A MEMS micro-switch with a lateral snap action includes a laterally bowed beam and an electro thermal actuator. The electro thermal actuator can be activated in response to the application of an actuation voltage and a push rod pushes the laterally bowed beam to a transition point through a push-pull connector. The bowed beam can be snapped to an opposite position at the transition point and a moving electrode makes strong contact to fixed electrodes, which makes the switch turn on with strong contact force. The actuator can be deactivated and the push rod pulls the bowed beam back to the transition point and snapped back to an original position, which makes the switch turn off. The switch can be fabricated utilizing glass and SOI wafer bonding technique.