Southern Myanmar - Myanmar (Burma) - page 237

Getting to the border The bright green Myanmar border post (Strand Rd;
7am-4pm) is located a few steps from Kawthoung's jetty.
If crossing from Thailand, the Thai border post (Saphan Pla Pier, Ranong;
7.30pm-4.30pm) is at Saphan Pla Pier, located about 6 miles, a 60B motorcycle taxi
ride or 20B sŏrng·tăa·ou(pick-up), from Ranong.
At the border If you've arrived in Kawthoung from elsewhere in Myanmar, you're
free to exit the country here. After clearing Myanmar immigration, you'll be herded
to a boat (per person from 50B) for the 20-minute ride to Ranong. On the Thai
side, the authorities will issue you permission to stay in Thailand up to 15 days, or
you can enter with a Thai visa obtained overseas.
If approaching from Thailand, after passing Thai immigration, board a waiting
boat (per person from 50B) for the 20-minute ride to Kawthoung. Upon arriving at
the Myanmar immigration office, you'll most likely be greeted by an English-speak-
ing tout who insists on 'helping' by translating and making photocopies in return
for an exorbitant fee; you can ignore this, but it might complicate things. If you
haven't already obtained a Myanmar visa, you'll need to pay $10 for a border pass,
which will allow you to stay in a 24-mile radius of Kawthoung for up to 14 days; your
passport will be kept at the border. If you already possess a Myanmar visa obtained
from abroad, you'll be allowed to enter, but will most likely be regarded with some
suspicion, and will probably be required to show or purchase tickets for onward
travel.
Moving on Ranong is a 60B motorcycle taxi ride or 20B sŏrng·tăa·ou(pick-up)
from Saphan Pla Pier. Happy Air ( in Ranong 081 891 5800; www.happyair.co.th ) and
Nok Air ( in Thailand 1318; www.nokair.com ) offer daily flights between Ranong and
Bangkok (from 2000B, 1½ hours to 1¾, four to six departures daily), while major
bus destinations include Bangkok (240B to 680B, 10 hours), Hat Yai (410B, five
hours) and Phuket (240B, five to six hours).

Information
Exchange (but no international ATM) is available at the huge branch of KBZ Bank (Bo-
sonpat Rd; 9am-3pm Mon-Sat) , located a brief walk from the pier.
Internet is available at Myanmar Info-Tech (Strand Rd; per her K900; 8am-10pm) in

the temple-like Shwe Nan Taw Plaza, at the southern end of Strand Rd.

Getting There & Away
At press time, foreigners were not allowed to travel by bus to/from Kawthoung.