carry passport or not

[Chivas]

Does anyone actually know anyone that has been ever been detained in Thailand for not being in possession of their passport?

I do not.

Of course you or I dont because we would follow my simple comments of above in that we would tell Plod that we'll go together right now to get it........

On an aside if you approach a standard roadblock/check point when you get to the front, switch off and get out of the Car and with Palms open ask why have I been stopped.........They stand there like Goldfish with mouths open !! It works extremely well if you are very tall I might add !!

Immediate waving of arms, move on move on.......!!

Edited March 1, 2015 by Chivas

[aboctok]

You should be carrying it when arriving or departing at the International Airport.

Yes, probably a good idea, arriving or departing, but I'm fairly sure we are only required to carry it when departing. If you arrive without a passport, what can they do, send your plane back up?

[craigt3365]

You should be carrying it when arriving or departing at the International Airport.

Yes, probably a good idea, arriving or departing, but I'm fairly sure we are only required to carry it when departing. If you arrive without a passport, what can they do, send your plane back up?

For international flights, the airlines is responsible for sending you back to your original destination. For domestic, it generally is not needed.

[Jonmarleesco]

You carry your passport at your own risk of losing it; not that of the Thai police. I'm certainly not prepared to risk losing mine just to satisfy some pedantic requirement that can adequately be addressed with a copy. And since Pol. Col. Chutrakul Yodmadee pointed out, in December, that it was enough to carry a copy of the first and entry stamped pages, personally, I bow to his interpretation.

[chrisinth]

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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.

Interesting.

It would be good if you could ask your friend if you could take a picture of it and post it here.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has never seen this.

Edit: If you can get a photo of it, please obscure any personal details....................

Edited March 2, 2015 by chrisinth

[craigt3365]

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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.

Interesting.

It would be good if you could ask your friend if you could take a picture of it and post it here.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has never seen this.

Edit: If you can get a photo of it, please obscure any personal details....................

The one I use is just a copy of the front page of your passport on one side, your visa stamp on the other. Shrunk down and laminated into a wallet size card. I get it at the copy shop right outside immigration.

[chrisinth]

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<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

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.

Interesting.

It would be good if you could ask your friend if you could take a picture of it and post it here.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has never seen this.

Edit: If you can get a photo of it, please obscure any personal details....................

The one I use is just a copy of the front page of your passport on one side, your visa stamp on the other. Shrunk down and laminated into a wallet size card. I get it at the copy shop right outside immigration.

Ahhhh

OK, I do the same, even have a matching one for the work permit photo page one side and the latest extension stamp on the other.

The post I was querying was written in such a way that I thought they had come out with an official ID for us.........................

"I've just been shown an ID card for farang that's now available"

[Jip99]

You should be carrying it when arriving or departing at the International Airport.

Yes, probably a good idea, arriving or departing, but I'm fairly sure we are only required to carry it when departing. If you arrive without a passport, what can they do, send your plane back up?

Nonsense !

Why would you arrive without one? - you would have had to have shown your passport at the point of departure. You pass through an international check in, and immigration point, you show your passport.

[Fookhaht]

From independent reporter, Richard Barrow today.

 

[KhunBENQ]

Even after that I still would not.

10 min detained to call up/check details.

With the current situation they might be nervous.

(leaked bomb threat, Samut Prakan is the province where the international airport is)

 

That they were rude is bad behavior of course.

Edited October 10, 2016 by KhunBENQ

[mania]

I figured this was coming....

 

Because logically...I know reason & logic have no place when discussing Imm but........

logically a laminated copy means nothing in regards to your visa to stay

 

The reason being that visa is on a separate page than your photo

So that visa to stay could belong to anyone on your laminated copy.

 

Sadly while I agree  with KhunBenq .... carrying a passport sucks if your a resident

because it will get destroyed eventually from wear & tear or lost

 

But, it will not always be a matter of 10 minutes check

Recent reports from that nightclub bust had guys in jail overnight

waiting for Imm verification.

 

If your checked at night or worse on a weekend it could be a day or a few days before

they verify you facts. They can hold you as they did that man & did not allow him to go get his passport

 

I myself have never carried my passport in Thailand. In 4+ years I have only been stopped

for traffic deals on bike & my Thai DL was enough....Now I am not sure

[kannot]

never  carry it, just keep driving licence in the car if they really want to see it  ill go get it or  they can lock me up until its proven

[Crossy]

I've still never seen an actual law which states you must carry your PP, it's been asked many times over the years.

 

Mine travels in my work bag along with my work permit and laptop, this means that 98% of the time I'm driving, walking or working in Bangkok I have it with me or it's within easy range.

 

Other times I rely on a copy on my phone.

 

I've never actually needed either although I don't frequent the tourist or entertainment areas more then once or twice a month and then I'm not a night owl.

[IMA_FARANG]

I have said on this topic many times that i always carry my passport on me at all times.

The choice is yours, of course, but i have worked in countries where you are required to have your passport with you at all times before, and can be stopped to show it in the street by the police.

Counries I have worked and lived in where this was the rule were Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Ethiopis.

So for me, I am used to the feel of having my U.S. passport with me, and it feels wrong to me not to be cattying it.

I am so used to the feel of my passport in my shirt pocket, that I notice it is not there when i leave the room.

For me, going out unto the street without my passport is just like not wearing my pants out in the street and I will immeadiately feel something is missing.

