Problem At Suvarnabhumi

[fletchsmile]

Sounds like another ill-thought out policy that in practice will cause far more inconvenience than it will do good.

Unaccompanied children or those without either parent = fair enough. That makes sense. As should some proof that someone is the father or mother particularly if the names are different. These are sensible measures and children do need protection.

As for one parent, makes little sense to me. What about where one partner has died? What were one is incapacitated and can't sign? What about all the one parent families? What do they expect? Death certificates? Incapacity certificates? Court judgements? One night stand certificates? Parent did a runner or abandonment certificates? Not to mention one parent who has no interest in the child's welfare just being awkward and using the situation for leverage over the other parent.

It would hardly be difficult either for one spouse to simply write anything saying that the other spouse agrees and sign it/ forge it. Let's be honest if one parent is taking a child without permission of the other, I doubt they'd have qualms about documentation.

The sensible option is permission where no parents are travelling. Where only one is travelling then asking a few basic questions to the parent and/or the child is likely to be much more effective than getting documents for the sake of it. Indeed there's a risk of "jobs worth" type people just relying on documents and not bothering to use common sense checks and questions because someone had something that looked like a document of approval.

Edited March 27, 2012 by fletchsmile

[maichai40]

I don't know if this can be considered an update but there is now an official form to be submitted when travelling with your children without wife.

We realized that when my wife looked at the website of M.o F.A., stating we have to visit the Amphur and ask

for authorization to travel (is me and my son leaving tomorrow).

With my surprise, at the Amphur they were well aware of that and said if we didn't come the baby may be denied to travel or at best they will make many problems.

Took 2 hours and 50 baht and we have an official paper stating i am allowed to bring my son out of the country for holiday

with approval of my wife.

Tomorrow i'll see if they really ask me that at Suvarnabhumi and i'll let you know.

[Mario2008]

Can you give a link to the page on the MFA website that states this, that would be helpful?

[PattayaParent]

I don't know if this can be considered an update but there is now an official form to be submitted when travelling with your children without wife.

We realized that when my wife looked at the website of M.o F.A., stating we have to visit the Amphur and ask

for authorization to travel (is me and my son leaving tomorrow).

With my surprise, at the Amphur they were well aware of that and said if we didn't come the baby may be denied to travel or at best they will make many problems.

Took 2 hours and 50 baht and we have an official paper stating i am allowed to bring my son out of the country for holiday

with approval of my wife.

Tomorrow i'll see if they really ask me that at Suvarnabhumi and i'll let you know.

What about if your wife was taking the kid out without you, does the same apply?

My wife has never had any problem taking our kid out of Thailand without me, even though they have different surnames, but I always wait around until they pass immigration so it wouldn't be a problem if they asked.

[NanLaew]

I don't know if this can be considered an update but there is now an official form to be submitted when travelling with your children without wife.

We realized that when my wife looked at the website of M.o F.A., stating we have to visit the Amphur and ask

for authorization to travel (is me and my son leaving tomorrow).

With my surprise, at the Amphur they were well aware of that and said if we didn't come the baby may be denied to travel or at best they will make many problems.

Took 2 hours and 50 baht and we have an official paper stating i am allowed to bring my son out of the country for holiday

with approval of my wife.

Tomorrow i'll see if they really ask me that at Suvarnabhumi and i'll let you know.

I am going to bump this one. Has ANYONE found the link on the MFA website that is referred to here?

I would like to have this approval letter for both my wife and myself and avoid any problems at the airport.

I assume that the letter from the Amphur is in Thai so one could get a 'certified' translation and use it if there's any questions at the other end of the flight?

[NanLaew]

As a footnote, my friend has been taking his daughter to Singapore and Hong Kong on holidays while his wife (the childs mother) stays in Thailand. The most recent trip was last month and he has never been asked for a letter of permission from his wife on departure or arrival anywhere. His daughter has his family name and holds two passports, one Thai and the other in her fathers nationality.

[Chivas]

Certainly first I've heard of it and grateful to the OP......

Suspect most on here weren't aware of this requirement. Which begs the question what actually would happen to a Brit coming in with a 12 year old son ??

Held at immigration whilst attempts are made to contact the absent parent...??

[Mario2008]

The focus is on signs of child trafficking. So for now, if you have the same last name as the child there is only a very small risk of being checked.

But yes, if they want to check they can hold you up till a check has been made. I don't know about Thai immigraiton, but I do know of it happening at other airports in the world. So best is to always travel with a permission from the other parent.

Checks do get more frequent.