just done a last Ranong run before going back to blighty for a proper visa and these seems to have been a small change on the Burma side.
Before you go in to the passport control now there is a small stand and an immigration bloke outside who asks for a photocopy of your passport data page.
He seemed to have a fat pile of these so maybe this has been in for a week or two now
you can get one done just over the road, or save yourself the effort and take one.
Other than that alls the same at both ends.
"Science flew men to the moon. Religion flew men into buildings."
That's interesting. I wonder whether their computer or camera has broken down? They'd been doing the old mug shots for quite a while.
Were they still being taken inside the office?
Whats all this photocopy bumf about?
I got to this stall at about 8.00am last Thursday and an occifer just wanted to see my passport...quick look, nod of approval and pointed
towards the official 'hut'.
Sorry Sandman, but maybe just the time o day I was there, and the
time o day you were eh?
What I did notice was that anyone with a carrier-bag with them on
the return leg had it searched by Thai army-people on passing the
'rock',+ pazzies were given another dose of 'looking-at',before the boat
ventured forth toward the heavenly resort of Ranong.
Rumour was there is a big clamp-down on the Viagra movements
between the 2 ports...?
Big Boy, when crossing at the Mae Sot checkpoint in Tak province, the border guards on the Burmese side actually take your passport from you and keep it for the duration of your stay in Burma (which is only permitted to be one day anyway) and it is returned to you when you cross back from Myawaddy into Thailand. Inside the tiny office any number of dodgy local hawkers are just allowed to hang around, hoping to carry your bags, organise a rickshaw etc. I have no doubt that identity theft of some sort is distinctly possible, although I'm sure it could only be of the 'low tech' variety.
Jaime wrote:Big Boy, when crossing at the Mae Sot checkpoint in Tak province, the border guards on the Burmese side actually take your passport from you and keep it for the duration of your stay in Burma (which is only permitted to be one day anyway) and it is returned to you when you cross back from Myawaddy into Thailand. Inside the tiny office any number of dodgy local hawkers are just allowed to hang around, hoping to carry your bags, organise a rickshaw etc. I have no doubt that identity theft of some sort is distinctly possible, although I'm sure it could only be of the 'low tech' variety.
Thing is, Jaime, that at Victoria Point they've always done the same thing. If you want to step one yard outside of the barbed wire Imm enclosure - say for some shopping - they'll keep your passport.
Same right up north in Mae Sai. Do some shopping and you're passport's retained.
The whole idea is that you can't travel anywhere independently. I think the radius at Victoria Point is 2/3 kms. I've been that far before with a motorbike taxi and then was simple told "That's it" Over the hill are the army".
