# Did police catch you?



## Shoel

Hi,

I have been living in Thailand since 2007 but last week something happened to me. When I went to shopping in yaowarat, China town area, a police came from a certain Corner and asked me about passport. He wanted to check if am illegal. I have never carried my passport with me and lucky he did not fine me. so, would you share me if you always carried your Passport while walking outside your room? 


Thank you


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## dhream

I don't always carry it, I do carry a photocopy of the picture page and current visa page.

I have been approached by a con-man a long time ago in BKK claiming to be police, they were wearing one of those old-time brown civilian safari suits the old conservative lower orders wear here, they asked for my passport, I asked to see their Police ID Badge, they made a show of getting a badge out (which they didn't actually have) then turned and walked away! Mickey Mouse criminal or what!? 

Real police can ask to see your passport, if there is no reason, in other words, you are just innocently standing there, then they may be Immigration police (it will say so in English on their arm patch) there should be no reason for non-immigrant police to ask if they are not dealing with some incident directly involving you, but if they are in uniform, then, I guess it's best to comply. 

It's best to carry a copy, I'd rather do that and deal with the unlikely inconvenience of real police taking me in for an ID check, than risk losing my passport, or having it 'confiscated' by a convincing or intimidating gang of con-men, etc.


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## tod-daniels

As "dhream" said "real police" can ask to see a foreigner's passport at any time. 
While it is an urban legend that there is a law on the books here in Thailand that foreigners must carry their passports, actually there is in fact NO law about it at all.

If you don't have your passport when asked by the police, they can take you to your hotel or room to check it. 

Thong Lor Police are FAMOUS for checking foreigners comin' off the buses at Ekami Bus Station as soon as they clear the bus station grounds. They'll ask for your passport, search your bags, your person etc. They also are pretty hard core around Sukhumvit Soi 22, and Benjasiri Park next to Emporium too. 

If you live here, I'd suggest just getting a Thai driver's license. In the almost 10 years I've been here, every time I've had police ask for my passport; as soon as I showed I had a thai driver's license, they just waved me on.


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## Shoel

Thank you so much for sharing. So I think it best to carry copy/copies of passport always than the original passport actually. 


Thanks 





dhream said:


> I don't always carry it, I do carry a photocopy of the picture page and current visa page.
> 
> I have been approached by a con-man a long time ago in BKK claiming to be police, they were wearing one of those old-time brown civilian safari suits the old conservative lower orders wear here, they asked for my passport, I asked to see their Police ID Badge, they made a show of getting a badge out (which they didn't actually have) then turned and walked away! Mickey Mouse criminal or what!?
> 
> Real police can ask to see your passport, if there is no reason, in other words, you are just innocently standing there, then they may be Immigration police (it will say so in English on their arm patch) there should be no reason for non-immigrant police to ask if they are not dealing with some incident directly involving you, but if they are in uniform, then, I guess it's best to comply.
> 
> It's best to carry a copy, I'd rather do that and deal with the unlikely inconvenience of real police taking me in for an ID check, than risk losing my passport, or having it 'confiscated' by a convincing or intimidating gang of con-men, etc.


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## Shoel

Thank you so much for the great sharing 
Have a nice day 
Weather in Bangkok is very hot 







tod-daniels said:


> As "dhream" said "real police" can ask to see a foreigner's passport at any time.
> While it is an urban legend that there is a law on the books here in Thailand that foreigners must carry their passports, actually there is in fact NO law about it at all.
> 
> If you don't have your passport when asked by the police, they can take you to your hotel or room to check it.
> 
> Thong Lor Police are FAMOUS for checking foreigners comin' off the buses at Ekami Bus Station as soon as they clear the bus station grounds. They'll ask for your passport, search your bags, your person etc. They also are pretty hard core around Sukhumvit Soi 22, and Benjasiri Park next to Emporium too.
> 
> If you live here, I'd suggest just getting a Thai driver's license. In the almost 10 years I've been here, every time I've had police ask for my passport; as soon as I showed I had a thai driver's license, they just waved me on.


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## joseph44

AFAIK, everybody above a certain age must be able to identify themselves...whether you are Thai or Alien (that's what we are according to the law).

That's not just in Thailand, but in most countries.

It's obvious that an Alien will be asked for a passport, because that will also prove a possible legal stay in Thailand, although more and more aliens are in possession of a Thai driver-license, work-permit, house-registration; of course not very convenient to carry them around.


