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Passport checks at BigC Onnut


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Posted
  On 9/28/2023 at 6:02 AM, Bangkok Barry said:

In the headline the poster wrote he says at Big C. He then says near Big C. There's a difference. I'm guessing this is a troll from someone who didn't even see what happened himself but was 'told' by a vendor.

 

Nothing to see here, folks.... Move on.

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At Big C / Near Big C...  the same thing for some... i.e. both at and near could both mean in front of Big C - that in itself is not really an indication of a fabricated story. 

 

This just sounds like someone passing along something they've been told, the info could be of value to some of us.

 

There are numerous unscrupulous police around - it could be a reality that a couple in the area of On Nut are behaving like this, its fortunate most don't because there is little downside to getting caught (inactive position).

 

 

 

 

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Posted
  On 9/30/2023 at 4:09 PM, Lorry said:

Sounds like good advice

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I never forget this advice from my lawyer. They mentioned that passports handed to cops have gone missing too... probably belonging to people who refused to pay.

Posted
  On 9/30/2023 at 2:49 PM, ericthai said:

The law does not say you need to carry your passport. It says you need to produce your passport.

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That's been discussed ad nauseum in dozens of threads over the years. 

 

Even top cops have gotten online and given diverging opinions, one saying copies are acceptable to carry, another following the next day saying it has to be the original.  But they all say you have to carry something to identify yourself.

 

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Posted

About five years ago, a cop demanded to check my bag as I attempted to go up the stairs to the Skytrain station. He found my potato chips and an apple. I was allowed to continue up the stairs.

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Posted

Few weeks after the military coup years ago, when there were no more street vendors left to rackt, the cops were pulling over tourists and submitting them to drug scan pee tests on the road. Of course often at the wee hours of the morning one had to pay to "pass".

 

Assuming one does not want to believe the OP, keep in mind that crooks often pose as cops to distract you while another thief is trying to do your pockets or your backpack. I would not brush away the incident and be a patsy when it comes to scams or corrupt cops in Bangkok.

  • 1 month later...
Posted
  On 9/28/2023 at 7:06 AM, trainman34014 said:

All nonsense; it is not a lagal rquirement to carry your Passport.   Should this happen it would be advisable to insist that you be taken to the Police Station where the so called 'Cops' operate from.  Carrying a Photcopy of your Passport is a good idea but again, is not a legal requirement !

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"Thai laws state that everyone, including its residents and citizens, must always have a valid ID when leaving their homes. Since U.S. tourists do not have locally issued identification documents, they should have their passports as proof of identification."

 

https://www.travelvisapro.com/blog/passports/do-you-have-to-carry-your-passport-in-thailand

 

next fallacy please.

Posted
  On 9/28/2023 at 7:13 AM, impulse said:

Got so prevalent one time that one top cop came out and stated that carrying a copy of your passport was acceptable, followed by another who said it had to be the original.

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OK so I carry an "original copy", will that work.

Posted
  On 9/27/2023 at 7:21 PM, Lorry said:

Good question. I don't know. 

I know only what I posted.  I posted it because it's an area where many foreigners live, and not everybody is carrying his passport when going to BigC.

 

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Sounds like fake cops making a quick score and leaving asasp

Posted
  On 11/2/2023 at 11:03 AM, mrwebb8825 said:

"Thai laws state that everyone, including its residents and citizens, must always have a valid ID when leaving their homes. Since U.S. tourists do not have locally issued identification documents, they should have their passports as proof of identification."

 

https://www.travelvisapro.com/blog/passports/do-you-have-to-carry-your-passport-in-thailand

 

next fallacy please.

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That is correct,

For the indentification law, any Thai goverment issued ID card should be sifficient.

But there can is also the requirement to proof your legal sttaus in the country. (Visa check)

Here is the issue, it is not sure if this can be done with a copy or does it have the original passport, Depending on their mode they say one or the other.

Also officially only a immigration officer can check your legal status as normal police officers don't have access to the immigration information.

Posted
  On 9/27/2023 at 5:51 PM, Lorry said:

2 farang were checked near BigC, they didn't carry their passport. The police (?) wanted 5000, after some bargaining settled for 3000 per person. 

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I live in Khon Kaen . Part time for close to the past 20 years, full time in the past almost four.

Never carried my passport , or a copy of it with me. No one (other that at IO, bank etc) has ever asked me for it. I know it is irresponsible , but I often go out having forgotten my wallet. I mostly have my telephone with me, In it I have a picture of my Thai licence and pages of my passport, but I have thousands of pictures, so if asked, I ma not sure if I would be able to find it. If needed I would call my wife and have her text me a picture, but I never had. Not sure about BKK , and I am not advocating behaviour such as mine.  

Posted
  On 11/2/2023 at 11:03 AM, mrwebb8825 said:

"Thai laws state that everyone, including its residents and citizens, must always have a valid ID when leaving their homes. Since U.S. tourists do not have locally issued identification documents, they should have their passports as proof of identification."

 

https://www.travelvisapro.com/blog/passports/do-you-have-to-carry-your-passport-in-thailand

 

next fallacy please.

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A copy of their passport, not the original.

 

"We strongly recommend you carry a copy of your U.S. passport identification page and current Thai visa to help avoid detention by the Thai immigration police". 

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Thailand.html

Posted
  On 11/10/2023 at 11:51 PM, sirineou said:

I live in Khon Kaen . Part time for close to the past 20 years, full time in the past almost four.

Never carried my passport , or a copy of it with me. No one (other that at IO, bank etc) has ever asked me for it. I know it is irresponsible , but I often go out having forgotten my wallet. I mostly have my telephone with me, In it I have a picture of my Thai licence and pages of my passport, but I have thousands of pictures, so if asked, I ma not sure if I would be able to find it. If needed I would call my wife and have her text me a picture, but I never had. Not sure about BKK , and I am not advocating behaviour such as mine.  

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I'm the same, I live for over 35 years on Phuket and never being asked for my passport.

I never have it with me and use my Thai DL or ID card if required.

Even traveling domestically i never have it with me.

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Posted
  On 11/10/2023 at 11:40 PM, merijn said:

That is correct,

For the indentification law, any Thai goverment issued ID card should be sifficient.

But there can is also the requirement to proof your legal sttaus in the country. (Visa check)

Here is the issue, it is not sure if this can be done with a copy or does it have the original passport, Depending on their mode they say one or the other.

Also officially only a immigration officer can check your legal status as normal police officers don't have access to the immigration information.

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The real question is that can they (regular non immigration police) arrest or hold you on suspicion of not having valid visa? 

Posted
  On 11/11/2023 at 4:25 AM, digbeth said:

 

The real question is that can they (regular non immigration police) arrest or hold you on suspicion of not having valid visa? 

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Good question,

I suspect that they can but they have to hand you over to the immigration department for a visa check.

Posted
  On 11/11/2023 at 5:15 AM, merijn said:

Good question,

I suspect that they can but they have to hand you over to the immigration department for a visa check.

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I suspect they can't; I think that is why they have joint operations - police and Immigration police.

 

The only time that I have ever been asked to show my passport was at a joint checkpoint on highway 2.

 

I never carry my passport when out - I do take it with me if traveling out of province.

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