No need to worry says Bangkok Immigration Commander

[george]

Here is Scott's latest video. Thanks for helping us out, Scott!

Immigration Issues - The Latest on Carrying Your Passport + more...

[AYJAYDEE]

Edit 1: and it could may be done will getting your new extension of stay ?

The obvious place for granting temporary IDs would be the Immigration Office. It's usual to run to the next counter for a re-entry permit after getting an extension, the ID booth would be next stop. If you don't want an ID, just carry the passport then. It does seem very logical, the passport would be linked to the ID, effectively becoming the coveted "certified copy". And a nice little earner for the Immigration, too. Seems like a Win-Win situation.

25 million tourists a year. all going to a local immigration office for a temporary ID??

Those who want one, or continue to carry passport. Or when optimized like in my post above.

25M * ... let's say 500b is .. 12.5B baht

well, seems to me that the copy of the passport is a far better solution for the 10 day beach holidayer and wiil save the government plenty of hassles and overcrowded immigration offices

Agreed, but that temp id card idea, could be a good solution for us long stayers (on extensions of stay) as we already need to goto immigration at least once a year for renewal.

Sent from my iPad so Please excuse any typos

and a counterfeiters dream

[MJCM]

Same as a Thai driving license, plus it would have only a limited life time (same as your extension)

Sent from my iPad so Please excuse any typos

Edited July 31, 2014 by MJCM

[DrTuner]

Put an RFC chip into it and you can remotely read the immigration status of foreigners. Orwellian enough ?

[MJCM]

Put an RFC chip into it and you can remotely read the immigration status of foreigners. Orwellian enough ?

55555, and what about paying for goods at 7/11 and topping up you will have to do while doing your extension of stay

Sent from my iPad so Please excuse any typos

Edited July 31, 2014 by MJCM

[connda]

Pin it to the top! close all other topics immediately.

Agreed. Pin it. Close it.

[a99az]

Thats fine but won't save you the fine/tea money demanded by the BIB.

[BudRight]

Why not just let people get a baht prachachon? They could track immigration status by just swiping the card.

[connda]

The patent answer to the ID problem would be issuing temporary IDs for foreigners. Which government body does the Thai ones ?

The hardware would be the same as for the driving licenses. Sit for a photo-op and wait until the printer spews the card out, hand in $$$. Not rocket science.

what is the difference between carrying a passport copy and a temporary id?

Size & lamination & certification. The temporary id would be a plastic card, weatherproof and an official document. Easy to carry with you and easy to replace if somebody nicks it (and useless to the thieves). Outside the form factor, they would be practically identical. The period of validity for the ID card would end at the same time as the period of permission to stay when the card was applied for. Meaning it would show your immigration status right there on top of the card for everybody to see.

Wow, you're making way too much sense here. But I like the idea.

[Furryman]

What does this mean about the crazy new movement reporting requirements Hua Hin announced? Are they out the window too? I'm gonna guess yes, but it's not something I like having to guess about.

F F sk the movement reporting has been in existence for years, are you trolling or what ??????

In my condo every new resident is required to fill in a form and submit passport for photo copy before getting a room key, during the week a Cop comes by and collects the paperwork, this has been happening for years

If you move your residence it must be reported - there are many good reasons for this

Thats the TM30.. Hes talking about the TM28

Yeah thank you,

I know I have to report if I change apartments, but what I want to know is if I have to report spending a 3 day weekend in a town just across the border in the next province. A strict reading of the guidelines put forth by the Hua Hin office would say yes I do, which is totally ridiculous. However, I know of no government which has backed off from a policy simply on the basis of it being ridiculous.

I look forward to the further reporting from TV News about this issue, TV News is awesome, thank you!

TV forums, sadly, is a cesspool.

[AYJAYDEE]

What does this mean about the crazy new movement reporting requirements Hua Hin announced? Are they out the window too? I'm gonna guess yes, but it's not something I like having to guess about.

F F sk the movement reporting has been in existence for years, are you trolling or what ??????

In my condo every new resident is required to fill in a form and submit passport for photo copy before getting a room key, during the week a Cop comes by and collects the paperwork, this has been happening for years

If you move your residence it must be reported - there are many good reasons for this

Thats the TM30.. Hes talking about the TM28

Yeah thank you,

I know I have to report if I change apartments, but what I want to know is if I have to report spending a 3 day weekend in a town just across the border in the next province. A strict reading of the guidelines put forth by the Hua Hin office would say yes I do, which is totally ridiculous. However, I know of no government which has backed off from a policy simply on the basis of it being ridiculous.

I look forward to the further reporting from TV News about this issue, TV News is awesome, thank you!

