Now, this might sound like a strange question to many as you're not leaving Thailand, but when I took my car on the boat to Samui they did ask for my passport, not on the way back though.

 

So if you travel by foot, did they ask you to show your passport?

I get sometimes asked for my passport when traveling domestic within Thailand, but so far showing my driver's license did the trick every time, including when taking a domestic flight.

Never .

Foreigners will often be asked for their passports under various circumstances in Thailand when what is meant is, please may I see some ID - as said earlier a Thai drivers license satisfies this need 99.99% of the time.

Can happen, or not. Sometimes. However, that is not a problem at all, due to that you shall always carry your passport and not be on overstay.

The last few times I took my car on the ferry I had to show my passport, as the driver, but none of the other people in my car had to show theirs.

Which is actually quite strange. Why only the drivers and not the passengers? 

I've tried to think of scenarios where that could be useful for the authorities but I cannot come up with anything that makes sense.

Probably just tiT

Never

 

11 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

Foreigners will often be asked for their passports under various circumstances in Thailand when what is meant is, please may I see some ID - as said earlier a Thai drivers license satisfies this need 99.99% of the time.

Authorities have never asked me for my passport in the 6 or so years I've been here, except for this one time at the boat to Samui with car. When applying for a new internet connection they might've asked for it, same when booking a hotel or signing a rental contract.

 

But government/police, literally never, while I've been arrested twice, and fined dozens of times paying at the police station, and even in those cases they didn't ask me for my passport.

48 minutes ago, ikbenhet said:

The last few times I took my car on the ferry I had to show my passport, as the driver, but none of the other people in my car had to show theirs.

Which is actually quite strange. Why only the drivers and not the passengers? 

I've tried to think of scenarios where that could be useful for the authorities but I cannot come up with anything that makes sense.

Probably just tiT

Yeah you'd think the blue car book would suffice, but even that is odd, especially on the boat to, now if it's the boat from Samui to shore it would be different in case it's a rental, eg to prevent theft.

They ask for every drivers ID as you go through the security gate into the ferry terminal.

This is at Seatran anyway, not been on Raja for a long time.

Goes for Thai as well as foreigners.

What it all boils down to is that they can't speak English. What they would like to be able to say is "may I  see some form of identification, please?"

But they can't.

So they just mutter "passa-port".

18 hours ago, simoh1490 said:

Foreigners will often be asked for their passports under various circumstances in Thailand when what is meant is, please may I see some ID - as said earlier a Thai drivers license satisfies this need 99.99% of the time.

yes

No. You will not need a Passport to travel on the Ferry boats between the mainland and Koh Samui where I have lived for 15 years.

On 11/9/2018 at 6:10 AM, HappyAndRich said:

Can happen, or not. Sometimes. However, that is not a problem at all, due to that you shall always carry your passport and not be on overstay.

The letter of the law in Thailand states that all foreigners must carry their passport or other travel document.

 

However, reality sets in and the Thai authorities accept that due to possible loss or theft of passports, then another form of photo id or a copy of the passport is acceptable. (In the past I have even used a Taronga zoo pass!)

 

The copy passport should also show the latest entry stamp.

 

Like others that have posted here, I only show my Thai DL when checking into either hotels or domestic flights.

2 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

The letter of the law in Thailand states that all foreigners must carry their passport or other travel document.

That was the important thing, right? If everybody start to follow the rules, maybe they no need to be so tough on foreigners in the future.

 

Everything else was just what you and other people do, and that doesn´t make it right.

Living on Samui ~30 years, I never had to show a passport or driving licence to anyone. I drive on the island daily, car and motorbikes. Countless times to the mainland by Raja and Seatrans. Never even have heard about that, but now.

It could be that they were looking for someone (?)

5 hours ago, HappyAndRich said:

That was the important thing, right? If everybody start to follow the rules, maybe they no need to be so tough on foreigners in the future.

 

Everything else was just what you and other people do, and that doesn´t make it right.

It is a bit more than common practice.

 

Both the British Government advisory and the head of police in Bangkok have stated publicly that photo id or passport copy with both the details and the latest entry stamp are acceptable but you must be able to provide the actual passport with 24 hours if requested by authorised people.

 

That 'makes it right'. Not my say so.

Vehicles they normallmask for ID

22 hours ago, Birdman said:

Living on Samui ~30 years, I never had to show a passport or driving licence to anyone. I drive on the island daily, car and motorbikes. Countless times to the mainland by Raja and Seatrans. Never even have heard about that, but now.

It could be that they were looking for someone (?)

Oh and the army are on standby at the ferries normally donsak side

Further to other replies; As soon as I renew my retirement extn each year I make 3x A4 copies of Bio page, Extn page and Thai DL which stay above my sun shield until the following year. I also photograph and hold copies in my phone.

The only time I needed one was to enter central car park when I couldn't be bothered to get my wallet out cos I was sitting on it! ????

1 hour ago, evadgib said:

Further to other replies; As soon as I renew my retirement extn each year I make 3x A4 copies of Bio page, Extn page and Thai DL which stay above my sun shield until the following year. I also photograph and hold copies in my phone.

The only time I needed one was to enter central car park when I couldn't be bothered to get my wallet out cos I was sitting on it! ????

Oh yeah after the bombing I was also asked to identify myself when parking there.

On 11/10/2018 at 9:52 AM, Tropicalevo said:

The letter of the law in Thailand states that all foreigners must carry their passport or other travel document.

 

However, reality sets in and the Thai authorities accept that due to possible loss or theft of passports, then another form of photo id or a copy of the passport is acceptable.

For 13 years I religiously carried my passport and work permit with me everywhere. And when I finally had them stolen, it took me five months and cost me a total of 58,000 baht to replace them, including having my WP expire while I was waiting for a new passport, and needing to begin all over again with that.

 

Now they stay at home and I carry copies.

Has anyone of you Samui-residents ever applied for a pink Thai ID-card for aliens..?

6 hours ago, khunPer said:

Has anyone of you Samui-residents ever applied for a pink Thai ID-card for aliens..?

I have never heard of this one KhunPer. Maybe start a new topic?

Mind you, I would be nervous showing a pink id card.  ????

Took the car from Samui to Suratthani and back today and at the entry booth to the ferry, I was asked to show id both ways.

14 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

Took the car from Samui to Suratthani and back today and at the entry booth to the ferry, I was asked to show id both ways.

Seatran or Raja?

43 minutes ago, PoorSucker said:

Seatran or Raja?

Seatran

21 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

Seatran

Yes. To enter Seatran Donsak by vehicle driver must present ID to the guard at the booth. Only one way in... (unless its lunch-time!!)