Foreign & Thai Patrons checked during raid of South Pattaya

[danny99]

Seems the orders are from Bangkok rather than local police.

This seem to be a Pattaya special...I have been a regular visitor to Bangkok for past 20 years and have never been asked for ID at gay or go-go bars, but then I do not go to late night discos [already cuddled up with something cute by then].

[anonone]

As has been mentioned here, a drugstore will give you a plastic bag which fits your passport exactly. After 10 years it will still look new.

Sorry Geezer, I think that depends on what you are up to when you are "out". I had my passport well protected by plastic, but being up all night in the bars and discos and the various hole-in-the-wall places, dancing and cavorting about....passport looks like hell after a couple of weeks. Bent up, fraying on the corners, wrinkled...you name it.

If I was having a leisurely dinner then sitting at a beer bar all night, I believe you are correct, the passport will hold up pretty well.

Oh, and I was never really concerned about losing the passport. It just became a pain to have around all the time. After several trips where it was never needed, I just leave it at the hotel now.

[Neal]

I do "think" that leaving your passport in your safe in your room or in a safe place is the wisest thing you can do and if you are paranoid a copy of the passport including that arrival card. I really doubt any policeman will not give you time to get the original if they are very demanding. In an emergency I am sure you can call the hotel, give a manager the security code, he can retrieve it and rush it to you.

[francois]

Sorry Geezer, I think that depends on what you are up to when you are "out".

You don't know Geezer! He has at least 10 secret pockets sewn in his shirt and an equal number is his safari pants. His passport is safe from anything other than a nuclear blast.

[Up2U]

I do "think" that leaving your passport in your safe in your room or in a safe place is the wisest thing you can do and if you are paranoid a copy of the passport including that arrival card. I really doubt any policeman will not give you time to get the original if they are very demanding. In an emergency I am sure you can call the hotel, give a manager the security code, he can retrieve it and rush it to you.

Well, I "think" just like you and make this my practice, but our "thinking" wouldn't have worked in the Mic My raid as foreigners without their original passports paid a late night visit to the Soi 5 Immigration Bureau escorted by Immigration Officers.

[Neal]

That's true but I do believe that raid on Mic My was an exception. We know why it was raided and that reason is why it is sil closed. It was in the report that the falang that was taken away had been under police surveilance and that there was a warrant issued for his arrest due to actions within the bar and afterwards. If you play in a place where there is illegal stuff going on, you deserve to be scrutinized and nothing in this thread applies to you. You reap what you sew.

[Beachlover]

I used to carry my passport all the time when in Thailand, for the first 4 or 5 visits anyway. Being in the pant pocket while in the bars and discos all night is not good.
It now looks like hell and the immigration folks have trouble trying to scan it on occasion.

Same thing used to happen to me... Get yourself a nice leather passport cover. :happy7:

I don't get how you're going to lose your passport by carrying it around in your pocket (unless you pick pocketed). It's not like your phone or your wallet which would be taking out (and forget to put it back in your pocket) regularly.

I carry my passport around as it's no inconvenience... slips perfectly into my jeans pocket behind my wallet and is no bulkier than a slim smart phone. Plus, I do get asked for it as ID every now and then and I don't know if photocopy would be accepted.

[cdnmatt]

I don't know. After getting a stern talking to from an immigration officer and his supervisor in Canada when renewing my passport, I never carry it around anymore. People have said it's against the law for Canada to refuse me a passport, but that's not what the immigration officers told me, so I'll trust them. My passport doesn't get packed around like it's an ATM card, and instead stays in mint condition.

And while we're on the topic of passports, for any Canadians I guess you can now do the simplified renewal outside of Canada. Not sure when they started that, but before simplified renewal was only allowed if applying inside of Canada. Plus starting July of this year they'll be offering 10 year passports, so that'll be nice! I have to renew around Oct, so good timing. Quick two page form, no guarantor or any of that stuff, can do it in Bangkok, and a week or two later you have a 10 year passport. Beautiful! Price is going up considerably though. Will be about $260 for a new passport, plus whatever extra fee for 48 pages instead of 24.

[TravellerDave]

I always have a copy of my passport main page plus one of the visa waiver form with me whilst I'm out and about. I wouldn't generally carry my passport due to the deterioration involved. It can get bent damp and there is the risk of loosing it. A friend,s passport was in such poor condition that he was denied checking in for a flight a couple of years ago.
I don't think there would have seen a major problem if I have been in the Mic My without my PP the night of the raid ( I was there two nights before). A visit to immigration would have been interesting.

[stkyricesf]

I would have no problem carrying my passport around any other time of the year, but during Songran, I simply refuse. Even wrapped in plastic, my passport got damp and smudged the arrival card. Thai immigration almost didn't allow me out due to the smudging. :dontknow: