Have lived and worked in Thailand full time from 2002. Mainly in Bangkok where I was a daily user of BTS.  Just returned from a 3 month trip overseas, went today to BTS OnNut to top up 500 baht on my Rabbit card and was astonished when the girl demanded my passport which I did not have on me. Luckily the pink ID card did the job.

 

However all of this seems to be another worrying symptom of the increasing official paranoia towards foreigners.  I am wondering what is next: having to show passport before allowed to even enter the BTS?

 

This is even more ludricous considering one can pull single trip tickets from the machine without any form of ID.

 

What is going on? Was this an overzealous bts employee or part of further efforts to make foreigners feel unwelcome?

Although it may be dismissed as an additional minor inconvenience I do consider it another notch on the 'unwelcome scale'.

On the first BTS card they will ask to passport or ID.

I have never been asked for anything but my money on succeeding topups.

This is not new. They once asked me half a year ago, and last week again when using another card.

 

I believe this is not only for foreigners.

 

It is because now the BTS card can also be used to pay for other things, to hold money etc (Rabbitpay?). And the passport is needed the prevent money laundering. That is the official story.

 

But now they can also trace everybody travelling. They now know exactly where you go each day. How much time you spend in the country. It has a lot of options together with video surveillance and face recognition. Scary....

 

 

Demanding the ID is not about getting on the BTS. 

 

It's about adding money to a financial instrument that could be used for money laundering.  Not specific to foreigners, Thai people have to whip out an ID, too.  For all (well, many) intents and purposes, it's like a prepaid debit card.

 

Edit:  My bet is that it was an older card that predated the requirements and didn't have an ID tied to it yet.  Please post back when you top it up again...

 

Edited December 19, 20196 yr by impulse

As Above ALL Rabbit users must be registered not just foreigners. 

 

I'm surprised that you've been a regular user and not been caught in the net yet (have you been topping up at locations other than BTS?).

 

Anyway it's just a one-off, you shouldn't need ID again.

 

You also need to show ID when sending mail at the post office.  

21 hours ago, impulse said:

Demanding the ID is not about getting on the BTS. 

 

It's about adding money to a financial instrument that could be used for money laundering.  Not specific to foreigners, Thai people have to whip out an ID, too.  For all (well, many) intents and purposes, it's like a prepaid debit card.

 

Edit:  My bet is that it was an older card that predated the requirements and didn't have an ID tied to it yet.  Please post back when you top it up again...

 

 

My understanding is that money launderers deal in hundreds of thousands of pounds or dollars, or millions of baht. I understand that, but the Thai authorities clearly don't. They seem to believe that spending 500 baht on a card represents a threat of money laundering. Just another example of the total lack of common sense in Thailand. Soon, we'll be asked to show a passport to get a haircut - army-style of course.

When it happened to me a few months back it was right around the time of new visa regs and the delightful TM30. I was furious and felt very persecuted. I immediately contacted a friend who has a friend working in the BTS management. He confirmed that everyone has to have their card registered. The excuse given was that students have caused this by using the children’s cheaper cards...or something along those lines.

I was momentarily appeased until I handed over my pink card and was told no, only passport which I didn’t have. I went back the next day after another call and handed over my pink card again. It should have been accepted the first time but the staff didn’t know.

26 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

My understanding is that money launderers deal in hundreds of thousands of pounds or dollars, or millions of baht. I understand that, but the Thai authorities clearly don't. They seem to believe that spending 500 baht on a card represents a threat of money laundering. Just another example of the total lack of common sense in Thailand. Soon, we'll be asked to show a passport to get a haircut - army-style of course.

 

I went to Walmart in Texas to get a prepaid debit card loaded with all of $300 USD to be used on Amazon and EBay only.  I had to give them ID, including my SSN, even if I had loaded it with $3.  It's effectively opening a bank account.  Things have changed around the world.  Thailand's actually late to the game.  And it's not as if they're picking on foreigners.

 

The Rabbit card can be used at all kinds of venues, and buying 500 of them and loading them to the max (whatever that is) could be used for nefarious purposes.  Just like a $3 pre-paid Walmart debit card.

 

I prefer to use either my drivers license, or my pink resident card. Never, ever carry my passport with me. They accept either. 

They want us carry passport everyday  .. so we can loose it... stupid.. they want passport so they can track us too

2 hours ago, RBOP said:

You also need to show ID when sending mail at the post office.  

I have sent several domestic mail in Thailand,and never been asked for an ID,but when using EMS or other recorded delivery services,then you need to officially show an ID/passport. That includes thai nationals. 

1 hour ago, impulse said:

 

I went to Walmart in Texas to get a prepaid debit card loaded with all of $300 USD to be used on Amazon and EBay only.  I had to give them ID, including my SSN, even if I had loaded it with $3.  It's effectively opening a bank account.  Things have changed around the world.  Thailand's actually late to the game.  And it's not as if they're picking on foreigners.

 

The Rabbit card can be used at all kinds of venues, and buying 500 of them and loading them to the max (whatever that is) could be used for nefarious purposes.  Just like a $3 pre-paid Walmart debit card.

 

 

Okay, but real money laundering involves buying multi-million dollar homes or setting up fake companies, not a thousand or two on debit cards. The world has gone mad.

On 12/18/2019 at 11:10 PM, bkk6060 said:

On the first BTS card they will ask to passport or ID.

I have never been asked for anything but my money on succeeding topups.

I was asked for my passport when topping up last month. I should have remembered

that I had my pink ID card in my wallet.

