British family stranded in Thailand over son’s passport issues

[Phuket Man]

1 hour ago, darksidedog said:

Never a smart move to not know when your passport is about to expire.

Had it not been a Thai passport he would have needed 6 months validity to get in.

 

No he would not have.

[watcharacters]

53 minutes ago, JAZZDOG said:

Unfortunately in LOS the only thing that can solve a problem outside the box is a box of money. Common sense and corruption don't mix well. 

 

Good and  reasonable post.

 

[Phuket Man]

44 minutes ago, ThreeEyedRaven said:

Really? You sure about that? You might want to check again.

Passport validity

Your passport should be valid for a minimum period of 6 months from the date of entry into Thailand. Entry to Thailand is normally refused if you have a passport which is damaged or has pages missing.

If you’re a dual national you must make sure that when you depart Thailand you have a valid passport of the nationality used to enter, otherwise you may have difficulty in leaving.

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/thailand/entry-requirements

Wrong information.

[Stoker58]

My wife has dual UK/Thai nationality. Many years ago when we were living in the UK she returned to Thailand on holiday. Her Thai passport had expired so, to her great annoyance, she had to enter on a 30 day tourist visa.

   However....,...if she had stayed longer than 30 days she would have been both a Thai citizen in Thailand.....and an illegal overstaying alien at the same time. 

[overherebc]

33 minutes ago, Kadilo said:

You gotta love it when the guy comes out with stuff like “they should of told us when we entered” No, how about you check your documents before you leave and stop passing the buck. Next thing I wouldn’t be surprised to see a funding webpage raised for his supposed extra £2,000 he has had to pay out for his stupidity.


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

Just beat me to that one.

??

[darksidedog]

32 minutes ago, stevenl said:

All incorrect.

 

You're on Thai Visa forum, check the forum for correct information on this.

 

As mentioned, Visa exempt passport validity for duration of stay is required, for visa application 6 months.

 

And I see the moderator that gave the incorrect information liked your post with incorrect information. he should enquire with the authorities on the visa section and correct his misinformation.

I have asked UbonJoe to clarify this for me which he has done.

He tells me that it IS possible to enter with less than 6 months validity, though this depends on where you are from.

Certainly, the various official Government sites state 6 months validity is required, but UbonJoe says this is not strictly correct.

With some countrys passports you can enter with less than 6 months, if your visit will be finished before it expires.

Persuading the airline to accept you with less than 6 months validity can be a problem though.

Personally, I will stick by the official book, rather than risk a problem with immigration, especially here.

But Stevenl, you are correct in your assertion. Thank you for bringing it to my and the forums attention.

[digbeth]

41 minutes ago, JTXR said:

Every day, in international airports all over the world, people are denied entry or exit because of expired passports or expired visas.  Stuff happens, people make mistakes.  Hardly news and hardly worth denigrating someone over.

 

Well they choose to give interview to their local rag about it, and tried to get the help of the Home Office so i guess it's fair game.

 

 

What'd be easier though going through with getting Thai ID and passport, or just going through with the British Passport as if you've entered the country illegally and pay any fine and be out on the British passport.

[stevenl]

24 minutes ago, Kadilo said:

It was done the other day. Ubon Joe says duration of stay. I wouldn’t disagree with him. 

Yes, it is duration of stay for UK passport holders and most western countries. I was just irritated that somebody gave incorrect information about visa, and him being a moderator gave more weight to that information. But it has been corrected now.

 

Darksidedog, thanks for the correction.

Edited August 3, 2018 by stevenl

[overherebc]

37 minutes ago, DavCurtis said:

Proper preparations would have avoided all this.

Yep.

As they say in Russia,

Tufky Shitzky.

[genf]

It was your own faults. You can't blame anyone.

I am also a British-Thai dual national. I could use my 1 or 2 years expired Thai passport to enter the kingdom but while being there I would have my Thai passport renewed before departing Thailand on the new Thai passport.
Obviously, I could never use expired Thai passport to leave the country. 

Should have more common sense. There was no need to make a song and dance about it either.

Rules are rules.

[tolsti]

Simply a case of PPPPPP...... Swiss cheese model also comes to mind.

[overherebc]

2 minutes ago, genf said:

It was your own faults. You can't blame anyone.

I am also a British-Thai dual national. I could use my 1 or 2 years expired Thai passport to enter the kingdom but while being there I would have my Thai passport renewed before departing Thailand on the new Thai passport.
Obviously, I could never use expired Thai passport to leave the country. 

Should have more common sense. There was no need to make a song and dance about it either.

Rules are rules.

It's today's way of thinking. Everything must be someone else's fault.

[anon537687643]

So they let him in with this passport ? What a joke Thai


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[JAZZDOG]

5 minutes ago, genf said:

It was your own faults. You can't blame anyone.

I am also a British-Thai dual national. I could use my 1 or 2 years expired Thai passport to enter the kingdom but while being there I would have my Thai passport renewed before departing Thailand on the new Thai passport.
Obviously, I could never use expired Thai passport to leave the country. 

