Do You Leave Your Passport With The Motorbike People?

[ydraw]

BigC you completely miss the point. Taking someone's passport is both illegal and futile.

[BigC]

BigC you completely miss the point. Taking someone's passport is both illegal and futile.

no you missed the point. If you do not leave your passport then u do not get motor bike. What are your seriously going to do force someoneout here to rent you a bike against their passport policy.

as far is it beging illegal. i have never seen anyone punished for it.

my point is that this is Thailand. If you do not like it then you do not have to rent it.

This is why people do not like to rent to thai people as they can stay in the country and just nick the bike.

rental companies need some inssurence and have the right to protect their small business.

making money is hard enough. at least here they have the ablitlty to relax the law so people can earn

[PoorSucker]

Don't rent new bikes.

Easier to rent a two+ year old bike with scratches on it already.

I don't care if it comes back with more scratches as long as you haven't broken anything.

First one that lay down my new bikes pay, between 3000-5000 baht.

I'm OK with 3000 deposit for old bike and 5000 for new one.

[Razzler1973]

Yeah, totally agree with you there. Prefer an older bike so they're not as bothered by a little scratch or two.

I have to say I don't think I have damaged a bike and never had an issue with anyway trying to claim I did it's just the viciousness of people saying noooooo, don't leave it that made me wonder if everyone else did

[ydraw]

no you missed the point. If you do not leave your passport then u do not get motor bike.

You do realise that the majority of places do not ask for passports now, right?

Your "advice" on this forum is consistently incoherent and useless.

[Razzler1973]

Really? What do you want now then? Whenever I rent on Koh Pha Ngan or Koh Chang they always want, perhaps different on Samui

[PoorSucker]

Really? What do you want now then? Whenever I rent on Koh Pha Ngan or Koh Chang they always want, perhaps different on Samui

3000 deposit for old bike and 5000 for new one.

[Tropicalevo]

Razzler - everyone here is offering differing advice from their own personal perspective.

Me - On Samui I do not leave anything for a deposit. The people that I rent from know and trust me.

On KPN - I only leave my Thai driving licence. Sometimes I have to visit 2 or 3 bike shops. When I explain that I live on Samui and that I do not need a passport to travel to KPN and so I do not have one with me - someone usually listens. BTW - the hotels are the worse for saying - passport please. That is because they use a local bike shop and do not negotiate.

I am sure that if I was a 'straight off the plane' tourist - I would need some more realistic collateral. As far as I understand it - you cannot insure a bike for all damage. 3rd party is all you can get, so the owner needs some protection.

Different strokes for different folks perhaps?

[BigC]

no you missed the point. If you do not leave your passport then u do not get motor bike.

You do realise that the majority of places do not ask for passports now, right?

Your "advice" on this forum is consistently incoherent and useless.

well u answer your own questions.Why are you bothing to answer on this forum when u have found places that don't take your passport. So you already have itworked out. so hat is your aim. to police the passport deposit system.

another point to make is that if most people do not leave their passports with the renters then what is the point in this forum.

maybe change the title to " you do not have to leave pasports with renters anymore as according to ydraw most places don't take them"

[ydraw]

Nothing you write makes any sense.

[crazykopite]

Over the years I have done or had to leave a sizable deposit now I just leave my Thai license and besides that I always use the same shop so they know me. What is more important is thatr when you rent any vehicle you go over it with a tooth comb for the slightest mark both inside and out and have it recorded on the hire sheet as times are hard and any way of making extra money will be used !!!

[Razzler1973]

Razzler - everyone here is offering differing advice from their own personal perspective.

That's good. I just wanted to know what he accepted as a renter. If I hear of lots and lots of people saying they leave 5K then I'll maybe offer 5K up to these guys instead of a passport is all so want to gather info

[BigC]

Nothing you write makes any sense.

What are u are u talking about everything I write makes sense.

When I rent a bike I leave my bike as a deposit and rent their passports

[BigC]

Razzler - everyone here is offering differing advice from their own personal perspective.

That's good. I just wanted to know what he accepted as a renter. If I hear of lots and lots of people saying they leave 5K then I'll maybe offer 5K up to these guys instead of a passport is all so want to gather info

I offered 5 k euros as a deposit but they would not accept it as by the timeshare finished renting the euroshall be worthless

[samuijimmy]

Razzler - everyone here is offering differing advice from their own personal perspective.

Me - On Samui I do not leave anything for a deposit. The people that I rent from know and trust me.

