British family stranded in Thailand over son’s passport issues

[Just Weird]

1 hour ago, tonywillo said:

Zero sympathy here. 

Case of being too tight with money and trying to save a few bucks on a visa, makes no sense when the father needed to go down this route anyway. 

Second piece of stupidity here and I would think almost common knowledge that any travel document which has or about to expire is next to useless.

His son would have been better off overstaying on his Scottish passport. Being under 18 he would not have been fined anyway. 

Scottish passport?  That's novel.

[Cheops]

Why is this case of carelessness within a family trip news?

Oh, I get it, the cave rescue stories are running out... ?

[Benmart]

22 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.

I am not here to assign blame, as I am not the judge in this situation. I read and am thankful my side of the street is clean.

[Andrew65]

20 minutes ago, Just Weird said:

Scottish passport?  That's novel.

...it might be, if they get independence!!?

 

Then again, I think too many Scots know on which side their breads buttered for that to happen!?

[overherebc]

24 minutes ago, Just Weird said:

Scottish passport?  That's novel.

?

[Andrew65]

Just now, overherebc said:

?

 

It's not "machine-readable"!!!???

 

[Media1]

23 hours ago, BobbyL said:

How can things like this not be easily rectified. 

THAIS

[Media1]

23 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.

Only a complete patient can disagree here

[dunroaming]

Similar thing happened to a neighbour of ours when we lived in Chiang Mai.  This time the Thai passport was lost while they were staying in Thailand.  They went up to Mae Sai and spent a day shopping on Tachilek, leaving using the boys English passport and then returning again still using it.  Because he was stamped in using the British passport he could then legally fly out also using it.  Of course they could have stopped him at the Mae Sai border but anyone using that facility will know they rarely check such things, especially when there is a long queue.

 

Not an idea solution but T.I.T.

[khunPer]

The article says:

Quote

The family has been trapped in Thailand for more than a week and now faces forking out more than £2,000 in travel and accommodation.

However, you can get a new Thai passport same day when applying early in the morning, for a "reasonable" surcharge, I think it was 1,000 baht last I saw the sign in Surat Thani office. There's a thread about Bangkok, where it's stated that same day passport service fee is 3,000 baht, still a lot cheaper than £2,000.

 

Edit: Ups, I forget to add the link for the tread...

 

However the official "Thai Passport" homepages says: "Applicants in Bangkok can pick-up their e-Passports 2 working days after the application date."

Edited August 4, 2018 by khunPer

[watcharacters]

2 hours ago, Just Weird said:

Thailand is the boys homeland, no need for return tickets or for the IO to mention anything.  The IO would not be aware of the boy having a UK passport.

 

 

I appreciate what you and 

2 hours ago, Just Weird said:

Thailand is the boys homeland, no need for return tickets or for the IO to mention anything.  The IO would not be aware of the boy having a UK passport.

 

 

I appreciate what you and RT555  are saying   but  I can't see how this should become such a big issue  for those other than nit pickers and  martinet inclined   individuals

 

I've already opined the subject people are at fault and yes they have already paid a fine.   That's in the OP link.

 

Is  there some other reason this seems to touch a  very sensitive nerve among so many TVF members?

 

For the record, I've never had any issue of any nature with my stay in a country or any issue with my passport.

 

The finger pointing in this matter seems out of reason  to me.

 

[KhonkaenExpat]

Sorry they have to be a bit stupid not knowing the expiry date on their Son’s Thai passport, they could have renewed it before coming on holiday or they could have renewed it whilst in Thailand??

Checking the expiry date on your passport is one first thing’s you do if you have not traveled for a while.

Immigration is well within their right’s to stop a Thai citizen traveling on an expired passport.

[genf]

34 minutes ago, Media1 said:

THAIS

Let see, assuming you have British and Thai passports. You travel to the UK and enter the country on the British passport. After a while you decided it is time to go back to Thailand so you go straight to the airport. During the check-in it's discovered that your passport has expired so you've asked the staff to check you in with the Thai passport instead. The staff refuses to check you in because your Thai passport has no UK visa on it. FYI, like Thailand, airline check-in staff in the UK do check travel and UK visa document too. 

