Is It A Big Deal Not To Carry Your Passport?

[GuyDow]

On one of the other threads a contributor made the statement that it was a legal requirement that aliens carry their passports at all times when in the LOS.

I don't usually carry my passport with me, it's too valuable to risk it being lost or nicked. I usually have my Thai driver's licence with me and sometimes a photocopy of my passport.

So is it likely to be a big problem if I get caught without it? Or is it one of those things that a modest on the spot "fine" will cover?

[PeaceBlondie]

Others will chime in with opinions, but I agree with the idea of keeping the original PP safely at home, and a color photocopy of my first page of the passport, my visa, and my latest extension in my wallet at all times.

[Dave the Dude]

I suppose it depends on your location within LOS, to some extent. In the non-tourist (& sometimes less troublesome) locations, I believe there is more lieniency to the 'Hoops we must jump through.' Like PB says, I have never carried my PP around with me as a Thai&EU driving licence is ALWAYS accepted here in Isaan.

Dave

[2008bangkok]

Iv been here nearly 4 years and have never been asked but for sure i would follow peachie blondies advice if i could be arsed to go to the laminating place

[kiakaha]

got some high res images of important docs on my cellphone. unless a doc copy is certified true by the embassy, then i figure my digitial copies are as good as carrying around paper ones, after all, you can always print them at the cop shop if need be

[lazeeboy]

been here 13 years and have never carried it ,but do carry thai driving permit

[Soutpeel]

7 years here and never carried anything, got the P/P at home, Drivers license in the car and work permit at home

[markuk]

always carry thai driving licence nothing else - comes in useful to get past some of the age checks and passport requirements on some clubs. As for the police they have only ever stopped me once on sukhumvit and asked for ID and another time when they raided a bar in cowboy.

[britmaveric]

ID Card, passport safely tucked away.

[calibanjr.]

I carry my Thail DL. I reckon the 5 year DL (or even the one year) is at least as good as a PP. Since I got my 5 year, I've had the BiB who stopped me at a checkpoint for no helmet (rare for me, but I do it on occasion) just let me go, might not have done it for me if I was on my home DL w/PP or other combo. Who knows?

[buzzer]

A friend in Pattaya had a miniaturized (credit card sized) laminated copy of his PP - all relevant pages - so about 2 cards front and back. I made a miniature for myself, but never got it laminated.

Otherwise I always carry my Thai Drivers license. I've had to present that to police 2X in 5 years here. They never asked for a PP. Have used Drivers License for most - but not all - things. Hotels accept it - but not all hotels. Hospitals were OK with it too - especially if presented with a credit card

[ovenman]

I have been asked to produce my passport exactly three times since I first came to Thailand in 1993: at a police check-point in Lampang's Sop Prap district (1998); riding a third-class train from Hat Yai to Phattalung (1999); at a military checkpoint in Chiang Mai's Chiang Dao district shortly after the coup (2006). The first two times I was not carrying my passport and managed to talk my way out of any problems. I then started to carry my passport with me when traveling, so getting stopped that last time presented no problem. Apart from that, I can't be bothered to carry my passport around town, and am too lazy to be bothered making a copy of the ID page and my current entry stamp & visa, so I don't carry that either. I do always have my Thai driver's license(s) with me though.

[Jingthing]

In Pattaya, over the years there have been some waves of arrests of farangs at night clubs (which were undergoing raids for something or another) who were not carrying their original passport. They just had the bad luck of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Edited August 8, 2008 by Jingthing

[fozzy58uk]

I have been here since 1993, I have been stopped and fined twice for not carrying my passport, once 2000 baht on a train to chiang mai,once the 900 baht I had in my wallet on the way home from sukhumvit rather the worse for wear. I have had several other occasions over the years where the boys in brown and I have come into contact for various probs in the naughty night areas and never been asked to show my passport. TIT.

I almost never carry my passport, only on visa runs or when going to check into a hotel on a trip.

I always carry a copy of the ID page and the current stamp page in my wallet since the second fine. This has been sufficient on two occasions and on another occasion my school ID card was deemed OK.