On KPN - I only leave my Thai driving licence. Sometimes I have to visit 2 or 3 bike shops. When I explain that I live on Samui and that I do not need a passport to travel to KPN and so I do not have one with me - someone usually listens. BTW - the hotels are the worse for saying - passport please. That is because they use a local bike shop and do not negotiate.

I am sure that if I was a 'straight off the plane' tourist - I would need some more realistic collateral. As far as I understand it - you cannot insure a bike for all damage. 3rd party is all you can get, so the owner needs some protection.

Different strokes for different folks perhaps?

yes same with me... regarding KP.... when I used to stay there, I used the same shop... the lady said we know you ... and trust you... so I did not have to leave anything... now when I head over over to KP it's the same, sometimes I leave my drivers license sometimes not, but I use the same shop.

Same on Samui, if I have friends come and need a bike, I take them to a shop that knows me, no problems...

But wait!!!! here I am in Penang, waiting on my visa, and guess what, the Thai consulate has my Passport until tomorrow afternoon.... what was I supposed to say.... NO??? So I am passport-less for over a day.... OMG! what shall I do????

So it's the same.... some times you have to let your passport be used... no different the way I see it whether it be motor bike shop or another government...

As for Mr "Y fronts" time to loosen up your knickers a bit,

Not everything is BLACK and WHITE, there are shades of grey.... loosen up and get real!~

[BigC]

no you missed the point. If you do not leave your passport then u do not get motor bike.

You do realise that the majority of places do not ask for passports now, right?

Your "advice" on this forum is consistently incoherent and useless.

well don't read it then. on your bike !

[marstons]

i dont understand the leaving of the driving licence, it could have old passport number on, old address on and if its a bike licence is required by law to be carried whilst being driven. Photo copy of passport is all i ever used, plenty of farangs rent bikes if you ask about.

[smokie36]

no you missed the point. If you do not leave your passport then u do not get motor bike.

You do realise that the majority of places do not ask for passports now, right?

Your "advice" on this forum is consistently incoherent and useless.

well don't read it then. on your bike !

He doesn't have a bike....if he did there would be no need to post now would there?

Doh!

[insertmembernamehere]

If I have a copy of your passport as collateral, and you damage my bike and refuse to pay, how do I proceed to collect my money? What magic can this photocopy do to compel you to pay? Who do I show it to, to force you to pay?

[Rooo]

If I have a copy of your passport as collateral, and you damage my bike and refuse to pay, how do I proceed to collect my money? What magic can this photocopy do to compel you to pay? Who do I show it to, to force you to pay?

I assume the person would have signed some form of contract. Would it then not be possible to make a police report? I suppose in a lot of cases they could stop you from leaving the island, well by air anyway

[Tropicalevo]

If I have a copy of your passport as collateral, and you damage my bike and refuse to pay, how do I proceed to collect my money? What magic can this photocopy do to compel you to pay? Who do I show it to, to force you to pay?

You do what you should always do - go to the BIBs and get the person on the stop list at immigration. I have found that the threat of being stopped from leaving the kingdom is quite a conversation starter with the naughty boys. Yes it costs money and tell them that it goes on the bill.

Dare I say it - follow the due course of the law instead of taking it into your own hands.

and before we get the "BIB's are a waste of time" posts - I have always found them helpful, and quite good when everything is done properly. If they cannot help they usually suggest alternatives. Better still - get the tourist police to chase up the naughty chappies.

[marstons]

If I have a copy of your passport as collateral, and you damage my bike and refuse to pay, how do I proceed to collect my money? What magic can this photocopy do to compel you to pay? Who do I show it to, to force you to pay?

well if you take a real passport all they have to do is go to the BIB and ask that you return it as it belongs to neither you nor them, but her majesties goverment. Plenty of compamies run business with copy passports, if you cant run your business by rule of law suggest you get out of it. the contract is binding, BIB in my experience would look upon it as a civil matter and you would have to act accordingly. Friend of mine has 75 bikes on rent and gets by with just copies. Maybe if you do rent bikes rent to people who have to appropriate legal requirements to drive one ie legal licence.

