liquidflux Posted October 16, 2008 Report Share Posted October 16, 2008 I've been through Ekkamai station many times and can't remember ever seeing a single cop hanging around let alone a gaggle of them. Very strange circustances, and it sucks you got caught up in their BS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TroyinEwa/Perv Posted October 16, 2008 Report Share Posted October 16, 2008 I'm guessing he means for non-residents of Thailand. If you're visiting and you go to Pattaya, where else would your passport be but on your person? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dumsoda Posted October 16, 2008 Report Share Posted October 16, 2008 Smartarse... Did you take your passport with you?? or did you leave it in Bkk?? I was looking at it from the point of view of a Visitor (Yes, I know dddave lives in Bkk) If you're leaving Bkk for a few days, in MOST cases, you take your stuff with you... Even for someone that lives in Bkk....and visits Pattaya...what would be the situation if you encountered "issues" in Pattaya and only had a copy...with the Original back in Bkk???? Not so easy to duck back to the Hotel and retrieve the original. Besides, MOST Hotels require your passport at check in...will they accept a photo copy??? I honestly don't know the answer My understanding is that "technically" you are required to carry your passport with you at all times.....nobody does...But... it could end up costing you more if things went pear shape. Cheers DS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekong Posted October 16, 2008 Report Share Posted October 16, 2008 But' date=' in dddave's case, given that he was coming back from Pattaya, how do you avoid carrying your passport with you?? [/quote'] Care to explain. I remember on my one and only trip i didn't need a passport. By law whenever a hotel room is booked ID is required, either ID Card for a Thai National or passport for a foreigner. I never carry my passport with me, I have details page and latest visa page copied, reduced to Credit Card size and laminated, I also have scanned copies on my phone. Even so, if I am out of BKK overnight I will always take my passport with me and put it into the safe in the hotel I am staying at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robaus Posted October 16, 2008 Report Share Posted October 16, 2008 dddave, Sorry to hear of your troubles, and thanks for posting a warning to others. I heard on a visa run to the Cambodian border recently that customs stopped and searched the minibus, found a bloke with several packets of Cialis, handcuffed and arrested him. It's a pity you couldn't turn the tables on the bent cops e.g. always have a couple of notes in your wallet with recorded serial numbers for such emergencies. Insist on going a a police station. Then call your embassy on the spot to get a rep down without the cops knowing you have planted evidence. All a bit James Bondish and I doubt I'd have the balls to follow through on my idea. I'd have probably paid up too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavanami Posted October 16, 2008 Report Share Posted October 16, 2008 I just carry a copy of my passport and that has sufficed, even for hotels. The BiB so far have never asked to see my passport or even a copy of it. The International Drivers License has been enough for the. Since my US passport is an official US gov document, I can say that I am not allowed to freely carry it...we often said then when working in Bahrain and it worked OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CTO Posted October 16, 2008 Report Share Posted October 16, 2008 I don't think anywhere in Thai law does it say "Passport" it does say acceptable identification - and who's going to argue with a cop in the middle of a shake down. No one here knows anyone worth knowing that would stick their necks out for nothing in return Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samak Posted October 16, 2008 Report Share Posted October 16, 2008 here we are on the same discussion again (and dozens of times done already), whether it is legally required or not to carry your passport in thailand all the time. next step usually is that Suadum steps in and quotes his high ranking police friend that this is written in the law (without anybody able to produce a link or a copy) and claims that this is the ultimate truth! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iuytrede Posted October 16, 2008 Report Share Posted October 16, 2008 I had a similar experience in Ekkamai about 5 years ago, arriving from Pattaya. It is the only time I have ever been thoroughly checked by police in Thailand. They were about 3 guys, had their hands everywhere, in my pockets, going through my luggage and my credit cards, and I was worrying they would plant drugs. They didn't, and they didn't find anything they could blame me for, after some discussions (they couldn't figure out the stamps in my passport and why I had my gf's foreign ATM card that were clearly not belonging to me) they just let me go. I will not use Ekkamai anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torneyboy Posted October 16, 2008 Report Share Posted October 16, 2008 And they keep getting away with these scams... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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