Should have more common sense. There was no need to make a song and dance about it either.

Rules are rules.

Rules are rules-------You haven't been in LOS very long

[stevenl]

2 minutes ago, markaoffy said:

So they let him in with this passport ? What a joke Thai


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

Of course, why not? Unless you would suggest they should leave a Thai citizen with a valid Thai passport out of the country.

[Forethat]

1 hour ago, darksidedog said:

Never a smart move to not know when your passport is about to expire.

Had it not been a Thai passport he would have needed 6 months validity to get in.

I sympathise with their predicament, but you have to say, they do only have themselves to blame, though I hope the authorities can speed things up, for what is after all not a complicated thing to do.

I have to challenge the statement that 6 months validity is required to enter Thailand with a British passport on visa exemption. There is no such rule. 

[stevenl]

2 minutes ago, Forethat said:

I have to challenge the statement that 6 months validity is required to enter Thailand with a British passport on visa exemption. There is no such rule. 

Has been correct already.

[KhunFred]

1 hour ago, Nickymaster said:

Living in Thailand is great. Only thing you have to do is follow the rules. Simple as that.

Unfortunately, the people who want you to follow the rules, don't follow them either.

[Forethat]

1 minute ago, stevenl said:

Has been correct already.

Ah, sorry, I didn't realise that at the time of posting. ??

[overherebc]

19 minutes ago, Forethat said:

I have to challenge the statement that 6 months validity is required to enter Thailand with a British passport on visa exemption. There is no such rule. 

A Thai national can't be refused even with an expired passport.

Same in UK for a UK citizen.

If I was caught with an expired passport here and on overstay, got caught and deported back to UK do you think the UK will refuse entry and send me back here?

Edited August 3, 2018 by overherebc

[watcharacters]

41 minutes ago, DavCurtis said:

Proper preparations would have avoided all this.

 

It's certainly a  comedy of errors but I doubt the British couple is laughing.

 

If immigration  was  checking for a return ticket to their homeland it should have been obvious the passport the boy was using would run out of validity.     If  only as a courtesy i'd hope the immigration officer would have mentioned this so the  boy could have used his valid British passport.

 

In the final analysis the  whole  situation really boils down to a simple administrative matter.    The boy is not a criminal and that's obvious to the government officials as well..

 

I vote for splitting the difference since the entering immigration  officer  really wasn't  astute and the Brits weren't thinking well  either about the passport issue as well.    They're already been fined so let that punishment be enough and allow them to be on their way

 

I'm starting to wonder if there's really something else that's causing this shi*storm.

 

Is there a rat lurking in the background?

 

I wonder which passport the boy used when he  left the UK?

 

 

[stevenl]

5 minutes ago, watcharacters said:

 

It's certainly a  comedy of errors but I doubt the British couple is laughing.

 

If immigration  was  checking for a return ticket to their homeland it should have been obvious the passport the boy was using would run out of validity.     If  only as a courtesy i'd hope the immigration officer would have mentioned this so the  boy could have used his valid British passport.

 

In the final analysis the  whole  situation really boils down to a simple administrative matter.    The boy is not a criminal and that's obvious to the government officials as well..

 

I vote for splitting the difference since the entering immigration  officer  really wasn't  astute and the Brits weren't thinking well  either about the passport issue as well.    They're already been fined so let that punishment be enough and allow them to be on their way

 

I'm starting to wonder if there's really something else that's causing this shi*storm.

 

Is there a rat lurking in the background?

 

I wonder which passport the boy used when he  left the UK?

 

 

How was the entering immigration officer to know they wouldn't renew the passport in country?

 

Wholly the couple's fault.

[user343434]

Some advantage if you can read, having common sense and bringing self responsibility with you.

Now they are moaning about they got threaten bad by the authorities??? 

 

Enjoy to get a few days extra holiday including:

apply for a new Passport which is easy in Thailand for a Thai

and have a nice flight back home, simple as that...

 

...oh I forgot 

enjoy some extra days holiday for the approval of the British Visa in the new Passport.

 

OOPS... forgot the letter from the Thai Authorities that confirms that you have had a Visa in the Old passport?

another day or two holiday, ouuuh lucky you!

 

Yeeehaww! ...and another day added coz you forgot that the Embassy want an official approved translation of the letter in English?

 

Cheap at least and now to the Airport...

 

oops, daddy has now an overstay to pay quick to the atm otherwise you miss your flight.. 

 

...and the moral of the story? I repeat:

Some advantage if you can read, having common sense and bringing self responsibility with you.

 

Sorry I just joined the group "anonymous sarcasms" 

"Hello I am See Will and I am a Sarcasm"

"Hello See Will, glad to see you here, Pfft !

 

and yes, all foreigners have to provide a min 6 month valid passport and at least 6 blank pages left..

1 Aussie, 1 Scot and myself made this experience once upon a time where you could "pay at the desk to sort it"

 

 

[Horace]

2 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Never a smart move to not know when your passport is about to expire.

