This means that the validity of a Thailand
visa is not compromised by the short trip to Burma.
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Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia.
http://www.asiatour.com/thailand/e-06sout/et-sou62.htm
Jan Garanoz
Juhu Tara Road, Juhu,
Mumbai - 400049 India
Last updated: May 05, 2010