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## MrSam

joseph44 said:


> AFAIK, everybody above a certain age must be able to identify themselves...whether you are Thai or Alien (that's what we are according to the law).
> 
> That's not just in Thailand, but in most countries.


Not in Australia, not in UK, not in the US. There is no requirement to carry ID around with you (unless you are driving a car, when you are supposed to carry your licence). The police cannot demand Id unless there is reasonable suspicion you may be involved in criminal activity. There is no law in these countries that says you have to be able to identify yourself on an ad-hoc basis.


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## chinachillin

Hmm, I didn't have that probably when I was in Thailand. Frankly, I'm a little surprised. Always a good idea to keep a photocopy of it, though.


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## tod-daniels

We're gonna have to agree to disagree "joseph44". 

There is NO law in thai which says foreigners have to be able to immediately identify themselves. Now there is a law which says thaiz have to carry their government issued thai i/d card, but that's about it.

It is so simple to get a thai driver's license that there's almost *NO* reason why any foreigner living here shouldn't get one.

IF you have a valid driver's license from your country it's just basically a few documents;
copy of your passport and visa page
health certificate (gotten at any old health clinic)
proof of residency (gotten from your embassy or thai immigrations)
copy of your valid driver's license from your country

You go to the thai motor vehicle division and turn in the forms, get a queue number and wait for the testing room to open with the people in your queue. Now in that room are 4 totally laughable aptitude tests which you have to pass;

color perception; this is where a thai will point to a color blindness chart with a stick at red, yellow or green dots and you say the correct color
reaction time; this is where you sit at a gas/brake pedal contraption and when told you press on the gas but then hit the brake before the speedometer red lines
depth perception; this is where you have a remote control and move two chop sticks in a shoe box so that they are side by side, then raise your hand
peripheral vision; this is where you put your face in a pair of goggles and stare straight ahead while they light up; red, yellow or green lights on the edge and you say the correct color

There is NO written or driving test *IF* you have a license from your own country which is valid. 

After the testing you turn in your paperwork get another queue number, wait to get your picture taken and your temporary license is printed on the spot. All thai driver's licenses are "temporary" at first and good for just one year. After that year expires you go back and get your 5 year thai license.. 

It's so easy that it's a no-brainer. Especially as it immediately separates people who live here from tourists. After all the thai police are mostly just after tourists, not full time residents. So whether you're ever going to drive here or not, I'd suggest getting a thai driver's license.

Oh one last thing, if your driver's license in your country is "double endorsed" as in; you can drive both a car and a motorcycle, you get two licenses here, one for an automobile and one for a motorcycle..

Good Luck...


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## killefit

Age limit for elderly people apply?


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## Mweiga

Just three weeks ago renewed my five year Thai licences (car + m/cycle) at the Pattaya vehicle licencing centre and they only do the first two tests now - colour and reaction time. 

They've scrapped the depth perception test (which too many people found difficult , and failed !) and they didn't even have the peripheral vision test when I did my licence tests first time round five years ago.


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## Roger Moen

Shoel said:


> Hi,
> 
> I have been living in Thailand since 2007 but last week something happened to me. When I went to shopping in yaowarat, China town area, a police came from a certain Corner and asked me about passport. He wanted to check if am illegal. I have never carried my passport with me and lucky he did not fine me. so, would you share me if you always carried your Passport while walking outside your room?
> 
> 
> Thank you


Yes I usually carry my passport all the time. However if you make a copy of your passport pages the police will usually accept that. You need your passport with just about all dealings in Thailand. Purchase a vehicle, dealing in a bank. renewing your visa etc. They usually make a copy of your passport and have you sign the pages copied.


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## TheGoktor

Actually, right at the start of the coup, it was decreed that all foreign nationals must carry their passports. Whether this was brought into official, nationwide law or not, I don't know but certainly in Chiang Mai, where I was living at the time, every foreigner was told they had to have their passport on them at all times.


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## Cebu Citizen

I travel all around the world for both business and pleasure and I use a very easy fix to your situation. First of all "NEVER" carry your actual passport around in public...even the government websites will tell you this because losing your passport or getting it stolen is a huge hassle you DO NOT want to endure.

The easiest fix? Make a photo copy of your actual passport and drivers license and carry this cheap paper copy everywhere you go! You don't care if it gets damaged or lost or stolen...but any police officer in any country will accept it with the explanation that your actual documents are safely locked in the safe in your hotel room.

