Pattaya to ambassadors: Tourists can carry copy of passport

[janclaes47]

3 hours ago, JSixpack said:

 

I still don't understand the confusion though I can't say exactly why. It appears you're wondering how the police might have a reason to suspect an individual of overstaying.

 

The police decide for themselves whether they have a reason. Some are more obvious than others. It would help allay suspicion if the cops see at least a copy of your passport. But they couldn't be sure until they see the passport of course.

 

So if you think you might be suspected of overstaying, and you don't want to go get your passport or have someone go fetch it to prove you aren't, then do carry it. Up 2 U.

 

You don't have to be a rocket scientist to see where the confusion starts, but let me first add again the part of my post that you conveniently forgot to include to make your point.

 

Deputy Commander Voravat also said that for expats living here, a Thai driving license or photocopy of your passport can be used as a form of identification.

 

And next

 

However, if Immigration Police suspect an individual to be overstaying in Thailand or being involved in illegal activity, then the individual would be required to produce their original passport promptly.

 

So officer stops you and you show him the copy of your passport, since Mr Voaravat has said it is a legitimate way of identifying yourself.

 

But the officer in question denies your argumentation on the base that he claims he stopped you because you caught his attention and he suspects you are overstaying, otherwise he would never have stopped you of course, and Mr Voravat says that in such a situation you need to be able to have your original passport on you.

 

Now on a road check point this will not work, but many foreigners are stopped and checked while simply walking around in Bangkok mid town.

So who are you as a foreigner to argue if at that time a copy will suffice or not?

[JSixpack]

3 hours ago, janclaes47 said:

So officer stops you and you show him the copy of your passport, since Mr Voaravat has said it is a legitimate way of identifying yourself.

 

Yep.

 

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But the officer in question denies your argumentation on the base that he claims he stopped you because you caught his attention and he suspects you are overstaying, otherwise he would never have stopped you of course

 

No. If you have an reasonably good ID (copy of passport, Thai DL) then the cop has no argument with you about your ID unless, out of sheer love of arguing and chopping logic, you wish to argue that you really should be carrying your passport, 'cause you're confused.

 

He might still say he wants to see your passport. And you have no argument about that, either, because he might have stopped you for any number of reasons, NOT merely because he suspected you of overstaying, which is by far the less likely case anyway. Your carried ID may be sufficient and likely is sufficient if you weren't doing anything.

 

If the officer has reason to suspect your identity (as our very shrewd forum members recently claimed an Arabic-looking woman couldn't be named "Mary") or the legitimacy of your ID or if you're suspected of a crime or if he has other reason to think you might be overstaying, then you'll also have to produce your passport promptly, from your penthouse safe.

 

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, and Mr Voravat says that in such a situation you need to be able to have your original passport on you.

 

No, that's NOT what Mr. Voravat said at all. He said nothing about "original passport on you." I think we've reached the source of your confusion: misreading. He said you may need to be able to produce it "promptly." That means you go get it under escort or have someone bring it. Now maybe your assistant can't locate it immediately but I think the time specified is within 24 hours, while you cool your heels in detention.

 

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Now on a road check point this will not work, but many foreigners are stopped and checked while simply walking around in Bangkok mid town. 

 

Oh, this works everywhere. And pretty well, considering that you don't have to carry your passport on you, which is nice. So we're always hearing about foreigners getting deported for overstay.

 

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So who are you as a foreigner to argue if at that time a copy will suffice or not?

 

As I noted, you nothing to argue. That you have an ID isn't under dispute. If you have no ID on you at all, then you're in violation and automatically suspected. As noted, if you're suspected for any reason, the officer has the right to ask that passport be produced "promptly." If you do have ID, and all else seems kosher, then you're on your way.

 

If you produce your passport and it shows no overstay but you're still suspected of a crime, then the passport alone isn't your Get Out Jail Free card. (Just thought I'd make that clear as well.)

 

Simple, really.

 

Edited April 16, 2018 by JSixpack