Is it just me or is it all farang shoppers who're being forced to prove their identity when paying for the weekly shop?

 

I've been using Big C in the superhighway for almost all my regular shopping needs for 16 years - not just for food but often  for one of their wide selection of other offerings.  I've usually paid by using my Kasikorn Bank card and very rarely spend more than 2-4 thousand baht.

 

Went in today mostly for dog food and fresh meat plus the usual toppers-up such as olive oil and cheese - paid by my card as usual - some 2,600 baht in total. To my surprise, the cashier asked me to produce my passport and flicked through it including my identity page. Surprised and more than a little annoyed as well as relieved that I'd got it with me - I don't always carry it every time I leave the house - I decided to ask a supervisor to explain the store' reasons for this breach of my privacy.

 

As expected, no reasonable or justifiable reason was given - but at least the supervisor had a chance to practice her spoken English. Is this just happening to me or is it a new rule set by Big C's head office geniuses? Not sure whether the details  the cashier typed on her machine would prove  a threat to my security - has this ever happened to any expat readers of this post and should I be concerned?

There's no way i'd produce any ID to show check out girls whilst shopping.

 

It's nothing to do with them, i'd take my money elsewhere.

If you use their Big C card about once a year they check & ask for a passport number.....

I have a different PP number now as I received a new PP, however, I hand them my DL that has my old number & no more questions asked....

I shopped today with no questions asked....

The modern way is to ........ saa-kaan!

I’ve never been asked for id. I just slip my card in and go. If someone ever asks me in the future, then I’ll just show them my drivers license. And if someone gets fussy about it, we’ll then I’ll get fussy as well, as in “mai mai!” wave the card and split 

Sorry, guys - meant 'identity' rather than 'dentity' - nothing wrong with anyone's teeth!!!!

1 minute ago, elena edwards said:

Sorry, guys - meant 'identity' rather than 'dentity' - nothing wrong with anyone's teeth!!!!

I edited/corrected the topic title for you.

Most Thai people think of farang ID as their passport, if you have a Thai driving license that nearly always is sufficient.

1 hour ago, elena edwards said:

To my surprise, the cashier asked me to produce my passport and flicked through it including my identity page.

 

I'm sure Big C are just being cautious, I think no drama required to show ones passport.

Cold, hard cash.

Shudder to think ,in case of  hacking or other scam, I will have to deal with a thai bank. ????????????

 

5 minutes ago, VinnieK said:

Cold, hard cash.

Shudder to think ,in case of  hacking or other scam, I will have to deal with a thai bank. ????????????

 

The 1980’s just put out an alert, they want their cash-spending boomer back !!!.....   ????

Face it, Farangs are third class citizens at best.....

Was in BigC yesterday next to condo as it's the closest. Not going there particularly often, but never got asked for any kind of ID. Cashiers were always very nice, but I never used any kind of membership, nor would I bother to apply for one. Used The1 card at Central and Tops - nobody asked for anything there either. Didn't use that card for at least 5 years.

 

Maybe there was a discount or promotion coupon you received and they needed to register it against your ID?

9 minutes ago, userabcd said:

I'm sure Big C are just being cautious, I think no drama required to show ones passport.

You carry your passport around with you everywhere you go ?

 

Given it takes takes 12-16 weeks to replace a passport now (British Passport), carrying one around and risking loss is definitely not worth considering - my Passport only leaves the safe when I travel or other essential times. 

 

That said: It is very curious why anyone in a supermarket would want to see any form of ID... just weird - I use the Credit Card pretty for pretty much ever transaction I make in Thailand... never asked for ID...  As others have pointed out - is this a ‘BigC credit card’ ??? I wonder why they’d ask when no one else does...

 

Or is this just an isolated incident and a complete misunderstanding ?

11 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

You carry your passport around with you everywhere you go ?

 

Given it takes takes 12-16 weeks to replace a passport now (British Passport), carrying one around and risking loss is definitely not worth considering - my Passport only leaves the safe when I travel or other essential times. 

 

That said: It is very curious why anyone in a supermarket would want to see any form of ID... just weird - I use the Credit Card pretty for pretty much ever transaction I make in Thailand... never asked for ID...  As others have pointed out - is this a ‘BigC credit card’ ??? I wonder why they’d ask when no one else does...

 

Or is this just an isolated incident and a complete misunderstanding ?

You can probably use a copy on your phone. I've used mine at plenty of places -- the SCB, Tops, Big C, True. Nobody seems to care.

