The visa run
Trip Start
Sep 18, 2006
1
45
79
Trip End
Mar 19, 2008
Ranong,
Thailand
Friday, April 6, 2007
First, one has to attend the Immigration Centre to get stamped out of Thailand. Having obtained this, I was informed that no, I could not simply now go to the Arrivals desk and get stamped back in but would have to first enter and then leave Myanmar. So off I headed for the pier with the bizarre realisation that even though I was still physically in Thailand, technically I was so illegally.
At the pier there was no state boat service, just an assortment of private boat owners. These men were typical of the scum that operate Asia's transport networks and, after protracted haggling, I managed to secure a fair price for the return trip.
The boat journey took half an hour, with stop-offs at inspection points on two islands; one Thai, the other Myanmese, so that officials could cast their suspicious eyes on us. Thankfully, the presence of a farang meant on neither trip was my boat held up as long as the others. On the first leg I was accosted by a 14 year old Myanmese boy called Bingu who acted as a helper on the small craft. Upon failing in his attempts to make me feel sympathetic enough towards him to part with my cash for nothing in return (apparently he was orphaned by the tsunami), he turned more entrepreneurial in his approach. Once in Myanmar, he assured me, he could get me anything I needed: namely cigarettes, whisky, cocaine or girls. Definately growing up on the dark side of life that one! I politely declined.
I didn't want to stop long in Myanmar - just get my stamps and get back to Thailand - so I only hung around long enough to smoke a cigarette on the pier before catching my boat back. During that time I was approached by three or four smiling and friendly young men who offered me cigarettes, whisky, heroin, cocaine, opium, girls, boys if I preferred, valium and viagra. Fucking hell! Well, now I know where to go for a good time!
