Junta immigration officials and agents are demanding a staggering 1.3 million MMK (around 8,000 THB) per person from those seeking to enter Mae Sai on the Thai side from Tachileik in eastern Shan State, under the pretext of issuing VIP passes, according to border-crossing travelers.

Junta immigration officers, police, and agent companies stop and scrutinize those without VIP passes on various pretexts, effectively pressuring them to purchase the costly passes.

As a result, those seeking to cross the border without hassle are effectively forced to purchase a VIP pass costing 1.3 million MMK.

“It’s not officially mandatory. But if the authorities use nasty tactics and block the crossing, all the pre-arranged plans can fall apart. That’s why people feel they have to pay for the pass. Right in front of me, three young people were stopped and not allowed to go to the Thai side,” a man who recently crossed the border said.

Payment for the VIP pass is reportedly required only for those entering Thailand on visitor, work, education, or pension visas. Those holding a local border pass (commonly known as a blue book, issued to residents with a Tachileik household register), as well as daily cross-border laborers, are not required to obtain it.

Migrant workers also face financial burdens, as those compelled by the junta to hold an Overseas Worker Identification Card (OWIC) must pay for the VIP pass.

“I chose to enter Thailand via Tachileik as a cheaper alternative to flying from Yangon, but now the VIP pass costs almost as much as the flight ticket,” a traveler said.

Currently, the travel agent community reports a VIP pass option for travelers departing from Yangon Airport to Thailand, with prices reaching up to 30 million MMK.

After the junta enforced the conscription law in February 2024, the number of young people leaving the country has been increasing daily. Criticism is mounting that the junta’s immigration officials are openly engaging in corruption and exploitation by taking advantage of this situation.