Thai Foreign Affairs Ministry has no wish to cancel passports of ex-govt workers

[webfact]

Foreign affairs ministry has no wish to cancel passports of ex-govt workers



BANGKOK, 6 July 2016 (NNT) - Minister of Foreign Affairs Don Pramudwinai has acknowledged that the ministry has no plans to cancel the official passports of those who have stopped working for the government.

The minister said on Tuesday that most people kept their passports until they expired. If they had not done anything illegal, there should not be a problem keeping the passports, the minister added. Mr. Don further stated that the ministry also had no plans to consider revising regulations to close loopholes in the use of official passports.

The minister was asked about the use of official passports following the ministry’s issuance of an official passport to Ms. Montha Yokrattanakan or “Ying Kai,” now suspected of filing false complaints against her employees.

Mr. Don also assured that many countries had strict regulations on passport use.


-- NNT 2016-07-06

[trogers]

Anyone got caught going about doing their private businesses on official passports?

That's the pertinent question on abuse of position, past or present.

[rkidlad]

Why not? What's the worst that could happen?

[trogers]

Why not? What's the worst that could happen?

Do you know who I am?

[colinneil]

When a person stops working for the government they have no need of a government passport.

Government passports should be handed back and cancelled.

Only reason for keeping the passport would be for personal gain.

[ezzra]

Knowing Thai people the very well by now, these passports will be used and abused to gain airport's priority

access and services to start with, and than everywhere they can show it and demand extra respect

and attention.... I know I would if I hade such credentials as an official passport....

[BigBadGeordie]

Knowing Thai people the very well by now, these passports will be used and abused to gain airport's priority

access and services to start with, and than everywhere they can show it and demand extra respect

and attention.... I know I would if I hade such credentials as an official passport....

Good to see you have such high moral values and have set your standards based on the Thai people you know very well now!

[Familyaffairs]

The Western world should only allow access for people carrying Thai government passports if they have a current employment statement, legalized by the Thai foreign Ministers stry. Allowing ex government workers to keep their passports defeats the purpose of government-to-government traveller identification. How ridiculous !

[chainarong]

If a person has been issued with a special passport that comes with a Government department , then, as that person has now ceased working for that department the passport now would be cancelled , not should be , as that person no longer works in a capacity that allowed a special passport to be issued, how simple is that.............. .

[NongKhaiKid]

If a person has been issued with a special passport that comes with a Government department , then, as that person has now ceased working for that department the passport now would be cancelled , not should be , as that person no longer works in a capacity that allowed a special passport to be issued, how simple is that.............. .

Yes it's simple, very simple BUT TIT !

[robblok]

Why not? What's the worst that could happen?

Worst is that after a government change the people in charge lose their privileges. That is of course not something the rich would like. No matter what side people are on they are protecting their own.

[halloween]

Mr. Don also assured that many countries had strict regulations on (official) passport use. Thailand is not one of them.

[klauskunkel]

Mr. Don also assured that many countries had strict regulations on passport use.

Appreciate the assurance, Mr. Don, this is an exquisite piece of trivia, you are undoubtedly a worthy official.

[Dogmatix]

I think the official Thai passports convey no special privileges but still can't see why the government should want people to use them when not on government business.

Even worse are the diplomatic passports that do convey privileges and are held by many people who are not accredited diplomats or serving government ministers. For US diplomats it is a serious offence to use a diplomatic passport when not travelling on official business. That is how it should be to ensure that diplomatic passports are taken seriously by foreign countries. The UK arrested a Saudi prince for murdering his servant in a London hotel, in spite of his protests of diplomatic immunity based on travelling on a diplomatic passport. The British checked and found he was not an accredited diplomat in official business in the UK, so the diplomatic passport meant nothing.

[NongKhaiKid]

I think the official Thai passports convey no special privileges but still can't see why the government should want people to use them when not on government business.

Even worse are the diplomatic passports that do convey privileges and are held by many people who are not accredited diplomats or serving government ministers. For US diplomats it is a serious offence to use a diplomatic passport when not travelling on official business. That is how it should be to ensure that diplomatic passports are taken seriously by foreign countries. The UK arrested a Saudi prince for murdering his servant in a London hotel, in spite of his protests of diplomatic immunity based on travelling on a diplomatic passport. The British checked and found he was not an accredited diplomat in official business in the UK, so the diplomatic passport meant nothing.

Remember when LoS gave Paradon Srichaphan and his dad diplomatic passports however female counterpart Tamarine Tanasugarn didn't rate one, presumably because she wasn't so successful on the international circuit.

[tomacht8]

I think the official Thai passports convey no special privileges but still can't see why the government should want people to use them when not on government business.

Even worse are the diplomatic passports that do convey privileges and are held by many people who are not accredited diplomats or serving government ministers. For US diplomats it is a serious offence to use a diplomatic passport when not travelling on official business. That is how it should be to ensure that diplomatic passports are taken seriously by foreign countries. The UK arrested a Saudi prince for murdering his servant in a London hotel, in spite of his protests of diplomatic immunity based on travelling on a diplomatic passport. The British checked and found he was not an accredited diplomat in official business in the UK, so the diplomatic passport meant nothing.

Since there are privileges.

The airport has special Immigration counters without waiting queues.

Also you can then order the cozy electric cars.

