Must Read Thailand starts checking foreigners' passports on domestic flights

[Bday Prang]

if a passport indicates an overstay do airline staff have a legal authority to detain / arrest somebody, ?

[Bday Prang]

59 minutes ago, jvs said:

Will the train and bus be next?

Slowly but surely.

traffic checkpoints next?

[hotandsticky]

2 hours ago, dinsdale said:

It is an official Thai ID card as is a Thai drivers licence. No banging on just a plain and simple fact.

 

 

You are wrong, as much as you don't want to be - but you are, so let's keep banging on about the very simple fact that it is NOT an official ID card.

 

If you translate the first point on the back of the card, it clearly states that it is "Not an ID card".

[Jenkins9039]

I'm guessing this will go through the domestic Immigration system also (flag for holding passenger).

 

Rather stupid, kinda like a Chinese process.

 

I remember arriving at Phuket Airport back in the day and boarding the flight 10-15 mins later for Bangkok.... Having said that always used passport (confirm Identity) but as mentioned above, suspect this is more of a scan process for IO.  

[Jenkins9039]

1 hour ago, mokwit said:

Let in 39m people and then make it a police state because of the problems that causes.

That's what they did in our countries lol

[fulhamster]

It sounds like the hotels that ask for your passport, then flick through hoping to find you are on overstay.

If they do find someone like this, straight on the phone to report and claim a finders fee.

It's just another way that Immigration use to get other people to do their jobs.

[hotandsticky]

1 hour ago, sungod said:

You'd need your passport anyway if checking into a hotel.

 

Incorrect.

 

I have checked in scores of times with my Thai DL; on the very rare occasions that the hotel has been more insistent then I show a picture of my passport ID page from my phone.

[impulse]

49 minutes ago, webfact said:

The Civil Aviation Authority has provided some flexibility for those who have lost their passports, allowing them to board with a temporary passport or a non-Thai identification card, such as a driver’s license, issued by the Thai government.

 

I wonder if that means they'll be requiring a police "Lost Passport Report" in order to accept other forms of ID?

 

 

[Purdey]

Maybe someone can confirm or deny, but aren't foreigners supposed to carry their passports, or a copy, at all times?

I was told my permanent residence pink card would suffice, but how about tourists?

[sungod]

32 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

 

Incorrect.

 

I have checked in scores of times with my Thai DL; on the very rare occasions that the hotel has been more insistent then I show a picture of my passport ID page from my phone.

Correct, it's the law for foreigners. if its not being followed that's another story.

[samtam]

4 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

 

This is more of a worry for those of us that have middle names. I can't remember ever using middle names on a flight ticket booking. Yet, of course my passport and Thai DL/ID have my middle names. If ticket is only first & last name, will they start denying boarding as with middle names missing it will considered a "mismatch"?

 

 

I have three "Christian" names as they used to be called, "first" names now. Back in the day I used to buy tickets with the name I am called by which is the second of my 3 Christian names + surname (or "family" name in today's parlance). All my airline memberships were also in this one name + surname. But now I have changed everything to my 3 Christian names + surname (as shown in my passport), with some difficulties with airlines making the change. It makes for some silly reproduction of the passenger name on tickets either self-print from online booking or boarding pass, so that the three Christian names are combined into 1, (no capitals), plus the surname. I imagine it must be a similar issue with long names, like Thais have, or Middle Easterners.

[spidermike007]

It doesn't really look like anything's changed, they've always required valid ID to board a flight. I've always used my driver's license so what's changed? I'm still not going to carry my passport, I never carry my original passport unless I'm leaving the country or going to immigration. 

 

Not going to start now. 

[damo1967]

4 hours ago, soi3eddie said:

 

This is more of a worry for those of us that have middle names. I can't remember ever using middle names on a flight ticket booking. Yet, of course my passport and Thai DL/ID have my middle names. If ticket is only first & last name, will they start denying boarding as with middle names missing it will considered a "mismatch"?

 

Well.. you have NO excuse now if your boarding pass does not have your middle name.  Match your exact name from your D/L or PP on your flight ticket from 'now'.   Your post does not make a lot of sense sorry??? 

[Phulublub]

4 hours ago, VinnieK said:

Wtf are they smoking?

