Do You Plan To Carry A Passport Copy From Now On?

[beachroadlover2]

Police are randomly stopping foreigners at all hours of the day/night to inspect their passports and it's all within their rights. Might be a good idea to carry a copy from now on.

Please vote/discuss if you will or won't make the change.

[naboo]

No, I know the law. I need to carry ID (Thai Driving Licence) and if requested to present my passport I must do so within a reasonable time, so I'll make sure I take it with me if I leave the province I'm in.

[Dancealot]

Plastic- sealed colour copy. Carry when needed.

[soundman]

No, I know the law. I need to carry ID (Thai Driving Licence) and if requested to present my passport I must do so within a reasonable time, so I'll make sure I take it with me if I leave the province I'm in.

Me 2.

To the OP; where have you observed the searches taking place? I haven't seen any searches taking place and I frequent the well known tourist haunts of Bkk a few days every month.

[beano2274]

As Naboo has stated a DL is perfectly okay, even if I leave my province I only take my DL with me.

[SamSipEt]

I've carried a photo copy in my wallet for years. Never had to show it but it is always there.

If travelling outside my home town I take my passport which I have only ever had to show at police check points in the border areas.

[AdamBangkok]

I got stopped a few weeks ago on Sukhumvit soi 22 in the middle of the afternoon and asked to show mine - I showed them my Thai drivers license and they let me go on my way.

Seemed very random - I was sober (for a change!) and reasonably presentable.

[Soi Sauce]

I you're out and about between Asoke and Ekkamai, and the Sois in between, it's a good idea to have a copy with you.

I've been stopped a few times, as have many friends. Some have even been searched, so mind yer vitamin V.

[bdenner]

Always carry up to date copies -- PP, visas, 90 day report -- in the car with DL in my wallet. Accept for the occasional highway 'tea money' road block never been asked to produce them. Near on 12 years now.

[tingtongtourist]

this thing i dont get: if they want to see passport how can copy of first page be good? would nt they want to see the visa stamp using for time here now?

how can they check about overstay if you only have copy of first page?

one time only i been asked for this and i tell them i dont have it on me and show him driver licence from home and he is happy to let me go my way

maybe things changed now?

[ubonjoe]

I don't carry copies. I normally have my passport with me at all times unless it is a short trip around town (never in village).

I have have never understood peoples paranoia about carrying their passports with them. In over 35 years of regular trips (for work) to many countries plus here I have never lost or had my passport stolen.

Edited November 14, 2012 by ubonjoe

[hotandhumid]

I don't carry copies. I normally have my passport with me at all times unless it is a short trip around town (never in village).

I have have never understood peoples paranoia about carrying their passports with them. In over 35 years of regular trips (for work) to many countries plus here I have never lost or had my passport stolen.

Do you sleep with it under your pillow?

Edited November 14, 2012 by hotandhumid

[wayned]

Had a friend that carried his in his back pocket all of the time. Finally decided that DL was good enough after he lost it once and his wife washed it twice!

[MilesCh]

In 12 years living in Asia, multiple trips to Thailand each for 6 weeks and now living here for 10 months have never carried my passport. Do keep on my person a photocopy of the front 2 pages of the passport plus 1 page of the visa. Also carry my Thai Drivers License. Never have been asked by authorities to show anything other than the drivers license, although the passport copy is handy to have since all stores will ask for it when opening an account -- not necessarily a charge account, but an account to accumulate points or whatever. (They usually ask for your passport but settle for a photocopy.)

[MJCM]

No, I know the law. I need to carry ID (Thai Driving Licence) and if requested to present my passport I must do so within a reasonable time, so I'll make sure I take it with me if I leave the province I'm in.

Me 2.

To the OP; where have you observed the searches taking place? I haven't seen any searches taking place and I frequent the well known tourist haunts of Bkk a few days every month.

I think the OP is referring to this Topic about Phuket,

http://www.thaivisa....d-at-all-times/

also in Pattaya this isn't the case and there aren't any reports about Police doing checks if Foreigners are carrying their passports.

But to answer the OP's question, I carry my Thai Driving License and a Laminated Copy of my Passport Face page including Last 90 Day Report and Last Extension of Stay.

Edited November 14, 2012 by MJCM

[fredob43]

I don't carry copies. I normally have my passport with me at all times unless it is a short trip around town (never in village).

I have have never understood peoples paranoia about carrying their passports with them. In over 35 years of regular trips (for work) to many countries plus here I have never lost or had my passport stolen.