On two occasions,both in 1998. I have "lost" my passport, once on my way home from the bank and once I had my pockets picked, again on suk. A new 48 page UK passport costs almost 10,000 baht. After the second loss the British Embassy warned me they would never again replace a lost passport and would only arrange for documents to fly home .

Do the math. Your passport is too valuable to carry around.

[Cuban]

A friend in Pattaya had a miniaturized (credit card sized) laminated copy of his PP - all relevant pages - so about 2 cards front and back.

Do I know you? I had such a credit card sized copy of my passport in my wallet and recall offering it on a few occasions - it was accepted as if it were a real ID card - just the text was too small to read and the picture was very small.

I think the police just need to be seen to ask then look at something, nod wisely as if they understand all the details then wave you one etc.

I recall a tale of a guy being stopped by a police boat on an Italian lake once (you need a boat operator's permit there) he offered hsi car driving licence from his home country that was 'inspected' then waved one with the advice to get his Italian Boat Licence if he was to remain in Italy.

I guess to answer the OP's question - it might be a problem if you are in a situation where the police want to make it a problem - on the news you often hear of a drugs raid or something like that with a list of charges being made against Khun X, which range from class 1 drugs offences to carrying a weapon and not carrying their ID card or Passport.

[sjaak327]

I never have my passport on me, except when travelling through Thailand (of course for Air travel but also for Bus or train travel) and I have been asked to produce my Passport at various checkpoints in the mountains north of Chiang Mai for instance. In Bangkok (and other Cities) I have never bene asked for it, but I usally have a photocopy of my Passport + entry stamp in my wallet.

I prefer not to carry my passport, also since I know from first hand experience what trouble it gives when you loose your passport in a foreign country.

[colino]

I was in Bangkok 2006 and i was stopped by the police and asked to show my passport,

I had a photo copy of my visa and photo page that i showed him , and explained that the hotel i was staying in told me

not to carry the original and to just carry a photo copy,

The officer then said is the hotel manager a police man as well , because the law states that all non Thais must carry

their Passports or ID cards at all times , and then fined me 500 Baht

but i still only carry a D/L

colino

[dbrenn]

On one of the other threads a contributor made the statement that it was a legal requirement that aliens carry their passports at all times when in the LOS.

I don't usually carry my passport with me, it's too valuable to risk it being lost or nicked. I usually have my Thai driver's licence with me and sometimes a photocopy of my passport.

So is it likely to be a big problem if I get caught without it? Or is it one of those things that a modest on the spot "fine" will cover?

The magnitude of the problem will depend on the mood of the policeman and what (if anything) you were doing that prompted him to ask for your passport in the first place, i.e., anything between being let off, to being fined on the spot, to being locked up.

Before I had a Thai ID card (Thais have to carry ID cards, so the law argues that foreigners who don't have ID cards have to carry passports instead), I just carried around my driving licence. Not because I was worried about getting asked for ID, only because having some sort of photo ID is necessary to enter a lot of places like residences and places of business. Never once got asked for my passport in 18 years, but I've heard of people who were asked with consequences of varying severity for failing to produce a valid passport and visa. In most cases they had sone something to upset the cop in question ...

Work hard, behave yourself and keep a low profile, and it is unlikely to happen to you.

[Mosha]

I've never been asked to show my PP in 5 years. I do have a Thai driving license that is with me at all times. The PP stays locked up at home unless we leave the province. Then we take it with us. However usually around here the immigration and army are looking for Burmese illegals.

[PeaceBlondie]

TIT. And in many cases, TITOT - This is That Other Thailand. Neither acronym means this is some Third World or undeveloped country. They don't mean the Thais are crazy or have no rules. It is not like Old Blimey or Canukville, and it is not the same all over the country. Your kilometrage will differ.

[Marvo]

So does anybody know what the law states as being the "official" penalty for Thais not carrying ID or foreigners not carrying their passports? (As opposed to the "unofficial" on-the-spot variable fine the BiB try to apply).

[Jingthing]

I don't know about the official fine, but in Pattaya I have heard they take people to the police station. They are then asked to contact someone to fetch their passport and bring it to the police station. I don't know what they do to people who don't have a way to fetch their passport. I remain under the impression that we are indeed legally obligated to carry our ORIGINAL passports at all times (and of course it would be insanely dangerous to do that), so another one of those lovely ambiguities that we love so much in our adopted home.