Had it not been a Thai passport he would have needed 6 months validity to get in.

I sympathise with their predicament, but you have to say, they do only have themselves to blame, though I hope the authorities can speed things up, for what is after all not a complicated thing to do.

Agree.  But I am surprised that the airline they took to Thailand at the beginning of their four week vacation did not point out at the passport would expire during their trip.  Not blaming that airline; simply surprised they didn't catch this.  T

 

Again, agree that you do need to keep track of when your passport expires.

[Patriot]

Of course they’re not going to accept the British Passport, there’s no entry stamp!!!

Extend the holiday, renew the Thai passport and off home. 

This is most definitely NOT the Immigration being awkward, it is a straightforward rule infringement. 

Dad.... you should have been on the ball

[Patriot]

20 minutes ago, See Will said:

Some advantage if you can read, having common sense and bringing self responsibility with you.

Now they are moaning about they got threaten bad by the authorities??? 

 

Enjoy to get a few days extra holiday including:

apply for a new Passport which is easy in Thailand for a Thai

and have a nice flight back home, simple as that...

 

...oh I forgot 

enjoy some extra days holiday for the approval of the British Visa in the new Passport.

 

OOPS... forgot the letter from the Thai Authorities that confirms that you have had a Visa in the Old passport?

another day or two holiday, ouuuh lucky you!

 

Yeeehaww! ...and another day added coz you forgot that the Embassy want an official approved translation of the letter in English?

 

Cheap at least and now to the Airport...

 

oops, daddy has now an overstay to pay quick to the atm otherwise you miss your flight.. 

 

...and the moral of the story? I repeat:

Some advantage if you can read, having common sense and bringing self responsibility with you.

 

Sorry I just joined the group "anonymous sarcasms" 

"Hello I am See Will and I am a Sarcasm"

"Hello See Will, glad to see you here, Pfft !

 

and yes, all foreigners have to provide a min 6 month valid passport and at least 6 blank pages left..

1 Aussie, 1 Scot and myself made this experience once upon a time where you could "pay at the desk to sort it"

 

 

Unless I’m missing something the lad has a Brit passport so doesn’t need to go through the visa shenanigans. 

They entered Thailand on the Thai passport and will enter UK on the British??

[watcharacters]

8 minutes ago, Horace said:

Agree.  But I am surprised that the airline they took to Thailand at the beginning of their four week vacation did not point out at the passport would expire during their trip.  Not blaming that airline; simply surprised they didn't catch this.  T

 

Again, agree that you do need to keep track of when your passport expires.

 

There was apparently more than one  party guilty of oversight.

 

A fine has been paid and I say let them go.

 

I didn't read anywhere there's a murder or robbery connected with this couple or boy.

 

The end of the world won't happen due to this  infraction.

 

On with them I say..

 

[richard_smith237]

2 hours ago, Stoker58 said:

Aha, a “Mai dai” situation. Once the words have been said they can never be un-said. And of course the FCO does its usual hand-wash. Need help? Don’t call us.

I don't see how you can blame the FCO... The child is dual nationality - In Thailand he is Thai, he entered on his Thai passport, his Thai passport has expired. 

 

The British FCO can't do anything, he's not classed as a British Citizen while in the country of his alternate nationality.

 

It never ceases to surprise me the degree to which issues will be twisted to suit ones bias and flame away. This is nothing to do with the FCO.

[richard_smith237]

12 minutes ago, watcharacters said:

 

As I said in my post  "as a courtesy",   the immigration could have mentioned at least in passing the situation as he saw it with the boy's passport.    The exiting immigration officers certainly noted it  with gusto.

 

 

It's doubtful the immigration officer even noticed it.... There isn't much need to check the details of a Thai Passport - even if expired Thai's are permitted entry. Added to which, after looking at 100's of passports hour after hour I imagine the attention to detail diminishes.

 

Its just poor luck that this issue was noticed upon departure... I'd hazard a guess that if this were attempted 9 other times the child would 'slip out' with his family without issue. 

[genf]

The problem must be the following:
- the boy was born in the UK, his Thai mother and Scottish father could apply for a FIRST Thai passport for him at the Thai embassy in London anytime BUT he would not be able to get the SECOND passport in the UK until he gets a Thai national ID.
- to get the Thai national ID, the boy must be registered in a Thai house registration (Tabian Baan)
- when the boy's name is on the Tabian Baan (the House registration), automatically when he reaches 18 years of age he would be on the military conscription list. And he would have to return to Thailand when he's 21 years old for the conscription selection.
- the parents may not have registered the son in any house registration in Thailand.
- because of that explained above, it would naturally take a long time to process all the paperwork in Thailand.
- the boy should have returned to Thailand on the British passport in the first place (if he was not on Tabian Bann), as to avoid all this palaver.

Hence, the problem.

PS. Had the mother ever visited Pantip.com to ask about this, people there would have advised her how to do things properly.