2 hours ago, Pib said:

I expect the Embassy expects the person to track the Bt100 mailer tracking number as that would tell when they mailed it.  Did you use that return mailer tracking number (not to be confused with the order number)?   

 

When looking at other embassy websites in other countries and even the State Dept general instructions they say to use the return/prepaid mailer tracking number.   I expect the State Dept/embassy figure by telling folks to use the return mailer tracking number then that's one less task they need to accomplish....save a few minutes/X-amount of manhours of work I guess. 

When I paid the 100 Baht I did not get a tracking number. I got a confirmation of payment number.  The Tracking number was on the address label of the envelope that had my two passports. 

22 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

When I paid the 100 Baht I did not get a tracking number. I got a confirmation of payment number.  The Tracking number was on the address label of the envelope that had my two passports. 

But you could have tracked the item by getting the tracking number from your ThaiPostalMart online account when you placed the Bt100 remailer order.  There it shows your order number "and the tracking number."

 

I don't know why the tracking number is not shown on the order confirmation/notice....but as mentioned the tracking number is shown in the online order transaction info.

 

1 minute ago, Pib said:

But you could have tracked the item by getting the tracking number from your ThaiPostalMart online account when you placed the Bt100 remailer order.  There it shows your order number "and the tracking number."

 

I don't know why the tracking number is not shown on the order confirmation/notice....but as mentioned the tracking number is shown in the online order transaction info.

 

Yes but keep in mind that number will be seen as NOT FOUND until the time Thai Post picks up the envelope at the embassy.

15 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Yes but keep in mind that number will be seen as NOT FOUND until the time Thai Post picks up the envelope at the embassy.

Yeap...understand.  That's why a person would need to check the tracking number daily at the ThaiPostal web site or using their mobile app.  

 

I use their mobile app.  It's just one of a half dozen shipment tracking mobile apps like DHL, USPS, etc., I have on my phone.  

 

I already have the wife's return mailer tracking number loaded the ThaiPostal app that supposedly will give me an automatic notification once the embassy remails the passport. But I won't solely rely on the automatic notification and just try to remember to check daily.  Literally just takes 10 seconds or so to check using the mobile app.

 

Now if the embassy don't use the mailer that was bought for some reason and instead uses another mailer then I expect the current tracking number will be useless for tracking.

 

 

 

12 hours ago, Pib said:

Yeap...understand.  That's why a person would need to check the tracking number daily at the ThaiPostal web site or using their mobile app.  

 

I use their mobile app.  It's just one of a half dozen shipment tracking mobile apps like DHL, USPS, etc., I have on my phone.  

 

I already have the wife's return mailer tracking number loaded the ThaiPostal app that supposedly will give me an automatic notification once the embassy remails the passport. But I won't solely rely on the automatic notification and just try to remember to check daily.  Literally just takes 10 seconds or so to check using the mobile app.

 

Now if the embassy don't use the mailer that was bought for some reason and instead uses another mailer then I expect the current tracking number will be useless for tracking.

 

 

 

In my case the Thai Post tracking number I was given at the time I placed the order NEVER appeared on their tracking system & I was checking daily.  I received my new passport in the Thai Post envelope without knowing that it was coming.  Yes, the tracking number on the envelope was the same provided at the time I placed my order......

1 hour ago, jeffandgop said:

In my case the Thai Post tracking number I was given at the time I placed the order NEVER appeared on their tracking system & I was checking daily.  I received my new passport in the Thai Post envelope without knowing that it was coming.  Yes, the tracking number on the envelope was the same provided at the time I placed my order......

That was certainly an annoying glitch. Hopefully such a situation is rare but there is no way of knowing.

In my recent experience, I was feeling the journey from the embassy to the citizen was the weakest link in the entire process. Also consider once the embassy passes it to Thai Post whether they scanned it into their tracking system or not, if there's a problem the embassy will legitimately say it's not their responsibility.

2 hours ago, jeffandgop said:

In my case the Thai Post tracking number I was given at the time I placed the order NEVER appeared on their tracking system & I was checking daily.  I received my new passport in the Thai Post envelope without knowing that it was coming.  Yes, the tracking number on the envelope was the same provided at the time I placed my order......

 

54 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

That was certainly an annoying glitch. Hopefully such a situation is rare but there is no way of knowing.

In my recent experience, I was feeling the journey from the embassy to the citizen was the weakest link in the entire process. Also consider once the embassy passes it to Thai Post whether they scanned it into their tracking system or not, if there's a problem the embassy will legitimately say it's not their responsibility.

 

Regarding the ThaiPostal tracking number for the return mailer (i.e., when the embassy mails the renewed passport back to you), while the "tracking number" is contained within your order for the mailer when your passport arrived back in the mailer how did the tracking number appear on that mailer?     