What do you have to say in this case?    BRITS!

 

Cheers,

[genf]

17 minutes ago, khunPer said:

The article says:

However, you can get a new Thai passport same day when applying early in the morning, for a "reasonable" surcharge, I think it was 1,000 baht last I saw the sign in Surat Thani office. There's a thread about Bangkok, where it's stated that same day passport service fee is 3,000 baht, still a lot cheaper than £2,000.

 

Edit: Ups, I forget to add the link for the tread...

 

However the official "Thai Passport" homepages says: "Applicants in Bangkok can pick-up their e-Passports 2 working days after the application date."

Yes, one can have a new Thai passport within one day but the problem was that the boy needed to wait for his original birth certificate that the family left in Edinburgh in order to have him registered in the Household registration book (Tabian Baan). Depending on how fast they can gather all the required documents, that I don't know.

1. Child Thai passport 
2. Child birth certificate

3. Photo x 3, 1inch  

4. National ID of the head of the household and the Household registration book, including a photocopy with the head's signature

5 National ID of Thai mother and father's passport (non-Thai)

Time: a couple of hours -1/2 day max.

Once the boy has been registered then they can proceed to get the National ID. Time: a couple of hours -1/2 day max.

Next step is to apply for Thai passport. Application time 15 mins to 1 hour (with prior reservation)  Return of passport 1-3 days in Bangkok, 5-7 days elsewhere.

[watcharacters]

1 hour ago, KhonkaenExpat said:

Sorry they have to be a bit stupid not knowing the expiry date on their Son’s Thai passport, they could have renewed it before coming on holiday or they could have renewed it whilst in Thailand??

Checking the expiry date on your passport is one first thing’s you do if you have not traveled for a while.

Immigration is well within their right’s to stop a Thai citizen traveling on an expired passport.

 

 

Has anyone addressed the sophistication of these Brit travelers when it comes down to international traveling?

 

 

Call them stupid or suggest hanging in a public square.    I still say it's over and they moved on with the matter.

 

[Margita]

On 8/3/2018 at 2:54 PM, BobbyL said:

How can things like this not be easily rectified. 

The family did obviously know the rules.

Dual citizens enter Thailand with their Thai passport and should naturally leave the country with the same passport.

As well as the leave UK and arrive in UK with the UK passport.

Rules are rules ! Then that this could have been overseen by presenting the Thai passport showing you arrived with that one.

Now they know for next time!

[watcharacters]

Just now, Margita said:

The family did obviously know the rules.

Dual citizens enter Thailand with their Thai passport and should naturally leave the country with the same passport.

As well as the leave UK and arrive in UK with the UK passport.

Rules are rules ! Then that this could have been overseen by presenting the Thai passport showing you arrived with that one.

Now they know for next time!

 

 

Would you prefer shooting or hanging for these miscreants?

 

[overherebc]

3 hours ago, Just Weird said:

Anyone who read the OP, and the link, knows that the expired passport was spotted at the check-in desk!

So if the father was fined for overstay it would appear that's being done at check in now.

[Media1]

1 hour ago, genf said:

Let see, assuming you have British and Thai passports. You travel to the UK and enter the country on the British passport. After a while you decided it is time to go back to Thailand so you go straight to the airport. During the check-in it's discovered that your passport has expired so you've asked the staff to check you in with the Thai passport instead. The staff refuses to check you in because your Thai passport has no UK visa on it. FYI, like Thailand, airline check-in staff in the UK do check travel and UK visa document too. 

What do you have to say in this case?    BRITS!

 

Cheers,

The UK will quickly rectify a stranded family.. Thai will drag it out. That's waist I say. Seen it before useless they are jokers

[Media1]

1 minute ago, overherebc said:

So if the father was fined for overstay it would appear that's being done at check in now.