Edited August 8, 2008 by Jingthing

[percy2]

In over 15 years I've never been asked to produce my passport for a spot check while in Bangkok.

I was however asked once when driving close to the Burmese Border at an Army check point.

The guy even took the time and care to check my visa status. Glad I had it with me and it was all kosha.

But in Bangkok I never carry it if I don't need it.

My Thai driving license has always been sufficient.

Cheers

[percy2]

On two occasions,both in 1998. I have "lost" my passport, once on my way home from the bank and once I had my pockets picked, again on suk. A new 48 page UK passport costs almost 10,000 baht. After the second loss the British Embassy warned me they would never again replace a lost passport and would only arrange for documents to fly home .

I've been through a few passports while I've been here and never had that warning, not saying you did'nt BTW.

I also seem to remember talking to one of the consular staff at a social gathering who said that they cannot deny a passport to a UK citizen , they had had a case where a guy had been accused of murder in the US and as part of the bail arrangement they had surrended their passport.

When the guy turned up at the Consulate and applied for a passport they were obligated to give him one.

They also pointed out to me that was a major difference between UK and USA where a passport is a privilege rather than a right.

Not sure of the veracity of this but that's definitely the gist of what this diplomat had to say.

Cheers

[GuyDow]

So, it looks like the consensus is to leave the passport at home and deal with the consequences as and when they arise.

Sounds good to me!

[keestha]

Going about my daily routine I never carry my passport, also when I have to drive longer distances, like to one of the neighbouring provinces. But on longer trips, involving one or more nights away from home, I always take my passport with me. Granted, there is always a small risk if you don't carry your passport with you at all times like you are legally obliged to.

[micaw60]

I copied mine and reduced it to credit card size then laminated it so it fits nicely into the card slot in my wallet; I have been in (and out) of Thailand for over 14 years and never been asked for my passport other than at the airport. I have been resident here for the past 8 years and travelled extensively but never been challenged for my passport.

Mick C

[sniffdog]

It's quite simple .. the law requires that you have your passport with you at all times. A copy is just as illegal as not having one with you at all.

Doing it is another thing. I never carry it with me. I was once picked up by the police who asked me to show my passport. I said I didn't and he said it didn't matter. We drove to my apartment (over 1 hour) and there they checked it.

[mahjongguy]

We drove to my apartment (over 1 hour) and there they checked it.

That's pretty extraordinary. That officer must have been very kind or very bored or something.

Someone once posted that the Thai law translates as you must have your passport "available" at all times. That could mean in your pocket, or far away in your hotel safe, depending entirely on the officer who asks to see it.

Given the overall balance of losing your passport vs. having to pay a 2,000 baht fine, it's a no-brainer. Carry everything you possibly can EXCEPT the passport.

Note that your passport copy, laminated or not, should include all the relevant pages:

photo page

signature page (usually in the same view as above)

most recent entry stamp

arrival card, with the date and serial number visible (AA XXXXX)

visa page, if any (e.g. non-Imm O-A)

visa extension stamp, if any (e.g. Retirement)

90-day reporting slip

Could easily be 6 pages. Don't trust the kid in the copier shop to get it right.

I work it like this:

The passport and bankbook are in the safe. I only bring them out when needed, and I don't completely relax for a moment until they are back in place.

I have a wallet with full copies of my passport, my Thai Driver's License, and a copy of the house book as proof af address. Plus my ATM card, health insurance card, a few other things. I generally only carry this when I'm driving around shopping. I'm protective of it, but losing it would be only be painful, not a nightmare. I thought about this the other afternoon when I caught a guy lifting my wallet out of my cargo shorts on a songteow ride back to Jomtien.

I have another wallet with just the passport copy, a house key, and some baht. This is for just about anywhere I go on foot (the beach, 7-11, massage, clubbing, etc.).

It's the best I can do and should be good enough. If a cop wants something more than that, then he's looking for a little income and the only thing in your pocket that matters is a few baht. If you happened to actually be carrying your passport, he'd just say he saw you littering.

[jumnien]

Ten years here and never carry my passport. Thai driver's license will do for anything your likely to encouter in normal everyday life, unless you rob banks in everyday life!