Thai-Myanmar Border in Sangkhlaburi: ASEAN Only

2015-10-28 · Updated: 2026-08-11 · Original (Korean)

This article was translated from the original Korean post with AI assistance. Read the original Korean post →

I don't have much to write for this post. They brought me all the way to the border, promising to cross into Myanmar and get a Myanmar stamp in my passport, but it turns out only ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) citizens can cross by land. (Koreans absolutely cannot go!!) Everyone felt awkward and hesitated to go without me, but I handed them my camera and told them to take tons of pictures while I hung out in the car.

The general tour involves taking a bus for about 30 minutes into Myanmar, looking around, and coming back. It's roughly a one-and-a-half-hour course.

After traveling with such incredibly energetic people, I finally got some time to myself. It was nice to read a book, take a nap, and enjoy my preferred style of travel for a bit. You could say I took a little break. Plus, they even gave me money to buy ice cream, so I just kicked back and relaxed without a care in the world. Ah, so good.

Below are the photos of Myanmar my friends took. I don't know anything about Myanmar besides Aung San Suu Kyi, but seeing these pictures and the little kid who came over to sell things made me want to visit someday.

Three small white pagodas with gold tops and national flags standing on a lawn.

Red and gold entrance sign reading Republic of the Union of Myanmar in English and Burmese.

Map showing Sangkhlaburi and Three Pagodas Pass at the border of Thailand and Myanmar. — An explanation about Sangkhlaburi, also known as Sangkha.

Wooden sign for the Sangkhlaburi Immigration Office standing among tropical plants. — I cheerfully walked up here with my passport and got rejected immediately.

A child selling goods under the shade of a tree and tourists looking around. — Myanmar people all wear a powder-like paste on their faces called thanaka. That's exactly what this little kid is selling. Even Thai people have to haggle here to avoid getting ripped off by Myanmar vendors.

A giant golden Buddhist pagoda towering against a backdrop of blue sky and rocky mountains.

From here on are the photos taken after crossing the Myanmar border.

A Buddha statue enshrined in a small space decorated with ornate gold ornaments and flowers.

A small blackened clay pot placed on a rusty iron brazier filled with ashes.

A white monument on a red base densely covered in Burmese script. — I asked them what this was, and they said they didn't know either. Then why did you take a picture of it...

Entrance to a Myanmar-style temple featuring ornate golden decorations.

A tall wooden pillar wrapped in multicolored cloth standing against a backdrop of mountains and sky.

Golden monk statues standing in a row on the lawn in front of a temple building. — Some fun-looking statues.

Eaves and pillars of a temple building decorated with intricate golden carvings. — I don't know the name of the temple, but it seems like this was their destination.

Interior of a temple lined with numerous red wooden pillars and small flags hanging from the ceiling.

Ornate golden circular patterns and a chandelier decorating the temple ceiling.

Spacious temple interior lined with tall dark brown wooden pillars and chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.

Temple interior with people gathered in front of an altar decorated with red curtains and colorful lights.

A throne and surrounding scenery in a Buddhist temple featuring ornate gold decorations against a red curtain background.

A Buddhist altar enshrining Buddha statues with brightly colored LED halos. — What's up with these Buddha statues that look like they belong in a nightclub? Where on earth did they go?

A bunch of leaves with mixed red and green colors against a dark background. — It looks like they offered this.

A red Duty Free shop sign hanging under an old roof.

Rows of Smirnoff vodka bottles displayed on wooden shelves.

A wooden display cabinet filled with wine bottles, with a television and liquor bottles on top. — As expected, they never just walk past the alcohol.

Outdoor market scene where vendors are selling flowers and goods under large green and blue parasols.

A vendor selling a large pile of red and pink flower bouquets under a parasol, and a customer.

Various groceries such as snacks, cooking oil, and grains displayed on a market stall.

A large blue basin heaped with white rice, with sacks piled high in the background. — Even if they wanted to show me the Myanmar market... why on earth did they take a picture of this stuff that could be rice or salt...

An outdoor shop with a blue tent selling brightly colored children's clothes hanging on display.

Metal bowls, pots, kitchen utensils, and various hardware goods densely stacked in a market shop.

A vendor sitting inside a small shop where plastic-wrapped snacks and various daily necessities are densely hung. — I personally like this photo.

A hairy animal head submerged in black liquid inside a large pot, with a blue funnel placed nearby. — I almost had a heart attack while looking through the photos on my camera. Eating blood is similar to what we do in Korea, but we don't sell it this explicitly... Doesn't it smell?

A person standing in front of a clothing store where women's blouses, skirts, and dresses are hanging. — They thought this woman was pretty, so there are five photos of just this clothing store.

#KoreansAbsolutelyCannotGo