Passport

[TheFishman1]

When your like driving around do you need to have your passport with you,and or if so would a copy due I just don"t walk or drive around with it jsut a question

[CMSteve]

I think technically you are supposed to have it with you at all times.. That being said, I've found it beneficial not to have it with me. If questioned, "its at the hotel" will get you out of a problem or two.....

[BuckarooBanzai]

I think technically you are supposed to have it with you at all times.. That being said, I've found it beneficial not to have it with me. If questioned, "its at the hotel" will get you out of a problem or two.....

Agree with above but I do carry around my Thai drivers license. Some ID would be a good idea.

[Semper]

Yes, I think a DL would be a good idea to have when "driving around".

[LJW]

I have lived here for 27 years.. I never had a Thai License, and I have never carried my passport or a copy.

I have NEVER needed it

And Auto Insurance is not a problem

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I usually have my passport in the car. And I have a Thai driver's license. I have never been asked for ID, anywhere. I read on this forum that other have, though.

And it may come in handy when you get yourself in trouble.

[Thailand]

I carry a photocopy of the main page in my wallet. Have used it many times for banking etc without any problem..

[Thailand]

I have lived here for 27 years.. I never had a Thai License, and I have never carried my passport or a copy.

I have NEVER needed it

And Auto Insurance is not a problem

Not tempting fate with those statements then.

[Mario2008]

You must be able to show your ID in a reasonable amount of time. Technically they can hold you till they have determined that you are not illegally in the country.

When travelling it is wise to have an ID with you. A copy is not an ID-card, but most are willing to accpet it and won't make a problem if you don't have an ID with you.

[Semper]

I have lived here for 27 years.. I never had a Thai License, and I have never carried my passport or a copy.

I have NEVER needed it

And Auto Insurance is not a problem

And I know people who have been selling heroin for years. And they are not in custody yet. Maybe you should meet them.

[Dellboy218]

I have lived here for 27 years.. I never had a Thai License, and I have never carried my passport or a copy.

I have NEVER needed it

And Auto Insurance is not a problem

Is that for the mandatory personal insurance though? I have to produce my license for fully Comp class 1 insurance.

[mcgriffith]

A good colour photocopy, shrunk down to credit card size and laminated, of your passport facepage.

Reverse side copy of current visa extension or visa.

Stick it behind Thai DL in your wallet.

Been doing this for years, and never been asked, yet.

Passport stays locked in my safe, where it properly belongs.

[Semper]

A good colour photocopy, shrunk down to credit card size and laminated, of your passport facepage.

Reverse side copy of current visa extension or visa.

Stick it behind Thai DL in your wallet.

Been doing this for years, and never been asked, yet.

Passport stays locked in my safe, where it properly belongs.

Don't you trust your wife?

[TheFishman1]

:DO.K. Thanks think I will make a copy of Passport page,and carry my license

[bolx]

I have lived here for 27 years.. I never had a Thai License, and I have never carried my passport or a copy.

I have NEVER needed it

And Auto Insurance is not a problem

Are you sure it's valid? Wait til you try to claim!

[elektrified]

I have lived here for 27 years.. I never had a Thai License, and I have never carried my passport or a copy.

I have NEVER needed it

And Auto Insurance is not a problem

Are you sure it's valid? Wait til you try to claim!

I don't think your insurance will cover you if you got into a major accident and injured someone. In fact I think you would be in a lot of trouble. Every country of the world (that I know of) requires you to be licensed in order to file a claim.

[NancyL]

This question came up in my Thai language class. Turns out none of the women carry their passports, we all carry copies of the relevant pages. Surprisingly the younger Japanese or Korean guys do carry their passports at all times. One had quite a horror story of being stopped by Thai law enforcement someplace north of here and being forced to spent a night in jail before he could call his Thai wife to bring his passport from their safe in Chiang Mai.

Fortunately, this guy had a good command of spoken Thai, which made it OK to listen to his story in class and probably helped him in lock-up. Still, he couldn't talk his was out of the problem. Our teacher just laughed (Thai style) and said "oh yes, you do look like you're from Laos!".

So, if you kind of look like you might be an illegal alien, you should probably carry your passport. That's advice for all you western over-stayers, too.

[personchester]

I carry a photocopy of the main page in my wallet. Have used it many times for banking etc without any problem..

I do the same, and have done so for many years, showing it where needed, never a problem, thus keep your passport in a save place at home.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I have lived here for 27 years.. I never had a Thai License, and I have never carried my passport or a copy.

I have NEVER needed it

And Auto Insurance is not a problem

Are you sure it's valid? Wait til you try to claim!

Sure it would be valid; assume he has an international license. From a convenience standpoint I don't really get it though, international driving licenses are a bit of a money making game, and requiring extension every year. A Thai DL you can get for 5 years at the time for really minor money. (AND it serves as ID, also for example when taking (domestic) flights, at hospitals, etc.)

[personchester]

A good colour photocopy, shrunk down to credit card size and laminated, of your passport facepage.

Reverse side copy of current visa extension or visa.

Stick it behind Thai DL in your wallet.

Been doing this for years, and never been asked, yet.

Passport stays locked in my safe, where it properly belongs.

Don't you trust your wife?

Well, perhaps his wife is the "Safes-Key-Holder" whether he trusts her or not, he may have no other option...What !!

