Carrying Your Passport With You or not - Episode 394

**chazz14** · 10-09-2014, 11:13 PM

This month's update appears in the September edition of the free newspaper Hua Hin Today (2nd search result on Google).

A Big Cheese in the Immigration Dept. has overturned the Dept's. previous stance (that it was a LEGAL REQUIREMENT to carry your pp around at all times).

As of now, they are saying that of course it would be unreasonable to carry it about all the time. A copy is all you need to have on you...

The official also stated that if you break the law then the original pp must be produced urgento - really, no kidding!

The above info was correct when I hit the Enter key...

**BaitongBoy** · 10-09-2014, 11:41 PM

Nice to hear some info on this...

**thaimeme** · 10-09-2014, 11:46 PM

A show of hands, please...

How many really carry their passports any time/ anywhere on any consistent basis?

**BaitongBoy** · 11-09-2014, 12:06 AM

"Not I," said the buffalo...

**taxexile** · 11-09-2014, 01:51 AM

Hua Hin Today

A Big Cheese in the Immigration Dept. has overturned the Dept's. previous stance (that it was a LEGAL REQUIREMENT to carry your pp around at all times).

Hua Hin, unlike some other Thai municipalities, has always operated pragmatic and practical policies based more on common sense than officiousness towards its foreign residents.

It really is a delightful place.

**cyrille** · 11-09-2014, 04:46 AM

Originally Posted by thaimeme

A show of hands, please...

How many really carry their passports any time/ anywhere on any consistent basis?

Quite.

A copy of the photo page is and always has been the sensible compromise and will continue to be so whatever any 'big cheese' says.

Unless of course you incur the wrath of the bib for any other reason...

**pseudolus** · 11-09-2014, 07:10 AM

I don't. Do they know the hassle it is to get a new passport?

**BaitongBoy** · 11-09-2014, 07:13 AM

Why would they care?...

**Ratchaburi** · 11-09-2014, 07:48 AM

This is not new & if you have a Thai D/L that has you pass port number on it that will do.

**Norton** · 11-09-2014, 08:24 AM

Yes. D/L normally will do but still must produce passport if requested. No need to carry but may have to go off to your home or hotel and show the man your passport.

**Seekingasylum** · 11-09-2014, 08:28 AM

Originally Posted by taxexile

Hua Hin Today

A Big Cheese in the Immigration Dept. has overturned the Dept's. previous stance (that it was a LEGAL REQUIREMENT to carry your pp around at all times).

Hua Hin, unlike some other Thai municipalities, has always operated pragmatic and practical policies based more on common sense than officiousness towards its foreign residents.

It really is a delightful place.

Err, you appear to have had another one of your senior moments, Tax, and forgotten what happened last month.

You may recall it was Hua Hin Immigration which fucked up in spouting unsubstantiated bollox through Thaivisa which had to be put right by a General from Bangkok. Quite funny at the time since it involved two volte faces before common sense prevailed.

This is merely a rehash for your local rag.

Have you just found your rose tinted spectacles?

**Fondles** · 11-09-2014, 08:29 AM

Originally Posted by Ratchaburi

This is not new & if you have a Thai D/L that has you pass port number on it that will do.

It is not new and it is not old. There has never been a requirement to carry ones passport at all. the wording is one must carry legal identification, hence a driver's licence is perfectly adequate.

**Albert Shagnastier** · 11-09-2014, 08:38 AM

I haven't been stopped since the coup (ironically) but chucked a copy of both relevant passport pages under the seat anyway. Certainly wouldn't carry my passport with me. And that's on a bike, if on foot I never carry ID.

**Warrior** · 11-09-2014, 12:21 PM

I have pictures of the photo page and the visa page on my phone - and I am never w/o phone

**VocalNeal** · 11-09-2014, 12:31 PM

I was told last week by embassy that a colour copy of ID page and visa page is OK? That is what I keep in the car.

**toddaniels** · 11-09-2014, 12:59 PM

That is pretty old news as the "ruling" was overturned about a day after that guy lipped off about it. FWIW: the loose cannon who runs Immigrations Division 6 is always making up harebrained rules which mostly get overturned by Bangkok.

There is NO official law on the books in thailand which states foreigners must carry their passports, period end of story. It is an urban myth which has been repeated so many times that people began to believe it! Now if someone disagrees and can find me the thai wording of the law, not some b/s dealy immigrations thought up, but an honest to goodness law please lemme know.

The real wording of the actual law about foreigners here says we must carry "valid I/D". What constitutes valid in the eyez of the thaiz is a subject of lively debate.

I don't carry even a copy of my passport! I renewed my US passport so the number on my Thai D/L doesn't match my real passport anymore. I'd imagine that a thai issued d/l would be valid i/d, but that'd just be a wild guess

Yes, IF push comes to shove the police have the right to either lug you to your house to show them your passport or make someone bring it to where ever they're holding you at the time you come off the rails.

**thaimeme** · 11-09-2014, 01:26 PM

Originally Posted by Albert Shagnastier

I haven't been stopped since the coup (ironically) but chucked a copy of both relevant passport pages under the seat anyway. Certainly wouldn't carry my passport with me. And that's on a bike, if on foot I never carry ID.

The community in which one resides has much to do with everything......regarding this ID angst and whatnot.

City mouse and country mouse comparisons.

**mybangkoklife** · 16-11-2015, 05:45 PM

I've lived in Bangkok for 20 years and I've never had a policemen ask me for my passport on the street.

Yes, I have been out very late or early morning in places I had no business being...

**Pragmatic** · 16-11-2015, 06:31 PM

Originally Posted by mybangkoklife

I've lived in Bangkok for 20 years and I've never had a policemen ask me for my passport on the street.

Probably cuz they wouldn't understand it in the first place?

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