Carrying a passport around

[joe china]

Just posted this in the wrong forum..

 

Posting here as intended.

 

Some people say that you should carry your passport around and others say that a photo copy will do.

 

Additionally, I have been told that I need to carry my Thai driving license and also carry my UK driving license. While the other day, I was stopped by the traffic police, I produced the Thai driving license and they insisted on the IDP as well, which I don't have and so they asked me if i would pay a fine. Lol.

 

What are the real regulations here?

 

 

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[tifino]

you obtained your Tha DL, under the initial authority of your home counrty DL.

 

The moment, aside from statutory time limits for maintaining IDP; the moment you obtained your Thai DL - an IDP is no longer valid for you to keep using (for continued driving in LOS)

 

 

it was just another BIB tea money ruse

[glegolo]

Yes move away from that crap-place where you are living....

 

glegolo

[joe china]

That had solved that for me. Shall move out of Hua Hin straight away.

Yes move away from that crap-place where you are living....
 
glegolo

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[Pilotman]

Someone said?   Its a bit more official  than that. The law says that you must carry your passport at all times,.  However,  that's risky and largely unnecessary if you carry a photo copy with you,  which is the current Embassy advice.  I also carry a photo on my mobile. If you carry a Thai Driving licence, that is usually good enough ID for the Plods and the Army.

 

If you have a Thai DL, why would you need to carry a British DL with you, or an IDP?   Doesn't make sense. 

[bkk6060]

6 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

Someone said?   Its a bit more official  than that. The law says that you must carry your passport at all times,.  However,  that's risky and largely unnecessary if you carry a photo copy with you,  which is the current Embassy advice.  I also carry a photo on my mobile. If you carry a Thai Driving licence, that is usually good enough ID for the Plods and the Army.

 

If you have a Thai DL, why would you need to carry a British DL with you, or an IDP?   Doesn't make sense. 

I carry nothing but my Thai DL been stopped numerous times never a problem.

But, seeing all the people at the Embassy getting a new passport because they "lost" it seems rather a stupid thing to lose.

[joe china]

Someone said?   Its a bit more official  than that. The law says that you must carry your passport at all times,.  However,  that's risky and largely unnecessary if you carry a photo copy with you,  which is the current Embassy advice.  I also carry a photo on my mobile. If you carry a Thai Driving licence, that is usually good enough ID for the Plods and the Army.
 
If you have a Thai DL, why would you need to carry a British DL with you, or an IDP?   Doesn't make sense. 

Thanks for the advice.

The International Driving Permit request was at a road block. They ignored the Thai Driving license.

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[Pilotman]

17 minutes ago, joe china said:

Thanks for the advice.

The International Driving Permit request was at a road block. They ignored the Thai Driving license.

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Bit off topic, but the good thing about having a current IDP, is that when you go to apply for your Thai DL, you dont have to sit through that God awful video for 40 minutes. 

[bert bloggs]

Never ever shown my passport ,just my Thai driving licence ,always been accepted.

[lopburi3]

As for Passport that is considered the best ID for foreigner to abide by the law which is that all must have a valid photo ID.  AFAIK there is no law that requires carry of passport but you must be able to present in a reasonable time and can be held until you do so.  But as said photocopy or Thai DL is normally accepted as photo ID.

 

There is no requirement for an IDL - I have never had such a thing and have had the same Thai (pink) DL for 50 years (photo I admit is not exactly representative of my current looks).  ?

 

 

[joe china]

Bit off topic, but the good thing about having a current IDP, is that when you go to apply for your Thai DL, you dont have to sit through that God awful video for 40 minutes. 

I watched the video. It was an hour. Some pretty horrific CCTV's.

After leaving, I was then able to easily identify other road users who had not seen the video or had forgotten.

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[KhunBENQ]

Of course a Thai DL is the only document you need to drive here.

No IDP or home license accompanying.

The IDP question was a bad joke.

If he gets serious ask for the superior.

[KhunBENQ]

5 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

but you must be able to present in a reasonable time and can be held until you do so.

That's exactly the guide line to decide whether to take it with you or not.

Domestic travel with overnights, flights etc.: take it with you.

Lock it away at the accommodation as soon as you arrive.

Again and again it is described that hotels check in foreigners without seeing the passport.

This is an illegal practice, don't rely on!

[observer90210]

And if you are fined despite having a Thai DL, tell the cop that you will only pay at the station and then refer to either his boss at the station and if it does not work, to the anti corruption office in Bangkok.

 

The attitude of those who are corrupt in the Thai police and who target foreigners,  is getting despicable day by day.

[Mattd]

1 hour ago, Pilotman said:

Someone said?   Its a bit more official  than that. The law says that you must carry your passport at all times,. 

This has been done to death over the years on TV and no one can find a law that states that you must carry your original passport with you at all times.

The requirement is that you can prove your legal status in Thailand and photo ID, so a copy of your passport along with a Thai or Foreign DL (with photo) would be fine, you could be asked to produce the actual passport at a later time.

Personally I have the passport stuff recorded in my phone, if ever asked for it.

Carrying the original poses far too many risks, so only do this if doing something official that may need it.

[Pilotman]

1 hour ago, joe china said:

I watched the video. It was an hour. Some pretty horrific CCTV's.

After leaving, I was then able to easily identify other road users who had not seen the video or had forgotten.

