Tachileik, also spelt
Tachilek, is a
border town in the
Shan State of eastern
Myanmar (formerly Burma). It is the seat of
Tachileik Township in
Tachileik District.
Transport
It has an
airport which links to three other Burmese cities -
Yangon,
Mandalay, and also
Kengtung. By road Tachileik is connected to Kengtung, which lies 106 km (66 miles] to the north, by the
Asian Highway route AH2, and via Kengtung west to
Taunggyi, capital of Shan State, and east by route AH3 to
Mongla and on to
Yunnan Province,
China.
Border crossing
It can be accessed from the
Thai town of
Mae Sai, which sits directly south on the other side of the small
Mae Sai river. There are two
bridges that provide access between Mae Sai and Tachilek, one is actively used for
border crossings and the other newer one was not yet being utilized as of January 2007. It may be possible for
tourists to take a
bicycle across the bridge, but logistically it would be difficult. It is a porous border and is actually not difficult to wade across the river.
Burmese merchants used to be able to cross over and do
business in Mae Sai for days at a time. As of 2006 there is a rule that says all Burmese border hoppers must return to the Burmese side before
sundown. The border is also a popular destination for
westerners (referred to locally as
farang) who either reside in or are visiting
Thailand and who need to get their
passport visas renewed.
There is no charge for a 'visa run' going from Thailand to
Burma on the Thai side, but there is a charge of US$10 on the Burmese side.
Tourism
The crowning
tourist attraction is a large
gold-colored
stupa which, among other things, showcases the seven
days of the week. The idea is for a
pilgrim to go to the spot which has the day he/she was born known as the
planetary post, and do a simple spiritual ritual.
Economy
Tachileik has retained the habit of allowing
vendors to openly sell
endangered animal parts. It has been suggested by some that this trade is fuelled by the many Chinese who frequent the area.
Tachileik has a reputation as being a rough town, since it is a major distribution point for
heroin and
ya ba (
speed pills) moving from Myanmar to the world market. The reports say the drugs are manufactured and distributed by a number of armed
cease-fire groups in Shan State, in particular the
United Wa State Army (UWSA).
See also
