laminated copy of passport and visa - where?

[IAMSOBAD]

Corrupt cops on the street playing immigration is really pathetic. Time for a YOUTUBE STING.

[homeseeker]

 

CraigT writes:

"Tell that to several of my friends who've been fined on the spot for not having a passport"

 

-Maybe you or your friends could help us by posting on here the precise details(when, where, who, why etc) of them being fined "on the spot" for not having a passport.

How much was the fine? To whom was the fine paid? Was a receipt issued? Were they allowed to leave after paying the fine or did they have to wait until their actual passpost was shown? Will they consider appealing the fine in view of the lastest dictate about not having to carry the original passport?

If known will the fine penalty affect the outcome of any subsequent visa application?

 

One friend works in Bangkok, owns his own business.  Has been stopped twice over the past 3-4 years, both times in the same location...near Sukhumvit.  Last time he was on the back of a scooter taxi returning from lunch.  2k on the spot, officer refused his request to go home and get his passport.  About 1km away.

 

A few others during random checks here in Pattaya while at various bars.  Police come in, ask for passports, 500B on the spot fine if you don't have it.

 

No receipts, obviously.

 

 

 

 

So what your are saying with no receipt etc issued, is that either your friends have paid a bribe for the problem to go away or more likely they have been extorted money from corrupt police.

That is a seperate issue from officials police/immigration acting in a lawful way having the legal right to fine people for not being able to immediately produce their original passport.

The latest pronouncement suggests not.

Confuses the issue by you citing police extortion.

Edited August 2, 2014 by homeseeker

[KittenKong]

So what your are saying with no receipt etc issued, is that either your friends have paid a bribe for the problem to go away or more likely they have been extorted money from corrupt police.
That is a seperate issue from officials police/immigration acting in a lawful way having the legal right to fine people for not being able to immediately produce their original passport.

It reads that way to me also. The friends chose to go along with the bribe rather than go to the station where, I suspect, the entire thing would probably have been settled quite easily and possibly for nothing.

[Beardog]

Living in Pattaya area I never have been asked to see my Passport from anyone but the Banks or Immigration. If you have a Thai License it has your passport number listed as your ID number. Even the numb nuts cops no the numbers are on the ID. Thai lic. is good enough to get around the passport dilemma. At least in Pattaya.

BKK might be entirely different. They are way more redneck compared to Patts. 

[craigt3365]

 

So what your are saying with no receipt etc issued, is that either your friends have paid a bribe for the problem to go away or more likely they have been extorted money from corrupt police.
That is a seperate issue from officials police/immigration acting in a lawful way having the legal right to fine people for not being able to immediately produce their original passport.

It reads that way to me also. The friends chose to go along with the bribe rather than go to the station where, I suspect, the entire thing would probably have been settled quite easily and possibly for nothing.

 

 

My friend in Bangkok has been here long enough to know things generally don't get better if you go to the police station.  Generally....but yes, if he was willing to spend a few hours fighting it, he might have been able go get a reduced fine.  Who knows.  Thonglor police station does not have a good reputation.  And he's a business guy with limited time to deal with things like this.  The police prey on this with good results.

 

I don't know about the guys at the bar.  But you might be right.  Though much easier to pull out 500B or so rather than spend hours at the police station late at night.

 

Same goes for moving violations.  Pay on the spot (no receipt) or let them keep your license, you go to the station to pay a potentially higher fine, go back to the place you were stopped, and get your license back.  A no win situation....

[carlyai]

I drove back from bang naa yesterday and at the payment booth a policeman pulled me onto the middle of the yellow line after i had paid the toll. So he was on the exit side of the toll booth. He said that i had approached the tool booth at more than 80 kms/hr and that would be a b 1000 at the police station, where ever that is on bang naa i dont know. He also wouldnt accept looking at my legal, current international drivers licence.

So what are u supposed to do at the exit of a tollway, and u have no idea how to get to the police station, and u have no idea what exact speed you were doing exactly where when approaching the toll gate.

