Carrying your ID, at least a new option for U.S. travellers

[Davey612]

A long time (years) ago, I had dinner with Allen of pattayagay. As you all know, he is (or was) a teacher of law in Thailand. We were debating, as always, the practicality of carrying a passport all the time. He went to his back pocket and showed us his worn out passport. He always carried it.

Most of us don't do that since we consider that unsafe. However, at least for U.S. citizens, we now have the option of a U.S. passport card. It is basically a U.S. passport in the form of an I.D. card to allow U.S. citizens to cross into Canada, Mexico, or go on a cruise ship. I think having this card while travelling in Thailand, and keeping the passport book safely in the hotel, should be a good solution to that dilemma.

Similar Threads:

• Carrying your pasport.
• Farming in Thailand as an option
• Thai driving licence/option to carrying passport

[Narakmak]

A card would not show you are legally in Thailand, visa-wise.

A card would not show you are legally in Thailand, visa-wise.

While that is true, strictly speaking the obligation is to show ID not visa status. Friends of mine who have temporary residence here often just carry their Thai driver's licence

[Bob]

I realize I'm in the minority but, like Allen, I've always just carried my passport with me when in LOS or other countries.
I also keep a photocopy of the two critical passport pages in my suitcase and in my wallet. I do try to always carry it in a secure (often buttoned) pocket or, when at the beach or swimming, in my camera bag which almost always is at my side. And, yea, it's a bit warn but it's time to get a new one next year anyway.

I have no clue if the new ID card would be accepted by the BIB.

Come to think of it, nobody other an airline ticket person, the hotel desk person, or immigration has ever asked to see my passport anyway.

[Davey612]

I have no clue if the new ID card would be accepted by the BIB.

Come to think of it, nobody other an airline ticket person, the hotel desk person, or immigration has ever asked to see my passport anyway.

It is better than the practice of making a copy of the first page of a passport and laminating it. At least, it is an official ID issued by the U.S. government.

[Dodger]

I always have a two-sided photo of my passport (wallet size) made for me at a local Office Max. Side one is my Passport (main page) and side two is a copy of my Visa. I have this reduced to wallet size and laminated, all for a whopping $1.50.

I've been stopped several times by the BIB for motocy violations and they never questioned the card, except for the time I offered one of them an orange colored Monopoly Game $500 bill as a bribe.

My real passport/visa never see the outside of my room safe.

The passport always stays in the safe. Laminated copies of the key pages are in the wallet along with my driverтАЩs license id. Have yet to have to produce id, even when passing through police and military check points. If necessary, I expect that a carefully folded 500 baht note will provide a tertiary level of identification.

Thanks Davey. It will certainly be worth 20 bucks to be able not to lose my passport just driving up to Canada.

[Smiles]

I laminate (to wallet size) the two relevent pages in my passport (i.e. the photo page and the signature page) as well as my O-A Visa page.
Granted, I guess if any official wanted to get highly and nastily technical about it these laminated copies would probably be no good, but for most occasions they'd probably be OK until production of the original later. Never tested it ... never been asked.

Cheers ...

[painai2]

I used the laminated photocopy to show the police when they were having an id check of foreigners at Wild West Boys last year. Initially he didn't want to accept it but then let me go. The ones without any form of id were taken away in the police car.