Nevertheless, safes are not always "safe" (unless they are secure bank safes) professional thieves do target safes because they know that the contents are worth having, and they know how to open them, or remove them, therefore keep a safe in your home only as a decoy, and store important items, i.e. passport, cash, share certificates, etc ... elsewhere in your home to be more secure, and you should be the only one knowing the location.

[elektrified]

I have lived here for 27 years.. I never had a Thai License, and I have never carried my passport or a copy.

I have NEVER needed it

And Auto Insurance is not a problem

Are you sure it's valid? Wait til you try to claim!

Sure it would be valid; assume he has an international license. From a convenience standpoint I don't really get it though, international driving licenses are a bit of a money making game, and requiring extension every year. A Thai DL you can get for 5 years at the time for really minor money. (AND it serves as ID, also for example when taking (domestic) flights, at hospitals, etc.)

If he has been here for 27 years it is unlikely he would return to his home country often to renew his driver's license. AFAIK one has to have a local drivers license to get an International one. I think he is saying that he is an unlicensed driver! Yikes...

[Mario2008]

If I recall correctly Thailand is not a party to the treaty on international drivers license.

I believe you are only insured in Thailand if you have a Thai drivers license. Best to read the small print and check if a foreign license is accepted by the insurence.

[elektrified]

If I recall correctly Thailand is not a party to the treaty on international drivers license.

I believe you are only insured in Thailand if you have a Thai drivers license. Best to read the small print and check if a foreign license is accepted by the insurence.

That's what I thought. The poster is saying that he has insurance but no license, therefore he is unlicensed and uninsured. He would therefore not be entitled to bail if he was in an accident. Hard to imagine why anyone (especially a foreigner) would take such a risk!

[WinnieTheKhwai]

If I recall correctly Thailand is not a party to the treaty on international drivers license.

Yes it is. They also issue international drivers licenses to holders of a Thai drivers license. I know because I have one.

[Priceless]

If I recall correctly Thailand is not a party to the treaty on international drivers license.

Yes it is. They also issue international drivers licenses to holders of a Thai drivers license. I know because I have one.

Just to pick a couple of nits:

1/ It is an "International Driver's Permit" (not a license) which is only valid in conjunction with your regular license.

2/ Thailand is party to the 1949 convention on IDPs, but not to the later 1968 one. I.e. IDPs issued according to the 1968 convention are not, strictly speaking, valid in Thailand.

/ Priceless

[WinnieTheKhwai]

If I recall correctly Thailand is not a party to the treaty on international drivers license.

Yes it is. They also issue international drivers licenses to holders of a Thai drivers license. I know because I have one.

Just to pick a couple of nits:

1/ It is an "International Driver's Permit" (not a license) which is only valid in conjunction with your regular license.

2/ Thailand is party to the 1949 convention on IDPs, but not to the later 1968 one. I.e. IDPs issued according to the 1968 convention are not, strictly speaking, valid in Thailand.

/ Priceless

Thank you.

(Remind me to invite you to parties, in case air pollution or international treaties come up as a topic. )

Either way, I received a piece of gray cardboard at the Chiang Mai Transport Department that enabled me, indeed in combination with my Thai drivers license, to rent a Chevy Impala in the US of A. Which is horrible. (The Impala)

[Dante99]

If I recall correctly Thailand is not a party to the treaty on international drivers license.

Yes it is. They also issue international drivers licenses to holders of a Thai drivers license. I know because I have one.

Just to pick a couple of nits:

1/ It is an "International Driver's Permit" (not a license) which is only valid in conjunction with your regular license.

2/ Thailand is party to the 1949 convention on IDPs, but not to the later 1968 one. I.e. IDPs issued according to the 1968 convention are not, strictly speaking, valid in Thailand.

/ Priceless

Thank you.

(Remind me to invite you to parties, in case air pollution or international treaties come up as a topic. )

Either way, I received a piece of gray cardboard at the Chiang Mai Transport Department that enabled me, indeed in combination with my Thai drivers license, to rent a Chevy Impala in the US of A. Which is horrible. (The Impala)

Thai drivers license alone is enough most places in the US.

[CMSteve]

Insurance companies profit by collecting premiums without paying them out fully to the insured. In Thailand, tourists can use a International driving license/permit to drive for up to 90 days. After that, a person is required to obtain a Thai driver's license to continue driving legally. This is one of the first things an Insurance company will check when a claim is made.

Getting a Thai license is very easy and can have a few extra benefits too(ID, Local status, etc). Don't get caught up with the insurance company or a hard ass police officer just because you didn't want to drop a few baht and an hour or your time...

[JeffreyMcCollum]

I think technically you are supposed to have it with you at all times.. That being said, I've found it beneficial not to have it with me. If questioned, "its at the hotel" will get you out of a problem or two.....

Agree with above but I do carry around my Thai drivers license. Some ID would be a good idea.

Thai drivers license has your Passport information on it. I have not carried my passport in years

[newbie001]

You can use your Thai drivers license to pay local price to national parks etc. You can also fly domestically without your passport using your Thai divers license.

Do not drive a car long term in Thailand without a Thai Drivers license. My Wife's insurance told us that without the Thai license they wouldn't cover us in an accident. I had been here for 6 years at that point. Luckily I never had an accident.