TV forums, sadly, is a cesspool.

Yes, thats what it says

[fluffy1]

I'm not sure I understand, do you need a visa or not? ☺️

[JLCrab]

[wilcopops]

This appears to be the voice of reason....... It remains to be seen if his colleagues agree with him.

[wilcopops]

This appears to be the voice of reason....... It remains to be seen if his colleagues agree with him.

[wilcopops]

So as the voice of reason can Col. Vorawat shed some light on the notification of movement that appears to be mooted by Hua Hin.

And also why so many of his colleagues appear to be issuing statements that contradict him?

Edited July 31, 2014 by wilcopops

[paz]

So as the voice of reason can Col. Vorawat shed some light on the notification of movement that appears to be mooted by Hua Hin.

And also why so many of his colleagues appear to be issuing statements that contradict him?

Col. Vorawat spoke last. Now it will take some balls for others to speak differently again.

Not to say that Hua Hin "state" won't continue to do as they please.

[virtualtraveller]

“Making all foreigners in Thailand carry their original passports with them would be very difficult.”

“It’s about being reasonable and using common sense”

Pity the guy in Hua Hin didn't think a bit first before opening his mouth. TIT, usual story.

[chrisinth]

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The patent answer to the ID problem would be issuing temporary IDs for foreigners. Which government body does the Thai ones ?

The hardware would be the same as for the driving licenses. Sit for a photo-op and wait until the printer spews the card out, hand in $$$. Not rocket science.

On the subject on ID cards, I understand that one of the main reasons that the then proposed national ID card for Britian was dropped was due to the cost factor.

Of course one of the other reasons was the percentage of people telling the government to poke it......................

Edit: Don't forget that a temporary ID card system would by as difficult, if not more so, to regulate as a permanent one. Without control and traceability through a proper database system there is no point having one.

Edited August 1, 2014 by chrisinth

[joshstiles]

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Forgot to add, thank you Deputy Commander for clarifying this!

yeah and thanks for all the confusion

...normal and customary for thailand

SOP (Standard Operating Procedure)

[Alan653]

Am I happy to see and hear this....absolutely. Do I think there is double talk in his story...hell yes!!! "Any Alien who has no lawful document for entering the Kingdom under section 12(1) under this act, and has no identification in accordance with the Law on Alien Registration, is considered to have entered the Kingdom in violation of the act"...and then he says..."Making all foreigners in Thailand carry their original passports with them would be very difficult"......What????? So now when I get stopped by any law enforcement officer I'm gonna get screwed either way because their isn't any clarification!

[pchansmorn]

I would like to know if you are ordered to check into Immigration office when staying more than 48 hours. And do you think they will ever discontinue the 90 days check in for retired and married to a thai women, as we travel a lot and sometimes it is hard to get back for the check in. Thank You for your help. Ps

PS we have been married 30 years.

[macburiram]

Very good......kao chai mak

[sawati]

Thaivisa,give us a break!

Inmigration Phuket says this!...Inmigration Hua Hin says that! and now Inmigration Bangkok says whatever.

Give us a break

[Keesters]

Yesterday people were posting it was a reasonable request,

and it's always been the law,

so if you don't like it leave.

Now Deputy Commander Voravat,

​is fortunately confirming what we were being slammed about discussing just yesterday.

“Making all foreigners in Thailand carry their original passports with them would be very difficult.”

I'm so glad to see Deputy Commander Voravat has more common judgement that most of the people posting their attacks

against the people who could properly evaluate just how difficult it would have been,

and try to discuss it on TV.

Respects for Deputy Commander Voravat.

Well said. Some people seem to forget that Thailand is our home despite the fact that we may be farang.

[JLCrab]

As attributed to legendary US film producer Samuel Goldwyn:

A verbal contract isn't worth the paper it's written on.

[NomadJoe]

// that I have said THIS INFORMATION IS COMING DIRECTLY FROM THE COMMISSIONER. The head of immigration.

What's next from you? //

Hi Scott.

Could I just make the suggestion that, when you will have another such meeting with high ranked people from Immigration, you suggest them that any new rule, or any change of rule, should be publish on their official site, as they did for the overstay here : http://bangkok.immigration.go.th/popup_anounce.html ?

Main part of recent problems and panic come from the fact we don't know if these "news" are just rumours or real rules. The fact that some officer in a small border said "some news" should not be presented as a "new official national rule" as it's has been the case on ThaiVisa.

We can't trust what is said on ThaiVisa, so we need a site we can trust: What could be better than immigration.go.th ?

PS: Thank for you participation here Scott

I will see what they say about their posting announcements on the Bangkok site.