 

Was it on a separate sticker with bar code and number like when using EMS.....was it just a number maybe with a bar code on a preprinted address label.....or was it XYZ?   Just wondering how easy or hard it might be for the ThaiPostal "not" to do scans on the mailer based on how the tracking number appears on the mailer. 

 

I can sure see that if the tracking number does not get scanned when it begins its trek on its way to you that it will not appear in the ThaiPostal tracking system as it will continue to show as "data not found" in the tracking system.    When a person uses EMS like mailing from the post office the clerk sticks an EMS tracking label containing a number & bar code on the envelope and then scans it which loads that tracking number into their system as being received/mailed from that post office.  And you can see such within the ThaiPostal online tracking within a few hours and sometimes immediately.    That separate EMS label kinda stands out and acts as an attention getter for the postal carrier to do scans along the way.  But if this return mailed does not have a separate tracking label maybe that sets the stage for scans not to be done....doesn't catch the attention of the postal carrier to do a scan.

 

Well, I'l get a chance to personally see how the tracking numbers appears (or doesn't appear) on the mailer around the end of next week when the wife's renewed passport should have arrived back from the US passport center to the Bangkok Embassy and the embassy remails it to her in the mailer.   I'll continue to do daily checks of the ThaiPostal tracking system to see if tracking data appears..  Time will tell.

Is the ThaiPost Mart Courier Pass Back envelope delivered, from the Embassy to your home, via EMS? Or regular surface mail?

 

For 100 baht, it seems like it should be via EMS?

 

And if it is via EMS, IME, I have to sign a handheld terminal upon receipt.

 

And I can track the delivery. Once it is scanned into the system by ThaiPost upon receipt (at the Embassy), or other entities IME.

 

Who files the police report if the passport (new and old) never gets delivered? The EMS driver?

 

 

 

1 hour ago, bamnutsak said:

Is the ThaiPost Mart Courier Pass Back envelope delivered, from the Embassy to your home, via EMS? Or regular surface mail?

 

For 100 baht, it seems like it should be via EMS?

 

And if it is via EMS, IME, I have to sign a handheld terminal upon receipt.

 

And I can track the delivery. Once it is scanned into the system by ThaiPost upon receipt (at the Embassy), or other entities IME.

 

Who files the police report if the passport (new and old) never gets delivered? The EMS driver?

 

 

From some googling on this subject/some of your questions the "Thai Postal Courier Pass Back Service/Envelope" does include EMS tracking.   Below is a picture I googled-up...found it on a Facebook page.   The Thai and English text I circled says: " German Embassy Passport Delivery Service" in Thai (according to Google Translate) and then in English "Courier Pass Back Service."   Don't know why they show a Thai passport laying on the envelope...and notice the EMS sticker/tracking number.  

 

And then below the picture is a Google AI description.  And please note the Courier Pass Back Service is just not just for the US Embassy related docs but the Courier Pass Back Service can apparently be bought for other purposes/for most any organization/person that needs to provide a return mailing envelope. 

 

Snapshot from a Facebook page.

 

 

Google AI Overview

 

Thanks.

 

 

5 minutes ago, Pib said:

And then below the picture is a Google AI description.

 

 

Yeah, that AI description is much more detailed than the ThaiPost Mart description, where EMS service is not mentioned.

 

 

Curious to hear from others

 

if this yellow envelope is always used

 

if there is an EMS sticker 

 

if the tracking number from the ThaiPostMart (my purchases) matches what was on the envelope delivered

 

if anyone was able to successfully track the delivery

 

 

Ideally, the embassy could include the EMS tracking number when/if they send the notification email - " that we've sent your new passport today".

Of course the mystery can be solved if the BKK Embassy would do just one thing: Email the passport applicant the Thai Post Courier tracking number (this starts with 2 letters and then 9 numbers and ends with TH). when the envleope is sent. Of cousre this would require additional work by an Embassy employee so it will not happen. My Thai courier passbook envelope with the two passports arrived at my apartment building on a Wedneday but I did not find it until Saturday because of the unorganized manner that the apartment office receives mail and packages. Anyways for me "mission accomplished" and if there is a next time I will probably do it from the USA. 

On 7/1/2025 at 2:35 PM, Pib said:

 

Yes, she had to submit both since both were being renewed...both were expiring at the same time.   Now if a person's passport book and card have different expiration dates....like maybe numerous years apart, the Embassy instructions are unclear to me as to if a person only needs to say renew their passport card, do they also need to include their passport book to get the card renewed OR do they only need to include their passport card if only needing to renew the card.   I have queried the embassy for clarification because I don't want to include my passport book and be without it for 1 to 2 months just to renew my passport card.   My passport book and card are out of sync by "years" right now....if I have to send in both book and card to only renew the card I'll probably just let the current card expire and then wait until my passport needs renewal "still years down the road" and then get a new passport card....that way I get the book and card expiration dates synced-up.

