passport

  • Thailand NewsChinese woman detained over illegal passport ad in Thailand

    Chinese woman detained over illegal passport ad in Thailand

    Royal Thai Police (RTP) detained a Chinese woman for allegedly commissioning and installing a controversial advertisement promoting passport services for relocating to another country. The suspect claims she was merely an intermediary working for a company in Hong Kong and communicated via a Chinese app and LINE, earning 17,000 baht for her role. The RTP, led by Thiti Sangsawang and…

  • Thailand NewsChinese passport sale billboard in Bangkok raises legal concerns

    Chinese passport sale billboard in Bangkok raises legal concerns

    Police and Thai government officials are investigating a puzzling billboard in Bangkok‘s Huai Kwang district advertising the sale of passports from different countries in Chinese. A Thai Facebook user shared a picture of the billboard with the caption, “This is at Huai Kwang Intersection. I guess it’s about passport sales. You’re committing a crime, obviously. In case you don’t know,…

  • Thailand NewsIndian man glues passport pages to hide Thailand trips from wife

    Indian man glues passport pages to hide Thailand trips from wife

    A 33 year old logistics operator from Satara, India, found himself in hot water at Mumbai International Airport. Immigration officials detained the Indian man just before he could board a flight to Thailand, uncovering his audacious attempt to conceal past trips from his wife. Tushar Pawar’s arrest followed the discovery that he had tampered with 12 pages of his passport, glueing…

  • Thailand NewsThailand’s 60-day visa exemption unleashes unlimited entry by land

    Thailand’s 60-day visa exemption unleashes unlimited entry by land

    Three days into Thailand’s 60-day entry visa exemption, a tourist discovered there are no restrictions on the number of entries by land in a calendar year. Tod Daniels, ASEAN NOW‘s visa expert reported that the tourist did two free stamp land entries this year, left Thailand then entered the country again, and got a new 60-day entry with no issues.…

  • Thailand NewsBangkok airport’s automatic passport control ready for check-in

    Bangkok airport’s automatic passport control ready for check-in

    The head of the Thai Immigration Bureau inspected the readiness of Suvarnabhumi International Airport’s new automatic passport control channels, which will start being used by Thai citizens tomorrow, July 3. He also took the time to dine with the immigration officers, expressing the need to uphold their welfare. The Commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, Ittipol Ittisarnronnachai, visited the immigration checkpoint…

  • Thailand NewsNew automatic passport control tested at Suvarnabhumi Airport

    New automatic passport control tested at Suvarnabhumi Airport

    The new Automatic Channel for passport control at Suvarnabhumi Airport was personally tested by Wisanu Prasarttong-Osoth, chairman of Airports of Thailand (AOT), before its official launch yesterday. This system aims to ease congestion at immigration checkpoints. Wisanu participated in a real-world test of the new automatic passport control system before heading to Malaysia on flight TG415. The new system is…

  • Thailand NewsSyrian nationals detained in Phuket for alleged forged passports

    Syrian nationals detained in Phuket for alleged forged passports

    A trio of Syrian nationals were detained by the Immigration Bureau of the Royal Thai Police in Phuket for allegedly carrying forged passports. Law enforcement officials first apprehended a suspect at the Phuket International Airport when he attempted to leave the country using a fraudulent United Arab Emirates passport. Subsequently, two other individuals were taken into custody on the island.…

  • Thailand News2 Chinese men arrested at Bangkok airport for fake Canadian passports

    2 Chinese men arrested at Bangkok airport for fake Canadian passports

    Officers from the Immigration Bureau arrested two Chinese men at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok for attempting to travel to Taiwan on fake Canadian passports. EVA Air check-in staff reported to the immigration police that two Chinese nationals presented their Canadian passports at the counter for the flights to Taipei in Taiwan. According to the flight schedule, the two were…

  • Thailand NewsThai passport holders visa waiver with China boosts tourism

    Thai passport holders visa waiver with China boosts tourism

    Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin announced the imminent signing of a visa waiver agreement between Thailand and China. The deal, to be sealed on Friday during Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to Thailand, promises to liberate citizens from both nations to explore each other’s territories freely, igniting a tourism revolution. Addressing the crowd at the Thailand 2024 – The…