I have been stopped by some police officers in some really shifty countries and they have always accepted the paper copy as valid proof of my identity and nationality.


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## Roger Moen

That works for some things, but there are establisments in Thailand that will not except a copy of a passport. That want the real thing.


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## Cebu Citizen

Roger Moen said:


> That works for some things, but there are establisments in Thailand that will not except a copy of a passport. That want the real thing.


Roger...sorry if you misunderstood my comments...but if you read the original comment that started this thread post he was shopping at a market place in the China Town area where a Passport "IS NOT" required!

YES...there are a "few" places where the actual form of identification is required...such as doing business at a bank or applying for a Visa extension or an in country drivers license...but having a photo copy works for 99% of any and all normal and typical day to day situations and activities.

I am 59 years old now and have been traveling extensively since I was 15...with well over 100 different countries under my belt and I have just reapplied for my twelfth passport because I keep filling them up and I have "never" needed more than a paper copy in my pocket! Only once in Laos a few years back did an officer escort me back to my hotel room to actually see my passport but before we got there he received a call on his radio and left telling me to have a nice stay.


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## Celt

*Pass the port*



Shoel said:


> Thank you so much for sharing. So I think it best to carry copy/copies of passport always than the original passport actually.
> 
> 
> Thanks


And you didn't have to put anything in the Christmas fund. Tidy


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## Cebu Citizen

Shoel said:


> Thank you so much for sharing. So I think it best to carry copy/copies of passport always than the original passport actually.
> 
> 
> Thanks


Shoel...YES! Carrying a photo copy is the best thing to do. These forum members have given you some very good advice. When asking an important question like this...ALWAYS look at the persons membership status...like dhream and tod_daniels they have been members for a while...they have made many comments and posts...and most importantly, their reputation, (Rep Power), is rated high.

Also...look at who likes their comments. In this case, Jet Lag, who is a forum moderator and very reputable and reliable source of information. Had someone given you bad or poor advice or information, the moderator would have stepped in and made a comment.

These members have given you good sound advice. By always carrying a full color photo copy of your passport, the very worse that might happen is getting escorted back to your hotel to retrieve the actual document...a far easier task than replacing a lost or stolen passport while traveling abroad! Good luck and safe travels!


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## tod-daniels

The "edict" which came down saying all foreigners should carry their passport was thought up by a guy who runs the Immigration office in Phuket. That it came about shortly after the coup had nothing to do with it. The guy who thought this up is famous for coming up hare brained ideas only to be pulled back in line by the real powers that be in Bangkok.

The head of Immigrations in Bangkok came out shortly after the "announcement" and said in no uncertain terms foreigners DIDN'T have to carry their passports on their person, just some form of valid I/D. There is an often quoted "internet rumor" that foreigners must carry their passports in Thailand, but there is NO law stating this on the books...

If the police really wanna see your passport they can take you to where ever you stay and you hafta produce it. 

My advice is NEVER EVER carry your real passport, period, end of story! In the past while volunteering for a local police office here in Bangkok, we'd get over 100 people comin' in a WEEK filing "stolen" passport reports so they could go to their embassy and apply for a replacement.

A copy of your passport picture page and the current visa/entry stamp you have is a good thing but it's not required either.


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## siamintersmile

As a native Thai, all I can say is, be careful when you run into Thai police, you should be well prepared. Just like a coin there are always two sides of it and man, the majority of Thai people has bad perception about the police here and it's no wonder. Everyday there are stories about police abuse of power coming out. Asking for bribe is the most common one.

When I was in the University, my teacher who is a British guy told us a story about our deer policemen. One day while he was driving a car, one policeman appeared from nowhere ordered him to pull over then demanded him to pay 1,000 Baht for nothing. There was a brief counter-argument between them but in the end he gave that police 100 Baht and that's it. He told us in the classroom in humorous manner but I felt really embarrassed at the time.

*<Snip>*

Hope this help.


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## siamintersmile

BTW I saw someone here mentioned about carrying a copy of your passport instead of real one which is fine. If the police still insists you have to show the real one then go back to your place and bring it to them but I suggest you should have someone along side all the time during this process. If you don't have friend you can ask receptionist to come with you as a witness. This is just for precaution like I mentioned before you will never know what kind of cop you will run into.


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