Foreign dive masters/instructors, keep your passport and WP in your wetsuit

This was last week so why the delay I would have thought the company could have presented the passport and work permit within the hour ?????????

Seems there was a little bit of time to allow some cash to change hands.

And yes it is reasonable to be expected to have proof of your work permit at your work place and at least a copy of your passport to prove who you are.

heheheeh some good free entertainment here today. Why complain about the rules in the end you have a choice about these things if they are a burden upon you find less burden some rules

She was not the only foreigner arrested in Kata that week. An American was arrested for working outside the terms his work permit. He was cleaning and setting up chairs in his bar.

good, she was, as i recall, quite fit.

the last sentence smacks of witch hunt, or at the very least a last ditch attempt to save face:

“We will pass the case file to the public prosecutor, who may still press charges against her for not carrying her passport and her work permit on her person,”

more like a threat: don't criticise us or we will find some trumped up charge to gaol you with. Keystone cops with guns.

Thailand and all it's BS are really getting to me lately, i'm just about having enough... No i'm NOT a Russian, but this could have been any of us ( who holds a legal WP)ending up in a mess, because of some Smart A*** Politician or "police" who tries to prove them selves ... It just makes me sick !!!

So leave, does any one care?

A petty and childish reply, shows total lack of any intelligent thought, why some people reply with such a worthless comment beggars belief.

Incompetent imbeciles....

that is ridiculous , so we have to carry passport and work permit all the time ? everywhere ? this witches hunt is going nowhere.

It's a very normal and standard practice (world wide I dare say...) that you have to carry your ID. In this case, you are in a foreign country and your only valid ID is your passport.

As for the workpermit, read the last page. It says: "Warning" and then the first item reads:

1. A permit holder must keep the permit with him or at the place of work during working hours in order that it may be readily shown to competent official or the Registrar. Any violation thereof shall be liable to a fine not exceeding one thousand Baht.

Very easy and straight forward rules...what's there to complain about...?

You want to work...you follow the rules...

Easy? In my opinion, having to carry the original everywhere you go exposes you to an unacceptably high risk of pickpocketing (not to mention putting a lot of wear and tear on it, what if you get caught outside in a rainstorm with it in your pocket). If a photocopy is not sufficient, then there should be a system whereby foreigners can apply for an ID card that they can carry around instead.

And BTW, in Australia there is no law that anyone has to carry ID around with them.

That's because Australia is a democratic country with an independent judiciary, and police service that impartially enforeces and respects the law. See the differences?

Asking for ID always reminds me of the old WW11 films - where somebody with a bad silly supposedly German accent growls "papers". Not funny in reality and indicative of an oppressive police state. Maybe foreigners should all wear a Star on their clothing so they can be spotted even more easily.

Foreign dive masters/instructors, keep your passport and WP in your wetsuit

Seriously tho, this is an issue I have thought about. Obviously taking the WP on the boat is a must, but when I beach dive locally, or on a longtail, it's in the shop. I am in violation when I do this, but I do not want to risk having it stolen or getting it wet. I am also in violation every time I teach or guide on Phi Phi (as in a day trip from Phuket) or in the similans as those places are in Krabi, Phangna, and Ranong provinces.

“We will pass the case file to the public prosecutor, who may still press charges against her for not carrying her passport and her work permit on her person,” Lt Ratthapol added.

Now that is just plain spiteful.

I bet the public prosecutor doesn't bring charges, but at least Lt Ratthapol can puff out his chest and feel important, today.

Well maybe (repeat maybe) the Russian gal gave some smart ass comments / replies when she was confronted, and now the chickens come home to roost.

maybe you are just specualting wildly

This has very little to do with the law and everything to do with the profit that is generated from selling tours and other tourist services to tourists.

This has very little to do with the law and everything to do with the profit that is generated from selling tours and other tourist services to tourists.

What about the profit generated from selling work permits and visas? :)

Gestapo used to demand 'your papers!!'

So she spent a night in jail over a mistake by the BIBs, are they going to compensate her for that? Surely no...