 

I got an answer form the US Embassy-Bangkok few days ago.  Basically if renewing your passport book "and" passport card at the same time you must include both your book and card in the renewal package.   If renewing your book "only," then you only need to include the book.  If "only" renewing your card you only need to include the card.

 

So, if  you have a passport book and passport card which expire at different times....like maybe years apart like my book and card.... if your card is say expiring next year (like mine) but your book does not expire for numerous more years (like mine) then when your renew your card you only need to mail in card--no requirement to include the book.   That's good as I wouldn't want to be without my passport book for a month or two just because I need to renew my passport card.

 

Vice versa if your card is still good for many more years but your book is expiring soon then you only need to mail in your book if only renewing the book.   

 

However, if your passport book and card have expiration years apart because you got them at different times you can renew both "at any time" like renewing both at the same time and when the renewed book and card are issued their dates will now be synced.  For that renewal you will need to include both your current book and card. 

On 7/2/2025 at 7:55 AM, Pib said:

 

 

Regarding the ThaiPostal tracking number for the return mailer (i.e., when the embassy mails the renewed passport back to you), while the "tracking number" is contained within your order for the mailer when your passport arrived back in the mailer how did the tracking number appear on that mailer?  

 

Was it on a separate sticker with bar code and number like when using EMS.....was it just a number maybe with a bar code on a preprinted address label.....or was it XYZ?   Just wondering how easy or hard it might be for the ThaiPostal "not" to do scans on the mailer based on how the tracking number appears on the mailer. 

 

I can sure see that if the tracking number does not get scanned when it begins its trek on its way to you that it will not appear in the ThaiPostal tracking system as it will continue to show as "data not found" in the tracking system.    When a person uses EMS like mailing from the post office the clerk sticks an EMS tracking label containing a number & bar code on the envelope and then scans it which loads that tracking number into their system as being received/mailed from that post office.  And you can see such within the ThaiPostal online tracking within a few hours and sometimes immediately.    That separate EMS label kinda stands out and acts as an attention getter for the postal carrier to do scans along the way.  But if this return mailed does not have a separate tracking label maybe that sets the stage for scans not to be done....doesn't catch the attention of the postal carrier to do a scan.

 

Well, I'l get a chance to personally see how the tracking numbers appears (or doesn't appear) on the mailer around the end of next week when the wife's renewed passport should have arrived back from the US passport center to the Bangkok Embassy and the embassy remails it to her in the mailer.   I'll continue to do daily checks of the ThaiPostal tracking system to see if tracking data appears..  Time will tell.

The tracking number was printed on the outside of the envelope. It was the same number as given at the time the order was placed.  It never showed up in the Thai Post Office tracking system- during transit or at or after delivery.

On 7/2/2025 at 10:56 AM, bamnutsak said:

Is the ThaiPost Mart Courier Pass Back envelope delivered, from the Embassy to your home, via EMS? Or regular surface mail?

 

For 100 baht, it seems like it should be via EMS?

 

And if it is via EMS, IME, I have to sign a handheld terminal upon receipt.

 

And I can track the delivery. Once it is scanned into the system by ThaiPost upon receipt (at the Embassy), or other entities IME.

 

Who files the police report if the passport (new and old) never gets delivered? The EMS driver?

 

 

 

Mine was certainly sent via EMS.  However, the Post Office just placed the package on the wall at my home; never alerted me that they had a delivery nor obviously was my signature required/requested.  Anybody could have picked the envelope up and walk away with it.....

7 minutes ago, jeffandgop said:

Mine was certainly sent via EMS.  However, the Post Office just placed the package on the wall at my home; never alerted me that they had a delivery nor obviously was my signature required/requested.  Anybody could have picked the envelope up and walk away with it.....

That's really bad.

I was lucky that the postman actually called me upon delivery.

I really think the embassy should Email people when it leaves the embassy.

 

The US has launched an online passport renewal system. It's currently in beta, so access is limited. Of course you have you have to be in the US but everything can be done online including uploading a photo  from your smartphone. Payment can also be done by ach

 

1 hour ago, jeffandgop said:

Mine was certainly sent via EMS.  However, the Post Office just placed the package on the wall at my home; never alerted me that they had a delivery nor obviously was my signature required/requested.  Anybody could have picked the envelope up and walk away with it.....

Exactly same for me.  Was delievered on a Wednesday but did not find it among the packages in front of the apartment offcie until Satudarday.  

12 minutes ago, jaywalker2 said:

The US has launched an online passport renewal system. It's currently in beta, so access is limited. Of course you have you have to be in the US but everything can be done online including uploading a photo  from your smartphone. Payment can also be done by ach

 

It's doubtful that will ever be an option for passports abroad.

