Mae Sai District

Mae Sai
แม่สาย
Amphoe

Myanmar-Thailand bridge in Mae Sai Town

Amphoe location in Chiang Rai Province
Coordinates: 20°25′41″N 99°53′1″E / 20.42806°N 99.88361°E / 20.42806; 99.88361Coordinates: 20°25′41″N 99°53′1″E / 20.42806°N 99.88361°E / 20.42806; 99.88361
Country  Thailand
Province Chiang Rai
Seat Mae Sai
Area
 • Total 285.0 km2 (110.0 sq mi)
Population (2005)
 • Total 86,298
 • Density 302.8/km2 (784/sq mi)
Time zone ICT (UTC+7)
Postal code 57130
Geocode 5709

Mae Sai (Thai: แม่สาย, pronounced [mɛ̂ː sǎːj]; Shan: မႄႈသၢႆ, pronounced [mɛ.sʰǎj]) is the northernmost district (amphoe) of Chiang Rai Province in northern Thailand. The town of Mae Sai is a major border crossing between Thailand and Myanmar. Asian Highway Network AH2 (Thailand Route 1 or Phahonyothin Road) crosses the Mae Sai River to the town Tachileik in Myanmar.

One-day passes for non-Burmese nationals crossing into Myanmar are issued at Myanmar customs in Tachileik. Passports are confiscated and a temporary travel permit is issued; the permit is exchanged for the traveler's passport upon crossing back into Thailand. (No longer available as of 2016.) Since the changes in Thai immigration policy since March 2016 crossing this border as a foreign national is highly depended on individual Thai customs officers as they have discretion. Visa runs are no longer available as of May 2016.

Mae Sai is 259 km north of Chiang Mai, 61 km north of Chiang Rai, and 850 km north of Bangkok.

Geography

Neighboring districts are (from the east clockwise) Chiang Saen, Mae Chan and Mae Fa Luang. To the north is Myanmar, separated by the Mae Sai River and the Ruak River. The westernmost part of the district is dominated by the hills of the Daen Lao Range, the most important one is the Doi Tung with the Wat Phra That Doi Tung temple on top. Doi Nang Non is another notable mountain in Mae Sai District.

History

The minor district (King Amphoe) Mae Sai was created on 1 March 1939, when the two tambon Mae Sai and Pong Pha were split off from Chiang Saen district.[1] The area was upgraded to a full district on May 1, 1950.[2]

Administration

Myanmar-Thailand bridge in Mae Sai
District office

The district is subdivided into eight subdistricts (tambon), which in turn are further subdivided into 92 villages (muban). There are two subdistrict municipalities (thesaban tambon) within the district - Mai Sai itself covering parts of the tambon Mae Sai and Wiang Phang Kham, and Huai Khrai covering parts of the tambon Huai Khrai. There are further eight Tambon administrative organizations (TAO).

No. Name Thai name Villages Inh.     
1.Mae Saiแม่สาย 1421,697
2.Huai Khraiห้วยไคร้117,609
3.Ko Changเกาะช้าง139,964
4.Pong Phaโป่งผา128,348
5.Si Mueang Chumศรีเมืองชุม95,090
6.Wiang Phang Khamเวียงพางคำ1319,945
8.Ban Daiบ้านด้าย84,117
9.Pong Ngamโป่งงาม129,528

The geocode 7 is not used.

References

  1. ↑ ประกาศกระทรวงมหาดไทย เรื่อง ตั้งกิ่งอำเภอแม่สาย ขึ้นอำเภอเชียงแสน จังหวัดเชียงราย (PDF). Royal Gazette (in Thai). 55 (0 ง): 3873. February 20, 1939.
  2. ↑ ประกาศสำนักนายกรัฐมนตรี เรื่อง ยกฐานะกิ่งอำเภอแม่สาย อำเภอแม่จัน จังหวัดเชียงราย ขึ้นเป็นอำเภอ (PDF). Royal Gazette (in Thai). 67 (20 ง): 1433. April 11, 1950.
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