8 Farangs Fined For Not Carrying Passport

[bartender100]

According to Stickman the bar owners and police had a meeting last night about bars checking all ID's

"One establishment has already experienced a bust with 8 farang being fined and the bar in question was fined, the rumour mill having it that the fine was as high as 50,000 baht."

Is this a new crackdown on carrying passports all the time.Can anyone confirm it?

http://www.stickmanbangkok.com/Weekly/weekly229.htm

[Abandon]

this should be in the 'things that should shock you but don't' thread in Hkk.

Yet another scam by BiB

[loong]

Am I reading this right - Bar Owners getting fined if their customers aren't carrying passports or IDs?

I know TIT, but that's really crazy. Another shot in the arm for tourism

[Aussietraveller]

Anyone know what the Individuals without passports were fined??

Is this going to become another way for the Boys in Brown to scam, oops, sorry, fine tourists who are endangering public safety by not carrying a passport....

[SiamOne]

Anyone know what the Individuals without passports were fined??

Is this going to become another way for the Boys in Brown  to scam, oops, sorry, fine tourists who are endangering public safety by not carrying a passport....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

strangely enough, it is the law that you should, as an alien, carry your pasport at all times

although it can be sufficient to have a copy, you may still get "fined"

[sriracha john]

Am I reading this right - Bar Owners getting fined if their customers aren't carrying passports or IDs?

I know TIT, but that's really crazy. Another shot in the arm for tourism

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Incredibly, I read it the same way, loong...

but then I remembered... it makes perfect sense. As they've now banned cigarette display stands and they have to sell them from under a counter, there's a market now for the unused holders. What better use for them than to use them to conveniently store patron's passports while they consume their liquid refreshments??

Look at it... easy to picture UK/Oz/USA/etc. passports proudly displayed behind the bar counter... each one sliding in securely and yet removed easily by the staff when you have finished drinking and are heading home or to another establishment. An industrious bar might even just wrap your check bin around it and save the clutter from the table. Tidy and effective new use for the bygone era of cigarette display stands.

Plus, it's recycling at it's finest. Never let anything go to waste.

*edit*

just remembered bartender is the OP. As someone who'd be doing this, what do you think?

Edited September 26, 2005 by sriracha john

[sriracha john]

Anyone know what the Individuals without passports were fined??

Is this going to become another way for the Boys in Brown  to scam, oops, sorry, fine tourists who are endangering public safety by not carrying a passport....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Aussietraveller, from another thread, apparently the repercussions can be quite steep... :

Best to keep them safely in the aforementioned cigarett.... errr.. I mean... passport display stand. Secure from would-be thieves and safe from patron's carelessness and yet ready for inspection, at a moments notice, by roving police patrols.

hmmm.... I'm beginning to think there's money to be had in this idea...anyone know what the wholesale prices are on used display stands??

Two months ago I was stopped by the traffic police for not having my passport on me. They said that the law is all foreigners must carry their passports or face 3000 baht fine or a month in prison.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Edited September 26, 2005 by sriracha john

[sriracha john]

Anyone know what the Individuals without passports were fined??

Is this going to become another way for the Boys in Brown  to scam, oops, sorry, fine tourists who are endangering public safety by not carrying a passport....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

strangely enough, it is the law that you should, as an alien, carry your pasport at all times

although it can be sufficient to have a copy, you may still get "fined"

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Good point... a copy is NOT sufficient... if you want to avoid the aforementioned fine/jail...

sooo.. everyone should INSIST that whatever drinking establishment they frequent MUST take care of their passports in a safe, secure, and yet efficient manner. From now on, I would avoid any places that did NOT have the cigaret.....errrr.... gosh dang it, I MEAN the passport display stand.

[8ball]

What About Non thai residents, carrying a Thai driving license and a colour photocopy of pasport and a letter from embassy stating address?

Would that be acceptable do you think?

8ball

[Khutan]

What About Non thai residents, carrying a Thai driving license and a colour photocopy of pasport and a letter from embassy stating address?

Would that be acceptable do you think?

8ball 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

On the odd occasion I have been stopped, my Thai Drivers license has been sufficient. When I have been asked where my passport was, I told them the truth either its in my apartment / hotel / workplace with my work permit. Each time it has ben accepted.

That is not an "out" rather the police have accepted that form of ID. I am sure the day will come when it isn't good enough, and either I will have to go and fetch my passport etc.

[ovenman]

That is not an "out" rather the police have accepted that form of ID. I am sure the day will come when it isn't good enough, and either I will have to go and fetch my passport etc.

That's pretty much how I feel as well. I have been here for twelve years, been asked to produce my passport twice in that amount of time, been able to talk my way around both instances. Both times I have been asked to show my passport have been while traveling (i.e. not just around town), so I now make sure I have my passport with me in that circumstance. When I hear that the situation on the ground has changed regarding passports, that many farang are now being asked at random to show their passports, I'll consider altering my daily behaviour. Until then, my passport stays safely at home.

[lopburi3]

The Stickman article says nothing about passports that I can find. It makes the requirement for ID to confirm drinkers are of age in my reading and telling the bars that they had best check because they will be responsible if anyone found without ID or underage.

[Firefan]

A bit scary having to carry such a vital doc around town.

Getting it stolen would certainly cause trouble for both me and police(considering what it can be used for my REAL criminals/terrorists).

Personally I carry my (new! ) Thai drivers license and a good color copy of my passport Incl. the visa page+stamp. I have in my many years staying/travelling in Thailand never been asked for my passport or even had to show the copy.

