Karon Roadblock Today

[BangTaoBoy]

so in the US to check every muslimlooking person for passport in a mall is ok, but for us to be asked to display acceptable id here in LOS you find out of order?

I was simply pointing out to another poster, that is point that the fact passports were being asked for wasn't as relevent as he was implying, as it was a road block and people were driving vehicles and should have appropriate ID any way.

But yes, to answer your question, unless they made it very public first, if they were checking people for passports, who were walking around Patong, I would find that very unreasonable. In the US, I'm guessing they made any new security measures clear before they implemented them, otherwise they would have the human rights mob on their back.

Was it passports or just ID in a US mall? and did they get fined if they didn't have it with them?

[Peterocket]

....mmmm...can only be the 'Fawang Passport Mafia' operating here; joining the ever growing list of scams perpetrated against the evil fawang...

Fawang: "ere, Somchai, lend us yer clapped out and poorly maintained moto sai for a few days, will ya?"

Somchai: "Yeh, shoowa, no poplem but yoo hab leave passport wid me udderwise me no rent yoo."

Fawang: "But I have to carry my passport with me all the time otherwise Somchai the bent copper will fine me 2 million Baht for not carrying my passport with me all the time..."

Somchai: "Ha, ha, yoo funni guy, but yoo hab read Thai Wheezer too mutt!...but I like yoo....lissen, Somchai the bent copper brudder me him an' if yoo hab twubble too mutt yoo hab tell him passport wid me, okay?...then no poplem."

Fawang: "....mmmm...okay...do you have a safety helmet? I don't wanna get pulled over.."

Somchai: "...errrr...no hab, but I hab this.."(pulls out a an old rice colander and bungee strap)

Fawang: "Okay, see ya later.."

(2 miles down the road..)

Somchai: "Hey, fawang, yoo stop, where yoo passport, yoo show me udderwise yoo hab go monkey house cos nobody hab bigger chip on shoulder than me."

Fawang: "...but, but, but....Somchai made me give him my passport and said it would be okay if...."

Somchai: "Yoo tink me hab born yesterday, Fawang?"

Fawang: "....last Friday at the latest...heh, heh..."

Fawang last seen being 'escorted' to the cells at the Patong Hilton...

Ive been avoiding this thread for the last 4 pages but it was worth re-opening just for this. Quite a realistic re-inactment of the typical motorbike rental throughout Thailand.

[LivinLOS]

ok prove that you are required to carry a passport. Post a link citing this law

http://www.phuketgazette.net/issuesanswers/details.asp?id=747

“The law here is that all foreign tourist must have their passports to hand when the police ask for them. Tourists being in possession of their passports is similar to Thai people having identity cards – they must keep their ID cards with them for when police want to check their identify."

"When police check for passports and people don’t have them, they must pay a fine."

Pol Lt Col Panudej Sookwong

[ScubaBuddha]

If you are dumb enough to leave your passport with a motorbike rental shop you deserve to be stopped.

If there is a place that rents 'big bikes' and _doesn't_ require you to leave your passport, I would like to hear about it.

As far as I can tell, EVERY place that rents legitimately registered and insured big bikes _requires_ that you leave your passport at their place.

Neither Southern Thailand Big Bikes nor Loloiko require you to leave passports.