 

 

 

[Paul Catton]

Wonder if the "Embassy" will step in and have "talks" with their Thai counterparts if one gets picked up without original passport.

Mine is usually locked in a Hotel safe unless required for currency exchange

The following was last reviewed 27/09/2016 and annotated today as being current by NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 

https://www.safetravel.govt.nz/thailand

 

General travel advice
It is a requirement under Thai law to carry photo identification at all times. A  New Zealand driver’s licence or a photocopy of the biodata page from a passport would be adequate identification in the first instance.

New Zealanders travelling or living in Thailand should have a comprehensive travel insurance policy in place that includes provision for medical evacuation by air.

New Zealanders in Thailand are encouraged to register their details with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

---

The New Zealand Embassy Bangkok, Thailand

Street Address M Thai Tower, 14th floor, All Seasons Place, 87 Wireless Road, Bangkok Postal Address PO Box 2719, Bangkok 10500 Telephone +66 2 254 2530 Fax +66 2 253 9045 Email [email protected] Web Site http://www.mfat.govt.nz/thailand Hours Mon-Fri 0800-1200, 1300-1630 hrs

 

 

[Deepinthailand]

We all like the powers that be in Thailand have a different take on this question. We all do diffrent things some carry some don't.  Who's right or wrong!! Who knows.

Me I carry a copy of relevant pages on my phone. If I'm going away from home on holiday or visiting friends down south then I take it with me. We can debate for ever the should we shouldn't we and it will just go round and round and round forever.

Easiest answer you as an individual do as you see fit no one can argue with that.

[KhunBENQ]

9 hours ago, mania said:

The reason being that visa is on a separate page than your photo

So that visa to stay could belong to anyone on your laminated copy.

 

If you had said: a copy can be easily faked/falsified then I would agree.

 

But my passport has the passport nr. on every page as a hole pattern (punched) and so every page refers to the main page with the passport nr.

 

In the end:

First stage: a photocopy CAN be accepted depending how they "asses" you.

Second stage: they use the date from the photocopies to verify against their database.

Third stage: you are detained/accompanied to find and show your original passport.

 

Third stage is the reason why I never do far away travel without passport.

 

Edited October 11, 2016 by KhunBENQ

[mania]

2 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

 

If you had said: a copy can be easily faked/falsified then I would agree.

 

But my passport has the passport nr. on every page as a hole pattern (punched) and so every page refers to the main page with the passport nr.

 

In the end:

First stage: a photocopy CAN be accepted depending how they "asses" you.

Second stage: they use the date from the photocopies to verify against their database.

Third stage: you are detained/accompanied to find and show your original passport.

 

Third stage is the reason why I never do far away travel without passport.

 

 

All well & good I guess & as always your mileage will vary depending on who

decides to hassle you etc.

 

What they *can* do *use the date from * etc is all transitory & in the end it is a country under Junta Rule / Martial Law

So hard for any one of us to say..what the *law*  on this subject is? As if they need or heed any laws

 

I no longer have this problem as we left Thailand 2 months ago

 

We are going to take a break after living there happily for almost 5 years.

Things just seemed to be right timing wise for a break.

 

Good Luck to you all & we hope it all gets better rather than worse for you folks

Edited October 11, 2016 by mania

[juice777]

I figured this was coming....
 
Because logically...I know reason & logic have no place when discussing Imm but........
logically a laminated copy means nothing in regards to your visa to stay
 
The reason being that visa is on a separate page than your photo
So that visa to stay could belong to anyone on your laminated copy.
 
Sadly while I agree  with KhunBenq .... carrying a passport sucks if your a resident
because it will get destroyed eventually from wear & tear or lost
 
But, it will not always be a matter of 10 minutes check
Recent reports from that nightclub bust had guys in jail overnight
waiting for Imm verification.
 
If your checked at night or worse on a weekend it could be a day or a few days before
they verify you facts. They can hold you as they did that man & did not allow him to go get his passport
 
I myself have never carried my passport in Thailand. In 4+ years I have only been stopped
for traffic deals on bike & my Thai DL was enough....Now I am not sure

I thought every page of your passport had your number printed on the bottom, so they can check the the visa is yours from a pic I might be wrong because I am to lazy to check

I don't carry mine never been asked in 16 years

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

[mania]

10 hours ago, juice777 said:

I thought every page of your passport had your number printed on the bottom, so they can check the the visa is yours from a pic I might be wrong because I am to lazy to check

I don't carry mine never been asked in 16 years

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
 

 

Dunno myself & also too lazy to check as we moved out 2 months ago & I put the passport in storage here

 

But that aside even if a "picture" has a page number how would that guarantee it is from yours?

 

Lastly one thing we all can agree on is there is no point in trying to apply reason & logic to what

*We* think should or should not be allowed as it all goes out the window when faced with

what ever is deemed needed at the moment your hauled aside etc....

[autanic]

Do not carry your passport around unless your changing money or arriving or departing.

You will probably never be asked for it and if your, then you can say it is in the hotel safe.

Produce it later at the cop shop.

Done !

[Kwasaki]

3 hours ago, autanic said:

Do not carry your passport around unless your changing money or arriving or departing.

You will probably never be asked for it and if your, then you can say it is in the hotel safe.

Produce it later at the cop shop.

Done !

 

Although l've never been asked to see my Passport other than at immigration or the bank l always have copy of it with my latest extension stamped page,  it is a requirement of aliens.  

Edited October 14, 2016 by Kwasaki