We planned to go to Mae Sot for a few days, mainly to cross into Burma and visit Myawaddy. After checking necessary information, I found out that the re-entry stamp only would be good for 15 days, some five days less than I got granted on my initial entry this time and therefore problematic because my flight back to Europe is scheduled exactly for the expiry day of the initial stamp.

What to do? Would it be possible to tell the border guy to give me a stamp valid for the period required? Would I have to go to Tourist police in Bangkok to solve the issue? These points were worrying me while we traveled to the North but very quickly were dissolved when on arrival at the hotel, I had to find out that I managed to forget my passport! Incredible! After more than 30 years of traveling around the world, it happens to me that I forget my passport! Luckily, the hotel staff was friendly and as I know my passport number, the check-in was no problem.

Well, the worries about the entry stamp were gone as I could not cross into Burma without passport. The only tricky thing remaining was that in this area, there are lots of checkpoints but luckily, they are only interested in smugglers and insurgents and not in a farang without passport. So we could visit some really nice places and the trip was good after all.

Back home, worries started again as I could not find my passport although I literally turned our house over. My wife then called the bank where I changed money shortly before our departure and - BINGO! - I had forgotten my passport over there and I was really lucky that they kept it for me, so we went immediately to the place and retrieved it.

So I should accept that I am getting older and my brain starts to get weaker. :twisted: From now on, I shall meticulously check all of my belongings when leaving a place!

For some pics of our trip, have a look at

http://www.thailandfriends.com/group.php?discussionid=216&do=discuss

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