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so everybody then? 

[Pilotman]

10 minutes ago, Mattd said:

This has been done to death over the years on TV and no one can find a law that states that you must carry your original passport with you at all times.

The requirement is that you can prove your legal status in Thailand and photo ID, so a copy of your passport along with a Thai or Foreign DL (with photo) would be fine, you could be asked to produce the actual passport at a later time.

Personally I have the passport stuff recorded in my phone, if ever asked for it.

Carrying the original poses far too many risks, so only do this if doing something official that may need it.

so presumably  you dont have internet or google then,  as its  as clear as day there what the law says, as opposed to what  individual officers may say. . 

[joe china]

so everybody then? 

Exactly.

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[Mattd]

9 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

so presumably  you dont have internet or google then,  as its  as clear as day there what the law says, as opposed to what  individual officers may say. . 

Then please provide a source, as I said, no one can find an actual law that states that you must carry your passport, this subject comes up often and several respected posters and mods have looked in to in depth, same answer.

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/719631-passport-check-on-the-road/?page=8&tab=comments#comment-7711071

The immigration law states you must be able to prove that you have legal status in Thailand and does state that you may be asked to produce it at a later date, no where does it state the requirement to carry the actual passport.

[NoshowJones]

"and so they asked me if i would pay a fine. Lol".

I hope you were not stupid enough to pay it.

[NoshowJones]

2 hours ago, Pilotman said:

Someone said?   Its a bit more official  than that. The law says that you must carry your passport at all times,.  However,  that's risky and largely unnecessary if you carry a photo copy with you,  which is the current Embassy advice.  I also carry a photo on my mobile. If you carry a Thai Driving licence, that is usually good enough ID for the Plods and the Army.

 

If you have a Thai DL, why would you need to carry a British DL with you, or an IDP?   Doesn't make sense. 

Tifino has just said, tea money.

[NoshowJones]

2 hours ago, joe china said:

Thanks for the advice.

The International Driving Permit request was at a road block. They ignored the Thai Driving license.

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Are you sure it was the real police? You should have asked the Lt/Gen. or police Col, or whatever rank he had 

bought and asked him why his tea drinkers were wanting tea money.

[Pilotman]

19 minutes ago, Mattd said:

Then please provide a source, as I said, no one can find an actual law that states that you must carry your passport, this subject comes up often and several respected posters and mods have looked in to in depth, same answer.

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/719631-passport-check-on-the-road/?page=8&tab=comments#comment-7711071

The immigration law states you must be able to prove that you have legal status in Thailand and does state that you may be asked to produce it at a later date, no where does it state the requirement to carry the actual passport.

https://www.keyvisathailand.com/all-foreigners-must-carry-identification-in-thailand-law/

 

http://www.samuitimes.com/gov-uk-foreign-travel-advice-thailand-june-4th/

 

 

[NoshowJones]

48 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

so presumably  you dont have internet or google then,  as its  as clear as day there what the law says, as opposed to what  individual officers may say. . 

How long have you lived in Thailand? Don't you know that Thai authorities make up their own rules?

[Jip99]

Just now, possum1931 said:

How long have you lived in Thailand? Don't you know that Thai authorities make up their own rules?

 

 

.........and then break them!......?

[seajae]

1 hour ago, Pilotman said:

so presumably  you dont have internet or google then,  as its  as clear as day there what the law says, as opposed to what  individual officers may say. . 

when the police were grabbing farangs for not having their passports on them in Bangkok last year this subject was raised with the head of police, he stated that farangs did not have to carry their passports with them and that a photocopy or pic on their phones was ok. 

[Crossy]

In all the years this subject has been coming up nobody, that's nobody, has provided a link to the actual LAW which states "foreigners must carry passports" in either English or Thai language. Plenty of links to interpretations of the law, but no actual law.

 

Mine travels in my work bag, so I have it most of the time I'm in town, except when out for a beer (apparently the riskiest time), I do have a copy on my phone of the relevant PP pages. Never been asked. 

[Mattd]

25 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

https://www.keyvisathailand.com/all-foreigners-must-carry-identification-in-thailand-law/

 

http://www.samuitimes.com/gov-uk-foreign-travel-advice-thailand-june-4th/

 

 

These are just hearsay, I'm sorry to be pedantic, however, these articles are no more accurate than something written in here, the only thing IMO that actually counts is a Thai law or regulation that actually states that foreigner must carry their passport and as far as I am aware nothing exists.

I'm not saying that carrying your passport would harm in a stop, far from it, what I am saying is the potential risks of doing so are high and so long as you carry some sort of proof of your up to date legal status here, i.e. a physical copy or a soft copy in your phone and some sort of photo ID, then it is not a requirement in law, or at least one that anybody can find.

[johng]

I used to carry my passport around in my pocket...all the printing on the outside covers was rubbed away...they almost didn't let me on a flight back home because of the blank front cover..after that I dont carry it around...just a primted copy in my wallet and a scaned .JPG on my phone.

[Myran]

Strange, I get stopped now and again in Hua Hin (probably because my bike's plate is from another province), and they've always been happy with just my Thai driver's license. Once in a while they'll ask for the green book, but never any attempts to get me to pay a fine.

 

As for passport, the few times during my time in Thailand I've been asked to show it, photo copies of the main page and permission to stay page have always been accepted without issues.