3 hours ago, Jingthing said:

It's doubtful that will ever be an option for passports abroad.

I don't see why not. It the system functions as it's supposed to, it should be a lot easier and more efficient than the mail in process.

 

Wife’s renewed US passport book and card arrived....good-to-go for another decade.  Total time from mailing the application to receiving the renewed docs was 26 days.  Below is a timeline of events with some notes.

 

16 Jun/Monday: Mailed DS-82 passport application via EMS (cost less than Bt50) from our local western Bangkok post office to the US Embassy- Bangkok

 

17 Jun/Tuesday: Embassy received midday per Thai Postal tracking.

 

18 Jun/Wednesday:  Email from embassy saying passport application well-received

 

26 Jun/Thursday: Email from US State Dept Passport Status website saying application received on 24 Jun…shows same status on website.  Please note you need to check the website for the status "and be sure to sign-up for further updates to be also be notified by email" if you want to automatically notified via email of status changes.  But keep in mind once the passport center mails your renewed passport back to the embassy you will not see any more updates on that site.

 

1 Jul/Tuesday:  Email from US Passport Application Status website saying renewed passport book and card  mailed 30 Jun…shows same status on passport status website.   As mentioned once your renewed passport book/card is mailed back to the embassy that is the last update you will see on the State Dept passport status website.  You now need to be watching closely the  ThaiPostal tracking number (not to be confused with the ThaiPostal order number) provided when you bought the Bt100 return envelope on the ThaiPostalMart website.  

 

11 Jul/Friday:  ThaiPostal Courier Pass Back envelope (i.e., the Bt100 envelope you buy to return-mail new passport) containing renewed passport mailed from US Embassy - Bangkok.   The tracking number apparently appears in the ThaiPostal tracking system Friday evening/night at around 8:20pm but I didn't notice/check until next day/Saturday morning.....the ThaiPostal tracking did "not" provide an automatic notification like I had it set to do (or maybe it did and I just never noticed it)....a person just needs to manually check for status using the browser or mobile app tracking.    I expect the embassy actually mailed it earlier in the day but the ThaiPostal tracking system didn't scan the envelope tracking number until late that day at the local Thai Postal office that services the embassy area of Bangkok.

 

12 Jul/Saturday: Postman delivers envelope in the morning around 9:30am containing the new passport book "and passport card."   Was expecting the renewed card to arrive weeks after the renewed passport via separate envelope...that's the way it use to work, but both were in the envelope.    

 

Note regarding the Bt100 return envelope:  postman rings the our gate bell….hands the wife the envelope as she just happened to be outside at the time…no signature required.   Inside the envelope is the new and old passport books and cards.  Was surprised to see the passport card arriving same time as passport book.   The envelope is in the large Bt100 Courier Pass Back envelope with a white 100cm by 100cm Thailand Postal Mart address label which contained the postal "tracking number" at the top of the label in bar code and alpha/numeric formats…..said From: US Embassy – Bangkok with the embassy’s full address.  The To address was just like entered “when buying the Bt100 envelope online”…. the original envelope order number in bar code and alpha/numeric format at bottom and the dates the envelope was ordered & printed back in mid-June.   Also in the upper left hand corner of the envelope was the Embassy’s address in red print like some other red print/lines on the front & back of the envelope….sure appears the envelope was “totally printed by the Thai Postal Mart” and the embassy made no entries….basically just using the From and To address info that the ThaiPostal system contains.   As mentioned, everything was “printed” on the envelope….nothing hand written.  So, when you place your Bt100 envelope order online be sure to enter your address fully as it sure appears the embassy does “not” make an entries on the Bt100 envelope you ordered….if the envelope has the wrong address it will be because of the address “you” entered incorrectly while ordering the Bt100 envelope.

 

In closing, total time for renewal of passport book and card was 26 days from mailing-out the renewal application to receiving back the book/card.   Tracking-wise the ThaiPostal tracking did track the application to the embassy and the Bt100 envelope mailing from the embassy back to our home.  The US Embassy did provide an email saying the application was received but no email that the renewed docs were return mailed.   The US State Dept Passport Application status did provide online and email status updates.  And the ThaiPostal tracking did reflect the return tracking of the Bt100 mailer.   All the tracking worked well….the only improvement would be the US Embassy providing an email they have retuned mailed the renewed docs; HOWEVER, in their email where they notify you that your application has been received they do point out to use the ThaiPostal tracking to track the "embassy-to-you return mailing."     Yeap, status tracking round-trip does work, to include the embassy-to-you return mailing, but a person needs to be proactive in tracking the status by checking the US Passport Application Status and ThaiPoatal tracking systems.