That's there game get money

[cyberfarang]

The family, from Corstorphine, have gone back to their property in the meantime in Ubon Ratchathan which is a nine-hour drive from Bangkok.
 

The family have returned to their property in Ubon Ratchathan. Probably another one that has purchased land and property in his Thai wife`s name and legally owns nothing in Thailand. It also doesn`t appear that his son has a current Thai I.D. card, which has to be shown when applying for or renewing a Thai passport.

 

They have not followed any of the correct procedures regarding Thai citizenship of his son and legalities applying to foreigners rights in Thailand. Pure incompetence on the part of both parents. Have only themselves to blame. 

 

Edited August 4, 2018 by cyberfarang

[Media1]

3 minutes ago, cyberfarang said:

The family, from Corstorphine, have gone back to their property in the meantime in Ubon Ratchathan which is a nine-hour drive from Bangkok.
 

The family have returned to their property in Ubon Ratchathan. Probably another one that has purchased land and property in his Thai wife`s name and legally owns nothing in Thailand. It also doesn`t appear that his son has a current Thai I.D. card, which to to be shown when applying for or renewing a Thai passport.

 

They have not followed any of the correct procedures regarding Thai citizenship of his son and legalities applying to foreigners foreigners rights in Thailand. Pure incompetence on the part of both parents. Only themselves to blame. 

 

I wont employ you as my defence lawyer but prosecution your ok

Edited August 4, 2018 by Media1

[captspectre]

you would think that the father would have enough sense to check his travel documents! there's one born every minute! also the boy should not have been allowed to travel when his passport was due to expire! I believe that you have to have at least six months remaining on your passport to travell.

 

[ravip]

27 minutes ago, Media1 said:

That's there game get money

So if the father was fined for overstay = That's there game get money.

 

? Do you mean they should  ignore the overstay and stamp the departure?

Would you be suggesting perpetual visas? No validity periods?

[cyberfarang]

7 minutes ago, captspectre said:

you would think that the father would have enough sense to check his travel documents! there's one born every minute! also the boy should not have been allowed to travel when his passport was due to expire! I believe that you have to have at least six months remaining on your passport to travell.

 

Apparently that rule was amended;

 

 

[GroveHillWanderer]

40 minutes ago, overherebc said:

So if the father was fined for overstay it would appear that's being done at check in now.

Not necessarily. The article was written when they had already returned to Ubon and been 'trapped' in Thailand for more than an additional week beyond his (presumed) 30-day visa-exempt entry. He had already processed an extension of stay so it's possible he was fined by immigration when requesting an extension.

[Patriot]

Did I read that the family had gone back to UBON?? If so great. Someone get the word out to him to be in the Irish Bar in Warin, Sunday at 2pm.  I’ll bet he cold do with a good wet and yarn  

[wvavin]

This is purely the father's fault for not knowing that at least a 6-month prior to passport expiry is a requirement when traveling to anywhere.

[Jonmarleesco]

Obviously they shouldn't gave let it expire. 

[ttrd]

10 hours ago, dotpoom said:

How was he allowed into Thailand in the first place with so little time left in his passport?....did nobody either from the airlines or airport notice it

We can assume when they flew out from the UK they all used the UK Passports and those of them who have dual citizenship they often use the Thai Passport when arrive and depart in Thailand. As long as the Thai Passport was valid when he arrived he will not have any issue as well as its not the immigrations duty to remind the person about the expire date in the Passport as long as it is still valid, but of course when it has expired during his stay then it will be issues on the departure.

 

Anyway, Its allowed to questioning the practice that dont allow you to leave the country with another valid passport, but since I do not know the Thai law in this setting it might be different from the practice in feks Europe where it would have not been any issue in a similar case. It might as well be the lack of understanding from the immigration side as many of us have experienced when they are facing an issue which deviate from the norm then they unfortunately most of the time arrive in a problem increasing mode rather than a problem solving mode - LOS on its best on the downside....?

 

When this said its no doubt about that the whole Orr family need to increase their planning skills...
 

Edited August 4, 2018 by ttrd