Immigration: Foreigners must now carry valid ID at all times, report within 24 hours

[evadgib]

<deleted post>

Edited July 29, 2014 by evadgib

[MJCM]

UK driving licence has a photo, surely this can be used as photo ID?

 

It could, but question does your UK Driving License have your passport number on it ? I think that Immigration wants that so they can check your Immigration Status.

[Tigerfish99]

I am sad to notice that I am seeing a clear trend developping here, with more and more policies being developped against long stay foreigners, accompanied by the hope that tourism, which is currently in the doldrums, will not suffer from the sudden implementaion of the law, after years or decades of freedom through slackness.
I am personnaly not impressed and although my longterm visa situation is fully in order and I have the means to be here; I do not see Thailand as a welcoming country anymore and I will therefore soon leave for good, hopefully for more friendly skies, if not, less prone to bigotry and corruption.
From what i have heard around me, I am far from being the only thinking this way.

[DrTuner]

 The positive side of this is, I think these were the last parts of the Immigration Act that were not enforced in full. These "news" from immigration should now stop. Unless they're gearing up for new police orders/ministerial regulations.

[Gsxrnz]

Dunno why everybody is panicking.  They're just trying to earn brownie points with the General.

 

It's just another press release saying they're going to uphold the laws/rules that have existed for some considerable time but have been too freaking lazy to bother about. 

 

And we all know the chances of that happening (after the two week mandatory enforcement period - the BIB have a very short attention span), are about about as high as the Second Coming happening on Soi Cowboy.

[evadgib]

There is no discrimination here. Thais have to carry their ID card at all times too or face a fine. 

 

@ "Ferang price"?

 

 

Edited July 29, 2014 by evadgib

[biggles45]

"In other words, if your photo copy (and perhaps an on the spot 500 THB "processing charge") can not solve it ... the fine is STILL much better than loss of documents."

Absolutely, I can't imagine the hassle of trying to replace a lost passport in a quick time-frame and the cost of doing so. 2,000 baht would be cheap as my UK passport cost me over $300, and that was a few years ago.

I also have a Resident Visa for Australia and one for Philippines in it which would have to be replaced...more hassles. Edited July 29, 2014 by biggles45

[Bernard Flint]

Will be good to find criminals and tax dodgers

[MaxYakov]

"There is also another reporting obligation, and this applies when a foreigner visits another province and stays for more than 48 hours. In that case the reporting of the new address must be provided to the police, or the immigration, within 48 hours."

 

This is similar to the rules in Russia when I visited there in the 90s. Only, they (the tour group) would, immediately upon arrival to the city, take the passport to the police station (or whatever government entity) and then return it. Can we all spell P-o-l-i-c-e S-t-a-t-e (in reference to Russia, of course)?

 

Incidentally, I was stopped and searched 3-4 weeks ago in the Khaosan area by a couple of BiBs as I was standing outside a 7/11. This has never happened in my 5 1/2 years here nor have I ever been asked to even show identification. Coincidentally, I had forgotten to take with me my copy of my passport ID/visa pages that morning. They didn't seem particularly concerned or threatening and their English was excellent and they seemed more interested in going through my pockets and shoulder pack (looking for drugs, no doubt). One thing I thought was interesting was that they did not even ask my name. Go figure.

 

Edited July 29, 2014 by MaxYakov

[casualbiker]

Is there anyone on here whose wife's brother-in-law's uncle is not assistant chief at the tambon sub-district station?

Mine hasn't BUT one of her best friends from high school is a police captain .. works the same. LOL

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[impulse]

 

 

"Hua Hin Immigration is from today also enforcing the requirements that you and your landlord (condominium owner, house owner etc) must report to Immigration within 24 hours of moving in to a new address. On your arrival card you already reported your place of stay, and if that changes you need to visit Immigration and report your new address."

 

 

......kind of a hassle for those on a tour of Thailand?

It is basically the end of the tour and most tourism.

If you touring around Thailand and sleep every night in a different location your holiday will be spending almost all your time in inmigration offices.

 

If you stay in hotels, you don't have to do a thing.  They do it for you.  That reporting requirement won't affect 95+% of tourists at all.

 

If you're not staying in hotels, they're probably wondering if you're a tourist or a resident.  But that topic is done to death on dozens of other threads.  

 

Perhaps it will be a PITA for legitimate long stay folks- I don't discount that possibility, but it won't be the end of tourism.

 

For the ID, they say a copy of your passport stamped by immigration is acceptable.  If I were coming in with no TDL, I'd ask the immigration guy who stamps my passport in to also stamp a copy of my passport that I had the foresight to print before I left for Thailand.  Maybe they will.  Maybe they won't.  Can't hurt to ask politely.

