mesquite Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Thai driving licence,has passport number on it. Indeed. My Thai driving license has always been accepted as ID when travelling in country. If I am traveling on multi day trips I may or may not carry the PP. Of course if you are traveling out of the country you need your PP. If you don't have Thai DL you need to carry copies of the relevant pages and be prepared to show the original if necessary. I consider my PP as my most precious possession. I don't carry my PP as a matter of course and I would never give it as security for anything. Last time I and my girl went on a trip I pulled my DL but the hotelier asked my girl to sign for the room so he wouldn't have to do any reporting. My Thai driver license does not have my passport number on it. It has my old passport number on it, with a couple of extra digits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbf Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 I was stopped a couple of month's ago at a Police road block whilst driving to our local builders supplies to pick up some bits and pieces. The first officer whom I was talking to at the front passenger window was quite happy with my driving licence. However as he was returning it another officer approached on the drivers side window and demanded to see my passport. I explained that I lived locally and was just going a couple of km up the road to the builders supplies to pick up paint or whatever it was, so I did not have my passport with me. However luckily I had a photocopy of my passport and visa page in the glove-box which I passed over to him. That seemed to be enough to satisfy, and I was waved on. So the been here 20 or 30 years and never been stopped and asked, consider yourself lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anon999 Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 <script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script> Thai driving licence,has passport number on it. Driving licence issued on January 10th. Received new passport on January 12th, new number. Possible 5 years of conflicting data................. Unless you know, or remember, its not always so clear cut. Go change the Drivers Licence it costs 155 baht. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berybert Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 I saw a police road check at Thonglor last Thursday. So I decided to take a seat on one of the plastic chairs the cops have put down for people they pulled in. After about 5 minutes and a few of the coppers giving me strange looks I was asked to 'come over here' which I did. The copper looked at me and I said "what" he told me the chairs were for people who had been drink driving. I said I had been drinking but not driving. So off I went. Show these people you are scared of them and you will get done. Treat them as you would anyone else and no problem. Just my experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berybert Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 No way would i carry a passport in Thailand unless i was on my way to the airport....... Lose one here, and you've got a heap of trouble coming your way........ I just photo the relevant pages and keep them on my phone...... And if that doesn't work, i just pull out the relevant copper or soldiers card, and play lets see who knows the bigger hitter............. Usually ends in Wais all round..........Got a family member who works for the TMB ( Very senior money mover), producing that one is like giving them the devils mobile number.............. Forget the passport sir,,,,,,,, have a nice day....... I'll bite..........Who are TMB ?? You mention Money in brackets ?? TMB is a Thai bank. I am ashamed to reply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chivas Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 No way would i carry a passport in Thailand unless i was on my way to the airport....... Lose one here, and you've got a heap of trouble coming your way........ I just photo the relevant pages and keep them on my phone...... And if that doesn't work, i just pull out the relevant copper or soldiers card, and play lets see who knows the bigger hitter............. Usually ends in Wais all round..........Got a family member who works for the TMB ( Very senior money mover), producing that one is like giving them the devils mobile number.............. Forget the passport sir,,,,,,,, have a nice day....... I'll bite..........Who are TMB ?? You mention Money in brackets ?? TMB is a Thai bank. I am ashamed to reply. After I posted I kinda thought its a Thai Bank but then thought why on earth would a Bank Employee be able to intimidate some Police Officers !! Devils Phone Number.........Think Supermarine believes he's back in the Boy Scouts or something Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrfaroukh Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 It has already posted few times by Thai Visa the remarks one of the Thai General has made regarding carrying the passport. They say you just need to carry a copy of it. So I advise you to just get a color copy of your passport, the visa, the Entry stamp and departure card. Put them all in a small clear plastic bag and keep it in your pocket at all time. If you have a Thai driving license I think that would be enough as your passport number is also mentioned in it. But I always carry both to avoid any problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berybert Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 (edited) This subject reminds me of a situation I found myself in as a 16 year old almost 40 years ago. I was in the south of France on a camping holiday and had spent the morning walking, and found a place to buy an English newspaper. On my way back to the camp site I was stopped by a French copper who asked me for my papers. Of course this was all asked for in French. I not understanding anything other than papers gave him my copy of the news of the world. Upon receiving said papers he shrugged gave me my paper back and carried on his way, as did I. Edited February 28, 2015 by berybert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacko45k Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 I get drunk and fall down a lot so I never carry my passport with me. Just common sense really! If asked for it I will say "No have occifer solly!" I ask if they want my boarding card too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Estrada Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 (edited) In 35 years here I never carry my passport as I do not want it stolen, lost, or damaged, especially during Songkran. I have been stopped only a few times but I don't have a problem as I speak Thai and can show that I am not a tourist who can be subjected to a shakedown. Lately I do carry a photocopy of the relevant pages and my Thai Driving Licence, due to Military rule. Please note that it doesn't matter if you change your passport number as the data base has all your previous and latest passport details. A German friend has a factory at 3 Pagodas Pass in no mans land on the Thai/Burma border and travels every week there by bus along with many Burmese workers returning home. The police stop the buses at several points on the route, ask for passports and shake