I am on a train down to surathani for a holiday. We planned to train down and fly back but I just realised I stupidly forgot my passport in our condo. Will I be able to fly back to Bangkok with any airline using just my USA or Australian license  (I lived there so I have both) or will I have to endure another 10-12 hour train ride back? 
 

thanks for the advice

Most likely, a photo id in English that is clearly of yourself would be accepted after some discussion. A Thai driving license certainly would be. Before booking your ticket, get a decision by email from the airline.

Good luck checking into your hotel without your passport.

4 hours ago, Goo61 said:

I am on a train down to surathani for a holiday. We planned to train down and fly back but I just realised I stupidly forgot my passport in our condo.

Don't expect to be able to check in to any decent hotel then. You have more problems than just flying back if you forgot that.

Didn't you have to show your passport to get the train ticket?

4 hours ago, Goo61 said:

will I have to endure another 10-12 hour train ride back? 

Some of us loved travelling on the train so much we used it in preference to flying. It's all in the mind set.

Just tell yourself you are saving the planet from doom by using the train instead of polluting the atmosphere.

4 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Just tell yourself you are saving the planet from doom by using the train instead of polluting the atmosphere.

 

Have you seen just how much black SRTs antique diesels emit? And it's all low in the atmosphere.

 

2 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

Have you seen just how much black SRTs antique diesels emit? And it's all low in the atmosphere.

 

Thanks Crossy, I was just giving the OP a good reason not to fly. If every soot emitting vehicle in Thailand was banned, there would not be much traffic on the roads.

I've been asked for my passport before when trying to use my non-Thai driving license. They didn't even read it - just saw that it wasn't a Thailand issued ID and asked for my passport, which I had, of course.

 

Why try? I just wanted to see if I could fly domestic without it.

 

This was about 2 years ago. Your experience may differ.

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Worst advice I ever saw posted on TVF. I've ALWAYS been asked for a passport unless I'm with my wife and she checks in. I never stayed in hovels though.

 

OP says "we", If "we" includes a Thai person, problem may be solved.

I’ve seen a lot worse and so have you. Many hotels you can talk to someone pay cash and get a key. They are not all dumps and he’s not in Bkk or some tourist area. Relax. 

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Just tell yourself you are saving the planet from doom by using the train instead of polluting the atmosphere.

Aren't all the trains like 1940s diesel engines? 

Last yr I went to Phuket from bkk leaving my passport with immigratation, Chonburi. I rolled up with an Australian driving licence after reading the airlines rules on travel and ID.

 

The airline declined my ID insisting on a passport. 

 

Hiwever, I went upstairs in bkk and bought and boarded a Thai Smile flight without any difficulties. So, do check with the airline before buying the return ticket. 

 

All the best

 

G

4 minutes ago, Bentley333 said:

Last yr I went to Phuket from bkk leaving my passport with immigratation

Wonderful consistency. 

13 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Aren't all the trains like 1940s diesel engines? 

May be but they don't polute so much on the downhill bits.

Re' booking into hotels, most, 99%, will accept your wifes PP. For an airline I'm not sure about Thai DL being acceptable or not. As someone suggested, a phone call checking first would be the best way.

1 minute ago, overherebc said:

Re' booking into hotels, most, 99%, will accept your wifes PP

Then they are breaking the law as they are required to submit a TM30 for all foreigners, requiring passport and TM6  details. 

2 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Then they are breaking the law as they are required to submit a TM30 for all foreigners, requiring passport and TM6  details. 

Then isn't that up to them? I hardly think they will do it then report themselves to the local Imm' office.

i have used my THAI driving licence so you should not have problem for domestic fight.....

Depends on the airlines and the airport. CM and both Bangkok airports are good to go with a Thai drivers license, but Chiang Rai requires passport. Don't figure. I have seen my USA friend use his US license before and there was no problem. Anyway, shouldn't you have a picture of the passport on your smart phone? 

4 hours ago, holy cow cm said:

Depends on the airlines and the airport. CM and both Bangkok airports are good to go with a Thai drivers license, but Chiang Rai requires passport. Don't figure. I have seen my USA friend use his US license before and there was no problem. Anyway, shouldn't you have a picture of the passport on your smart phone? 