I have lived all over Thailand and in my 25+ year's have found 3 passport's on bus 1 tuk tuk's 2 handed all into the local police had to give my name +++ never had anyone say a thank you, just wondering if they ever got them. Yes I know it's not many in 25 year's but if you think about it that's just me how many other's have lost their passport's Buddha it's a nightmare sorting it out, missed plane's ect. Do I ever carry my P/Port never my D/L seem's to be ok every ware. Edited November 14, 2012 by fredob43

[Badbanker]

Today I was called by a police friend who asked me to translate for him with a tourist. Seems the tourist was stopped in Siam Square and asked to show his passport. He only had a copy of the front page of the passport and no visa page, claiming that the passport was at immigration in Pattaya! (no one believed him)

The officer took him back to Patumwan police station to verify his visa with immigration.

With the US Presidential visit happening this weekend, there is heightened security in some areas and Police have been told to check the identity and visas of foreigners in Bangkok, to ensure if nothing else, that they look like they are doing a good job!

[Mosha]

Passport is in the truck at all times. I've a Thai drivers license also.

[noob7]

although the passport copy is handy to have since all stores will ask for it when opening an account -- not necessarily a charge account, but an account to accumulate points or whatever. (They usually ask for your passport but settle for a photocopy.)

Na, they usually go for the Thai address in your driving license!

Edited November 14, 2012 by noob7

[TommoPhysicist]

this thing i dont get: if they want to see passport how can copy of first page be good? would nt they want to see the visa stamp using for time here now?

how can they check about overstay if you only have copy of first page?

one time only i been asked for this and i tell them i dont have it on me and show him driver licence from home and he is happy to let me go my way

maybe things changed now?

Police have mobile phones.

The police station is connected to the immigration computer which shows your current visa status.

Your passport number is also on your Thai driving license.

[BookMan]

I don't carry copies. I normally have my passport with me at all times unless it is a short trip around town (never in village).

I have have never understood peoples paranoia about carrying their passports with them. In over 35 years of regular trips (for work) to many countries plus here I have never lost or had my passport stolen.

All good until it does get stolen or lost of course

[jcw]

No, I know the law. I need to carry ID (Thai Driving Licence) and if requested to present my passport I must do so within a reasonable time, so I'll make sure I take it with me if I leave the province I'm in.

Me 2.

To the OP; where have you observed the searches taking place? I haven't seen any searches taking place and I frequent the well known tourist haunts of Bkk a few days every month.

PP search, the Thai Urban Myth

[Badbanker]

A popular Thai Urban myth!

All Thai Police Stations are connected to the immigration computer and can after a phone call check if your visa is up to date or not!!!!!!!!!!!

Fact: Very few if any Thai Police Stations are connected to the "immigration computer" and a formal written police request must be sent to immigration by fax and then up to a 2 hour wait for a phone call or a fax confirming your visas status before you can be let go. Not nice sitting the lockup!

Occasionally a police officer will have a friend at immigration and can call him and ask him to check on line but this is not normal.

Edited November 14, 2012 by Badbanker

[edwardandtubs]

I was stopped and searched by a Thong Lo cop but he didn't ask to see my passport. I read a lot of friend of a friend stories here on thaivisa but I don't know in person anyone who carries their passport or who has ever had a problem from not so doing.

[david555]

color copy id page and visa page with stamps laminated & copy departure card & copy residence proof immigration......and accompanied with Thai driver license

[marstons]

Carry small copy of passport and visa on the back, also DL. If travelling away from provinve take real passport

[uptheos]

I got stopped and they ran my bar code number through a portable device............I came up as 250 Baht.

Seriously, as Tommo says a Thai D/L (new type) has your passport number on the front and your address on the back.

[gmac]

Always carry my passport with me. Never been asked to produce it and I'm rather glad I'm due for a renewal next year as it's getting rather tatty!

Edited November 14, 2012 by gmac

[lemoncake]

I could be wrong, but i do not think checking passport falls under police jurisdiction. They do not know anything about Visa's and large majority can not even read English.

Any id should be sufficient enough to prove your identity, i do not think passport is a requirement, unless its some kind of extortion.

Around Asok area, the passport checking scam and fines for smoking is very frequent.

From personal experience, few years back, i was pulled up for smoking(well throwing the butt away), they wanted 2000 baht fine, and for me to sign some papers in Thai.

I refused to sign or pay and told them to take me into police station.

After some "thinking time" they let me go with 100 baht donation and never bothered me again.

[MZurf]

I got stopped and they ran my bar code number through a portable device............I came up as 250 Baht.

Seriously, as Tommo says a Thai D/L (new type) has your passport number on the front and your address on the back.

Your driver license has the passport number of the passport you had when you got the license, not necessarily your current passport.