Bangkoktraveler Posted December 16, 2006 Report Share Posted December 16, 2006 Is this shit happening again? Tourist applies for visa, arrested for not carrying passport Thonglor, BKK - A Swedish tourist ordered a trip to Burma at a Thai travel-agency in Bangkok. The agent also offered to arrange visa formalities on behalf of the tourist, a procedure which is common and legal. The tourist handed over his passport to the agency. At a routine check for identification the tourist was arrested while walking with two Thai friends near Thonglor BTS sky-train station, Sukhhumvit road. Not having a passport he was arrested, despite carrying a original Swedish driver's... article found HERE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCgringo Posted December 16, 2006 Report Share Posted December 16, 2006 GOOD ! Maybe now we will get an official response of what is legal, then we will know.... OHHHH sorry wishful thinking , it seems each policeman makes his own rules, I wonder if the Swede was given the option to help out the policemans retirement fund ? OC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elef Posted December 16, 2006 Report Share Posted December 16, 2006 All persons in Thailand over a certain age (14 or 15 I think) must carry an ID-card. There's no exception for foreigners and the only legal ID-card if you're abroad is your passport (or in same cases a national ID-card). Sweden is one of the few countries in Europe where citizens don't have to carry an ID-card all the time, but all foreigners must carry a passport or if coming from EU-countries a national ID-card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian2 Posted December 16, 2006 Report Share Posted December 16, 2006 After the big bust at the Q bar a while ago I got the Mrs to ask the Chiang Rai police what the procedure was with farangs and passports. They said if you don't want to carry it, or it's off getting a visa etc to carry a photo copy, including the latest immigration stamps. I nearly got arrested in the PI at Zamboanga Airport once for producing my English passport because my Oz one ws at the Vietnames Embassy in Manila. It also happened to contain the entry stamp. I was given an hour to produce a copy and rang the travel agent in Angeles City and she said "Oh Mister Julian, your passport's just got back from Manila today, it's on my desk now." She faxed me the copies straight away. I'll never listen to another complaint about the competence of Asian travel agents again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekong Posted December 16, 2006 Report Share Posted December 16, 2006 I carry an electronic version of my Thai documentation on my Phone including a full copy of my passport and WP. About 12 months ago I was talking with Kh. Ittipol of Pattaya Immigration about this as an ID and he said that "It appears OK to him" A few weeks ago this was put to the test when Sri-Racha Immigration paid a suprise visit to the office checking passports and work permits. I was outside having a ciggy at the time when three of them came up asking for documents, I showed them the e-copy and with a Khob Khun Khrub they let me finish my smoke in peace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kangaroobar Posted December 16, 2006 Report Share Posted December 16, 2006 Been controlled only once, no problems. -> Normaly (this comes from a thai judge) if you want to stay legal you have to carry your passport and work permit all the time. This is the law..... do what you want with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elef Posted December 16, 2006 Report Share Posted December 16, 2006 In Pattaya I almost never carry my passport, not even a copy of the photo page and the entry stamp. In BKK I sometimes carry my passport but not often. On the other side I'm either with TGF or can phone her if I have problem. I've never been checked, once we stayed in a place where HM the King soon should pass a police officer asked GF about me but accepted her explanation without asking for my passport (which I carried that time as we traveled from Pattaya to BKK in car). I know the law and know what I'm doing and don't recommend anyone to follow my example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian2 Posted December 16, 2006 Report Share Posted December 16, 2006 It's a simple thing though Elef, granted Thailand isn't as tightly controlled as Lao or Vietnam, but for the sake of avoiding a hassle with a policeman who's wife has just found out about his mia noi, has a raging hangover and the sergeants just cut him out of the station bribe share out, well, how difficult is it to carry your passport. You wouldn't be the first Farang to cop a bullet while explaining that he knew the law and knew what he was doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Hippie Posted December 16, 2006 Report Share Posted December 16, 2006 When in LOS, I always carry my passport with me. I have been stopped 2 times now (both in the last 3 years) and asked for it. I will add, that here in the USA, in most (maybe all?) states, you are required to carry some form of I.D. little if ever enforced law, but on the books and used when needed. Under certain circumstances, the police here can "detain" you until a positive I.D. has been made. Hence, I understand Thailand's law. Additionally, I will add, Thailand may have a problem with people circumventing the Visa rules, or on over stays. Thailand may also have a foreign criminal element running around, hence I can see why they may want to check who they can. Wish they would do the same here (USA) with all the people we have running around...but don't get me started on that topic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elef Posted December 16, 2006 Report Share Posted December 16, 2006 No problem, if the police officer doesn't listen to what GF is saying he'll soon speak with somebody who he will obey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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