I don't ever remember been allowed to check in without showing my passport 

I dont remember the last time my passport left the safe except for annual extension and foreign travel.

 

PH

[MadMac]

Drivers license worked since last century. What is new?

[Phulublub]

4 hours ago, sungod said:

You'd need your passport anyway if checking into a hotel.

Nope.  Thai DL always accepted for me and, on the odd occasion I have forgotten it (mine lives in my car so if a passenger...) the photo of same on my phone has done the job.

 

PH

[sikishrory]

What is actually different here? You present a passport and if you don't have it you need to present a Thai ID as above.

I can't imagine airlines accepting your Swahili ID card or did they used to accept foreign ID's instead of passport/Thai ID?

[catch104]

6 hours ago, bdenner said:

Can't remember I time, over the past 22 years, where I boarded a domestic flight WITHOUT my passport!!!

Yes... and this is the same for locals. What is the news here???

 

[Lopburikid]

6 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

I have never had to show my passport for a domestic flight.  My Thai drivers license has always been sufficient.

The article states they can use their driver's license issued in Thailand.

[MrJ2U]

9 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Sadly, even the authentic ones, don't actually contain what they say.   Why I stick with Kirkland, for my multi & Vit C   Having USP Verified mark.

 

When tested, always contain what they state.  Not a whole lot of brands on that list.

Unfortunately Costco is to far away from our home in Issan. 

[Bangkok Barry]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Foreigners are required to show either a physical boarding pass obtained at an airline counter or at an automated check-in kiosk, or display an electronic boarding pass sent by the airline via email. Smartphone pictures of tickets are invalid.

 

1 - what has a boarding card got to do with possible overstays?

2 - everyone already, Thai and others, have to show ID that matches their boarding pass

3 - how does showing a passport show overstay, unless airline staff are now being trained to check through every page to check the passenger's status?

4-will flights now be delayed while airline staff trawl through every page of a passport as in 3 above?

5 - is this a poorly written article and in fact checks will be made when you check in, not at the boarding gate?

[Lopburikid]

6 minutes ago, sikishrory said:

What is actually different here? You present a passport and if you don't have it you need to present a Thai ID as above.

I can't imagine airlines accepting your Swahili ID card or did they used to accept foreign ID's instead of passport/Thai ID?

Any ID with a photo and name matching the boarding pass. I wonder if they will start checking passports at bus stations?????? You can overstay and travel to Chiang Mai from Bangkok rather than by air.

[pookett]

I can't imagine an overstayer choosing to fly domestically.

Maybe include cross-provincial ferries, trains and toll booths if they want to get the net cast properly?

 

[Sydebolle]

This has been in place for years already ...... seriously news from yesteryear 

[Lopburikid]

2 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

1 - what has a boarding card got to do with possible overstays?

2 - everyone already, Thai and others, have to show ID that matches their boarding pass

3 - how does showing a passport show overstay, unless airline staff are now being trained to check through every page to check the passenger's status?

4-will flights now be delayed while airline staff trawl through every page of a passport as in 3 above?

5 - is this a poorly written article and in fact checks will be made when you check in, not at the boarding gate?

Same as the smart cars scan the passport and it shows up what visa if any you have.

[ChrisKC]

6 hours ago, bdenner said:

Can't remember I time, over the past 22 years, where I boarded a domestic flight WITHOUT my passport!!!

That doesn't mean it is or not required.

 

I have my passport with me on domestic flights but my driving license offered has always been accepted.

 

If the driving license IS accepted that won't tell Immigration about overstay!

[Toby1947]

6 hours ago, bdenner said:

Can't remember I time, over the past 22 years, where I boarded a domestic flight WITHOUT my passport!!!

Neither can I, the idiots are paranoid 

[crazykopite]

How many Russians and Chinese are cheating the system no doubt 1,000s

[RobU]

Shame I can't use my UK driver's licence all details are interchangable with my passport. Even the photo is taken from my recorded passport details when I renew it and vice versa when I renew my passport 

[animatic]

Doesn’t sound like any change at all from the last decade. Just a new announcement of same thing, but made to sound tougher.
 

I guess must be a new Department Head trying to look tougher than the numptie before.