Dont see jet ski boys asking for passports, just signed contract, they get paid :-)

[BigC]

i dont understand the leaving of the driving licence, it could have old passport number on, old address on and if its a bike licence is required by law to be carried whilst being driven. Photo copy of passport is all i ever used, plenty of farangs rent bikes if you ask about.

yes leaving a driving licence shall have u nicked if u get a pull. as it is thai law to carry your licence at all times

[BigC]

If I have a copy of your passport as collateral, and you damage my bike and refuse to pay, how do I proceed to collect my money? What magic can this photocopy do to compel you to pay? Who do I show it to, to force you to pay?

well if you take a real passport all they have to do is go to the BIB and ask that you return it as it belongs to neither you nor them, but her majesties goverment. Plenty of compamies run business with copy passports, if you cant run your business by rule of law suggest you get out of it. the contract is binding, BIB in my experience would look upon it as a civil matter and you would have to act accordingly. Friend of mine has 75 bikes on rent and gets by with just copies. Maybe if you do rent bikes rent to people who have to appropriate legal requirements to drive one ie legal licence.

Dont see jet ski boys asking for passports, just signed contract, they get paid :-)

yes but harder to steel a jetski beinga tourist.

I think that you shall have to have a close relationship with the police to accept a passport copy. If one crashes the bike but does not want to pay yet on the contract there is eveidence that the leasee has crashed it then the police should be able to resolve this issue.

On the other hand i have seen people crash the bike. Then just leave it and fly away back home. The leaser does not even know as the expire of the contract might not finsih for a month or so.

where ashavingonce passport makes things harder to flee the scene. also if a bike is stolen. i can imagine that most toursist do not wantto pay fora new bike.

Inssurence doesnot really cover theft.

Even if it did then you would have to pay for the companies time for fillingout inssurence paper plus wiating time for a new bike plus inssurence the following year being raised.

Personally if i was to renta bike and it was stolen then the leasee would have to buy me a new bike even if i was inssured.

Also if one was to have an accident i would probably help them as much as i could unless they were drivign dangerously or drunk then they deserve all they get really.

As for that other person who is on my trial reading everyone one of my posts and critizing them. If you do not wish to leave your passport then don't. What are you going to do. tell them that they have to rent you a bike without a passport and force them to do it.

maybe less of that happy backy.

I cannot go into a bike rentalshop and tell them how to do there business.

[BigC]

Razzler - everyone here is offering differing advice from their own personal perspective.

Me - On Samui I do not leave anything for a deposit. The people that I rent from know and trust me.

On KPN - I only leave my Thai driving licence. Sometimes I have to visit 2 or 3 bike shops. When I explain that I live on Samui and that I do not need a passport to travel to KPN and so I do not have one with me - someone usually listens. BTW - the hotels are the worse for saying - passport please. That is because they use a local bike shop and do not negotiate.

I am sure that if I was a 'straight off the plane' tourist - I would need some more realistic collateral. As far as I understand it - you cannot insure a bike for all damage. 3rd party is all you can get, so the owner needs some protection.

Different strokes for different folks perhaps?

yes same with me... regarding KP.... when I used to stay there, I used the same shop... the lady said we know you ... and trust you... so I did not have to leave anything... now when I head over over to KP it's the same, sometimes I leave my drivers license sometimes not, but I use the same shop.

Same on Samui, if I have friends come and need a bike, I take them to a shop that knows me, no problems...

But wait!!!! here I am in Penang, waiting on my visa, and guess what, the Thai consulate has my Passport until tomorrow afternoon.... what was I supposed to say.... NO??? So I am passport-less for over a day.... OMG! what shall I do????

So it's the same.... some times you have to let your passport be used... no different the way I see it whether it be motor bike shop or another government...

As for Mr "Y fronts" time to loosen up your knickers a bit,

Not everything is BLACK and WHITE, there are shades of grey.... loosen up and get real!~

lol yes you should go to the Thai consulate and demand that they are doing there job wrong and demand your passport and visa right now as it is the law in ENgland or America or where ever lol

[BigC]

Razzler - everyone here is offering differing advice from their own personal perspective.

Me - On Samui I do not leave anything for a deposit. The people that I rent from know and trust me.

On KPN - I only leave my Thai driving licence. Sometimes I have to visit 2 or 3 bike shops. When I explain that I live on Samui and that I do not need a passport to travel to KPN and so I do not have one with me - someone usually listens. BTW - the hotels are the worse for saying - passport please. That is because they use a local bike shop and do not negotiate.

I am sure that if I was a 'straight off the plane' tourist - I would need some more realistic collateral. As far as I understand it - you cannot insure a bike for all damage. 3rd party is all you can get, so the owner needs some protection.

Different strokes for different folks perhaps?

yes same with me... regarding KP.... when I used to stay there, I used the same shop... the lady said we know you ... and trust you... so I did not have to leave anything... now when I head over over to KP it's the same, sometimes I leave my drivers license sometimes not, but I use the same shop.