We did not go back to the police station he nearly enough for 3 bottles of leo.

[Roger Lee]

 

 

 

No need to worry, leave your passport locked up, no need to carry.

 

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/747736-no-need-to-worry-says-bangkok-immigration-commander/

 

 

 

There are really no changes in the laws.  What the commander quoted is the law that's been in place for some time.  With that being said, there's still a grey area there that dodgy BiB can take advantage of.  99.9% of us will never experience these issues.

 

When traveling out of town, best to bring your original passport with you, just in case.

 

I get my laminated copy at one of the copy shops right next to Jomtien immigration.  Can't remember the price, but it was cheap.
 

 

 

I just carry a folded up photocopy of my passport ID page and a stateside DL, if they need more I can go get it. 

 

Like the commander said, a copy is fine, if we need more you can go get it.

 

 

 

 

Tell that to several of my friends who've been fined on the spot for not having a passport.  And given NO time to go get it.  It happens...again, there's a grey area they can easily exploit.
 

 

 

Well, fraud, corruption and intimidation will always be around I suppose.  If my photocopied passport paper doesn't satisfy the officer I suppose a call to my Thai attorney that I have on retainer would be in order, perhaps he can better explain the law to them.

[jwdub]

Just an FYI, I just got one made at the Kodak shop off Jomtien beach road and soi 6.

Your given the choice of color or b&w. The color one ran me 70 baht

[KittenKong]

Just an FYI, I just got one made at the Kodak shop off Jomtien beach road and soi 6.
Your given the choice of color or b&w. The color one ran me 70 baht

That's the branch I use.

[KittenKong]

Paid 20 baht yesterday passport  photo page 1 side visa other side. Laminated. kodak shop near Banglamung post office.

Now that is a good price and beats mine into a cocked hat. I shall have to try your place.

It's like photocopies: outside immigration 5B per copy, elsewhere you can get 5 done for the same price.

[BaldPlumber]

Kodak place in Jomtien, black & white laminated copy 40 baht.

[Roger Lee]

Just an FYI, I just got one made at the Kodak shop off Jomtien beach road and soi 6.

Your given the choice of color or b&w. The color one ran me 70 baht

 

Thanks for the info, I'll have to head over there and get it done, just because. 

[ZigZagMan]

Just an FYI, I just got one made at the Kodak shop off Jomtien beach road and soi 6.

Your given the choice of color or b&w. The color one ran me 70 baht

 

I guess they saw you coming...

Yesterday Kodak did mine for 50Bt. in color.

[KittenKong]

 

Just an FYI, I just got one made at the Kodak shop off Jomtien beach road and soi 6.

Your given the choice of color or b&w. The color one ran me 70 baht

 

I guess they saw you coming...

Yesterday Kodak did mine for 50Bt. in color.

 

 

But which branch? They don't all charge the same.

[ZigZagMan]

 

 

Just an FYI, I just got one made at the Kodak shop off Jomtien beach road and soi 6.

Your given the choice of color or b&w. The color one ran me 70 baht

 

I guess they saw you coming...

Yesterday Kodak did mine for 50Bt. in color.

 

 

But which branch? They don't all charge the same.

 

 

The color 50Bt card was made for me at the Theprasit Kodak store. Just steps away from Thappraya Rd. signal.

 

My favorite Kodak store is the one near the police box at Jomtien Beach. The lady in there is on the ball.

[GaryB1263]

 

 

 

Just an FYI, I just got one made at the Kodak shop off Jomtien beach road and soi 6.

Your given the choice of color or b&w. The color one ran me 70 baht

 

I guess they saw you coming...

Yesterday Kodak did mine for 50Bt. in color.

 

 

But which branch? They don't all charge the same.

 

 

The color 50Bt card was made for me at the Theprasit Kodak store. Just steps away from Thappraya Rd. signal.

 

My favorite Kodak store is the one near the police box at Jomtien Beach. The lady in there is on the ball.

 

 

 

It's a very good place to buy shipping and mailing supplies also. She has always copied and emailed tax forms and such also. I have been going there for three years.

