Must Read Thailand starts checking foreigners' passports on domestic flights

[Highlandman]

On 1/18/2024 at 1:21 PM, 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?

Years ago, unofficially they sometimes did but as of several months ago, I already noticed signs at the airport specifying that only passports/UN travel documents OR Thai issued documents such as a driver's license were acceptable.

[Highlandman]

On 1/18/2024 at 2:33 PM, huangnon said:

 

Yes, the desk jockey was adamant that my son's Thai ID card would not suffice. I remember pretty clearly as my missus threw a wobbler with her, before we had to go back home and get his passport. Luckily, our house is only 20 minutes away, otherwise we'd have missed the flight..

Thinking back, I think this was still when U-Tapao was still under military control and not classified as an "International" airport, so this probably had a bearing.

 

Something about that story doesn't sound right. If aged 7 and above and your son is Thai and has a national ID card that of course is sufficient to board a domestic flight. How would they even know he has a passport? If you're Thai it doesn't mean you have to have a passport. Only about 1 in 6 Thais actually has one. That's why ID cards are always accepted for domestic flights. 

[Highlandman]

On 1/18/2024 at 3:31 PM, wensiensheng said:

Yeah, just like they announced you couldn’t renew your motor tax till all fines were paid. And then it was you wouldn’t be able to renew your drivers licence before all fines were paid.

 

the biggest surprise is that any of those cameras are still working. Most don’t seem to do so. At least I haven’t had any speeding tickets for the last 5 years.

 

Some speed cameras have been removed in the meantime. I also haven't received any speeding fines for at least 5 years as well.

 

It also helps that on many highways leading out of Bangkok, the speed limit has been increased to 120km/h making it much more difficult to speed even if you wanted to as traffic is so heavy and/or you have right lane huggers that it's difficult to maintain a speed much above 100-110km/h anyway.

[malt25]

22 hours ago, Dogmatix said:

Since you need your passport anyway, if you are staying at a hotel and overstayers are unlikely to travel by air, this is a solution looking for a problem. 

Why do you need a passport when checking into a hotel. In the past 12 months alone i've checked into different hotels in Bangkok, reasonably upmarket, Udon Thani & Khon Kaen. Not once have I been asked for my passport. Drivers license is always sufficient. Maybe it's the appearance & attitude of those who get asked to show passport. Just a thought.

[Highlandman]

On 1/18/2024 at 3:34 PM, wensiensheng said:

Can’t see how a drivers licence or pink id card will help catch overstayers, but oh well.

It can. Immigration can use the details on your driver's license including name DOB and passport number and cross reference it with what's in their database, which will show whether a foreigner is in status or not.

 

Physically checking passports is so old school. Besides, HK and Singaporean passport holders using the autogates for entry haven't had passport stamps for years.

 

Thailand will be forced to abandon this old fashioned approach as countries scrap passport stamps and eventually even passports. In fact, they've already begun the process - since December 15 foreigners now get to use the autogates, thus no more passport stamps on exit, only on entry (exit for Thai, HK, Singapore and permanent residency holders using autogates).

[KhunLA]

36 minutes ago, Highlandman said:

Leaving their province without these documents, no big deal lets say someone drives you somewhere. Traveling by air without these documents? No, that would be foolish.

Besides being the law to carry it (and it is), its pretty stupid not to have it with you, or at least a short drive away.   Being it's the most important document I have, it's always within arm's reach ... give or take a few steps.

 

You'll probably never need it .... until you do 

Edited January 19 by KhunLA

[Neeranam]

30 minutes ago, Highlandman said:

 

Something about that story doesn't sound right. If aged 7 and above and your son is Thai and has a national ID card that of course is sufficient to board a domestic flight. How would they even know he has a passport? If you're Thai it doesn't mean you have to have a passport. Only about 1 in 6 Thais actually has one. That's why ID cards are always accepted for domestic flights. 

I'm often asked for my passport after giving my Thai ID card, as I'm a farang. Last week the bank asked me for my work permit. 

There are silly, racist people out there that just can't figure out how a white person could be Thai. Last year, a golf club refused me discount, saying my face wasn't the same as his. 

[Derek B]

Twice at DMK Terminal 2 being either too early to check in before going through security I have been chosen for a random "WTF are you doing here chat" by 4 (always 4) immigration punters. I never waited to be asked for my Passport I just handed it over. They were all very polite and friendly except 1 (always 1 had to ask if I was married to a Thai or had a Thai gf). One of the non speakers was tasked with photographing the passport pages of interest and to prove they had actually approached someone I guess. They were just wondering around being proactive on the departures concourse.

