TotallyOz Posted April 29, 2010 Posted April 29, 2010 Do you carry your passport with you in LOS? If not what do you take that is an acceptable form of ID? I normally always have with me my DL from USA as well as a laminated copy of my passport with my visa on the back. Most of the shops know how to shrink these and make them small like an ID that fits into your wallet. Do you think this is acceptable proof or should I be taking my passport with me everywhere I go. I am never more than 10 minutes from it. Quote
Guest HeyGay Posted April 29, 2010 Posted April 29, 2010 Do you carry your passport with you in LOS? If not what do you take that is an acceptable form of ID? I normally always have with me my DL from USA as well as a laminated copy of my passport with my visa on the back. Most of the shops know how to shrink these and make them small like an ID that fits into your wallet. Do you think this is acceptable proof or should I be taking my passport with me everywhere I go. I am never more than 10 minutes from it. I have been coming here yearly since 1976 and living here since 2001 and never have I been asked for my passport, so its up to you. Quote
Gaybutton Posted April 29, 2010 Posted April 29, 2010 never have I been asked for my passport Neither have I, with three exceptions. Sometimes when I get stopped by police roadblocks they ask to see it, but most of the time they only ask for my driving license. Also, in case of an accident, the insurance representative wants to see the passport. The second exception is I am always asked to present my passport when checking in to a hotel. I imagine everyone else is also asked to present it when checking in. I no longer ever use traveler's checks, but I believe you have to present your passport when cashing traveler's checks. The third exception is when I wish to withdraw funds from my bank account via a bank teller. They always ask for passport and always make a copy of it, which they ask me to sign. They ask for the bankbook as well. If any of you are under the same circumstances I'm in and your retirement benefit comes in via a receive-only account, you have to present your passport in order to retrieve the funds Don't forget that the law says you must have your passport on your person at all times. I am well aware that few people comply and carry photocopies instead, but if you encounter an overzealous police officer you could have a problem if you don't have it. I do carry my passport with me at all times. I have not ever had a problem about having it with me. Again, I've never been asked for it other than in the above situations, but I prefer to have mine with me. Quote
atri1666 Posted April 29, 2010 Posted April 29, 2010 I do carry my passport with me at all times since my first visit 1983 but never was asked to show it. Quote
Guest GaySacGuy Posted April 29, 2010 Posted April 29, 2010 I normally leave my passport in a safe in my home. The exception would be when I travel out of the Ubon area. At banks to exchange money or cash traveler's checks I have used the laminated copy showing the cover page on one side and my visa on the reverse. Quote
Bob Posted April 29, 2010 Posted April 29, 2010 Other than by hotels, my bank (on occasion), airlines, and immigration, nobody has ever asked to see my passport in the last 10+ years; nevertheless, I carry my passport with me everyday when I'm there (and did for the 7-month trip I just completed). It's easy, at least for me, like carrying your wallet. Quote
Guest cdnmatt Posted April 29, 2010 Posted April 29, 2010 Nope, I never carry my passport, and it stays locked in the safe. With my previous passport, I spent a little over two years outside of Canada, mainly in Europe, and always carried my passport with me. So naturally, after carrying it everyday for two years, it ended up with a decent amount of natural wear & tear (crumpled edges, a couple cuts in the pages / binding, minor water damage). When I went to renew it in Canada at the passport office, after talking to two immigration officers, I had the extra pleasure of talking to one of the supervisors. He didn't seem very pleased that my passport was in the shape it was, and proceeded to inform me that if the same happens to my next passport, the Canadian government may refuse to issue me another passport. So nope, passport stays in the safe. BF is only a phone call away, and knows the combination, so if ever required he can make a trip down to the police station. Then again, I don't ever venture into places I shouldn't be, so I think the worst that will ever happen is an on the spot "fine" / donation. I guess you could always get an overzealous cop, but I think the chances are pretty slim. Quote
ChristianPFC Posted April 29, 2010 Posted April 29, 2010 I always carry it with me when I'm on holiday in Thailand and I have a copy in my hotel room. I experience the same problem as cdnmatt: there is some wear and tear. I only need it for hotel check-in and at the airport. Quote
Guest Posted April 29, 2010 Posted April 29, 2010 I carry mine. A plastic sleeve from an old fashioned UK building society helps protect it. There must be a market for lightweight plastic sleeves for passports (not those great heavy covers people sell). Quote