Same on Samui, if I have friends come and need a bike, I take them to a shop that knows me, no problems...

But wait!!!! here I am in Penang, waiting on my visa, and guess what, the Thai consulate has my Passport until tomorrow afternoon.... what was I supposed to say.... NO??? So I am passport-less for over a day.... OMG! what shall I do????

So it's the same.... some times you have to let your passport be used... no different the way I see it whether it be motor bike shop or another government...

As for Mr "Y fronts" time to loosen up your knickers a bit,

Not everything is BLACK and WHITE, there are shades of grey.... loosen up and get real!~

lol yes you should go to the Thai consulate and demand that they are doing there job wrong and demand your passport and visa right now as it is the law in ENgland or America or where ever lol

Tell them not to piss me off or i shall get mr Y fronts to get on the internet and blog you lol

[samuijimmy]

Razzler - everyone here is offering differing advice from their own personal perspective.

Me - On Samui I do not leave anything for a deposit. The people that I rent from know and trust me.

On KPN - I only leave my Thai driving licence. Sometimes I have to visit 2 or 3 bike shops. When I explain that I live on Samui and that I do not need a passport to travel to KPN and so I do not have one with me - someone usually listens. BTW - the hotels are the worse for saying - passport please. That is because they use a local bike shop and do not negotiate.

I am sure that if I was a 'straight off the plane' tourist - I would need some more realistic collateral. As far as I understand it - you cannot insure a bike for all damage. 3rd party is all you can get, so the owner needs some protection.

Different strokes for different folks perhaps?

yes same with me... regarding KP.... when I used to stay there, I used the same shop... the lady said we know you ... and trust you... so I did not have to leave anything... now when I head over over to KP it's the same, sometimes I leave my drivers license sometimes not, but I use the same shop.

Same on Samui, if I have friends come and need a bike, I take them to a shop that knows me, no problems...

But wait!!!! here I am in Penang, waiting on my visa, and guess what, the Thai consulate has my Passport until tomorrow afternoon.... what was I supposed to say.... NO??? So I am passport-less for over a day.... OMG! what shall I do????

So it's the same.... some times you have to let your passport be used... no different the way I see it whether it be motor bike shop or another government...

As for Mr "Y fronts" time to loosen up your knickers a bit,

Not everything is BLACK and WHITE, there are shades of grey.... loosen up and get real!~

lol yes you should go to the Thai consulate and demand that they are doing there job wrong and demand your passport and visa right now as it is the law in ENgland or America or where ever lol

Tell them not to piss me off or i shall get mr Y fronts to get on the internet and blog you lol

yes we got the point on the first post...Big C.!!!

Anyway my passport safely back in my hands

I asked the motor bike rental shop next to my hotel, what they do here in Malaysia, ... It is government regulated to start with.... that is not always good!... but perhaps it protects both parties in the case of a dispute....

But they charge a deposit of 200 MR or about 2000 baht +- Daily rates higher than in Thailand... / Samui at least. Crappy looking bikes too... They also require copy of a valid drivers license...

Rental shops few and far between too.... although more here on Penang than I've noticed any where else in Malaysia on other travels , that probably helps keep the price up too....

[ydraw]

lol yes you should go to the Thai consulate and demand that they are doing there job wrong and demand your passport and visa right now as it is the law in ENgland or America or where ever lol

No, you would go to the consulate of your home country,

[Rooo]

OK, enough with the off topic & flames please.

[insertmembernamehere]

I understand the concept of notifying the authorities to attempt to stop you from leaving the country, but this being Thailand, I have little confidence that anything would actually happen.

Also, if I wrecked a bike that I had rented and wanted to pull a runner, I would organize it so that I was out of the country before I turned the bike back in. That shouldn't be too hard.

But this is taking things to an unlikely extreme.

More realistic is when you drop a bike (this is apparently very common on KP) and the shop totals up the "damage" and it is absurdly high. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I have seen this. The "damage" could hardly be considered to the point of having to replace the slightly scratched plastic, but the shop owners insisted that every blemish, no matter how trivial, needed to have that part replaced. A guy I knew at a dive shop in KP said this practice was so rampant that he told me that some people start renting bikes primarily in the hope of renters scratching them.

And if you have a deposit of 3,000 baht, and the owner wants to say that there is 14,000 baht worth of damage (Hey! There's a contract, but nothing that says what constitutes real damage), it will be difficult to get any more money out of the farang renter.