Edited July 29, 2014 by impulse

[T_Dog]

I am sad to notice that I am seeing a clear trend developping here, with more and more policies being developped against long stay foreigners, accompanied by the hope that tourism, which is currently in the doldrums, will not suffer from the sudden implementaion of the law, after years or decades of freedom through slackness.
I am personnaly not impressed and although my longterm visa situation is fully in order and I have the means to be here; I do not see Thailand as a welcoming country anymore and I will therefore soon leave for good, hopefully for more friendly skies, if not, less prone to bigotry and corruption.
From what i have heard around me, I am far from being the only thinking this way.

 

It's not just long stay foreigners, but tourists as well.  There are a few reports of tourists in pick up trucks having to show their passports at police checks on the way back from the elephant camps north of Chiang Mai.    I certainly hope that a Driver's License will be enough to show, as I was checked at Chiang Mai Airport several years ago  while waiting for an arriving relative and a driver's license and copy of my passport was not sufficient.  The officer wanted my original passport.
 

[lovinglife]

Wonder how Thais would like it if similar rules were enforced upon them when living overseas. Thais in the UK can travel freely without any of this nonsense.

[korkenzieher]

 

UK driving licence has a photo, surely this can be used as photo ID?

 

It could, but question does your UK Driving License have your passport number on it ? I think that Immigration wants that so they can check your Immigration Status.

 

 

The UK photo driving licence is not considered to be valid Photo ID in the UK or in the US (and that is in spite of the fact that you can now have the Passport office use *their* photo in the driving licence, so that it is *identical* to your passport).

 

Passport numbers on drving licences are not needed to make them legal ID - usually an address suffices. It is not always the case that a DL holder is a passport holder. My Thai DL does have my passport number, but a Thai DL is legal ID for a Thai also, which quite likely does not have a passport number. It may have some sort of ID number - but it will also certainly have a verified address. Mine also has my (imm office) verified address in Thailand.

 

There is also a comment about taxes being the motivation behind address reporting. Some have construed this to be taxes on foreigners = I think it is infinitely more likely to mean that they want those renting accommodation out to foreigners for a profit, are not failing to declare that income.

Edited July 29, 2014 by korkenzieher

[Pattaya46]

It is basically the end of the tour and most tourism.
If you touring around Thailand and sleep every night in a different location
your holiday will be spending almost all your time in inmigration offices.

I doubt Immigration considers their 1-night stays in hotels as a "change of residence".
At worse the responsible of the group will have to give Immigration the list he already give to the hotel.
For this rule like many other, you must first understand who are the targets.

[lovinglife]

 

UK driving licence has a photo, surely this can be used as photo ID?

 

It could, but question does your UK Driving License have your passport number on it ? I think that Immigration wants that so they can check your Immigration Status.

 

Does aThai driving licence have your passport number on it?

[jonesthebaker]

and the reason for this being??

[korkenzieher]

I agree. Although it isn't totally clear, the reporting thing is aimed at people not staying in a residence which actually reports for them - ie, not in a hotel.

[hotrod4098]

its obvious why they want  you to carry your passport or id.....overstay...when they pull you in..first  question...passport...or id...

 

they dont have to run around to look for any thing...will make the BIB job a whole lot easier...

 

so carry the ID..or have problems...

[jonesthebaker]

 

 

UK driving licence has a photo, surely this can be used as photo ID?

 

It could, but question does your UK Driving License have your passport number on it ? I think that Immigration wants that so they can check your Immigration Status.

 

Does aThai driving licence have your passport number on it?

 

uk licence - no

 

thai licence - yes

[Peterphuket]

With respect to the Immigration in Hua-hin, they are polite and friendly, but the immigration office Thailand looks like they invent something different every day.

[MJCM]

 

 

UK driving licence has a photo, surely this can be used as photo ID?

 

It could, but question does your UK Driving License have your passport number on it ? I think that Immigration wants that so they can check your Immigration Status.

 

Does aThai driving licence have your passport number on it?

 

 

Yes
 

 

Edited July 29, 2014 by MJCM

[lovinglife]

 

 

UK driving licence has a photo, surely this can be used as photo ID?

 

It could, but question does your UK Driving License have your passport number on it ? I think that Immigration wants that so they can check your Immigration Status.

 

 

The UK photo driving licence is not considered to be valid Photo ID in the UK or in the US (and that is in spite of the fact that you can now have the Passport office use *their* photo in the driving licence, so that it is *identical* to your passport).