1 hour ago, peter14 said:

They want us carry passport everyday  .. so we can loose it... stupid.. they want passport so they can track us too

No law in this country will ever make me carry my passport at all times.

If they cannot accept my pink ID card or driving licence, then I have a middle finger.

It"s the NEW thailand.....EXENOPHOBIA to the max.   Eyes are on us 24/7.  A quick phone call and we are booted out for good.

8 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

Okay, but real money laundering involves buying multi-million dollar homes or setting up fake companies, not a thousand or two on debit cards. The world has gone mad.

"The world has gone mad". It is more like Thailand that has gone mad.

How they just love their uniforms and authority.

Wanted to pay my electricity bill yesterday at Mini Big C, a shop I've been using for years for this service. Yesterday I failed as I did not have my passport and (no more existing as retired) work permit. The girl seriously suggested me to go home and get both booklets. Having told her that I'm retired and dont have a work permit anymore she bluntly told me, that I could not pay the bill with any Big C or Mini Big C store anymore.

Will see the PEA this afternoon for an automatic debit; cannot deal with these idiots anymore. Picture this, you want to pay an utility bill and you need a fr1gg1ng passport AND a work permit ...........

 

43 minutes ago, Sydebolle said:

Will see the PEA this afternoon for an automatic debit; cannot deal with these idiots anymore. Picture this, you want to pay an utility bill and you need a fr1gg1ng passport AND a work permit ...........

 

PEA have a pretty good App so you can pay by card or bank transfer, also most of the banks with online banking now have a scan and pay option.

 

3 hours ago, possum1931 said:

"The world has gone mad". It is more like Thailand that has gone mad.

How they just love their uniforms and authority.

 

See post #9 above. The USA too, apparently.

5 hours ago, Crossy said:

 

PEA have a pretty good App so you can pay by card or bank transfer, also most of the banks with online banking now have a scan and pay option.

 

Thanks ???? 

7 hours ago, Sydebolle said:

Wanted to pay my electricity bill yesterday at Mini Big C, a shop I've been using for years for this service. Yesterday I failed as I did not have my passport and (no more existing as retired) work permit. The girl seriously suggested me to go home and get both booklets. Having told her that I'm retired and dont have a work permit anymore she bluntly told me, that I could not pay the bill with any Big C or Mini Big C store anymore.

Will see the PEA this afternoon for an automatic debit; cannot deal with these idiots anymore. Picture this, you want to pay an utility bill and you need a fr1gg1ng passport AND a work permit ...........

 

Easy solution ... set up for auto pay for your electric bill.  Did that years ago, and what is nice is they still mail you an actual receipt of payment.  "Win / Win"  If that is "too damn easy" ... you can pay your electric bill from either your phone (bank app) or computer (online account).  Umm ... you do know it is almost 2020?  You may want to try using modern tools to make your life easy, and stop complaining?

On 12/18/2019 at 10:52 PM, bascat said:

Have lived and worked in Thailand full time from 2002. Mainly in Bangkok where I was a daily user of BTS.  Just returned from a 3 month trip overseas, went today to BTS OnNut to top up 500 baht on my Rabbit card and was astonished when the girl demanded my passport which I did not have on me. Luckily the pink ID card did the job.

So another good use for the so called useless Pink ID card.

On 12/20/2019 at 7:56 PM, bangkokequity said:

Easy solution ... set up for auto pay for your electric bill.  Did that years ago, and what is nice is they still mail you an actual receipt of payment.  "Win / Win"  If that is "too damn easy" ... you can pay your electric bill from either your phone (bank app) or computer (online account).  Umm ... you do know it is almost 2020?  You may want to try using modern tools to make your life easy, and stop complaining?

It is Orson Wells I am addressing with my original post; not the technology. If you start showing your passport, birth certificate and the content of your underwear for each and every time you buy a BTS trip, a tiny utility bill settlement or go for an ice cream down at 7/11 .......... 

On 12/18/2019 at 11:11 PM, dimitriv said:

 

But now they can also trace everybody travelling. They now know exactly where you go each day. How much time you spend in the country. It has a lot of options together with video surveillance and face recognition. Scary....

 

 

Thats a relief, saves me time posting on facebook and instagram.

Ive copies of my passport always on hand and seem to hand them out more than my business cards !!

On 12/20/2019 at 12:22 PM, possum1931 said:

No law in this country will ever make me carry my passport at all times.

If they cannot accept my pink ID card or driving licence, then I have a middle finger.

You only require it to register a Rabbit card.  After then it's no longer required.  Jai yen yen.

On 12/20/2019 at 12:22 PM, possum1931 said:

No law in this country will ever make me carry my passport at all times.

If they cannot accept my pink ID card or driving licence, then I have a middle finger.

Dude ... Because the Rabbit Card evolved to become what is really a debit card which can be used for all kinds of transactions .. it fell under the same rules as any financial instrument that can hold a cash balance.  The passport thing is a one time event. 

Of course, feel free to queue up for one time tickets at the kiosks ... that should be fun???  Having a Rabbit Card is a privilege ... not a right.  Oh wait ... so is living in Thailand!  But that most likely fell on deaf ears.

Yes it has been since a while to avoid money transfer/laundering as Rabbit card is also used as pay card - it's only one time, not requested for the following top ups. Can use driving licence too.

 

1 hour ago, NicoBKK said:

Can use driving licence too.

 

Which station allowed this?

ID card or PP is the law (yes it is a law not a BTS or BSS rule).

 

Yes, I know as a farang our DL number is our PP number but I bet 99.8% of BTS ticket operators don't.