 

I cannot see domestic airline staff being tasked with checking for over stayers.

[Derek B]

28 minutes ago, malt25 said:

Why do you need a passport when checking into a hotel. In the past 12 months alone i've checked into different hotels in Bangkok, reasonably upmarket, Udon Thani & Khon Kaen. Not once have I been asked for my passport. Drivers license is always sufficient. Maybe it's the appearance & attitude of those who get asked to show passport. Just a thought.

Could be that your passport number is denoted on your Thai drivers licence.

[Neeranam]

1 hour ago, Highlandman said:

 

That doesn't make sense. It's Thailand not China. Granted I've never flown Air Asia but years ago I flew domestic routes with few or no other foreigners and they would always make announcements in Thai and English.

 

I thought that was a CAAT rule.

It was in Dec 2020, may have changed. 

They probably noticed there were no foreigners in the flight so only gave Thai. Then she freaked out when seeing me and remembered that the law said they must give in English to foreigners.

[ripstanley]

13 minutes ago, Derek B said:

Could be that your passport number is denoted on your Thai drivers licence.

You cannot compete a TM30 with just the Passport number, DOB  and name.

[Adumbration]

On 1/18/2024 at 6:43 AM, bdenner said:

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

Or you driver's licence.

 

Retarded the lot of them.

[bdenner]

On 1/18/2024 at 9:54 AM, oxo1947 said:

 

I think we use the same airport--and I haven't had to use Passport, since I got Pink card--- but still had it on me as had to use it in most  Hotels, for them to check Visa  I guess.

Not all of us have the pink card, what's so hard about slipping your boarding pass into the passport header pages for inspection?

Call me paranoid, but when travelling anywhere my passport with a thumb drive, containing my life's files (encrypted), are contained in a sealed plastic bag in a leg pocket. Just incase I survive a plane/traffic crash but loose my notebook computer.

Edited January 19 by bdenner
Clarity

[flexomike]

10 hours ago, jacko45k said:

So why did you take the passport? Why did you  need to lie about it?

Didn't want to deal with a potential TM 30 issue, several Offices make you do a new one and didn't want to deal with that, why did I take the passport, traveled up the Burmese border went through probably a dozen check points, better safe then sorry.

[Jaggg88]

On 1/18/2024 at 8:19 AM, dinsdale said:

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

The pink Thai ID card has your name in Thai but the Thai driving licence has your name in English

[sometimewoodworker]

4 hours ago, Derek B said:

Could be that your passport number is denoted on your Thai drivers licence.

My Thai drivers licenses do not have my passport number

[LikeItHot]

On 1/18/2024 at 6:43 AM, bdenner said:

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

I've used my Thai DL every time. Never once used my passport.

[LikeItHot]

21 minutes ago, sometimewoodworker said:

My Thai drivers licenses do not have my passport number

Doubtful.  Look again.  If you are using the DLT app you must also use your passport number.  When my MC DL had my old passport number and my Car DL had my current one they had to be entered in the app separately under two different accounts until I recently renewed my MC DL and only then could it be added to the app with my Car DL.

 

[LikeItHot]

On 1/18/2024 at 8:44 AM, VinnieK said:

Wtf are they smoking?

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

So you were rejected on a domestic flight showing a Thai DL and forced to show your passport?

[LikeItHot]

On 1/18/2024 at 9:33 AM, ChaiyaTH said:

Have to beg for a visa and extensions, then do 90 day reports, then now also pay tax, and then now also not trusted anymore to not fly without a passport due to overstayers. Oh yeah and while we are on it, we also take your weed away. LOL.

They gave COVID extensions for years no questions asked.  Only people who take the rules seriously are held to extreme scrutiny.  Backpackers, turd birds and skanks in bikinis at the Immigration office get free passes no questions asked.

[jacko45k]

15 hours ago, Highlandman said:

No, it's not unless you're renting a self drive car or need to go to the bank at your destination.

 

For hotel check in you can use a driver's license or photocopies of your passport and relevant visa pages (although hotels generally no longer photocopy anything other than the information page these days from personal observations).

There is often discussion on this but you are expected to carry your identification at all times, so I say you are wrong. It isn't worth the inconvenience of not bothering, at least when traveling.  Be ready for the unexpected.... I have been asked for my passport driving around Thailand. Also checking into hotels too.....I had forgotten it once, and despite being a hotel I use a lot, they wanted to see it. Fortunately they were happy with a pic of it I could email to them from my phone. They can be obtuse here with their rules. 

