Hua Hin Immigration clarifies rules on foreigners carrying ID

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Hua Hin Immigration clarifies rules on foreigners carrying ID

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HUA HIN:-- Following yesterday’s news regarding the requirement for foreigners in Thailand to carry ID with them at all times, Thaivisa.com and local Immigration offices have been inundated with messages and comments from foreigners concerned about how they may be affected by this news.

In order to seek fruther clarification about this, Thaivisa.com has today met with Pol.Col. Thanasak Vongluekiat, Superintendent of Prachuap Khirikhan and Phetchaburi Immigration.

Pol.Col. Thanasak confirmed the following:

1. By law, all tourists and expats are required to carry their original passports with them at all times. There is no exception to this. Failure to carry your original passport may result in a 2,000 THB fine. The reason behind this is that Immigration needs to keep track of overstayers and foreign criminals who may be staying illegally in the country.

2. The information provided at an Immigration meeting yesterday was unclear. The correct information, which has always been the case, is that no other forms of identification are acceptable. This includes any other form of photo ID, such as a Thai/foreign driving license or a photocopy of your passport.

3. Immigration does not provide any kind of ‘stamp’ verification on a photocopy of a passport as announced at the meeting yesterday. Therefore, you are required to keep your original passport with you at all times as per point #1 above.

Thaivisa.com would like to thank Pol.Col. Thanasak Vongluekiat and his staff for taking time out of their busy schedule in order to clarify this.


-- thaivisa.com 2014-07-30
 
I love it.Hug1 Thai Visa and Immigration can f**k up a wet dream.Crazy1 PASSPORTS ONLY..ShitHappens1
 
I hate to say this but carrying your passport at all times is a ridiculous ruling, especially in a holiday town like Hua Hin. Passports are not like credit cards or driving licences, they do not fit in your wallet. You would need to carry a handbag around with you to protect your passport from undue wear and tear. Moreover, when taking you passport to the beach what do you do with it when you go swimming or playing in the sea? Leave it with your clothes and risk being pick-pocketed Furthermore, do the holiday makers really want to carry a passport around when they are visiting the bars and the discos late at night. It is a recipe for passports to be lost or stolen. The same applies to a greater of lesser extent all over Thailand.

It is much better to carry a driver's licence with photo ID or a copy of one's passport. Both fit easily in the wallet and the passport is afforded maximum protection by being kept locked up in the home. Passports have to last 10 years and this new policy will wear out passports very quickly - they are not designed to be carried around all day and every day. Someone in authority needs to be aware of the problems the new directive will bring.
 
Reading further into point No. 1 above: "1. By law, all tourists and expats are required to carry their original passports with them at all times. There is no exception to this. Failure to carry your original passport may result in a 2,000 THB fine. The reason behind this is that Immigration needs to keep track of overstayers and foreign criminals who may be staying illegally in the country."

Does the last sentence imply that Immigration Officers are going to set up road blocks and do spot checks of all foreigners in Thailand? Or maybe they are going to do foot patrols going from bar to bar, "Passports please". Why else do we need to carry the original passport at all times?
 
nomad97 said:
Reading further into point No. 1 above: "1. By law, all tourists and expats are required to carry their original passports with them at all times. There is no exception to this. Failure to carry your original passport may result in a 2,000 THB fine. The reason behind this is that Immigration needs to keep track of overstayers and foreign criminals who may be staying illegally in the country."

Does the last sentence imply that Immigration Officers are going to set up road blocks and do spot checks of all foreigners in Thailand? Or maybe they are going to do foot patrols going from bar to bar, "Passports please". Why else do we need to carry the original passport at all times?
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I'll give you some insight. Over the past 4 weeks KCI has brought in about 60 new officers and they have been split into teams and assigned areas of Surin and Buriram. They are making the rounds of hotels, resorts, bars and restaurants and there have been fines leaved and they are just getting warmed up. As they say UP to YOU.
 
"Or maybe they are going to do foot patrols going from bar to bar," Yes they are and have been and will keep doing it locally.Oops5
 
Welcome to Amazing Thailand. Enjoy your stay in the Land of Smiles. You must carry your passport with you for 3 main reasons:-

1/ The Police Officer or Immigration Officer that asks for it will now be able to shake you down for a fee.
2/ With the likelihood of being mugged and robbed whilst at one of our famous tourist destinations, the perpetrator has the extra responsibility of ensuring you, he will get top dollar for your passport.
3/ You are our guest in our country and we hate everything about you. Get used to it.
 
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