 

Passport numbers on drving licences are not needed to make them legal ID - usually an address suffices. It is not always the case that a DL holder is a passport holder. My Thai DL does have my passport number, but a Thai DL is legal ID for a Thai also, which quite likely does not have a passport number. It may have some sort of ID number - but it will also certainly have a verified address. Mine also has my (imm office) verified address in Thailand.

 

There is also a comment about taxes being the motivation behind address reporting. Some have construed this to be taxes on foreigners = I think it is infinitely more likely to mean that they want those renting accommodation out to foreigners for a profit, are not failing to declare that income.

 

Driving licence is classed as photo ID in UK, I am in the UK now and have used it for car hire and withdrawing cash from a Western Union office.

Edited July 29, 2014 by lovinglife

[HerbalEd]

It clearly states fail to report is a thb 2000 fine !

Sent from my GT-P3100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

And Thai law clearly states prostitution and exceeding highway speed limits are illegal.

[Soutpeel]

Wonder how Thais would like it if similar rules were enforced upon them when living overseas. Thais in the UK can travel freely without any of this nonsense.

 

Maybe so, but if Thailand imposed the sorts of rules for getting into Thailand to stay long term the UK has, one suspects a lot of the farangs living here currently wouldnt be in the country to start with.

 

So yes why not make it harder to get in and more free once in ..

[sz1a]

And who will be enforcing this?

[draftvader]

I have always carried a colour, credit-card sized, laminated copy of my passport's ID page when in Thailand.  I have presented it at police check-points and they have always seemed happy with it.  Agreeably I have been doing nothing wrong (OK, Jit Sai!) so it has never come under much scrutiny.  For the sake of less than B100 and a trip to one of the print shops in every supermarket I think it is a no brainer.

[banglassie]

Ok, so to try and clear this out

When I arrive at Swampi or Don meuang I always write the address where I live, it's my fiancee's condo and it's not in my name, even-though I pay half the rent.

So if we go to visit parents in the province for 2-3 days I need to report it to the immigrations?

If we go for a short trip to Chiang Mai, the south or any other destination I need to report that I'm on holiday?

And as Ubonjoe stated, most hotels will make sure immigrations get notified. Does this include low budget hotels and guesthouses/bungalows? Many times I never even show my passport but we simply get a room by my fiancee checking us in. But I do check into a hotel for a night and then return home, do I need to report that I returned "home" again?
If so this is truly ridiculous, and I will much prefer to pay up the 2000 baht than going through the hassle...

According to the article valid ID's are Passport, copy with immigration stamp or Thai drivers license.

What about a European driving license? What about a Swedish ID from the police? What about the Norwegian ID's on the back of Visa debit-cards?

I will bring a copy that's for sure, getting it stamped I'm not so sure about, where should I do that? Chaengwattana?
I could get a stamp from Crown property Bureau, will they like that? Might look good, but I guess stamped by immigration means stamped by immigration.
When I return after one entry on my tourist visa is done, could I bring a copy of my passport to the immigration checkpoint and ask him/her stamp that as well? Guess they wouldn't like that since there is usually lots of people and they are quite busy...

Right now it seems this goes for Huahin so I will not change anything before I know more about it.
Just carry a copy and see how that works.

And regarding the motorbikes, it's a real headache. I tried to argue with the guys at koh Phangan that I am not allowed to give him my passport under any circumstances. After a loooong time he would let me rent if I gave him 20k in guarantee, the same went for most other companies in Thong Sala.
I rented a bike in Muang Mae Hongson (not Pai), he was very sure he "had to take care of my passport", I argued that we are close to the borders and that there will likely be some military checkpoints as we ride close to the border all the time. He said that was true but it was no problem cause I had his card, so I could just tell the military to call him...

I have been searched many times by police in the night, and I have never carried a passport, there was never a problem since I was very cooperative and talked politely with them, they always thanked me and let me go in the end, so I guess this could be something that some will not care much about, others will see as a potential way to earn lots of extra cash. I would be careful around Khaosan road, Sukhumvit and Silom, since those are perfect spots to cash in if anyone realizes the goldmine they could make, 2000 baht official fine, or 1000 baht straight to the cop perhaps, do not believe corruption has left the police...

 

[user82374298374]

 

If it gets much worse, paranoia will be a normal condition for foreigners in Thailand.

 

 

Paranoia should always be a normal condition for foreigners in Thailand.

 

Anything less is stupid and dangerous.

 

[impulse]

Wonder how Thais would like it if similar rules were enforced upon them when living overseas. Thais in the UK can travel freely without any of this nonsense.

 

I wonder how you'd feel if you had to go through a months long interview process and present your financial information and your underwear size to even get into Thailand for a holiday.  

 

Same as Thais must do to visit the UK.