Thai Passport for entry to asean countries?

Hi

If I want to take a Thai guy to Burma or Laos or Cambodia (say) do they need to have a passport or is an ID card enough?
I only ask because I was under the impression that it was possible for Thais to go to Laos without a passport.
I am considering going to Burma and wondered if it would be possible to take my Thai friend with me, but he doesn't yet have a passport. He has applied for one but I don't know how long it takes to get one.

[rincondog]

Thais need a passport for all 3 countries. They also need a visa, as does everyone for Burma, in advance, not available on arrival.

[Smiles]

I think (legally) he needs a passport to visit any of these countries, but not a visa (because of being ASEAN members).

That's the official line, but I certainly know of Thai folks who live ~ for instance ~ in Surin and Buriram provinces (i.e. bordering Cambodia) who can easily go into Cambodia with no passport . . . but normally this is usually for a day of gambling in the casinos or a shopping spree at some of the huge border markets just across the line where extremely poor Cambodians sell stuff like crazy to ~ by comparison ~ much better off Thai folks.

But for an extended period of time my best guess would be that your friend would need a passport to cross over into Lao, Cambodia, or Burma. I don't think an ID card would suffice for that.
(I could easily be wrong on this one. Notice that rincondog has posted that a visa is necessary for at least Burma.)

[thonglor55]

Thais need a passport for all 3 countries. They also need a visa, as does everyone for Burma, in advance, not available on arrival.That's certainly NOT true for Laos (http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081121033523AAN8L2E). If you go to Nong Kai and sit on the river promenade having lunch, for example, you can watch small boats ferrying Thai passengers and cargo across the Mekong and back between designated landing points where all both Thai and Lao citizens need is their ID card. I believe Thais can get a 72-hour pass for visiting Vientiane without any need for a passport.

[globalwanderer]

For Laos, certainly if you cross the land border at Nong Khai, he does not need a passport. He can get a border pass, valid for three days. However if you fly you need a passport. A similar border pass system exists for Cambodia.

It is not true that with a passport he can vist all ASEAN countries without a visa. They need a visa for Cambodia. It can be applied for on line athttp://evisa.mfaic.gov.kh/e-visa/vindex.aspx. the only countries which are visa exempt tfor tourist visxits to Cambodia are Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam according to teh website

deep-fried spring roll filled with goat cheese and cashew nuts, anyone?

Gag. Definitely not me.

[pong]

Entry into Laos PDR without Thai passpt is officially limited to 3 days and in the BORDER PROvinces only-for Lao people a reverse ditto applies-hence they could go to Nong Khai or Mukdaharn-but not to Khon Khaen, Khorat or heavens-BKK. There is nearly always another passpt/ID-check on buses and trains at the inland border of those chiangwats too-but much more stringent along the Burmese border. I do think Burma=Myanmar now also wants them to have visa-to weed out the many fomer Burmese revolutionaries having gained Thai citizenship. Between Thaild and Khmerland is nearly always a wide nomansland zone-where the casino's etc are-farang need a Khmer visum to enetr there-Thai not.
ASEAN is only in name-Singapore also wants (probably becoming wiser with how the average Thai looks at enforcing rules) to see a visa. In that respect they still have a lot to learn of the EU. There once was announced a ''combined visa'' for western tourists-nothing seems to have come of that either.

[TrongpaiExpat]

From the Global forum:
http://www.sawatdee-gay-thailand.com/forum/global-forum/burma-help-wanted-t18502.html

It takes about a week for a Thai to obtain a passport if all is in order.

For Myanmar take a look at The Classique Inn (http://www.classique-inn.com/)

[sjaak327]

Thais need a visa to visit Cambodia (yes they can get between the border posts, but entering cambodia they need to pay 20 USD just as almost everyone else, the same is true in the reverse (kind of, as Khmers actually need to apply for a visa in advance).

Lao indeed is accessible using a three days border pass, if you don't have a passport, otherwise it's 30 days visa free (again the same in reverse). Myanmar is visa in any case.

[doug7363]

"ASEAN is only in name-Singapore also wants (probably becoming wiser with how the average Thai looks at enforcing rules) to see a visa."




I did not think a visa was required for Thai

"ASEAN is only in name-Singapore also wants (probably becoming wiser with how the average Thai looks at enforcing rules) to see a visa."




I did not think a visa was required for Thai

They don't.

[globalwanderer]

SINGAPORE FOR THAIS... No visa. Ditto Philippines

Ditto Hong Kong, Malaysia, Laos, South Africa, Brazil, and Peru.