Immigration officials under the military council are charging fees under the pretext of requiring smart cards from people crossing from Tachileik, a border town in eastern Shan State, to Mae Sai in Thailand, according to some migrant workers.
This February, those waiting to cross to Mae Sai, Thailand with one-time passes are being charged approximately 300 baht per person for allegedly not having smart cards.
A person who crosses to Mae Sai almost daily explained: “300 is just an average. In reality, they charge based on how you look. If they find something suspicious, it’s 500. If you want to settle for 100, that works too. Now that there are so many people crossing, it’s working out well for them (immigration).”
There are two types of border crossing permits from Tachileik to Mae Sai: Border Pass (BP) and Temporary Border Pass (TBP). The TBP is issued to Myanmar citizens who are not Tachileik residents, allowing them to seek medical treatment or conduct other business.
Previously, those without smart cards were charged only about 20 baht for a TBP, but since early 2025, junta immigration officials have been taking advantage of people fleeing mandatory military service laws by increasing these fees, according to someone familiar with the broker industry.
“Officially, they’re not allowed to collect fees. But since those fleeing have no choice but to cross, they demand money. People crossing have to leave their ID cards at the gate and pick them up on return. Now, those crossing rely on brokers to retrieve their IDs. The Myanmar immigration staff know this too—they’re pretending not to notice because it’s a chance to profit,” he said.
Smart cards have been issued in Tachileik Township since late April 2024, but the process is only expedited when working through brokers, costing up to 700 baht, according to those who have previously obtained them.
Similarly, in Taunggyi Township in southern Shan State, immigration staff under the military council at the Shan State government offices are reportedly charging between 30,000 and 100,000 kyats for smart card exchanges, depending on the individual’s social status, sources say.
Sent by NMG.