Would be nice for the ones who cocked up to get into trouble for making a wrong arrest...

She should have had her paperwork with her, FACT.

but in MHO it should not be a night in jail but like an on the spot fine wich can be paid withhin 28 daysat police station, simillar to a traffic fine is done in australia would be more appropriate i think, also less streeful on the falang worker and less paperwork for the gov staff, and the poor overworked police

When having 100~200k in cash, next to your wp of course..., will be be officially compulsory?

Asking us to carry around our original passport is not only inconvenient, but it is dangerous, as it could easily be lost or stolen. This is a completely unreasonable demand being made by very small men, with little to no purpose in life. They were simply defending the phuket taxi mafia. So, in essence the immigration department becomes the protection racket for the mafia. And these rodents can sleep at night? Shame on them, and shame on the government for allowing this to happen.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Interesting,seems like the russians are here to stay after all.......money always talk .....................

This has very little to do with the law and everything to do with the profit that is generated from selling tours and other tourist services to tourists.

Correct & add that the fact she is Russian & competes with the Tuc Tuc mafia 'obviously' had nothing to do with it.

that is ridiculous , so we have to carry passport and work permit all the time ? everywhere ? this witches hunt is going nowhere.

You have to carry you passport everywhere but your work needs only to be at your place of work. Saying he might prosecute anyway for not having them is outrageous. The penalties would be trivial and surely the police could spend their time and taxpayers' money more usefully chasing real criminals.

Think many are missing the REAL issue which is this IS Thailand. Why do THEY need foreigners working in a tour agency.

Thailand and all it's BS are really getting to me lately, i'm just about having enough... No i'm NOT a Russian, but this could have been any of us ( who holds a legal WP)ending up in a mess, because of some Smart A*** Politician or "police" who tries to prove them selves ... It just makes me sick !!!

So leave, does any one care?

Wow, such an original comment!

that is ridiculous , so we have to carry passport and work permit all the time ? everywhere ? this witches hunt is going nowhere.

It's a very normal and standard practice (world wide I dare say...) that you have to carry your ID. In this case, you are in a foreign country and your only valid ID is your passport.

As for the workpermit, read the last page. It says: "Warning" and then the first item reads:

1. A permit holder must keep the permit with him or at the place of work during working hours in order that it may be readily shown to competent official or the Registrar. Any violation thereof shall be liable to a fine not exceeding one thousand Baht.

Very easy and straight forward rules...what's there to complain about...?

You want to work...you follow the rules...

"competent official" - Mmmmm...in Thailand? Really?! ;-)

“We will pass the case file to the public prosecutor, who may still press charges against her for not carrying her passport and her work permit on her person,” Lt Ratthapol added.

Now that is just plain spiteful.

I bet the public prosecutor doesn't bring charges, but at least Lt Ratthapol can puff out his chest and feel important, today.

Oh innocence! The PP is given a chance to get something too...

Think many are missing the REAL issue which is this IS Thailand. Why do THEY need foreigners working in a tour agency.

Why not? The real issue is the Phuket mafia.

Tour/Travel agencies sometimes need people who speak the language of the tour group & Thai's are not well known for their Russian.

Think many are missing the REAL issue which is this IS Thailand. Why do THEY need foreigners working in a tour agency.

Why not? The real issue is the Phuket mafia.

Tour/Travel agencies sometimes need people who speak the language of the tour group & Thai's are not well known for their Russian.

So they employ somebody who speaks Russian and get a workpermit for that person.

“We will pass the case file to the public prosecutor, who may still press charges against her for not carrying her passport and her work permit on her person,” Lt Ratthapol added.

Now that is just plain spiteful.

I bet the public prosecutor doesn't bring charges, but at least Lt Ratthapol can puff out his chest and feel important, today.

Well maybe (repeat maybe) the Russian gal gave some smart ass comments / replies when she was confronted, and now the chickens come home to roost.

Not a wise move in any country to smart ass police officers and similar officials.

I agree with the various comments about why didn't she show the documents in the first place or, if they were not on site, mention she has the visa in her passport and she has a WP, and send someone quick smart to bring them to the officers.

