Warning When Using Second Passport.

[a99az]

Well I thought I had everything sorted, the kids had there new British passports and the wife had her Thai passport and Spanish ID resident/card.

Tickets in hand we booked in with no problem all was in order, baggage sent on its way and we went off to Thai immigration.

The immigration officer processed my wife all OK then the our children next, the officer said "NO GOOD they must have Thai passport can not go"

I could not believe what I had heard.

Apparently if the children enter with a Thai passport they must leave with a Thai passport. I pleaded with them nicely,

Another officer came out and shouted "go go" I asked him to relent and let us pass as we needed to be back home the next day. He then grabbed at me shouting "I take you, I take you now, I am police I am police". By now the children 4 and 6 where in tears the youngest wanted to wet her self and my wife wanted to know why the officer wanted to take me. I ignored him and started to leave with my family when the officer put his hand in my pocket to take my passport. I said no don't do that, he removed his hand and by now was almost apoplectic.

We walked away and with the help of the airport staff we went to offload our luggage and retrieve the children's Thai passports so that we could leave Thailand.

This done we went with airport staff again to leave we thought all was good and we could go. However one of my daughters passports was just out of date so we could not fly out. We turned to leave when the mad officer came back with another shouting "he take you now" I totally ignored him and kept walking.

So today we have been to renew the out of date passport and will collect it this Thursday. The cost in frustration and upset unmanageable plus the extra 41,000 tb to change the tickets.

It's a hard lesson and I hope this will serve so that others never have to go through this. As for me, it reenforces my feelings about Thai BIB, many need anger management and some a good deal more, the fact that they also carry firearms is truly scary and it a wonder many more innocent people don't get shot. Can't wait to get back to normality.

[FDog]

Do you know of any reason they HAVE to have Thai passports?

I have both Oz and British passports. I called Oz immigration to ask if it is ok to leave on the British passport. They told me I had to use my OZ one when leaving.

I said that the legislation only says that I 'should' use it, not 'must'. She tole me that I may be stopped for questioning at the airport if I didn't use the Oz one. I asked why would they do that if it isn't compulsory for me to use the oz passport. She said they would want to know why I wasn't using it and they want me to use it so the govt knows where I am.

Well good for them, but I don't care about the oz govt knowing where I am. She then just said I could use whatever one I wanted.

Sometimes they just have this idea that they can say what they want or what their policy is even if it isn't actually law.

So would be interesting to know on what basis your children had to have Thai passports.

Oh, and a bit silly to have one that was out of date.

[Mario2008]

it must have been a very frustrating experience. You can file a complained about his behavior but the immigration officer was in the right to refuse your children to exit Thailand. One must leave on the passport of the nationality you entered on and one can enter Thailand on an expired passport but not leave on one!

[meatboy]

i think the op.did not do his home work,whatever passport you use to enter thailand on you must use the same one to leave,as for one of them being out of date well that is also down to you,as for the warning you give most if not all travellers know this.41,000bht thats a hard lesson not to do it again.

[lopburi3]

As said everyone must depart on the passport they used for entry unless just born here so no passport entry made and in that case a birth certificate must be presented.

[Will27]

Do you know of any reason they HAVE to have Thai passports?

I have both Oz and British passports. I called Oz immigration to ask if it is ok to leave on the British passport. They told me I had to use my OZ one when leaving.

I said that the legislation only says that I 'should' use it, not 'must'. She tole me that I may be stopped for questioning at the airport if I didn't use the Oz one. I asked why would they do that if it isn't compulsory for me to use the oz passport. She said they would want to know why I wasn't using it and they want me to use it so the govt knows where I am.

Well good for them, but I don't care about the oz govt knowing where I am. She then just said I could use whatever one I wanted.

Sometimes they just have this idea that they can say what they want or what their policy is even if it isn't actually law.

So would be interesting to know on what basis your children had to have Thai passports.

Oh, and a bit silly to have one that was out of date.

It usually makes it easier for all concerned if you leave and enter on the same passport.

The reason DIAC said you may be stopped, is, if you entered on an Oz passport and want

to depart on a UK one, their system will be looking for a visa for you attached to the UK passport.

So if they're unable to find a visa they will want to talk to you.

And if you enter on a UK passport and depart on an Oz passport, you will end up on a overstay report

as the system will report that you entered with a visa.

It's also easier if you go missing for the police to track your movements. It can be done via name and dob

etc but if you have a common name, it can slow things down.

So yes, you're right, it's not unlawful but it makes commonsense IMO.

Regards

Will

[a99az]

One more question for you guys. My visa ran out 3 hours after we where refused to exit Thailand. Our next flight is this Thursday that will mean I will be 3 days overstay I intend to keep a low profile and when I get to immigration apologies for my over stay as I give my passport and have the 1500tb in the passport for the fee. How does this sound, I need up to date good info please?

[samran]

sounds like a terrible experience, but to add insult to injury, you are probably going to have to cop the overstay.

As for the Thai passport, as others have said, if the kiddies entered on them, they must leave on them.

[checkoutcomplete]

You have to leave the country using the same passport you entered on.

When I travel with my child, we leave and enter Thailand using his Thai passport. Hence stamp in, stamp out.

[gamini]

you were in the wrong. Most countries insist you use same passport in and out. My Wife has UK, Thai and NZ passports and has had problems when she tried what you did

[roamer]

you were in the wrong. Most countries insist you use same passport in and out. My Wife has UK, Thai and NZ passports and has had problems when she tried what you did

Just because someone is in the wrong doesn't mean they have to treated as criminals by firearm wearing bully boys. Seen it happen more than once.

[meatboy]

you were in the wrong. Most countries insist you use same passport in and out. My Wife has UK, Thai and NZ passports and has had problems when she tried what you did

Just because someone is in the wrong doesn't mean they have to treated as criminals by firearm wearing bully boys. Seen it happen more than once.

you cant win with any thai officers its the same when you go to immigration bite your tongue,smile and a thank you sir,then when your out of hear shot [up yours twit].

[jackinbkk]

Sounds like the op is paying for his mistakes.

Failure to plan is planning to fail.

Good luck buddy I'm sure you've learned your lesson and it wont happen again. What a pain in the 4$$.

[bangkokburning]

Was a major screwup to be sure but I cannot think of another country I have visited where such a drama would ensue.

How ugly, unbuddhist and throughly lacking in integrity. But this is Thailand so, no one is shocked.

With the children about and later them in tears and it still did not change his attitude.

Someone should call channel 3 see if they can get the cctv tape.

[roamer]

When we visited Langkawi Malaysia my wife handed over her passport only for the Malaysian IO to ask where her Thai exit stamp was. She did a double take and said it was in there, she had watched the Thai IO stamp it when we left Satun. Then the truth dawned, in Satun she had handed over her expired passport in error (kept with her because of Visa stamps) and they had stamped it, silly of her I know but so much for not being able to leave LOS on an expired passport. The IO said they may have to send her back but called his boss who smiled and referring to Thai immigration said they would stamp a newspaper if you gave them it, no worries, be more careful next time and welcome to Malaysia !

Even if she had been sent back on the next boat at least it would have been done with courtesy, then again that's not a trait you associate with Thai immigration.