the passengers down for B200 to B500 a time. My friend refuses to show his passport and to pay the tea money, although he carries the passport in his bag in the baggage compartment. The police are after easy pickings and not likely to waste time on a foreigner that has lived here for years, knows the game and may have connections. In the UK we do are not required to carry any identification since 1956 after WWII when rationing ended. Edited February 28, 2015 by Estrada Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkk_mike Posted February 28, 2015 Share Posted February 28, 2015 Thai driving licence,has passport number on it. Nothing about visa or extension. Not your current visa... - but since you can't get a driving licence on a tourist visa, or on a 30 day entry, it means that you definitely HAD a valid visa at the time you got the licence. Personally, I generally always carry my passport in Thailand, except when I'm going to the beach or the swimming pool, when I'll usually leave it in the flat at the beach (i.e. carry it with me whenever I'm going somewhere that I take my wallet). But then I'm usually driving, so I'm not drinking, so I'm not likely to leave it somewhere by accident, and I keep my passport in a soft leather holder so it doesn't get too worn from being carried all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigt3365 Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 It has already posted few times by Thai Visa the remarks one of the Thai General has made regarding carrying the passport. They say you just need to carry a copy of it. So I advise you to just get a color copy of your passport, the visa, the Entry stamp and departure card. Put them all in a small clear plastic bag and keep it in your pocket at all time. If you have a Thai driving license I think that would be enough as your passport number is also mentioned in it. But I always carry both to avoid any problem. Again, your driver's license doesn't have your visa info. So they can't tell if you are in the Kingdom legally or not. Thus, the need for either your passport or a copy of your passport and current visa page. Depending on the situation, a copy may or may not work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retoohs Posted March 1, 2015 Author Share Posted March 1, 2015 Thanks for the replies. I've just been shown an ID card for farang that's now available. The guy that showed me his obtained it from an office next to the visa office here in Jomtien. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krisb Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 I'd rather risk getting caught without it then risk losing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uptheos Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 It has already posted few times by Thai Visa the remarks one of the Thai General has made regarding carrying the passport. They say you just need to carry a copy of it. So I advise you to just get a color copy of your passport, the visa, the Entry stamp and departure card. Put them all in a small clear plastic bag and keep it in your pocket at all time. If you have a Thai driving license I think that would be enough as your passport number is also mentioned in it. But I always carry both to avoid any problem. Again, your driver's license doesn't have your visa info. So they can't tell if you are in the Kingdom legally or not. Thus, the need for either your passport or a copy of your passport and current visa page. Depending on the situation, a copy may or may not work. I'm amazed how many people just don't get it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigt3365 Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 I'd rather risk getting caught without it then risk losing it. Depending on the situation, no passport could mean a bit of a stay in the pokey. I'd rather get a replacement than face that. Especially if you are out of town and it will take some time for someone to retrieve it for you. If they are really nasty, and no passport in 24 hours, you're off to the Bangkok remand prison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lex Talionis Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 (edited) You can get a credit card sized, laminated copy of your passport, of course. Front side has pic of main page, back has visa. For those who have used the guy at Wave Place know that he has moved to Times Square on Sukhumvit. Edited March 1, 2015 by Lex Talionis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravip Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 No way would i carry a passport in Thailand unless i was on my way to the airport....... Lose one here, and you've got a heap of trouble coming your way........ I just photo the relevant pages and keep them on my phone...... And if that doesn't work, i just pull out the relevant copper or soldiers card, and play lets see who knows the bigger hitter............. Usually ends in Wais all round..........Got a family member who works for the TMB ( Very senior money mover), producing that one is like giving them the devils mobile number.............. Forget the passport sir,,,,,,,, have a nice day....... That's all fine. But in that same context no one should complain of bribery and corruption. Kill a man and show a card! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chivas Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 I'd rather risk getting caught without it then risk losing it. Depending on the situation, no passport could mean a bit of a stay in the pokey. I'd rather get a replacement than face that. Especially if you are out of town and it will take some time for someone to retrieve it for you. If they are really nasty, and no passport in 24 hours, you're off to the Bangkok remand prison. You need to remove a thread then started by Thai Visa that I linked at the start of this debate, Clearly says you do not need to carry your Passport Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evadgib Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 (edited) After renewing my annual extn I print a couple of copies of the relevant passport pages and place them behind the sun visor in my car. HTH Edited March 1, 2015 by evadgib Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigt3365 Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 I'd rather risk getting caught without it then risk losing it. Depending on the situation, no passport could mean a bit of a stay in the pokey. I'd rather get a replacement than face that. Especially if you are out of town and it will take some time for someone to retrieve it for you. If they are really nasty, and no passport in 24 hours, you're off to the Bangkok remand prison. You need to remove a thread then started by Thai Visa that I linked at the start of this debate, Clearly says you do not need to carry your Passport From that article: He stated that if asked to show their passports, tourists can produce their documents at a later time if necessary. And therein lies the rub. What does "later time" mean? What defines "necessary"? To one cop, it might mean tomorrow, to another, it might mean very soon. What if you are not a tourist? And if they determine it's "necessary", then that could mean right now. Again, if you are in your home town and somebody is available to get it for you