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Myanmar ? possible ? Myanmar ? possible ?
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  #1  
Old 11 Oct 2011
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Myanmar ? possible ?
I know that Myanmar has been in the past off limits for us self driving individuals.

however, Myanmar appears to be undergoing considerable changes and taking a positive attitude towards welcoming westerner tourists more and more.

So, is it possible yet for us europeans to drive through yet ?

does anybody know what the latest is ?

phil.
Last edited by Phil Flanagan; 29 Oct 2011 at 22:02.
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Old 11 Oct 2011
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Originally Posted by Phil Flanagan View Post
however, Myanmar appears to be undergoing considerable changes and taking a positive attitude towards welcoming westerner tourists more and more.
to say I wouldn´t hold my breath, would be an understatement.
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Old 13 Oct 2011
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Hello Phil.

Can be done. I crossed on a GS at Mae Sai to Tachileik in February 2010. Restricted riding with a radius of max 200 kms. An earthquake was thrown in for good measure. Had to leave Myanmar at the point of entry. They won't let you ride freely through the country... yet. I am working on this at present.

Interestingly, the Thai customs officials seemed hell bent on preventing me from exporting at this point, whilst the Burmese authorities thought that it was all a bit amusing more than a threat to national security.

In fact the Burmese customs official spoke quite reasonable English and had even heard of a carnet... but never seen one!

You will need to have a Visa before you arrive at the border. I secured mine in KL a few weeks beforehand. Don't tell them that you want to ride across the border!!!

Don't get your hopes up to high though. Mae Sai was the fourth border crossing that I attempted and was the last available to me. The three crossings further south (Mae Sot, Ranong, Three Pagodas) were absolutely closed... even to local traffic.

It is possible. But there is a bit of hit and miss.

Good luck.
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Old 13 Oct 2011
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Maybe here you´ll need to go a bit deeper into the word "possible".

Possible to go to Burma as a traveller? Possible to get your own vehicle into Burmese territory, and ride in a restricted area? Possible to ride with your own vehicle overland from India to Thailand or vice versa (and that´s what I´d think "driving through" would mean)?

I think the answer to the first and second question should be yes. And to the 3rd one: it´s been done, but not by many, and I wouldn´t underestimate the challenge. Even the border areas on Indian side close to Burma are likely to give you trouble. Of course everyone is free to give it a go, though. Some have won in lotteries, too, and never would have unless they´d tried....
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Old 13 Oct 2011
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keep us updated on this one as we are heading that way and are thinking about trying to get though, we have also heard its easier than it used to be!
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Old 13 Oct 2011
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Originally Posted by Rixxy's View Post
we have also heard its easier than it used to be!
Then I guess there must be reports somewhere about people, who have done it lately...? (And don´t get me wrong, I´d start packing right away, if I knew that the road was finally open all the way to Thailand!!)
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Old 14 Oct 2011
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Getting through is not possible. Sorry guys. There is something about machine guns and barbed wire that discouraged me at every possible access road.

Getting in is difficult, and there is an element of good fortune about it.

Getting through is not possible. In any event, you have to leave through the same point that you entered in order to collect your passport. On entry you will be issued with a 'pass'.

If you do get in you will also most likely be followed by 4 soldiers riding in the back of a jeep with sub machine guns... and at night there is the white Toyota Camry with tinted windows that parks outside your lodgings.

There are early signs that this is changing, and the fact that they let me in in Feb 2011 was reported in Straits Times in Singapore as ".. an event that suggests a softening of policy...".

The Ledo Road is beckoning. Hopefully soon we will be able to get through to Europe via an easier route than China.
Last edited by markbaldock; 14 Oct 2011 at 08:54. Reason: correction to date
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