Quote:
Originally Posted by ahtecklim
Not practical to carry passport coz you might lose it when drunk. I photocopy my passport and although the police want the physical passport itself , it might help you get thru the night. I kena once and they let me go after seeing the photocopy. Another situation , one damn girl fingered my buddy as a wanted man! The police half believed we were tourist and only let us go when my of my friends went back to the hotel to get the 'wanted' man's passport! Both were in Bangkok.
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I know what you mean coz I also never carry my passport around. A photocopied one also no can do when they are conducting an operation like this.
Besides Pattaya I also recently heard that area near Sukhumvit/Asoke junction also have road blocks now. Taxis with foreigners inside are stopped and asked to step out. One farang had his wallet and body searched.
If you don't wish to carry your actual passport around an alternative is to get a color laminated one from the Immigration office. They will make a color copy of your info page and the page where your VISA is. They will then reduce it to a credit card size and laminate it. Costs Bht400
but if you are in Thailand for a few days then I think can try with a photocopy. Just make sure you zap the page with your VISA or entry stamp also! Making the laminated version more for those farangs staying 2 weeks or more.
Personally I think they suddenly so "xiao on" enforce this rule its because now is the low season so the police needs some other source of income to make up for less drunk farangs to fine and rip off