quickly, then no worries. If you get into hot water while on a trip far from home...you could be in hot water and stuck in jail until it's produced. The purpose of that article was to stop the shenanigans that were going on with the passport shakedowns in Bangkok. Which have been ongoing for years. The law still states you need to prove you are in the Kingdom legally with proper documents within a reasonable amount of time as determined by the official onsite. Clear as mud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gemguy Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 (edited) If the police do stop you for what ever reason, each police officer can and or will apply his own authority as he pleases. If you do not have a passport or some sort of satisfactory identification the police officer or officers can still apply their authority on you at their discretion. It is somewhat of an awkward situation to be having to deal with because if you do have your passport with you then the police officer or officers can always try to extort money from you while holding your passport as ransom....and it happens often enough. If you do not have your passport on you then they can TRY to make an issue of the fact that you do not have your passport to present to them as satisfactory identification and then try to extort money out of you for not carrying your passport on you....as has been the case sometimes...but fortunately, not practiced as part of a routine shake down. Either way, any police officer looking to milk you for money or harass you for no good reason is not going to care at all about what some other police officer says about not having to carry your passport. They will just ignore that and or feign ignorance and carry on trying to work you over in an attempt to make some money off of you....if that was their original intentions. Best you can do is carry a photo copy of your passport and the relevant pages needed to identify yourself and your current immigration status and stand your ground and do not let them intimidate you for such a non issue. Thing is.....you can easily surmise that the overwhelming majority of the tourists in the Kingdom do carry their passports on them, all the time and wherever they go, as a passport is needed often enough for various reason throughout their stay in the Kingdom. So...if a police officer did want to see a tourists Identification, for what ever reason, 98 % of the time the officer would be handed the passport, belonging to the tourist, without any hesitation. If you did not have your passport with you to present to the officer(s), the officer(s) would think that as strange since everyone else, previously asked, has had their passport to be presented, when asked to do so. I doubt at all if the ranking police officer ( seen in the OP ) sent out a bulletin to every officer in the nation informing them that tourists do not need to carry their passport and or present their passport to any officer that requests the tourist passport as the only kind of satisfactory identification...such is the inefficiency of the police bureaucracy. In the end...basically it remains the same......no one knows, for sure, what will happen if they are asked for their passport and can not produce it when asked for it. Cheers Edited March 1, 2015 by gemguy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Wallop Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 I'll roundhouse any cops that try to harass me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chivas Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Some of you Guys worry far too much..........Bangkok Remand etc ridiculous in the extreme In the very remote possibility that Plod asks for your Passport the simple answer is I dont carry with me but we'll go get it together right now End of Conversation..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmacken306 Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Just carry a copy, if you hand over your Passport you may not get it back! That is also true when I visited Russia back in 2002. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigt3365 Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 Some of you Guys worry far too much..........Bangkok Remand etc ridiculous in the extreme In the very remote possibility that Plod asks for your Passport the simple answer is I dont carry with me but we'll go get it together right now End of Conversation..... Sorry, but this does happen. I can assure you. As a member mentioned above, it all depends on the circumstances. But it does happen. As you say, if it's readily accessible by you, then no worries! But that's not the case for everybody in every situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard_smith237 Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 I'm in and out so often that it'd be a right royal pain in the backside to print my passport visa page each time, let alone laminating the page. I have been asked for my passport a few months back at while in a taxi at Asoke junction. I believe it's shine been reported that as a result of negative publicity the police have backed off somewhat. I rely on my Thai Drivers licence. I also take a photo on my phone off my visa page etc.. I'm not sure that would be sufficient but it's not yet been tested... Besides I have a close 'friend' in the BiB who can readily sort these issues out if I need him to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisinth Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 <script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script> <script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script> Thai driving licence,has passport number on it. Driving licence issued on January 10th. Received new passport on January 12th, new number. Possible 5 years of conflicting data................. Unless you know, or remember, its not always so clear cut. Go change the Drivers Licence it costs 155 baht. Please look at the last line of my post that you replied to. You and I know, but if you asked honestly the people who have had a driving licence for a while, and have recently renewed their passport, how many of the passport numbers match, I think it would be interesting statistics................. However, as others have posted, the driving licence can be used for visual identification as it has your picture on it, but if you were stopped for anything to do with your permission to stay in the country, it wouldn't help much. And before you say the police can check your passport number from the driving licence, remember where you are. Your average patrol policeman does not have access to the immigration database from his radio. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thongkorn Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 why risk not being able to board a plane to go home because you lost your passport. Also People actually leave there passports with Thai People for Guarantee. Motor Bikes,for one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOLDBUGGY Posted March 1, 2015 Share Posted March 1, 2015 As the Old Insurance Salesman used to say, "It is better to have and not need....then to need and not have." Hope this answers your question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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