I recall some years back I was arriving in Australia, a yank in front of me was being obnoxious to the passport officer then, when asked to open his suitace, gave the customs folks a mouthful of foul mouth cheek and threw the suitcase keys across the room along with a comment 'you wanna take a look in my suitacse, you open it'.

Result: Suitcase ripped quickly open with some tools from under the bench, 3 or 4 extra customs officers appeared very quickly and every article of clothing destroyed by cutting off the shirt collars then cutting the collars into pieces to 'check for drugs maybe hidden in the collars', shoes destroyed, and more. Didn't take long for the smart ass to plead with them to stop.

I've also seen Japanese customs officers get pretty agreesive with people who don't 'toe the line'.

I doubt this.

In Australia Customs can inspect but if damage to the item occurs they are obliged to replace it if no contraband found. Yes I can see them giving him a hard time and inspecting everything very very slowly and carefully but not cut it apart. One shirt of course could take an hour to inpspect carefully.

“We will pass the case file to the public prosecutor, who may still press charges against her for not carrying her passport and her work permit on her person,” Lt Ratthapol added.

Now that is just plain spiteful.

I bet the public prosecutor doesn't bring charges, but at least Lt Ratthapol can puff out his chest and feel important, today.

Well maybe (repeat maybe) the Russian gal gave some smart ass comments / replies when she was confronted, and now the chickens come home to roost.

Not a wise move in any country to smart ass police officers and similar officials.

I agree with the various comments about why didn't she show the documents in the first place or, if they were not on site, mention she has the visa in her passport and she has a WP, and send someone quick smart to bring them to the officers.

I recall some years back I was arriving in Australia, a yank in front of me was being obnoxious to the passport officer then, when asked to open his suitace, gave the customs folks a mouthful of foul mouth cheek and threw the suitcase keys across the room along with a comment 'you wanna take a look in my suitacse, you open it'.

Result: Suitcase ripped quickly open with some tools from under the bench, 3 or 4 extra customs officers appeared very quickly and every article of clothing destroyed by cutting off the shirt collars then cutting the collars into pieces to 'check for drugs maybe hidden in the collars', shoes destroyed, and more. Didn't take long for the smart ass to plead with them to stop.

I've also seen Japanese customs officers get pretty agreesive with people who don't 'toe the line'.

I doubt this.

In Australia Customs can inspect but if damage to the item occurs they are obliged to replace it if no contraband found. Yes I can see them giving him a hard time and inspecting everything very very slowly and carefully but not cut it apart. One shirt of course could take an hour to inpspect carefully.

I have dealt with some very stupid Australian customs officials - one guy mid 20's was asking what my I-pod was ! He was really just trying to get a reaction! To the point whereby his boss came over & passed me through, some people just like to abuse power even in the western world!

How easy is it to buy a fake WP ? Documents in Thailand are so easy to fake that its a joke.

I have a aussie international drivers licence. The paper style looks kind of like a thin passport without any official stamps in it. I showed the police my licence after a random pullover and he had no idea what he was looking at, he had to ask a taxi driver if it was real. I guess an arvo with photoshop could create some interesting licenses.

that is ridiculous , so we have to carry passport and work permit all the time ? everywhere ? this witches hunt is going nowhere.

As far as I know, officially, yes...

Those of us with work permits or other long stay visas should be entitled to a more practical form of credit-card sized identification, not too dissimilar to the Thai national ID. Yes, it might cost a few hundred baht, but it's certainly more practical than carrying ones passport everywhere.

Getting a Thai drivers licence is the best alternative at the moment. It is suffice in most circumstances.

I used to carry all that extra baggage around all the time, then I got a Thai drivers license, end of problem and it has been my best option. When the police saw that, that was the end of carrying all that important paper. Yellow book, is the next issue.

I like to P-off the Aussie Customs by bringing a Mars bar with me and then go through the red channel to declare it.

When they start to give me a hard time, I point out the statement on the declaration that states "All food-stuffs must be declared". Getting outside quickly through the empty red channel is an added bonus........