Thais, passports, and ....

[Bazle 1,547]

I thought I had read on here a month or two ago that a Thai was able to travel to other ASEAN countries without a passport - just an ID card.

 

So I had it in mind to take a girl to Singapore for a long weekend as a birthday present. Before doing on-line bookings for flights and hotel, I thought I ought to double check the situation.

 

This afternoon, 3 travel agents in Patts told me the same thing - a Thai MUST have a passport to travel to these countries: an ID card alone is not sufficient.

 

Can anyone be 100% certain of the correct answer to this, please?

[thegrogmonster 120]

If you go to this link it says that in article 1 that they need to have valid passport to go to other Asean countries.

 

http://www.aseansec.org/18570.htm

 

1. Member Countries, where applicable, shall exempt citizens of any other Member Countries holding valid national passports from visa requirement for a period of stay of up to 14 (fourteen) days from the date of entry, provided that such stay shall not be used for purposes other than visit. Citizens of Member Countries who enter another Member Countries for other purposes or for a stay exceeding the days allowed under the laws and regulations of the host countries are required to apply for appropriate visas or passes.

[Gonzo 419]

I thought I had read on here a month or two ago that a Thai was able to travel to other ASEAN countries without a passport - just an ID card.

 

So I had it in mind to take a girl to Singapore for a long weekend as a birthday present. Before doing on-line bookings for flights and hotel, I thought I ought to double check the situation.

 

This afternoon, 3 travel agents in Patts er in the right directiontold me the same thing - a Thai MUST have a passport to travel to these countries: an ID card alone is not sufficient.

 

Can anyone be 100% certain of the correct answer to this, please?

I am a 100% certain she will not be allowed into Singapore without a passport. A passport for a Thai is easy to get in the rear of the Central Plaza building in Bangkok. All she needs is her Thai I.D and THB 1000. After she applies for her passport, she will have to wait 2 days before she can pick it up. She will not have to bring her own passport photos. The Thai passport office will take the picture for her. Tell her to get the Ekamai bus at the Pattaya Nua bus station and the bus driver will drop her of at Central, before the bus gets to Ekamai. When she gets off at Central bus station, there is an overpass, where she can get to the other side of the road, where the Central Plaza building is located. The easiest way to get to the passport office on the ground floor, is to walk through the Tops food court and then through the underground car park. There are also signs pointing her in the right direction, or she can ask one of the many security guards. It is really quite simple.

[Bazle 1,547]

Thanks, guys. Really helpful.

[Gonzo 419]

Tell her to catch the bus as early as possible to get there no later than 9 - 10 AM. I think the passport office opens at 8.30 AM and there are always long queues. Monday seems to be the worst day. Having said that the passport people seem to be quite efficient and move people at a not too slow rate. As a new applicant she will have to fill in two forms, which takes a bit longer. The whole process will probably take 2 - 3 hours and she can then take a short taxi ride to catch the bus at the Ekamai bus station to make her way back to Pattaya. It will only take a few minutes to pick up her passport two days after she applies for it.

 

I have a Singapore Immigration card in front of me. It has a space on it for Identity Card numbers (for Malaysians only). Thais will need a passport. I always have to fly via Singapore, normally with Tigerairways.com or Jetstar.com. They are the cheapest and I book online. It is only a 2 hour flight and cattle class is fine.

 

 

 

[jacko 8,892]

I thought I had read on here a month or two ago that a Thai was able to travel to other ASEAN countries without a passport - just an ID card.

 

So I had it in mind to take a girl to Singapore for a long weekend as a birthday present. Before doing on-line bookings for flights and hotel, I thought I ought to double check the situation.

 

This afternoon, 3 travel agents in Patts told me the same thing - a Thai MUST have a passport to travel to these countries: an ID card alone is not sufficient.

 

Can anyone be 100% certain of the correct answer to this, please?

Of course they need a passport.

The only places they formerly did not was to cross a land border into Laos or Burma for a day.

[Grandpollo 366]

Of course they need a passport.

The only places they formerly did not was to cross a land border into Laos or Burma for a day.

Reasonable question where there's this type of alliance. The CA-4 countries Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador allow their citizens to travel among the 4 with only their cedula which is is their national voting card but in fact is the de facto ID.

 

A similar thing is also done is for tourists. The entry card, which is basically a visa on arrival is valid for 90 days in all 4 countries regardless of where they first entered.

Edited February 14, 2011 by ricktoronto

[jacko 8,892]

Reasonable question where there's this type of alliance. The CA-4 countries Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador allow their citizens to travel among the 4 with only their cedula which is is their national voting card but in fact is the de facto ID.

 

A similar thing is also done is for tourists. The entry card, which is basically a visa on arrival is valid for 90 days in all 4 countries regardless of where they first entered.

I answered the question, why do you wish to argue further?

[joekicker 53]

I am a 100% certain she will not be allowed into Singapore without a passport.

 

Correct. She won't get TO Singapore - not by plane, not on the ground.

 

A Thai who lives right on a border MIGHT get across that border for a few hours in one town without a passport.