[BruceMangosteen]

Color copies are always better. You can also use them to check in a hotel etc.. Worth the extra 20-30 baht for color plus laminate of 10-20 baht and away you go. I guess I'm never out at 3am so this doesn't apply to me but no matter, I always get a color copy of the front page and current visa, fold them, and laminate. No big deal. Size of my wallet, not a credit card size. Wears out? Just another 50baht but usually a year later when renew the visa anyhow. If you aren't drunk and aren't carrying drugs it's really not a big deal. Yes, Viagra is a drug FYI. 

[tropo]

As far as I know all the Kodak photo shops do this. Prices vary from shop to shop but 200B seems expensive to me.

LOL. For a rich guy you certainly do complain a lot about prices. Maybe that's why you are rich.

 

I do it myself. It's a bit of messing around and I wouldn't consider 200 baht an excessive charge.

 

For anyone wanting to do it themselves. you can pick up the credit card sized iron on laminate sheets at a stationary store near you... 22 baht for 10 sheets! 

Edited August 8, 2014 by tropo

[KittenKong]

As far as I know all the Kodak photo shops do this. Prices vary from shop to shop but 200B seems expensive to me.

LOL. For a rich guy you certainly do complain a lot about prices. Maybe that's why you are rich.

Not wasting money pointlessly is probably one of the reasons why I am fairly well off, though why you are so fascinated with my financial situation is quite beyond me.
And again you mistake "commenting" for "complaining".

It's a bit of messing around and I wouldn't consider 200 baht an excessive charge.

Up to you. I prefer to pay 70B for the same service, also with no messing about. You give them your passport and 70B and they give you the same laminated document that the guy at the expat club charges 200B for. Your money, your choice. I made mine and I pocketed the extra 130B which suits me fine. If I can shave another 20B off the price next time by going to another Kodak shop then I will certainly do so.

[tropo]

 

 

As far as I know all the Kodak photo shops do this. Prices vary from shop to shop but 200B seems expensive to me.

LOL. For a rich guy you certainly do complain a lot about prices. Maybe that's why you are rich.

 

Not wasting money pointlessly is probably one of the reasons why I am fairly well off, though why you are so fascinated with my financial situation is quite beyond me.
And again you mistake "commenting" for "complaining".

It's a bit of messing around and I wouldn't consider 200 baht an excessive charge.

Up to you. I prefer to pay 70B for the same service, also with no messing about. You give them your passport and 70B and they give you the same laminated document that the guy at the expat club charges 200B for. Your money, your choice. I made mine and I pocketed the extra 130B which suits me fine. If I can shave another 20B off the price next time by going to another Kodak shop then I will certainly do so.

 

As I said, I do it myself and it costs me maybe about 5 baht taking into consideration the cost of the paper and ink. I do it at home for convenience. I'm not concerned about the 195 or 130 baht savings.

 

I'm not fascinated at your indication of wealth. I'm merely calling you out on it. You're unconcerned about dropping millions on real estate, yet you're very concerned about saving 130 baht on laminated copies or 5 baht at the Immigration photocopy shop.

 

Surely you can understand the irony of it all.

[KittenKong]

As I said, I do it myself and it costs me maybe about 5 baht taking into consideration the cost of the paper and ink. I do it at home for convenience. I'm not concerned about the 195 or 130 baht savings.

Doing a laminated card yourself seems a lot stranger than getting someone with the right equipment to do it for 50 or 70B. I certainly dont think it would be worth my while buying laminating equipment/sheets just to do one card each year, and I dont think that I would derive much entertainment value from it either, not would it be at all convenient. Convenience to me is popping into a shop that I walk past every day anyway. You are welcome to spend your time as you wish, of course.

 

I'm not fascinated at your indication of wealth. I'm merely calling you out on it.

It reads like a bizarre fascination to me.

 

You're unconcerned about dropping millions on real estate, yet you're very concerned about saving 130 baht on laminated copies or 5 baht at the Immigration photocopy shop.