Yep I have a photo of it. Would that be enough for a flight and the small guesthouse were staying at? At most guest houses I’ve stayed in, I haven’t been asked for any ID when checking in and my boyfriend has his passport so hopefully we will be fine

6 hours ago, thinktoomuch said:

I've been asked for my passport before when trying to use my non-Thai driving license. They didn't even read it - just saw that it wasn't a Thailand issued ID and asked for my passport, which I had, of course.

 

Why try? I just wanted to see if I could fly domestic without it.

So, what happens if someone loses their passport and doesn't live in BKK but needs to fly to BKK to their embassy to get a replacement passport? They're screwed big time?

49 minutes ago, Goo61 said:

Yep I have a photo of it. Would that be enough for a flight and the small guesthouse were staying at? At most guest houses I’ve stayed in, I haven’t been asked for any ID when checking in and my boyfriend has his passport so hopefully we will be fine

It is certainly better than nothing. Do you have any entry stamps upon arrival? It is your best back up to get on the airplane and should be ok.

 

That is quite the bizarre TV name you picked for yourself Goo61. Not going to ask…..

 

Have a good day.

 

 

1 hour ago, holy cow cm said:

It is certainly better than nothing. Do you have any entry stamps upon arrival? It is your best back up to get on the airplane and should be ok.

 

That is quite the bizarre TV name you picked for yourself Goo61. Not going to ask…..

 

Have a good day.

 

 

It was an automated username given to me on a game website when I was a kid ???? 

 

no I don’t have any Photos of stamps...I guess what I’ll do is call a few airlines to see if it’s possible to board with a us or Australian drivers license and a photocopy of my passport and see, if not I guess I’ll be on the 12 hour bus ????‍♀️

11 hours ago, ukrules said:

Good luck checking into your hotel without your passport.

I checked into a hotel in Pattaya for a 3 night stay on the 18th and in Bangkok on the 21st using my Thai DL. 

Edited October 31, 20196 yr by tweedledee2
?

11 hours ago, ukrules said:

Good luck checking into your hotel without your passport.

 

I never show my passport when checking in to hotels in Thailand. Always use my Thai DL for that - and domestic flights.

The times are a changing! 

Last month I tried checking into a hotel that I use frequently while I'm in Kanchanaburi. They used to except my Thai Pink ID card or my Thai Drivers licence as a form of ID. But not now. Luckily, they excepted a photo of my passport I had on my phone, which they took a screen shot and transfered to paper. They were adamant...No Passport...No Stay!

I've flown with my Thai drivers license. I'd suggest you start with your foreign drivers license and when/if they complain, say "oh, here's a photo of my passport". I think it would be better to actually print a hard copy of the photo from your phone.  Checking in online would also be good so that you can walk straight to security without stopping at the checkin counter. If you make it through security and to the gate, I'd imagine they'd be a lot more likely to let you on the plane. 

 

At a hotel, the TM30 report does not require a TM6 number so a photo of the passport should be sufficient for a hotel. Even when self-reporting on the app the TM6 number is optional. Since you say "we" are traveling, the better option would be for your travel mate to do the check in. 

  When flying AirAsia their policy is you have to use the same ID at check-in that was used for booking the flight. I believe the only option to book online for a foreigner is with a Passport. Thai nationals can book using either their Passport or Thai ID. My Thai daughter and I flew from Bangkok to Buriram last week and check-in staff would not accept a photo of her ID card on my phone and they requested the actual card which she had.

Renewing a passport at the Australian Embassy takes 3/4 weeks. Airline would not accept my cancelled old passport but accepted my Thai drivers licence. I really did not want to stay in Bangkok for a month, waiting for a new passport.

12 hours ago, ukrules said:

Good luck checking into your hotel without your passport.

Yes, that can be the case because of the TM30 nonsense.

1 hour ago, Goo61 said:

It was an automated username given to me on a game website when I was a kid ???? 

 

no I don’t have any Photos of stamps...I guess what I’ll do is call a few airlines to see if it’s possible to board with a us or Australian drivers license and a photocopy of my passport and see, if not I guess I’ll be on the 12 hour bus ????‍♀️

You should be fine

1 hour ago, tweedledee2 said:

I checked into a hotel in Pattaya for a 3 night stay on the 18th and in Bangkok on the 21st using my Thai DL. 

1 hour ago, Jip99 said:

I never show my passport when checking in to hotels in Thailand. Always use my Thai DL for that - and domestic flights.

As said before, "decent hotels" respect the law, do the TM.30 report, and for that need your passport.

And yes, still many guesthouses or cheap hotels not doing so, but also more and more controls and fines by immigration...