[jacko45k]

13 hours ago, flexomike said:

Didn't want to deal with a potential TM 30 issue, several Offices make you do a new one and didn't want to deal with that, why did I take the passport, traveled up the Burmese border went through probably a dozen check points, better safe then sorry.

At the moment, the rule seems to be, leave country, new TM30 report on return. (Well for Pattaya). Domestic travel, temporarily away from home, not required. Surprise changes, regional variations, and difficult IOs notwithstanding!

[malt25]

15 hours ago, Derek B said:

Could be that your passport number is denoted on your Thai drivers licence.

As is my address and DOB. That's the reason it's accepted in place of my PP.

[dinsdale]

15 hours ago, Jaggg88 said:

The pink Thai ID card has your name in Thai but the Thai driving licence has your name in English

Yep and they spelt my name wrong on the pink card but that may just be the translator on my phone. Phonetically correct but spelling incorrect.

[VinnieK]

15 hours ago, LikeItHot said:

So you were rejected on a domestic flight showing a Thai DL and forced to show your passport?

No...I bring my pport  just in case.

...and because I have it at hand, I don't bother with the DL.

It would be foolhardy to show up with just a DL.

[dinsdale]

22 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Besides being the law to carry it (and it is), its pretty stupid not to have it with you, or at least a short drive away.   Being it's the most important document I have, it's always within arm's reach ... give or take a few steps.

 

You'll probably never need it .... until you do 

Photos on your phone of your PP are accepted. It's rediculous to ask that people carry their PP at all times.  Are you saying that you take your passport when you go shopping or going to the beach? Personally I do not know anyone who goes around with their passport. Travelling I understand but otherwise Why?

[KhunLA]

1 minute ago, dinsdale said:

Photos on your phone of your PP are accepted. It's rediculous to ask that people carry their PP at all times.  Are you saying that you take your passport when you go shopping or going to the beach? Personally I do not know anyone who goes around with their passport. Travelling I understand but otherwise Why?

Yes ... and why already stated.  I keep my most important document with me.  Right next to my bank book & yellow house book.  In the same bag, with my 2nd most important thing to carry ... 'Swensen's' member card 

[Highlandman]

16 hours ago, jacko45k said:

There is often discussion on this but you are expected to carry your identification at all times, so I say you are wrong. It isn't worth the inconvenience of not bothering, at least when traveling.  Be ready for the unexpected.... I have been asked for my passport driving around Thailand. Also checking into hotels too.....I had forgotten it once, and despite being a hotel I use a lot, they wanted to see it. Fortunately they were happy with a pic of it I could email to them from my phone. They can be obtuse here with their rules. 

I already mentioned I carry copies of my passport. Generally you're not going to get asked for your passport at any checkpoint in Thailand as a farang. If you're Chinese or Burmese or something maybe..in any case having all the important copies is good enough. I don't carry the original around unless I'm continuing onto a neighboring country (which I often do, when I travel through Thailand my final destination is often Laos or Cambodia). 

[Highlandman]

On 1/19/2024 at 5:05 PM, flexomike said:

Didn't want to deal with a potential TM 30 issue, several Offices make you do a new one and didn't want to deal with that, why did I take the passport, traveled up the Burmese border went through probably a dozen check points, better safe then sorry.

Those are drug checkpoints. Even says so in Thai as you're approaching them.

[Highlandman]

On 1/19/2024 at 4:18 PM, Neeranam said:

It was in Dec 2020, may have changed. 

They probably noticed there were no foreigners in the flight so only gave Thai. Then she freaked out when seeing me and remembered that the law said they must give in English to foreigners.

Oh OK. How did she even recognize you were a farang though since you had to wear a mask on board a flight at the time. Difficult to recognize people wearing face coverings.

 

However, quite often you have Asian passengers. Unless they receive a flight manifest, then I can't see how they would be able to tell who's Thai and who isn't if you have Asian foreigners on board and especially back then when everyone was masked up. Easier just to make a bilingual announcement regardless of who's on board since it is the law as she claimed.

 

Now it could be just because it was Covid and the borders were more or less shut (though plenty of foreigners remained in Thailand throughout Covid) that they temporarily changed the rules and didn't make English announcements automatically.

 

I'd say on any given flight in Thailand it's highly unlikely there wouldn't be at least a couple of foreigners on board even to non touristy destinations such as Nakorn Phanom or Khon Kaen. This is because farang expats, especially retirees live all over the place. Again, Covid was different- far fewer foreigners in the country and those that were here probably didn't want to go through all the Covid protocols just to get on a plane unless the trip was absolutely necessary and they didn't have access to a car.