 

They need a passport to go to any Asean country, but NOT a visa.

 

.

[MM 6,562]

I answered the question, why do you wish to argue further?

 

I don't see his response as arguing, just making a case for why someone might ask the question based on other treaty arrangements elsewhere.

 

Furthermore, several people answered the OPs question, and some even provided useful information, including a comparison to a Central American treaty group from ricktoronto.

 

btw, I really appreciated Gonzo's information about the passport office in this thread.

[joekicker 53]

Reasonable question where there's this type of alliance. The CA-4 countries Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador allow their citizens to travel among the 4 with only their cedula which is is their national voting card but in fact is the de facto ID.

 

About 90 minutes from where you are, you can get into your only land neighbour without a passport. And vice versa, although your neighbours now need a passport to RETURN to their country.

 

.

[lovedog100 1,372]

I am a 100% certain she will not be allowed into Singapore without a passport. A passport for a Thai is easy to get in the rear of the Central Plaza building in Bangkok. All she needs is her Thai I.D and THB 1000. After she applies for her passport, she will have to wait 2 days before she can pick it up. She will not have to bring her own passport photos. The Thai passport office will take the picture for her. Tell her to get the Ekamai bus at the Pattaya Nua bus station and the bus driver will drop her of at Central, before the bus gets to Ekamai. When she gets off at Central bus station, there is an overpass, where she can get to the other side of the road, where the Central Plaza building is located. The easiest way to get to the passport office on the ground floor, is to walk through the Tops food court and then through the underground car park. There are also signs pointing her in the right direction, or she can ask one of the many security guards. It is really quite simple.

This is correct information. I was amazed at how simple and easy it was to get the GF a passport. The forms can even be downloaded online and filled out beforehand. She had hers sent to the house, it took about a week to arrive. It saved that second trip to BKK

[lovedog100 1,372]

Reasonable question where there's this type of alliance. The CA-4 countries Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador allow their citizens to travel among the 4 with only their cedula which is is their national voting card but in fact is the de facto ID.

 

A similar thing is also done is for tourists. The entry card, which is basically a visa on arrival is valid for 90 days in all 4 countries regardless of where they first entered.

The US issues a passport card, that can be used for trips to Mexico, Canada, and the Virgin Islands, with out carrying your regular passport.

[jacko 8,892]

I don't see his response as arguing, just making a case for why someone might ask the question based on other treaty arrangements elsewhere.

 

Furthermore, several people answered the OPs question, and some even provided useful information, including a comparison to a Central American treaty group from ricktoronto.

 

btw, I really appreciated Gonzo's information about the passport office in this thread.

I would not advance my arrangements by considering a treaty in Central America, when looking to take a trip in SE Asia without a passport.

I regard that as adding confusion to the OP's question.

 

I could mention I can travel outside the EU, to the Isle of Man, from the UK without a passport, but it is hardly relevant.

Edited February 15, 2011 by jacko

[Gonzo 419]

Correct. She won't get TO Singapore - not by plane, not on the ground.

 

A Thai who lives right on a border MIGHT get across that border for a few hours in one town without a passport.

 

They need a passport to go to any Asean country, but NOT a visa.

 

.

 

Only people from the countries listed below need a visa for Singapore:

 

http://www.learn4good.com/travel/singapore_visa.htm

 

Foreigners holding travel documents issued by the following countries will require a visa to enter Singapore:

Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh (Except Diplomatic/Official passport holders), Armenia*, Azerbaijan*, Belarus*, Georgia, India, Kazakhstan*, Kyrgyzstan*, Moldova*, Nigeria, Russia*, Tajikistan*, Turkmenistan*, Ukraine*, Uzbekistan*, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan (Except Diplomatic/Official passport holders), Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Myanmar (Except Diplomatic/Official passport holders), People’s Republic of China (Except Diplomatic/Service/Public Affairs passport holders for a stay of up to 30 days), Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia (Except Diplomatic/Official passport holders), Yemen.

 

I have to go through immigration when I change planes in Singapore. The stamp Singapore Immigration puts into my passport says: Visit pass, permitted to enter and remain in Singapore for ninety days for social visit only. All I need is a passport and and an onward flight ticket.

[joekicker 53]

Only people from the countries listed below need a visa for Singapore:

 

Did someone mention visa?

 

Everyone on the list requires a passport. In fact everyone NOT on the list needs a passport to get through Singapore immigration with any speed, except for some Singaporeans and some certain Malaysians.

 

Among the more than 6 billion people who MUST have a passport to enter Singapore are Thai nationals. In fact, Thais can't even get to a Singapore border to be rejected for entry unless they have a passport - bar a few really strong Thai swimmers who also are stupid.

 

.

[Gonzo 419]

Correct. She won't get TO Singapore - not by plane, not on the ground.

 

A Thai who lives right on a border MIGHT get across that border for a few hours in one town without a passport.

 

They need a passport to go to any Asean country, but NOT a visa.

 

.

You started to talk about Thais NOT needing a visa. I though it might be of interest to some people to elaborate. Post when you are sober and get yourself checked for the early signs of Alzheimer's disease.