Brits asked to avoid passport woes, ETDs (VIDEO)

[ratcatcher]

In the desert I saw a creature, naked, bestial, who, squatting upon the ground, held his heart in his hands, and ate of it.

I said, “Is it good, friend?”

“It is bitter—bitter,” he answered;

“But I like it, because it is bitter and because it is my heart.”

It is always correct form to add the author's name to a quote. In this case Stephen Crane.

Quite what this has to do with the topic is beyond me. Anyone?

[Usual Suspect]

I was thinking about tourists in this country, & how many times their passports need to be out of the suitcase/room safe..

...Changing money on pavement booths,(that could be daily).. renting a motorcycle, all the time they are riding that motorcycle (full days out, doing lots of activities).

OK them's only a couple of instances, but DOES lift up the chances of loss or theft by a big percentage.

Many tourists choose to use soft, open topped bags as their 'day bags'..this may be another area leading to loss/theft of passports..?

I'm not trying to make a bold statement here..just highlighting how easy these little books can be mislaid whilst on holiday.

[Jing Joe]

All the more reason to get good, reduced size, laminated photocopies of your passport and visa and leave your real passport in a secure safe place.

Yes ratchatcher yes.

I've only ever carried a copy, not laminated.

Logical to laminate. Thanks.

100% copy size is surely appropriate?

Why not have two copies and see how handing one over as surety for a jet ski hire goes down.

Just kidding.

How foolhardy to hand over a real one let alone use as a beer coaster !!

[Guest]

All the more reason to get good, reduced size, laminated photocopies of your passport and visa and leave your real passport in a secure safe place.

Been doing it for years and years. Happy to see at least one other person on TV who has a clue.

If TV folks would spend less time telling us why this does not work .. and LISTEN for a change, they will learn a few things.

A professionally done two sided laminated card is gold here.

Side one is the inside of your page of your passport and the opposite .. your current Visa!

To the TV Peanut gallery ... Please do not reply with the standard urban legends of why these cards do not work ... THEY DO.

If you do not know how to do this .. drop me a line and i will direct you to a company who provides this service for the "not so tech savvy" crowd.

Cheers Ratcatcher ... have a good one !

[JAG]

All the more reason to get good, reduced size, laminated photocopies of your passport and visa and leave your real passport in a secure safe place.

Which is fine if they didn't say that there's a law that says you have to carry it with you at all times.

Makes you wonder how many passports wouldn't be lost or stolen if the tourists were officially advised on what to do reference carrying copies.

Who knows, keep hearing contradicting stories that the police require you to carry original or a copy will do! I do know the police in my area are on a self funding drive and asking for a missing passport could well be another reason to fine a foreigner!

Personally I have never lost a passport and also have reasonable teeth.

That said, a friend was off to get a replacement recently due to a volatile TGF flushing his.

Passport or teeth?

[daiwill60]

If you live well outside it's 2 trips to Bangkok to simply renew a UK passport so they spread the pain around as it is.

That's got to be a tough one,what every 10 years? you can get someone to do the trip for you if you don't fancy a night in Soi Cowboy

I only had to do one trip to Bkk to take my renewal application paperwork, then for some unknown reason, following a phone call from a DHL depot, it came back to me at my place of work via a DHL delivery driver who just got someone in the school to sign for it before handing it over to them , to this day I do not know who that person was. So mmuch for the now improved security measures that are supposed to have been put in place when they changed the system recently. And the Brit Embassy have a cheek to lecture us about looking after our passports.

Additionally I also once washed my old passport when left in a pair of jeans, Yeah some of the stamps smudged a bit , but nobody ever queried its validity, they weren't to sure if i money was laundered though.

Edited January 26, 2016 by daiwill60

[abizeus]

Not surprised many go missing now - have to carry passport around everywhere now to get money changed since last year.......

[Lampang2]

Passports are being sold and subsequently reported lost.

[Basil B]

Not forgetting those who use them as surety against bike rentals, dent the bike refuse to pay for the damage and claim their passports stolen...

[smotherb]

Charge them 300 pounds each for a replacement.

And all other embassies whose residents lose theirs.

Apparently, Obama doesn't get a cut, does Cameron? A new US passport only takes one trip to the embassy, and it costs $110--it takes couple of weeks, but they messenger it to you. http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/information/fees.html

[diehard60]

Well i always knew they were kind of goofy anyway. Putting a beer mug on your passport. Daaa

[jacko45k]

Which is fine if they didn't say that there's a law that says you have to carry it with you at all times.

Makes you wonder how many passports wouldn't be lost or stolen if the tourists were officially advised on what to do reference carrying copies.

