Three Pagodas Pass

Three Pagodas Pass is a mountain pass on the Thailand-Myanmar border in the Tenasserim Hills. It is named for a trio of small pagodas that stand near the frontier road and long served as a visible landmark at the crossing.

The three pagodas themselves are the immediate focal point - three small stupa-like brick monuments set beside the border road and visible from the Thai approach. The area also features a local market and a formal border checkpoint where traders and tourists transit between countries.

The pass has been used for centuries as a trade and communication route between the Burmese and Siamese realms and has seen repeated military and commercial use over time. The surviving pagodas give the place its modern name and mark the historic frontier route.

The pass sits in the Tenasserim Hills on the Thailand-Myanmar frontier near the Thai border settlement and the Myanmar border town across the line. It occupies a low saddle in the hills where the frontier road crosses from one country to the other.

• Border crossing information: The land crossing is an international border checkpoint with Myanmar; visitors should check visa requirements and operating hours before travel.

What to See#

• Three Pagodas and border area: A group of three small stupa-like pagodas on the Thai side and a border checkpoint and market area on the adjoining plain; the pagodas are the landmark that gives the pass its name and sit close to the frontier road.

• Check current border-crossing regulations and visa/permit requirements before you travel-Three Pagodas Pass is an international frontier and crossings can be restricted or subject to special permits.
• Visit early in the morning for cooler temperatures and to see local market activity on the Thai side; the mid- to late-afternoon period can be quieter as border offices close or slow.
• If you plan to cross into Myanmar, only do so with verified, up-to-date permission and an organised transfer-attempting to cross without the correct paperwork is frequently refused and can involve fines or detention.