When shopping at Big C they sometimes apply a discount at the time of purchase. When this has occurred, they ask for ID. Usually, Mrs. Shrdlu produces her ID card. I used my pink ID card to register for membership at Big C, so I suspect it may work as well (they did not accept my Thai DL to register). This may be part of an anti-fraud or employee dishonesty measure.

An off topic post has been removed.

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

The 1980’s just put out an alert, they want their cash-spending boomer back !!!.....   ????

Gen-xer please..????

1 hour ago, novacova said:

just show them my drivers license

That's the way to go!

 

Works with practically everything when they want to see your passport.

 

 

Using your PIN number should suffice.  I am happy when stores ask for something when I use my credit card.  Photo of a passport on your phone would likely be good enough.

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

You carry your passport around with you everywhere you go ?

...

I do, and have done so for the past 20 years, whilst living in Thailand, Laos and Myanmar.  I have never lost it, forgot it or been robbed of it ????

2 hours ago, VinnieK said:

Cold, hard cash.

Shudder to think ,in case of  hacking or other scam, I will have to deal with a thai bank

I never use cold hard cash in my life. Always use my American credit cards. Never had any hacking problems where I had to deal with a Thai bank. Just one call to my American bank and they take care of it by removing the charges. And it happened multiple times, including 80K charges once to my cards by a gold shop. 

35 minutes ago, simon43 said:

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

You carry your passport around with you everywhere you go ?

...

I do, and have done so for the past 20 years, whilst living in Thailand, Laos and Myanmar.  I have never lost it, forgot it or been robbed of it ????

I never needed my seatbelt either !!....   I think you get my point there.

 

Just because something has never happened does not mean we need not be careful or take precautions. 

 

 

The impact a lost passport has for some of us is significant.

I think the renewal time for a UK passport is now 14-16 weeks or so.. if I were to lose my passport it would mean I couldn’t travel until I got a new one, which means I can’t travel for work, which means I don’t get paid... Cheapest option would be to get an emergency passport, fly to the UK, get an emergency appointment for a new passport (if possible), currently booking for fast track appointments are full.

 

For the convenience of sometimes needing to show ID, carrying a passport and the risk, no matter how slim of loss, is definitely not worth it for me (and people like me) - thats one of the reasons I have the Pink ID to carry around. 

 

 

 

3 hours ago, pgrahmm said:

If you use their Big C card about once a year they check & ask for a passport number.....

As I understand they want to ensure that you are the person holding the BigC card to receive some discount. Happened more than once to me. Last time I showed my Thai DL and paid amount had some discount.

I doubt it is related to the CC.

I never use one at supermarket, not to speak of foreign card. Only card ever used at checkout was Bangkok Bank debit card.

2 minutes ago, Onerak said:

I never use cold hard cash in my life. Always use my American credit cards. Never had any hacking problems where I had to deal with a Thai bank. Just one call to my American bank and they take care of it by removing the charges. And it happened multiple times, including 80K charges once to my cards by a gold shop. 

Does Titiporn from the Lipstick bar give decent cash-back rates on your American Credit Cards ???????

 

Cold hard cash has its value... taxi’s, wet markets etc...  they prefer the warm and foldable version though, not cold-hard / frozen....

23 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Cold hard cash has its value... taxi’s, wet markets etc...  they prefer the warm and foldable version though, not cold-hard / frozen....

And the gold shop can not charge you 80k

3 hours ago, tomazbodner said:

Maybe there was a discount or promotion coupon you received and they needed to register it against your ID?

Exactly.

Just read your post too late.

 

If you don't show some ID you won't get the discount. "Problem" solved and excitement unnecessary.

 

A typical AN thread. What is brought up here, oh no!

4 hours ago, elena edwards said:

To my surprise, the cashier asked me to produce my passport and flicked through it including my identity page.

If you had alcohol in your cart they maybe thought you are underage. You should feel flattered ????

Yellow Books/Pink ID Cards. Will they do instead of a passport? Or does it have to be a passport?

3 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

You carry your passport around with you everywhere you go ?

Nope, don't need to. If I anticipate beforehand where I may need my passport to do something, then I take it with me for that (usually banking, hospitals and govt)

 

Today I went to hand an old dsl router back to true (one which they did not take back some years ago when they upgraded that router), they required to see my passport to hand it back???? Called my wife over to come and talk to them and she had to hand over her ID card just to hand a 6 year old dsl router back to true.

 

Just the intricacy of dealing with Thai idiosyncrasies.