Who knows, keep hearing contradicting stories that the police require you to carry original or a copy will do! I do know the police in my area are on a self funding drive and asking for a missing passport could well be another reason to fine a foreigner!

Personally I have never lost a passport and also have reasonable teeth.

That said, a friend was off to get a replacement recently due to a volatile TGF flushing his.

Here's one version of the flexible truth used in this country.

https://asiancorrespondent.com/2014/12/thailand-police-foreigners-not-required-to-carry-passports-at-all-times/

Dec 2014, we have had a few more versions since then.

[CharlieH]

Inflammatory posts and subsequent responses to same have been removed.

This thread is not an invitation to "Nationality bash"

11) You will not post slurs, degrading or overly negative comments directed towards Thailand, specific locations, Thai institutions such as the judicial or law enforcement system, Thai culture, Thai people or any other group on the basis of race, nationality, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

[evadgib]

All the more reason to get good, reduced size, laminated photocopies of your passport and visa and leave your real passport in a secure safe place.

Been doing it for years and years. Happy to see at least one other person on TV who has a clue.

If TV folks would spend less time telling us why this does not work .. and LISTEN for a change, they will learn a few things.

A professionally done two sided laminated card is gold here.

Side one is the inside of your page of your passport and the opposite .. your current Visa!

To the TV Peanut gallery ... Please do not reply with the standard urban legends of why these cards do not work ... THEY DO.

If you do not know how to do this .. drop me a line and i will direct you to a company who provides this service for the "not so tech savvy" crowd.

Cheers Ratcatcher ... have a good one !

A local driving licence has the same effect & is less likely to drop you in the shit when scrutinized.

Edited January 27, 2016 by evadgib

[evadgib]

Another good reason not to have to rely on an ETD is they cost almost as much as a new passport yet have limited uses, primarily good for one trip only.

<deleted post>

Edited January 27, 2016 by evadgib

[D3030]

All the more reason to get good, reduced size, laminated photocopies of your passport and visa and leave your real passport in a secure safe place.

Been doing it for years and years. Happy to see at least one other person on TV who has a clue.

If TV folks would spend less time telling us why this does not work .. and LISTEN for a change, they will learn a few things.

A professionally done two sided laminated card is gold here.

Side one is the inside of your page of your passport and the opposite .. your current Visa!

To the TV Peanut gallery ... Please do not reply with the standard urban legends of why these cards do not work ... THEY DO.

If you do not know how to do this .. drop me a line and i will direct you to a company who provides this service for the "not so tech savvy" crowd.

Cheers Ratcatcher ... have a good one !

A local driving licence has the same effect & is less likely to drop you in the shit when scrutinized.

Makes a lot of sense to have driver license size passport - which the U.S. does issue - but only valid to cross the Mexico/Canada border..

Would make much more sense to have a wallet sized version for both passport/visa together..

I carried my passport every where - And it just ended up making my passport look like it was in my pocket - plus never been asked for it walking down the street or stopped by the police driving..

So I'm all in for the two sided laminated version for the convenience and having it - if needed..

Cuz I still won't take my current passport going out...

[F4UCorsair]

Canadian Passport states on page 1. "This passport is the property of the Government of Canada.It must not be altered. You must take every precaution to safeguard it."

Why do I have to pay for it.......it does not belong to me... Could I be charged with impersonating the Govt.?

So I am sure the British Government owns British peoples passports also.

You pay for processing, administrative costs rtc. You could see it as renting your PP because it most certainly does not belong to you

You pay to hire a car and it doesn't belong to you!

When I first travelled, to Singapore, in 1969, I had my PP details concealed in each bag; photocopying wasn't as readily available back then. Nowadays, like others here, I have a laminated mini in my neck pouch, momey belt, and each bag, as well as a copy in the hotel safe if there is one, and a pic of the photo page and relevant visa/s in my phone.

Call me overly conservative, but I hate inconvenience.

I also have a laminated card with emergency contact numbers, lost credit card numbers, etc., and also a pic in my phone.

I'm a boy scout.......be prepared!

I can't imagine others not taking similar precautions, perhaps not so extravagant, but precautions nevertheless.

Edited January 28, 2016 by F4UCorsair

[ratcatcher]

All the more reason to get good, reduced size, laminated photocopies of your passport and visa and leave your real passport in a secure safe place.

Been doing it for years and years. Happy to see at least one other person on TV who has a clue.

If TV folks would spend less time telling us why this does not work .. and LISTEN for a change, they will learn a few things.

A professionally done two sided laminated card is gold here.

Side one is the inside of your page of your passport and the opposite .. your current Visa!

