Carry the passport with me

[lungnorm]

3 hours ago, baneko said:

 

You can leave the country, go to work and make a visa without your phone!

 

You mean man purse I am sure.

 

[NoshowJones]

47 minutes ago, Pomrakuhn said:

Next door to immigration in Jomtien is a print shop that will make you credit card sized plasticized card with PP copy on one side and visa details on the other for a very small price. As far as I know this card is acceptable to police. 

The police also make up their own rules.  This is Thailand.

[thaibreaker]

9 hours ago, baneko said:

I have never carried my passport. I am too concerned about loosing it. The only place I have heard of police asking for a PP is Sukhumvit Soi 22 BKK.

 

I have been pulled over a couple of times over 15 years, asking for my PP. Once in Bangkok, once in Phuket. Very rare, but once in a while it happens. A two page copy is always sufficient, either pics in a phone, paper or other options. I have specifically asked about that.

 

The reason they have these checkpoints, is most likely to discover people on overstay.

Edited December 20, 2016 by thaibreaker

[Toronto]

Maybe a photocopy of relevant pages. It bothers me thai Thai authorities treat farung like suspected criminals. Not fair.

[Inepto Cracy]

I have been told quite a few times on Phuket, that anybody can make false passport and or visa photocopies. The police who have asked for my passport only want originals, not copies.

This has been in 2016, not previous years, like some of the answers on this forum.

Take the responsibility for your passport.

You may always win, but there is always that off chance that the rules change by the questioning officer.

[OJAS]

Never been asked for my passport in 8 years of living here by the BIB apart from at my local immigration office and BKK airport checkpoints.

 

On the other hand I have lost count of the number of times I have been asked to produce it by banks, hospitals, etc, etc.

[khwaibah]

Been asked two time for my passport in 11 years both at highway checkpoints, once when I was driving our truck by the BIB and another when Thai Army stopped our NCA bus from CNX to Surin. I all ways carry my PP with me

[Craig krup]

If you had a number of colour copies with a staple through the corner, and you detach one and let them keep it, does that look hyper-compliant, or just suspicious?

 

If I could only write in Thai script the last thing I'd want to do is copy a load of details in Roman script.

[mrfaroukh]

I live in Pattaya, have Thai driving license and never carry my passport with me. But I take a picture of my passport ID page, my entry stamp page, visa page, departure card with my mobile. In case they ask for ID I will show the driving license and if not enough show the pictures they show I am not here illegally. Now if they are not satisfied with this either then they probably want money.

[csabo]

I use my Thai DL and carry a copy of my passport. Always been good enough except for the bank which demands the original even thought they have a copy. And that stupid bank book.

[Get Real]

As already stated, the original passport is not needed. Police have gotten the information from Immigration head office in Bangkok, that it´s sufficent with a copy of the 2 pages in your passport and your eventual visa sticker together with the last stamp.

[Sparkles]

Never heard of anyone in 17 years being arrrested or questioned about not carrying their passport.Carry ID,photocopy of visa and picture page.If you have a drivers licence or pink ID card even better.

Providing you can produce your passport within a given time Embassies,Consuls say thats ok.

Are you really going to leave your passport on the beach while swimming ?

 

 

 

[SiSePuede419]

No, unless you need it ?

[timewilltell]

Mostly no-one knows what the law is in Thailand as it is all highly subjective and open to interpretation greatly. Make a photocopy with the face page and the entry stamp and visa and take that with you. At worst you may be asked to go to the police station with the original but quite unlikely if you are polite.

[bark]

Your choice to carry or not. You can decide to carry id or not.

Cheers

 

[Suradit69]

9 hours ago, ferguston said:

If you are scared about losing your passport you may as well be scared of losing your wallet or phone or have your passport stolen from your house.

 

Yes, I always carry mine. Got a large passport holder from Boots to keep passport, credit cards, ATM card, etc. It's a bit of a struggle getting it in or out of my pocket, so no pickpocket could manage it. I don't "do the bars" nor do I tend to fall down occasionally or use a trampoline, so it's unlikely the passport holder will fly out of my pocket unknown to me. 

 

Thank you ferguston. I believe you're the first in this thread to spell "losing" correctly. 

[windas]

If you carry an reduced size encapsulated copy of Passport/Dr-lic/Visa you will have no problems unless you are arrested.

Having nothing is leaving yourself open to Tea Money fines. Never carry your passport. Better to pay a fine than the emense agrovation of having to replace it. Never been fined and have had to show the copies many, many times, especially at Tea Money road blocks.

[SaintLouisBlues]

In conclusion then - your greatness risk arises if you're driving a car. Day to day walking around without your passport or a copy is a very low risk activity


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

[ericthai]

11 hours ago, cnxkoolpunt9 said:

 

I was stopped at a military check point in Surin. They asked for my passport and I told them I didnt have it with me they said ok driver license. I gave them that and they said ok, you can go.  So dont seem like it's that big of a deal. I think it all depends on the cop and your attitude when stopped. I have been through 100's of road blocks in the last 20 years and this was the first time I was ever asked for my passport. This was about 3-4 years ago.  Since then I have not been asked for my passport only my driver license. 

