richard_smith237

I made comment in another thread about why I think they do it. Unsure why you pose this question at me as I didn't make mention of it in my post here. Why do you think the question was posed at you ??? (ok this one is)... ... I read mikey’s question as being posed at the general forum, but also replied to your thread. It is a valid question - why do the police do this ???... (not posed directly at you Old Croc !)... I suspect... ... Legacy: Because this is what they have always done, no one thinks about it, they just do. ... Moment in the limelight: They love a good photo Op to show off their work. ... Visibility: such visible proof of their could work could place them in good light for promotions. I suspect its the first option [Legacy]... so much goes on this country where people just behave in an ‘expected manner’ without critical thought or any question as to why, simply because this is always what has been done - there’s nothing more to it than that.

I don't think this is an overstay issue because of this statement (in the linked article which is also very thin on information) Thus possibilities are: 1) Renewed passport - (no transference of visa). 2) Entered illegally - (walked across a land border / smuggled in / Boat arrival). 3) Entered under an immigration mistake - Immigration forgot to stamp her in. If this were due to #1 - there would be a record of her arrival under her old passport. If this were due to #3 - she should be able to prove her flight arrival if she flew. But, if she walked across a land-border and the immigration official forgot to stamp her in thats difficult to prove. I suspect possibility #2 - smuggled in and was ‘working’ here illegally (but no proof of that at all of course). BUT.. IF she knew she was in country illegally, did she really believe she could just exit without an issue ?... perhaps she thought she’d get away with just paying the 20k Baht overstay fine.

This - Most reliable.... (always 15 mins early and standing by) I dont know why their website doesn’t include costs... IMO thats a terrible weakness of Thai businesses who seem to try and ‘hide’ costs from customers until they are committing - it means you can can’t compare prices without registering etc. - A Toyota Camry from central Bangkok to Suvarnabumi is about 1200 baht.

You mean like a reason such as they just wanted a new car ??? Thats generally the reason the vast majority of people sell their car. There are plenty of decent cars around.... The suggestion above is ridiculous. What exactly is so damaging about a modern car sat idling at lower revs than travelling down a highway ?...

Bait and switch... scamming ayholes !!.... Which site was it? (name and shame !). I ended up purchasing direct from Emriates which seemed to offer the best deals for dates and routing etc... everything else was either ‘horrific’ (i.e. with a 6 hr layover in India etc) or far more expensive... Two journeys... Summer: 35,000 baht / Christmas: 40,000 baht (BKK-DXB-UK return) There really wasn’t much other option than not travelling.

bunch of mummy’s boys !!!.. .

Yet, you so successfully achieved the opposite !!!.... IF it was Aussies, Brits, Israelis, Iranians, Sweedish, Chinese etc... there would always be the poster gloating after a healthy dose of confirmation bias....

20 MB of savings >> ???

This is where I have been critical of those giving advice or implying advice through statement of their actions. Those who live in and know Thailand know the risks they face, where they may or may not need their passport and posses alternatives such as Thai driving licence or Pink ID. Conversely, those new to Thailand or those who need such advice may not be familiar with the risk or possess the alternatives to carrying a passport, they are perhaps more likely to be in tourist areas where a passport is more frequently requested or there is greater risk of exposure to the police in such areas. Thus, while those with experience in Thailand can make their own choices based on their own circumstances and perceived risk projecting that onto strangers when that contradicts all published advice is in my opinion, irresponsible.

Which is fine for you as you clearly travel overseas enough to have been able to convince the UK Gubmint that you need a second passport. That is not an option for the vast majority so, again, is a strawman diversion. No diversion whatsoever, its simple progression and evolution of the thread. I’ve asked valid question to those who may worry about the loss of a passport so take extra measures to be cautious. For example, the loss of a passport may not impact some who do not travel internationally, so their Plan B would be to make sure they have good copies of their passport so they could apply for a replacement more easily. That said, if someone hardly travels, potential loss of a passport is not such a catastrophic prospect than it is to someone such as myself who travels a lot. You don't have to answer if you don't like the question - however, there are many facets to the security we apply to our documents and risks we take when carrying them. Perhaps thats over thinking things... but that seems to be the direction the thread had headed in... Straws, yet again, removed from the man for you...