To the TV Peanut gallery ... Please do not reply with the standard urban legends of why these cards do not work ... THEY DO.

If you do not know how to do this .. drop me a line and i will direct you to a company who provides this service for the "not so tech savvy" crowd.

Cheers Ratcatcher ... have a good one !

A local driving licence has the same effect & is less likely to drop you in the shit when scrutinized.

Can tourists get a local (Thai) driving license? I think not. bangkokequity stated it quite clearly, a properly laminated copy works in most cases. Attitude is variable,

[Guest]

All the more reason to get good, reduced size, laminated photocopies of your passport and visa and leave your real passport in a secure safe place.

Been doing it for years and years. Happy to see at least one other person on TV who has a clue.

If TV folks would spend less time telling us why this does not work .. and LISTEN for a change, they will learn a few things.

A professionally done two sided laminated card is gold here.

Side one is the inside of your page of your passport and the opposite .. your current Visa!

To the TV Peanut gallery ... Please do not reply with the standard urban legends of why these cards do not work ... THEY DO.

If you do not know how to do this .. drop me a line and i will direct you to a company who provides this service for the "not so tech savvy" crowd.

Cheers Ratcatcher ... have a good one !

A local driving licence has the same effect & is less likely to drop you in the shit when scrutinized.

Can tourists get a local (Thai) driving license? I think not. bangkokequity stated it quite clearly, a properly laminated copy works in most cases. Attitude is variable,

Per usual, people like Evadgib miss the point entirely.

Let me try to make it easy to understand.

The Bank, Hotel, Security Folks getting into office buildings, POLICE ... etc ... want to know:

What country are you from?

What is your Passport / Citizen Number?

What is your Visa status?

What you are offering is all that information ... a COPY ... so they can log that info.

You hand it over ...YOU NEVER SAID IT WAS ISSUED BY A GOVERNMENT AGENCY!

HOW HARD IS THAT TO UNDERSTAND ????

By the way .. does a Thai Driver's License tell your country of origin, your Passport Number, Your current Visa Status?

Anyway ... Evadgib .. have it your way hansum man .. just carry your passport all the time since THAT has the information we are talking about!

What could possibly go wrong? 555

[evadgib]

A4 photocopies under the drivers sun shield & digital copies on smartphone(s) CC to secure cloud storage for access in emergency enabled those with Thai DL's to 'miss the point' years ago but as it was off topic & a no brainer I felt no need to explain.

The 'bloke in a pub' replies work most of the time too. I was hoping to prevent others coming unstuck but as usual wish I hadn't bothered.

Edited January 29, 2016 by evadgib

[Celer et Audax]

i had passport stloen in bkk 4 years ago. do not lose your passport , it is such a ball ache to go through all the s**t of obtaining an ETD in uk embassy. 2 miserable long days sitting around waiting for passport prosess in uk embassy plus police station and immigration centre in north bkk.

2 days wasted off my trip.

WARNING. look after it.

leave your passport in the hotel room safety deposit box!!

How difficult is that?

[Celer et Audax]

All the more reason to get good, reduced size, laminated photocopies of your passport and visa and leave your real passport in a secure safe place.

Which is fine if they didn't say that there's a law that says you have to carry it with you at all times.

no there isn't you have the option off producing you passport at the police station within 24 hrs

[Celer et Audax]

They are talking about Poms hey? It sure looks that they are not the smartest sheep in the Paddock,,

they already proved that when they voted in fascist Cameron and his crew with a majority

From a country who voted in a Welsh immigrant whose accent must be forced, followed by a former Catholic priest. And now have a plank who dreams of being "president".

Cameron is no more a fascist than Obama, Hollande, or Mutti Merkel. Owned by the banks, big business and extremely rich - for sure, just as they all are.

And your point is.......?

[Thongkorn]

Using a passport as a beer mat ? What kind of idiots are given British passports in the first place??? OMG !

Er.

British ones?

Would that be , Chinese, Indian , Polish , Pakistani, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Thai, Burmese, Cambodian , and the other half of the world,

Edited January 30, 2016 by Thongkorn

[hawker9000]

All the more reason to get good, reduced size, laminated photocopies of your passport and visa and leave your real passport in a secure safe place.

Can heartily second that. 'Can't quite imagine the stupidity in using one as a "beer mat", but even just carrying it on the street is a risk, no matter how immune you think you might be to pickpockets (and that's not hearsay; that's first-person). (And as much of an ordeal as replacing the first stolen one might be, it sounds like having it happen a 2nd time - and that's as in EVER - is even less fun.). Carry them around - I don't care what you think the law says - at your own risk.