[JohnThailandJohn]

Carry color copy of your passport Bio page and latest immigration stamp page when traveling not far from home.  If you go on a trip further away where your passport may not be easily retrievable. say within an hour or two, then bring your passport with you while traveling / staying out of town. 

 

My understanding the above would be staying within the law but more importantly will protect you should you find yourself in a situation where authorities are requiring to see you passport.

[Paul Catton]

Nothings changed recently. 

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

• Reviewed: 1 November 2016, 09:45 NZDT
• Still current at: 21 December 2016

 

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.

 

I prefer to abide by the official information exchanged on government to government basis.
Chance of my being asked randomly to provide identification when in Thailand would be very slim indeed far outweighed by any potential for loss.

My Passport could be made available to fulfill further demand if required for a second tier scrutiny of the "alien".  

Should my duration of stay in Thailand  become more of a semi-permanent nature this may need reviewing.

[baneko]

In 12yrs I have never had a police man ask for my Passport. To constantly carry it with me would be a pain. A copy. Nope. ID sometimes.

My missus does not take her ID card with her at all times.

[samsensam]

6 hours ago, windas said:

If you carry an reduced size encapsulated copy of Passport/Dr-lic/Visa you will have no problems unless you are arrested.

Having nothing is leaving yourself open to Tea Money fines. Never carry your passport. Better to pay a fine than the emense agrovation of having to replace it. Never been fined and have had to show the copies many, many times, especially at Tea Money road blocks.

 

been here 16 years, been stopped twice by police and both times i had to empty my pockets (no more detailed search) neither time did they ask to see my passport.

 

i've never heard of anyone being fined or getting into trouble or not carrying their passport so unless there is a change in police activity/behaviour regarding passport carrying there is more to lose then gain by carrying my passport.

[Rhys]

carry some extra baht then..

 

[bandito]

On ‎12‎/‎20‎/‎2016 at 6:15 AM, colinchaffers said:

By law in Thailand you should carry ID, and there has been much debate if that means a full passport, I have a Thai driving licence and a photo copy of my passport bio and visa stamp with me or in the car, so far i have never been stopped in 3+ years.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Thaivisa Connect mobile app
 

 

In the 40+ years that I am living here have I never, not one time, been asked by the police to show my pasport.

Not by traffic accidents or fines or whatever.

Anyway, last couple, 3 years I carry with me a copy of my pasport.

[maewang99]

another poster mentioned BUPA... but said it is ****all**** he ever carries.

not unless you are always near the place where they have an account on you already or know you personally.
 

always carry (1) your up-to-date BUPA card AND (2) a copy of your passport. the BUPA card does not have an embedded photo ID.

but n.b......it's the BUPA card that is listed first.. and mentioned by the other poster alone without even a passport copy.... for a very good reason. and a Thai Soc Sec card doesn't take it's place as it only really gives cover [generally] for stuff others can just as easily pay out of pocket for.... but for private hospital admittance it doesn't matter how much money you have in the bank or broker... they need an insurance card pretty much on the spot.. or it could work out to a real hassle of some kind, as far as I know, and I don't ****want**** to know more, nor need to as long as I always do the above.



 

Edited December 21, 2016 by maewang99

[Mordacai]

Get a laminated copy of the 1st page of your passport and on the other side, copy of your valid visa. 
Has worked for me.

[evadgib]

Related link from HMG: 

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/foreign-office-helps-over-1000-brits-make-it-home-for-christmas       

 

Mods: The inner link and video might benefit the News page.                    

Edited December 22, 2016 by evadgib

[hawker9000]

On ‎12‎/‎20‎/‎2016 at 3:00 AM, Inepto Cracy said:

I have been told quite a few times on Phuket, that anybody can make false passport and or visa photocopies. The police who have asked for my passport only want originals, not copies.

This has been in 2016, not previous years, like some of the answers on this forum.

Take the responsibility for your passport.

You may always win, but there is always that off chance that the rules change by the questioning officer.

Yes, take the responsibility for your passport and DON'T carry it around with you  You won't enjoy having it pickpocketed (speaking from experience).  You'll probably like even less having that happen a 2nd time (NOT speaking from experience, and don't plan to be...).   So if a cop in Phuket tells you that anybody can make false passport or visa copies, politely tell him anybody can have them stolen as well...     Someone being detained or hassled for any significant length of time simply for not carrying the original around on the street with them would make news.  I've heard of it, but only in a very few cases where the individuals concerned had OTHER more serious issues with the police to begin with.

 

Given the relative risk involved with losing the passport and a rogue police officer taking it to the limit over nothing more than failure to carry an original pp, I'll take the rogue cop.  (And in 25+ years the rogue cop scenario has never happened, whereas loss to a scum-sucking pickpocket has.)

 

 

 

[ubonjoe]

33 minutes ago, evadgib said:

Related link from HMG: 

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/foreign-office-helps-over-1000-brits-make-it-home-for-christmas       

 

Mods: The inner link and video might benefit the News page.                    

The best place to post it would be on the home country forum.