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Passport Data Requested at Post Office before Posting Birthday Card

tomdfc
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tomdfc Senior Member

tomdfc

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Yes, truly.  And the data was carefully copied onto a form and it looked as though the recipient name and address was also entered onto the form.  (Mother-in-law, for upcoming 80th birthday, UK.)  Is this some new idea to track unwanted aliens whose visa can be found to have expired when checked against the passport number?  is it to enforce the carrying of passports by all aliens?

The process wasn't quick.  Sorry to the people held up in the queue.  The (local?) birthday card business may now take a hit.  As will post office revenue. 

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Just Weird Gold Member

Just Weird

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Posted (edited)
36 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

Everybody has to provide identification to mail anything now and that includes Thais.

It doesn't apply to everything, normal domestic mail doesn't require a passport, certainly not at Nana post office, all overseas does, though, and maybe local reg/EMS.

Edited by Just Weird
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Just Weird Gold Member

Just Weird

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40 minutes ago, tomdfc said:

Yes, truly.  And the data was carefully copied onto a form and it looked as though the recipient name and address was also entered onto the form.  (Mother-in-law, for upcoming 80th birthday, UK.)  Is this some new idea to track unwanted aliens whose visa can be found to have expired when checked against the passport number?  is it to enforce the carrying of passports by all aliens?

The process wasn't quick.  Sorry to the people held up in the queue.  The (local?) birthday card business may now take a hit.  As will post office revenue. 

As has been pointed out by others this is not something new, but the process is quick.  How long does it take to type a name and passport number, one minute, perhaps, for a slow typist?  As everything is entered in the post office's computer what form was completed?

 

Who you're sending mail to is irrelevant, as is the recipients relationship to you or her age!

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Pungdo Senior Member

Pungdo

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I post a fair bit of stuff back to Australia and I find it a bit hit and miss, sometimes I get asked for ID and sometimes I don't, I have used my Thai drivers license a couple of times when I haven't had my passport with me.

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Scottjouro Rookie Member

Scottjouro

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18 hours ago, Just Weird said:

It doesn't apply to everything, normal domestic mail doesn't require a passport, certainly not at Nana post office, all overseas does, though, and maybe local reg/EMS.

Thai nationals show their ID, they ask for your passport as thats your ID, they will even accept a Thai DL, even for domestic

 

Its ok no conspiracy, they are not recording farang movements and writiing it in their little black books

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bipper Senior Member

bipper

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When Thais ask for your passport they mean ID. It's a language issue.

 

Anytime I'm asked for my passport (other than at immigration) I show my Thai driving license. That has my passport number on it and is our ID number in Thailand. 

Edited by bipper
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Formaleins Silver Member

Formaleins

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Wasn't this going to be normal practice that was talked about a few years ago, around the time of the troubles in Bangkok with the Reds and Yellows? It was at the same time as the additional info was required to by a phone SIM.

 

The post office thing just did not seem to take off at the time, I remember I used to carry my passport to our local office in case I was asked, but never was.

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Scottjouro Rookie Member

Scottjouro

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1 hour ago, Formaleins said:

Wasn't this going to be normal practice that was talked about a few years ago, around the time of the troubles in Bangkok with the Reds and Yellows? It was at the same time as the additional info was required to by a phone SIM.

 

The post office thing just did not seem to take off at the time, I remember I used to carry my passport to our local office in case I was asked, but never was.

Yes...and the reason was valid, people were sending untraceable phones/sim cards through the post which were being used to detonate bombs in the South and other illegal stuff being shipped, so they wanted a record of who was send what...

 

Try sending a phone and sim card into Thailand via a courier and they will not accept the shipment 

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NCC1701A Platinum Member

NCC1701A

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22 hours ago, tomdfc said:

Is this some new idea to track unwanted aliens

this post office policy came out of the 2015 bombings and also to SIM cards being registered. 

 

 

 

 

Edited by ubonjoe
removed a off topic video
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Bangkok Barry Diamond Member

Bangkok Barry

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20 hours ago, Just Weird said:

It doesn't apply to everything, normal domestic mail doesn't require a passport, certainly not at Nana post office, all overseas does, though, and maybe local reg/EMS.

 

I went to send a letter from Nana Post Office to Kalasin and the girl demanded to know what country it was in. I know Thais know nothing relating to overseas, but their own country??? Unbelievable.

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fforest1 Silver Member

fforest1

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1 hour ago, Scottjouro said:

Yes...and the reason was valid, people were sending untraceable phones/sim cards through the post which were being used to detonate bombs in the South and other illegal stuff being shipped, so they wanted a record of who was send what...

