Myanmar Tightens Up - Jan. 2007

[Sun Chaser]

I was just notified that as of the end of January, 2007, the Ministry of Hotel and Tourism issued a new Rule that "no foreigners are allowed to travel by motorcycle regardless of what kind of license the person is holding."
In December, 2006 I rented motorcycles in Yangon and Mandalay, one a 250-cc Honda XR, the other a Chinese copy of a Honda. The XR owner required a $1,000 USD cash deposit (in case the motorcycle was stolen or taken by the government.) At the one road stop I encountered I only had to hand over my passport and they hand wrote name and number down in a book, and wanted to know where I was going.
This new Rule sounds like the government is getting more serious about foreigners running around inside Myanmar on motorcycles.
After considerable research I concluded that at that time (December, 2006) there was no way to ride "across" Myanmar. I could enter, then jump certain "restricted" areas, known as Forbidden Zones or Closed Areas by flying myself while my motorcycle could go through or around on a truck.
Looking back on what I saw where I rode I'd have to say if you had lots of money, little common sense and plenty of time you might be able to transit this country, but this new Rule would seem to make it more difficult than before. Roads were not that great, scenery so-so, and I'd go for more time in North Thailand, Laos or Cambodia than trying to do Myanmar. Crossing
this country has quite probably been done before.... the Internet or when anyone cared. Now it is just an expensive and burdensome hassle.