  • Thailand NewsUS Embassy sets up passport renewal service in Hua Hin

    US Embassy sets up passport renewal service in Hua Hin

    In a bid to make life easier for American citizens in Hua Hin and its environs, the US Embassy’s Citizen Services Unit is bringing its consular outreach programme to the InterContinental Hua Hin Resort on January 25 from 8am to 11am. This exclusive event boasts a trio of services, featuring passport renewals for adults via DS-82 forms, passport issuance for…

  • Thailand NewsThai Consular introduces electronic documents services including e-passports

    Thai Consular introduces electronic documents services including e-passports

    Thailand‘s Department of Consular Affairs has introduced biometric e-passports and AI-powered consular applications. Below is a list of the e-services that the Department of Consular Affairs have launched: E-passports. The star of the show is the e-passport, boasting biometrics galore – facial images, fingerprints, and iris scans, all in line with international standards. E-visa. With an online system already rocking…

  • Thailand NewsPM Srettha seeks extension to visa-free countries list for Thai passport

    PM Srettha seeks extension to visa-free countries list for Thai passport

    Currently boasting entry to 34 nations without a visa, the Thai government is seeking to extend this list for Thai passport holders. In a recent Cabinet meeting, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavasin announced his pursuit of a much more powerful Thai passport that will extend the list of visa-free countries. Applauding recent expansions, including visa-free access to China, Russia, and…

  • Thailand NewsKing’s son returns to Thailand: Grabs first Thai ID and passport

    King’s son returns to Thailand: Grabs first Thai ID and passport

    His Majesty the King‘s second eldest son, Vacharaesorn Vivacharawongse, has made a monumental return to Thailand, marking his presence by securing his first-ever Thai ID card and a brand-new passport. The royal revelation was brought to light by political maven Chompoonute Nakornthap, aka Cherie, in a Facebook post that set social media abuzz. The tantalising post yesterday, December 15, featured…

  • Thailand NewsSuvarnabhumi Airport unveils speed passport checks: No more immigration queues

    Suvarnabhumi Airport unveils speed passport checks: No more immigration queues

    In a move set to transform the travel game, Suvarnabhumi International Airport unveiled an upgrade to its passport control system. In an exclusive revelation, Police Lieutenant General Itthipol Itthisarnronnachai, the visionary commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, disclosed that a groundbreaking shift is underway at Suvarnabhumi Airport. Effective from December 15, the airport will extend its automatic passport channels to include…

  • Crime NewsPassport pretender: Chinese woman’s Phuket Airport arrest sparks legal turbulence

    Passport pretender: Chinese woman’s Phuket Airport arrest sparks legal turbulence

    A Chinese woman was arrested last night for passport fraud at Phuket International Airport. The woman, identified as a 44 year old Chinese national, Jian Qi, attempted to bypass immigration control using a passport that did not belong to her, a crime that could lead to a maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to 200,000 baht…

  • Visa InformationYour guide to a visa run in Thailand

    Your guide to a visa run in Thailand

    Visa run in Thailand refers to the practice of leaving the country temporarily in order to reset or renew one’s visa or extend their permitted stay in the country. This is often done by foreign tourists, ex-pats, or digital nomads who wish to stay in Thailand for a longer period than their visa or visa exemption allows. Typically, a visa…

  • Thailand NewsThai cops go above and beyond to help Chinese tourist return home

    Thai cops go above and beyond to help Chinese tourist return home

    Good eggs from the Royal Thai Police force in Chiang Mai Province, northern Thailand, helped a Chinese tourist get her passport back in the nick of time before her flight back to China last night. At 10pm, officers at Chang Phuak Police Station received a call from a distressed Chinese tourist. The tourist rented a car from a car rental…

  • Visa InformationOverstay crackdown uses facial recognition tech

    Overstay crackdown uses facial recognition tech

    Immigration offices around the country have been cracking down on foreigners overstaying their stamps or visas. A ten-day campaign from December 1 to December 10 is aggressively seeking out tourists who have remained in the kingdom long past the date stamped in their passports. And some provinces are using some creepy Big Brother technology to do it. In Surat Thani,…