If there is anything else anyone wants me to ask, if enough of the same questions are sent to me, I'll ask. Otherwise, no guarantees.

As far as the "news" being rumors or real, I can only control what I write and say and if it relates to immigration. I just write/verbalize what they tell me. Immigration contacted me. I did not contact them. I would much rather be fishing or doing a photo project instead of dealing with immigration issues but I felt an obligation to get this information out for the good of the expat community. With regards to ThaiVisa, what I know in my conversations with George is that he is adamant about confirming information as opposed to accepting secondhand info. Which is as it should be.

I have already said that immigration is attempting to standardize the way their policies are applied around the country. I'm sure it will take time to do this. The top brass has said this is something they're working on, and that's what I've said several times. I personally believe them but that's neither here nor there. For the time being, I would sit back, listen carefully to what is being said, and do what is required. If you're unsure or uncomfortable, do what puts you in the safest place to avoid trouble. For example, carry your passport at all times.

All that Thai Visa and I can do is present the information given to us. If the laws are changed every other day, that's what gets reported. If I am presented with fact, then it's stated as fact. If I'm giving an opinion, I have no problem stating this either.

I'm not here for douche bags to take their frustration out on. I live a mellow, carefree life, and I don't have a care in the world other than making sure my kids are healthy, wealthy and wise. Just because some here don't have their act together or perhaps are in an unusual predicament doesn't mean it's my responsibility to wipe their fannies—I will, however, show them the bum gun.

If you have serious problems with these immigration issues, maybe you do not qualify to stay here. Maybe you have to figure out another way to stay here. Maybe you need to go home for a short time to regroup. Some people may not want to do this but have no choice as they're out of options. That's life.

I have saved Police Colonel Voravat Amornvivat's explanation and will keep a copy in my car. I think everybody should do that. However, would it be possible to get a Thai version? That would facilitate matters greatly if people are stopped by police. At least for the moment, because I read that it will take time before all of the law enforcement agencies and officers can be informed.

Here is a compact version summarizing his statements in Thai and English, though using Google translate. Perhaps someone can clean up the Thai.

Immigration letter.doc

[paz]

Am I happy to see and hear this....absolutely. Do I think there is double talk in his story...hell yes!!! "Any Alien who has no lawful document for entering the Kingdom under section 12(1) under this act, and has no identification in accordance with the Law on Alien Registration, is considered to have entered the Kingdom in violation of the act"...and then he says..."Making all foreigners in Thailand carry their original passports with them would be very difficult"......What????? So now when I get stopped by any law enforcement officer I'm gonna get screwed either way because their isn't any clarification!

Oh boy. What the Act and the Deputy Commander are saying, is that if a foreigner has no documents, meaning no documents whatsoever anywhere, then may be prosecuted.

Not that just not having them on your person is enough !!!

Do you want to know something. I know two Thai brothers, bur their mother correctly registered one only at birth. Both have grown normally in society, got jobs, family and have a normal life. The undocumented one is also a volunteer police photographer. He is recognized as Thai by anyone, he is now slowly and painfully trying to gain his citizenship and documents. Technically he is an illegal undocumented alien, but nobody is making his life difficult and he is not being fined or arrested.

Edited August 1, 2014 by paz

[IMA_FARANG]

you know guys, in Putin's Russia the situation when foreigners have to carry a passport with them at all times is for many years already.

My English friend (a black guy) was stopped by police in Moscow city centre having no photo ID with him, so they took him to the police station located at the very remote suburb of Moscow (about 20km from the centre) and held in a police cell with drunk criminals until I retrieved his passport from hotel

The atmosphere here is very bad really.

----------------------

Putin is old enough when Russians had to carry an internal passport to travel around the Soviet Union.

Russians that didn't live in Moscow couldn't go there without that internal passport.

Probably feels more comfortable with that kind of thing.

[culicine]

Am I happy to see and hear this....absolutely. Do I think there is double talk in his story...hell yes!!! "Any Alien who has no lawful document for entering the Kingdom under section 12(1) under this act, and has no identification in accordance with the Law on Alien Registration, is considered to have entered the Kingdom in violation of the act"...and then he says..."Making all foreigners in Thailand carry their original passports with them would be very difficult"......What????? So now when I get stopped by any law enforcement officer I'm gonna get screwed either way because their isn't any clarification!

Not having identification (a valid passport) and not being able to produce it immediately....I think that's the confusion and it's open to interpretation. It seems reasonable to be able to give a reasonable amount of time to produce their passport. I don't think the authorities really expect us to carry a passport at all times, as they know the inconvenience and risks of having them stolen (esp. after mh370).

Has anyone actually been asked to show their passport and didn't happen to have it on them? What happened?