No... Its way over the top because it's a separate policy. Ask the existing insurer IF they will insure an overseas named driver for the month. *(i.e. in the same manner my Wife gets insured on one of my parents cars). It costs about £30 to insure my wife for 3 weeks.

Oh... I don't know Bob Smith... haven’t you a track record of being ‘overly optimistic’ ?? Didn't you fall for something similar.... the 'honest girl' who paid her way then later demanded money and threatened to set her brothers on you ???

Agreed... exactly the common sense approach that I’d advise anyone travelling to and within Thailand. 1) There is no need to carry your passport with you on your person everywhere at all time, but have it secure at home or in your accommodation just incase you face a situation whereby your passport is needed. 2) When travelling out of province, take your passport with you and secure it at your accommodation so that you have access to it just incase you face a situation whereby your passport is needed. ------- For those who refuse to take their passport with them whenever they travel anywhere within Thailand because they are so fearful of loss, theft etc... the passport can’t stay locked away forever, its needed sometimes, so what plan B do they have if the passport is lost, misplaced, damaged etc ?... The loss of my passport would cause me inconceivable inconvenience, I travel a lot for work, time spent getting a replacement would cost me a significant sum of money. The Plan B I have... A second UK Passport (which is not kept with the primary passport). So... I ask those too concerned to travel with their passports if they have thought about what they’d do if they were to lose their passports and if they have put any measures in place to limit the severity of inconvenience.

Not true if you live on the Sukhumvit line - it is one change at Phaya Thai from ARL to BTS and it is a short connection. Also need to consider the wait time for a taxi from Suvarnabhumi which can be bad. Valid point on wait times for the taxi at the airport - what are the wait times for a taxi usually ? The Ops journey would still take about 1 hr 15 mins using the rail link and is just more hassle than taking a taxi. Taxi is 30mins (Sunday) to approx 60mins (6pm weekday in busy traffic). Most routes involve transfers etc... So unless living within close walking distance to Rail Link station itself - the rail link offers no time saving in all but the very worst of Bangkok Gridlock. Saphan Taksin... 32 mins Walk to Shangrila...

I think you may need to turn on autocorrect !!! ???? Seriously though... I imagine that in most if not all industrial environments which involve the use of fork-lift trucks there is a policy to either have the forks at ground level or above head-height (as you mentioned). But, ignoring the silly political laws (defamation etc), on the ground level Thailand is a country with many reasonable laws and regulations which mirror the same regulations and policies we see in the west. The difference is the apathy shown towards these regulations and policies because they are a) not enforced and b) there is a lack of understanding of why these laws exist in the first place. As such, those workers in the work environment habitually take short-cuts which places themselves and others at risk. Small and medium businesses can’t afford to pay someone dedicated to the oversight of HSE, thus the short cuts become the every day norm and we see horrific accidents such as this.

Next time you see a guy on a Harley feel free to go up to the ‘wanna be tough guy’ and call him a poser !!!!..... ???? ???? And no, I dont own a Harley !!! ????

No-one is saying that. Stop with the strawman. Several here have travelled domestically for many years without their passports so clearly not 100% of the time and not 100% of foreigners. PH ...And several others are reporting their passport has been requested when travelling, or found they needed their passport.... Thus, anyone offering advice to a stranger that they do not need their passport are wrong. The implication that because someone has not needed their passport in the past, any prospective traveller doesn’t need to take their passport with this is also wrong. The implication that because someone has not needed their passport in the past those same people will not need their passport the next time they go travelling is also wrong. There... straw removed from the man for you...

Totally missing the point and not at all what the OP said. Not ALL foreginers will have (for example) a Thai Driving Licence. I do, and have used that innumerable times when asked for "passport". It has NEVER been unnacceptable. Only times I need (and therefore carry my passport are for foreign travel and to renew my extension. Lives in the safe otherwise. Its not missing the point at all... the question I asked is the very essence of the thread... Are those advocating not to travel domestically with their passport 100% sure that 100% of the time 100% of the foreigners will not need their passport at all when in or moving around the country ? No one can answer yes... because there are enough stories of foreigners needing their passports !!!!