I did recently see a farang (tourist "look") being asked outside the weekend market by a cop.

Cheers!

[johnh101]

I thought it stated that it only applied to the newly pedestrianised Soi Cowboy ???

[Tywais]

The Stickman article says nothing about passports that I can find.  It makes the requirement for ID  to confirm drinkers are of age in my reading and telling the bars that they had best check because they will be responsible if anyone found without ID or underage.

You're right. The topic heading is wrong. Read the whole article and apparantley assumptions were drawn (nothing unusual about that on TV)

"that all customers will need to have ID on their person when entering the bars"

Edited September 26, 2005 by tywais

[spog]

I've always carried a B&W photocopy around me.

That's always been accepted by practically everyone (shops, VAT refund, banks, etc) - though I haven't been accosted by the boys in brown.

Sure as heck I'm not going to carry around an original passport.

[Firefan]

At Silom soi 4 they actually check ID (for age) at the actual entrance to the soi - at least last time I was there. Cheers!

[DJ Pat]

funny cos, for the first time ever i got stopped at Asoke by two cops who checked my ID on saturday and searched me outside the Black Swan pub, saying they were looking for amphetamines...

[spog]

funny cos, for the first time ever i got stopped at Asoke by two cops who checked my ID on saturday and searched me outside the Black Swan pub, saying they were looking for amphetamines...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why, had their usual supplier run out of stock?

[johnh101]

funny cos, for the first time ever i got stopped at Asoke by two cops who checked my ID on saturday and searched me outside the Black Swan pub, saying they were looking for amphetamines...

You were lucky, I thought they might have managed to find something somewhere, that you would swear you never had before they appeared.

[ozzydom]

At Silom soi 4 they actually check ID (for age) at the actual entrance to the soi - at least last time I was there. Cheers!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Wish someone would ask me for proof of age,I,d be chuffed

[jackr]

I got fined in Chiang mai 200 baht for no passport, along with another 200 for the missus with no helmet on the back of the bike - never a problem down south helmet-wise. Just them getting their pocket money and an easy add on with the no-helmet thing. I had no copies at the time, but now have a colour photocopy and my Thai driving licences...if this is now no good, then they can sue me...or throw me in clink

[TizMe]

Another pain in the ass is carrying your international driving license.

Last time I got stoped by the BiB, I just gave him my Aussie DL. He asked me if it was an international. I said "Yep", he believed me and so I drove away without having to make any donations to the secret policeman's ball.

[bartender100]

You're right. The topic heading is wrong. Read the whole article and apparantley assumptions were drawn (nothing unusual about that on TV)

"that all customers will need to have ID on their person when entering the bars"

So what ID other than a passport would a tourist have?,you are assuming all patrons to soi Cowboy are expats and have Thai Driving licenses,they are not.

[sua yai]

I've been asked once and had no ID at all. Was back in 5 mins with the passport and accepted the profuse apologies from the Tourist Police for wasting my time.

BTW. I've heard that the regular police technically have no right to demand to see your passport without due cause. Only Tourist Police and Immigration can demand it under any circumstances.

The regulars will always find a reason, however, so at best it's only a theoretical point of law.

Does anyone know if this is the case?

[bkkmadness]

I've been asked once and had no ID at all. Was back in 5 mins with the passport and accepted the profuse apologies from the Tourist Police for wasting my time.

BTW. I've heard that the regular police technically have no right to demand to see your passport without due cause. Only Tourist Police and Immigration can demand it under any circumstances.

The regulars will always find a reason, however, so at best it's only a theoretical point of law.

Does anyone know if this is the case?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What is the situation with a stop and search anyway? Do you have to turn out all your pockets on demand? I know they cant enter house and condois without the right papaers, just wondered about how it was on the streets.

I've been picked up a couple of times, though a copy of the passport has been fine so far.

[bluebear]

well, the british photo driver licence is international - its valid across europe.

4 years living here and 3 years of holidays here and never been asked for id. during the apec crackdown, always was waved through without any check but my thai girl de nuit was asked for her id. inthe space of thhose 2 months i worn off the gold cover of the passport, so now its a plain purple cover no writing at all is visible.

Edited September 26, 2005 by bluebear

[sriracha john]

Hmm....

so then it's a no go on the passport display stands for bars, then??

oh well...

[britmaveric]

Looking for underage drinkers is what I got out of the raids. No mention of passports I'm afraid.

[StateSix]

I would be interested to know what stop/search powers the Thai police have. I have been stopped 3 times now, twice in a taxi and once walking. Each time they just told me to empty my pockets and patted me down (no smutty comments, thank you ). They did not ask for ID and I got the impression they were looking for drugs (I was near Mystique). They were all very polite and said thank you when finished. However there is no way the police could search you under the same circumstances in the UK. They need much more specific grounds (except in very specific circumstances). Do the Thai police have the right to stop and search without any grounds at all?

With regards to ID, my understanding is that you must produce ID, upon demand from a police officer. The Thais have to carry their IDs by law. The police officer has to believe that this is a legitimate ID, hence why they probably wouldnt accept a British library card with your picture on, or something like that. Therefore you need a passport, or Thai driving licence. Something that they would recognise as official. If you are polite and they are not trying to make examples of people then a photocopy should suffice. I dont believe the police can demand to see your passport as such, but can demand ID, and only accept your passport as official ID. Immigration of course can demand to see it for their purposes.

I dont know how true this is, it is just what I have picked up from reading various sites, but seems to fit. However TIT and as we all know, rules can be bent, reinterpreted or rewritten very easily.