Guest mlomker Posted April 29, 2010 Posted April 29, 2010 I had a boy flip out at me for carrying my passport at DJ Station on my first visit to Thailand. Since then I've carried a color photocopy and kept the passport in the hotel safe. I've only ever needed it for cashing traveler's checks. Quote
Guest lvdkeyes Posted April 30, 2010 Posted April 30, 2010 You can get a plastic cover from your bank, the kind they give you with your passbook. Quote
TMax Posted April 30, 2010 Posted April 30, 2010 Copy of Passport and drivers license usualy does for me. Quote
Guest allieb Posted April 30, 2010 Posted April 30, 2010 My passport is always locked in the hotel room safe. I carry a copy along with a copy of the entry paper. I don't care what the law says, it's more of a problem to get a stolen or lost passport replaced that to be caught by an over zealous policeman without it. If an over zealous cop made a big issue out of it and I ended up in a police station or worse, then the that would be the end of my trips, they could shove Thailand. It's already becoming a less atractive place to go by the week Quote
Gaybutton Posted April 30, 2010 Posted April 30, 2010 If an over zealous cop made a big issue out of it and I ended up in a police station or worse, then the that would be the end of my trips, they could shove Thailand. I don't quite understand your attitude. You would end trips to Thailand because of what one cop does? You say you don't care what the law says, but bear in mind it would be you who is in violation of the law. I agree that if you are unfortunate enough to end up in trouble because of one cop, that cop is probably being over zealous or just plain mean, but it would be hard to argue the fact that he is also doing his job and cops that look the other way are really not doing theirs. Don't forget that the cops don't make the laws, but they are supposed to be out there enforcing them. Few do, but the law is still the law. In any case, the good news is that it is rare for that problem to occur. It almost never does. Quote
Guest allieb Posted April 30, 2010 Posted April 30, 2010 Gaybutton I live in Saudi Arabia my work permit and my exit re-entry visa are in my passport. Should my passport get lost or stolen then I face a huge problem. I wouldn't get back into Saudi easily. Saudi doesn't have a full diplomatic mission in Thailand and they forbid their nationals to go there. I wouldn't get much symathy so I would have to go to the British Embassy and get an emergency passport. Then I would have to buy a ticket to London and present myself at the Saudi Embassy who would contact my employer in to duplicte the exit re-entry visa. That coud take a while with the usual Arab red tape. You may ask why I put up with Saudi rules and regulations but not Thai. The answer to this is, the Saudis pay me a hugh amount of money each month. And yes if an over zelous cop made problems and it wasn't nipped in the but at the police station by a more reasonable one, I would be finished with Thailand. By the way when I first came to thailand I looked at it through rose tinted glasses. Over the years the mist has cleared and it'd not the same place I was once in love with. Quote
Guest FanOfThailand Posted April 30, 2010 Posted April 30, 2010 I do not carry the passport while visiting Thailand. I carry a copy keeping the passport in the hotel safe. I figure the cost and problems associated with replacing a lost/stolen passport exceeds the possible problems with an over zealous cop. How much would the cop/fine/donation be...1k 2k. This is still a lot less than the cost of going to Bangkok to get a replacement of some kind so that I can leave the country when my flight is scheduled. Even if I was taken to jail, how long would they keep me there until I could produce the passport...a few hours. This is still less than the day it would take out of my holiday going to Bangkok to replace the lost/stolen passport. Quote
Guest beachlover Posted August 24, 2010 Posted August 24, 2010 I had a boy flip out at me for carrying my passport at DJ Station on my first visit to Thailand. Since then I've carried a color photocopy and kept the passport in the hotel safe. I've only ever needed it for cashing traveler's checks. Do they accept a photocopy ID at DJ Station? Quote
Guest travelerjim Posted August 24, 2010 Posted August 24, 2010 I do not carry my passport with me... I keep it in the room safe. Have copies of passport pages and Thai visa... entry doc..in my wallet. IF, bf and I go to stay overnight in BKK or his home city, or elsewhere...I do carry my passport. tj Quote
Guest GaySacGuy Posted August 24, 2010 Posted August 24, 2010 I always carry my passport when I leave Ubon, where I live, but not otherwise. I have a Thai driver's license, and that is usually ok. I do carry a laminated copy of my cover page and my visa. I was told by a hotel in Bangkok that I should check in with Thai driver's license instead of passport, because then they don't have to report to immigration. Quote