So all you are really doing is taking chances that you’ll not need your passport, its worked so far.... You’ve calculated that those chances are within your tolerance for potential hassle, thats fair enough from an individual perspective. ... but to advise others of the same is careless when there plenty of information and stories which contradict your advice.

‘Cos Thai’s are the only ones who would allow this to happen right ??? How does this information (BBC news snippet below) contradict your conformation bias ??? https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-64429375

Its amazing how this ‘attitude’ towards riding on the shoulder differs. Firstly - about 20-15 years ago the BiB in Bangkok were a bunch of charlians ticketing motorcyclists for being in anything other than the left lane (i.e. left lane of Sukhumvit road). Other than expressways, I’m not sure where there are any roads in central Bangkok which have a shoulder, on the outskirts maybe. Now... addressing the ‘safety of riding on the shoulder’ issue.... My viewpoint on this is a polar opposite to yours [connda] - I feel riding on the shoulder (when there is one) places me in far greater risk than driving down the main lane. The shoulder has grit and dirt, more obstacles, people pulling out and going the wrong way etc... IMO, its a far more dangerous place to be when riding at ’traffic speed’. IF going far slower than surrounding traffic then the shoulder maybe safer, but I still think that is riskier than travelling at the same speed as the traffic around you on the main road (in lane 1). IF in central Bangkok, I also avoid lane 1, as this is were cars and motorcyclists suddenly pull into and suddenly stop and pull out of (taxi’s are terrible for suddenly stopping in lane 1). I figure it all depends if you are on a machine that can travel at the same speed as the traffic around you.

Most Embassies, Consulates and Passport application (renewal) centres such as VFS do not take your passport when you submit an application for a replacement. The passport stays with you and the corner of your passport is clipped and it becomes invalid upon receipt of your new passport.

No... I never said ‘must’... The advice I offer is that ‘a foreigner may need their passport when travelling, it is therefore a sensible option to have it within reasonable reach’. Do you lose your passport when you travel internationally? Obviously this depends on the individual, in my opinion the risk of a person losing their passport is significantly less than the risk of it being needed when travelling domestically within Thailand. I have been in such a situation. I was on an Island and needed to be medivacced (internationally)... the inconvenience of not having a passport nearby would have been significant to life threatening Yes, a very extreme case, so lets examine something more realistic - Walking down the road in Chaweng, the BiB stop us and ask us for our Passport - Its at the hotel... going back to the hotel with them and proving our Immigration status is inconvenient, but we can carry on with our holiday. Now.. what if your Passport is back at your house / apartment in Bangkok ? ... Doesn’t happen ? read the news of overstayers getting caught recently ???... in some area’s such as Samui the BiB are targeting and cracking down on foreigners looking for overstayers. IMO it would be extremely stupid not to have your passport within reasonable reach when travelling to a different province. And... IF you’re the sort of person that could be so careless with their passport they consider that an excessive risk even if leaving it secure in their bags (hand-carry), then fair enough, leave the passport in the safe at home, but, they should then be made aware they are potentially be opening themselves up to other hassles and inconvenience.

Agree... tourists very unlikely to have any form of Thai issued ID (DL or Pink ID), but they are also unlikely to be travelling without a passport anyway (unless its lost and heading back to Embassy). Thus: The topic seems specifically for someone living here who is thinking of leaving their passport in a safer place at home, rather than take the risk of loss by travelling with it. I leave my passport in the Safe (when in Bangkok) and never go out with it because of the risk of loss. But when travelling its always in my bag which stays locked, there is a very minor risk of loss (theft), but there is also a minor risk of getting caught out without the passport when its needed and your are a few 100 kms away from it, which IMO the probability of which exceeds the risk of loss... Hence, when undertaking interprovincial travelling brining the passport is a no-brainer. Leaving it locked away in the hotel, rather than risking loss when out and about, drinking, or swimming etc is also is a no-brainer. As is leaving it secure at your home in Thailand when staying at home.

Why do you write Period Period Period ???.... Isn’t one, just single fullstop sufficient Question-mark, Exclamation-mark, Exclamation-mark, Fullstop. Only for visa exempt entries... And many cheap tickets are not changeable.