 

Try sending a phone and sim card into Thailand via a courier and they will not accept the shipment 

Gee I guess a master mind terrorist could not figure out to give a homeless person 50 baht to mail the package for them....

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Grusa Gold Member

Grusa

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2 hours ago, bipper said:

When Thais ask for your passport they mean ID. It's a language issue.

 

Anytime I'm asked for my passport (other than at immigration) I show my Thai driving license. That has my passport number on it and is our ID number in Thailand. 

Yes that is true. However I have never received a satisfactory answer to this:- Since my Drivers Licences were issued some 3 years ago, my passport has been renewed and carries a new number. I have continued to use the dl and the old number, for hotels, post office, phone registration, etc., with no problems so far. The only people, apart from immigration, who insist on my passport for id etc are the bank and government agencies such as CAAT. Have I commited an offense by not changing my dl, will I retain the same number when I renew them, and am I commiting an offense by continuing to use them as id? No one seems to know or care.....which suits me, ....for now!????

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melvinmelvin Gold Member

melvinmelvin

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22 hours ago, Just Weird said:

It doesn't apply to everything, normal domestic mail doesn't require a passport, certainly not at Nana post office, all overseas does, though, and maybe local reg/EMS.

domestic ordinary mail requires passport

 

that some post offices skip this does not mean it is not required(legally)

 

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joebrown Silver Member

joebrown

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Whilst the need for ID was brought in about the same time as the Bangkok troubles I understand the actual reason was to stop the movement of drugs by post.

Apparently my Thai g/f was told this by a post office manager a few years ago.

Edited by joebrown
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Burma Bill Ruby Member

Burma Bill

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On 10/8/2018 at 1:24 PM, ubonjoe said:

Everybody has to provide identification to mail anything now and that includes Thais.

Not quite true. I regularly use my local Thailand Post Office here in rural Khon Kaen Province and this is what I experience. Registered Air Mail to any destination - name/address on reverse of envelope. NO PASSPORT shown.

Any package/parcel - PASSPORT has to be shown. Thais show ID card. This is the law as it may assist in identifying the smuggling of drugs, contraband and other illegal items. Nothing to do with visas.

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Scottjouro Rookie Member

Scottjouro

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2 hours ago, Grusa said:

Yes that is true. However I have never received a satisfactory answer to this:- Since my Drivers Licences were issued some 3 years ago, my passport has been renewed and carries a new number. I have continued to use the dl and the old number, for hotels, post office, phone registration, etc., with no problems so far. The only people, apart from immigration, who insist on my passport for id etc are the bank and government agencies such as CAAT. Have I commited an offense by not changing my dl, will I retain the same number when I renew them, and am I commiting an offense by continuing to use them as id? No one seems to know or care.....which suits me, ....for now!????

No it not a criminal offence....i renewed my 5 yearly a few months had mutiple pp number changes...all it means it it takes a little longer to renew as they need to change the number in system, which requires another signature from a "boss" before they change it 

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Scottjouro Rookie Member

Scottjouro

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9 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

Not quite true. I regularly use my local Thailand Post Office here in rural Khon Kaen Province and this is what I experience. Registered Air Mail to any destination - name/address on reverse of envelope. NO PASSPORT shown.

Any package/parcel - PASSPORT has to be shown. Thais show ID card. This is the law as it may assist in identifying the smuggling of drugs, contraband and other illegal items. Nothing to do with visas.

That doesnt mean its not required it just means that PO in the sticks either doesnt know or is too lazy to check thats all...

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Scottjouro Rookie Member

Scottjouro

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3 hours ago, fforest1 said:

Gee I guess a master mind terrorist could not figure out to give a homeless person 50 baht to mail the package for them....

The vast majority of terrorists are not bright to begin with...how do you know said homeless person had an ID ? 

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connda Star Member

connda

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On 10/8/2018 at 1:24 PM, ubonjoe said:

Everybody has to provide identification to mail anything now and that includes Thais.

Interesting.  I've never been asked.  But seeing that the PO clerks know me by sight as I'm the only pasty white farang in the Muubaan, it's probably a bureaucratic dictate that even our esteemed local post office workers don't want to do.


"I see this farang again and again for 12 years.  He live here.  Has PO box.  I not ask for stupid passport."

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Burma Bill Ruby Member

Burma Bill

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11 minutes ago, Scottjouro said:

That doesnt mean its not required it just means that PO in the sticks either doesnt know or is too lazy to check thats all...

The we must be lucky. Not only my local PO but the main offices in Khon Kaen and Chumphae, also the branch offices in Nong Rua, Ban Fang, Central Plaza, Tesco Lotus and the airport (KKC) - all of which I use. NO PASSPORT for letters. PASSPORT for packages and parcels.

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