Even in cases of overbooking you are on the waiting list at the top.

Often there is a free upgrade.

Edited July 6, 2016 by tomacht8

[Sydebolle]

In all fairness this is wrong. The official (as the diplomatic) passports are issued to persons EXECUTING a particular duty; those passports get changed each and every time the position changes (say a low ranking diplomat moving from embassy to embassy gets new passports every time specifying the assigned duty).
In addition such passports, depending on bi-/multilateral treaties allow visa-free entry into countries for which the normal traveller would have to obtain a visa (i.e. many European countries).

Last not least it can (depends on the specification inside the passport on duties) exempt the holder from local laws. While an official passport is not as "convenient" as a diplomatic passport it protects the holder from laws.

In Thailand holders of official passports for foreign countries are driving cars with blue plates and white numbers starting with a two-digit number. Latter identifies the country. The same plate being white with black numbers is registered to a diplomat (or diplomatic entity).

[smedly]

In all fairness this is wrong. The official (as the diplomatic) passports are issued to persons EXECUTING a particular duty; those passports get changed each and every time the position changes (say a low ranking diplomat moving from embassy to embassy gets new passports every time specifying the assigned duty).

In addition such passports, depending on bi-/multilateral treaties allow visa-free entry into countries for which the normal traveller would have to obtain a visa (i.e. many European countries).

Last not least it can (depends on the specification inside the passport on duties) exempt the holder from local laws. While an official passport is not as "convenient" as a diplomatic passport it protects the holder from laws.

In Thailand holders of official passports for foreign countries are driving cars with blue plates and white numbers starting with a two-digit number. Latter identifies the country. The same plate being white with black numbers is registered to a diplomat (or diplomatic entity).

I thought is was stated that this woman had a "Diplomatic" passport and if so in what capacity was her government employment, was she Yinglucs personal assistant or something

[casualbiker]

I'm wondering when and in what position this woman worked in a government role. And if that position constituted getting a government passport. Many things to investigate...

[scorecard]

When a person stops working for the government they have no need of a government passport.

Government passports should be handed back and cancelled.

Only reason for keeping the passport would be for personal gain.

It was mentioned a couple of days ago that madams official passport had already expired.

A question: Is an official passport the same as a diplomatic passport?

[casualbiker]

When a person stops working for the government they have no need of a government passport.

Government passports should be handed back and cancelled.

Only reason for keeping the passport would be for personal gain.

It was mentioned a couple of days ago that madams official passport had already expired.

A question: Is an official passport the same as a diplomatic passport?

she got it in 2014 and it has expired already... strange I thought they were 5 year passports!

[tomacht8]

When a person stops working for the government they have no need of a government passport.

Government passports should be handed back and cancelled.

Only reason for keeping the passport would be for personal gain.

It was mentioned a couple of days ago that madams official passport had already expired.

A question: Is an official passport the same as a diplomatic passport?

No.

She not have a diplomatic passport.

She holds an official passsport.

That is not the same.

Official passport (also called service passport) — Issued to government employees for work-related travel, and their accompanying dependants.

Diplomatic passport — Issued to diplomats of a country and their accompanying dependents for official international travel and residence. Accredited diplomats of certain grades may be granted diplomatic immunity by a host country, but this is not automatically conferred by holding a diplomatic passport. Any diplomatic privileges apply in the country to which the diplomat is accredited; elsewhere diplomatic passport holders must adhere to the same regulations and travel procedures as are required of other nationals of their country.

Look at wiki.

[tifino]

there is a big difference between an Official and a Diplomatic Passport

The Official one really is just a Passport a Public Servant used, that has been Paid for by the Govt coffers

We had them for use in the military in Australia 30+ years ago.

And when you Official sojourn overseas came to an end, we could hold, and use them Privately, until it naturally Expired.

After that, you had to Pay for the ongoing Replacement(s)

...and the only difference between the Official and the Private Citizen Passport: was you didn't get to keep the old one as a souvenir after it was replaced upon Expiry.

(probably so you couldn't (years later) prove (or expose) where you went if a Compensation case arose when you get injured officially overseas)

[scorecard]

there is a big difference between an Official and a Diplomatic Passport

The Official one really is just a Passport a Public Servant used, that has been Paid for by the Govt coffers

We had them for use in the military in Australia 30+ years ago.

And when you Official sojourn overseas came to an end, we could hold, and use them Privately, until it naturally Expired.

After that, you had to Pay for the ongoing Replacement(s)

...and the only difference between the Official and the Private Citizen Passport: was you didn't get to keep the old one as a souvenir after it was replaced upon Expiry.

(probably so you couldn't (years later) prove (or expose) where you went if a Compensation case arose when you get injured officially overseas)

Check BP for a further story about 20 passports found in madams condo.

[thesetat2013]

When a person stops working for the government they have no need of a government passport.

Government passports should be handed back and cancelled.

Only reason for keeping the passport would be for personal gain.

It waseems not until just recently that the gov made a rule that anyone traveling under a Government passport can only travel using basic services for flights. No more vip or business class tickets allowed.

Those who hold a gov passport get less scrutiny when travelling and can use diplomatic immunity to escape possible legal action in other countries.

There is absolutely no reason to allow them to continue to hold a gov passport if they are no longer a gov worker.