I have never seen the point of paying more than I need to for something, but this wouldn't stop me from buying anything that I consider worthwhile regardless of the price. These notions are in no way incompatible to me. As for not suffering unduly if the thing I bought turned out to be worth less than I paid for it, this is entirely dependent on the ratio between my total wealth and the amount lost. Be it a Jomtien condo that's worth much less than I paid for it or shares in a blue-chip company that goes tits-up, any such loss might be irritating but would not be catastrophic simply because I never put all my eggs in one basket. To do so would be foolish.

[tropo]

 

As I said, I do it myself and it costs me maybe about 5 baht taking into consideration the cost of the paper and ink. I do it at home for convenience. I'm not concerned about the 195 or 130 baht savings.

Doing a laminated card yourself seems a lot stranger than getting someone with the right equipment to do it for 50 or 70B. I certainly dont think it would be worth my while buying laminating equipment/sheets just to do one card each year, and I dont think that I would derive much entertainment value from it either, not would it be at all convenient. Convenience to me is popping into a shop that I walk past every day anyway. You are welcome to spend your time as you wish, of course.

   

Come on now. You spend a lot of time on Thaivisa posting about saving money. You could print and laminate your card in between posts.

 

BTW, I make 4 a year, so imagine how much I save.

 

You could also pint out your copies for immigration and save a couple of baht, that way it won't hurt so bad if you lose a couple of million on your real estate investments.

[KittenKong]

You could also pint out your copies for immigration and save a couple of baht, .....

I have a printer for other reasons and I use it to print my completed immigration application forms (though for the IDs and visa information I print just one sample and then have several copies done at the cheap copy shops once a year). What I don't have (or need) is laminating sheets or a laminating machine.

[tropo]

Fair enough... I have some time on my hands, so....

 

For anyone else wanting to waste time doing it at home, here is the item available at B2S Central for 22 baht. They have bigger sizes available.

 

I was fascinated at how quickly these soft sheets became a hard plastic card in about 2 seconds under a hot iron.

 

[attachment=278588:Laminating sheets 1.jpg][attachment=278589:Laminating sheets 2.jpg]

 

All jokes aside, you should give it a go - it's fun!

 

(Married, retired men need hobbies. )

[KittenKong]

I would also have to buy an iron, which I would probably never use for anything else.

[tropo]

I would also have to buy an iron, which I would probably never use for anything else.

It doesn't have to be much of an iron. You can probably get one for 200 - 300 baht at Big C or Tesco, your favourite stores.

[timsutterfield]

The Kodak shop on third road near New York Pizza does it for 50 or 75 baht!


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[KittenKong]

I would also have to buy an iron, which I would probably never use for anything else.

It doesn't have to be much of an iron. You can probably get one for 200 - 300 baht at Big C or Tesco, your favourite stores.

It sounds too much like a waste of time and money to me. I'll stick with the Kodak shop.

[tropo]

 

 

I would also have to buy an iron, which I would probably never use for anything else.

It doesn't have to be much of an iron. You can probably get one for 200 - 300 baht at Big C or Tesco, your favourite stores.

 

It sounds too much like a waste of time and money to me. I'll stick with the Kodak shop

Come on - you have plenty of free time. On a recent trip to Big C you took time out to count all the scanners and even measure them up.  The irons are really easy to find - easier than the scanners.

[JSixpack]

Fair enough... I have some time on my hands, so....

 

For anyone else wanting to waste time doing it at home, here is the item available at B2S Central for 22 baht. They have bigger sizes available.

 

I was fascinated at how quickly these soft sheets became a hard plastic card in about 2 seconds under a hot iron.

 

Laminating sheets 1.jpgLaminating sheets 2.jpg

 

All jokes aside, you should give it a go - it's fun!

 

(Married, retired men need hobbies. )

 

This is good to know, thank you. I'm gonna get some of those sheets. Got a number of cards that need laminating on a recurring basis. Lot more convenient than visiting a shop each time. Lemme see, I got an iron here somewhere . . .