Are overnight bus journeys subject to passport control? The bus route does not pass near any borders. Appreciate.

The only time that I have had a passport control / check was in a night bus.

 

This was on the Route Pattaya -  Korat (which also doesn't pass near any border)

 

Day time never, but never say never ????

1 minute ago, MJCM said:

The only time that I have had a passport control / check was in a night bus.

 

This was on the Route Pattaya -  Korat (which also doesn't pass near any border)

 

Day time never, but never say never ????

Same. Bangkok to Khon Kaen.  Also never checked daytime.

I guess also that many of buses coming from the North going to Bangkok (for example) are prone to checks because of the smuggling of drugs (coming from The Golden Triangle) to the Capital.

 

Which route are you thinking of taking @Cuadrado?

Just now, MJCM said:

I guess also that many of buses coming from the North going to Bangkok (for example) are prone to checks because of the smuggling of drugs (coming from The Golden Triangle) to the Capital.

 

Which route are you thinking of taking @Cuadrado?

The one you mentioned from Chaiyaphum.

17 minutes ago, Denim said:

Same. Bangkok to Khon Kaen.  Also never checked daytime.

The only time I was on a bus that was checked, was on a day time bus returning from a visa run to Burma.

Always have passport checked superficially when doing BKK -south Thailand - BKK routes up and back. Army.. no clue what they're looking at. Really, on the bus looking for illegals... Burmese

I would be more worried about my safety on a night time bus journey then the thought of a passport check.

5 hours ago, MJCM said:

The only time that I have had a passport control / check was in a night bus.

 

This was on the Route Pattaya -  Korat (which also doesn't pass near any border)

 

Day time never, but never say never ????

Same experience. Done that route few times on daytime, no problem. The only time I have done that by night was during Songkran. My bad I did not book the ticket, so they put me on the 00.30 bus. At the only checkpoint, police check every people on the bus. They even didn't ask for the passport but as I saw all Thais hands out their ID, I do the same with my passport. The officer even did not take a look at it.

5 hours ago, norfolkandchance said:

I would be more worried about my safety on a night time bus journey then the thought of a passport check.

It might be different for people without a proper visa.

58 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

It might be different for people without a proper visa.

all hail the proper visa. we're not worthy, we're not worthy! /s

On 3/4/2023 at 2:32 PM, Lemsta69 said:

all hail the proper visa. we're not worthy, we're not worthy! /s

What do YOU Mean " A PROPER VISA " ???

2 hours ago, Nong Khai Man said:

What do YOU Mean " A PROPER VISA " ???

Well Come On Laughing Boy !!

2 hours ago, Nong Khai Man said:

What do YOU Mean " A PROPER VISA " ???

I have no idea what it means, ask Saint Frits ????

I'm guessing the OP is asking this question because he does not have a valid visa?

I've taken overnight VIP buses to and from the south on many occasions and have never had my passport checked. They probably realise illegal migrants are not going to be using this service.

Why are you afraid of a pasport control?
Sending a flag to watch for a bus traveller on overstay?

When using standard VIP over-night bus from Chiang Rai or Phayao, it was normally stopped a a police check point early in the journey.  Police would walk through the bus looking at passengers ID cards.  As I was normally the only farang on the bus, I might be ignored, or asked for passport.  Normally I would pretend not to understand Thai, or say the my passport was packed in my bag, (in luggage compartment,)  never any problem and never taken any further.

But.... I believe that Thai law requires farangs to always carry their passport.

I always had a valid Visa to be in Thailand, so never worried about such checks.

I suspect that many up-country police do no speak English, so would want to avoid confrontation with Farang.