  • ExpatsPayPal to lock out Thai users at end of month

    PayPal to lock out Thai users at end of month

    Most PayPal users in Thailand will be locked out of the service next month unless they jump through a series of complex and quite silly hoops that are intelligible only to Thai citizens. After a year of nothing but statements, PayPal told customers this morning that they cannot use the service after December 15 unless they take “certain actions” that,…

  • Hot NewsFormer Miss Grand Myanmar denied entry to Thailand, not arrested

    Former Miss Grand Myanmar denied entry to Thailand, not arrested

    In an update to a previous story, Miss Grand Myanmar 2020 was not arrested but was denied entrance to Thailand after returning from Vietnam. Previously, it was reported that she was arrested by the Royal Thai Police but authorities are now saying she was not arrested, only denied entry based on irregularities in her passport. Han Lay, the 23-year-old beauty…

  • Tourism NewsThree Asian countries have the most useful passport

    Three Asian countries have the most useful passport

    For years, Europe has had the most powerful passports for travelling, but as the world emerges in the post-Covid-19 era, three countries in Asia hold the top spots now. Japan holds the top spot, with Japanese passport holders having easy access to 193 different countries. Singapore and South Korea are tied for second with 192 countries easily accessed with a…

  • World NewsBurmese authorities confiscate OnlyFans star’s passport, cancels trip to Bangkok

    Burmese authorities confiscate OnlyFans star’s passport, cancels trip to Bangkok

    A Burmese woman said she lost her job as a doctor for posing in bikini photos online, and has now had her right to travel taken away by Burmese authorities. Yangon Passport Office reportedly confiscated the OnlyFans star’s documents, causing her to cancel her planned trip to Bangkok. The 33 year old OnlyFans star Nang Mwe San qualified as a…

  • Thailand NewsCertificates of vaccination can now be submitted through Mor Prom app from today

    Certificates of vaccination can now be submitted through Mor Prom app from today

    From today, those who have been fully vaccinated can now submit an application through the Mor Prom mobile app to receive a certificate of vaccination online. The move by the Bamrasnaradura Infectious Diseases Institute was made to help reduce long queue lines over applying for the certificates. The institute’s director, Kitpong Sunchatawirul, says the previous time-consuming lines were not ideal, so the institute decided to…

  • Tourism NewsWorld’s most travel-friendly passport list – 2021

    World’s most travel-friendly passport list – 2021

    The Henley Passport Index, which rates which passports are the most travel-friendly, has just released the list for 2021, with Japan once again at the top of the list. But the Index noted that this year’s international travel freedom comparison is mostly theoretical as the current Covid-19 situation continues to limit most international travel. With a Japanese passport, travellers can…

  • ExpatsDeceased Phuket expat’s body stuck in hospital due to passport mix-up

    Deceased Phuket expat’s body stuck in hospital due to passport mix-up

    In a nightmarish scenario, a deceased Phuket expat’s body is stuck in a Thai hospital as his step‐daughter claims hospital administrators won’t release the body due to a passport mix‐up. Gemma Swift, the step‐daughter of 75 year old David Donoghue, who died 2 weeks ago, says she is pleading with embassy staff in Thailand to resolve, what she says, is…

  • Covid-19 NewsWorld Tourism hotspots re-opening – success or failure? | VIDEO

    World Tourism hotspots re-opening – success or failure? | VIDEO

    The world of tourism has been turned upside down, not just in Thailand but around the world. Globally, it’s certainly the hardest hit industry from the coronavirus pandemic, shutting down hotels, tour companies, grounding aeroplanes and putting millions out of work. Before we look at the latest situation, and predictions for Thailand, let’s take a quick tour of some of…

  • Thailand NewsThailand News Today | Thai surrogacy ring, vaccine-passport | February 8

    Thailand News Today | Thai surrogacy ring, vaccine-passport | February 8

    An alleged illegal transnational surrogacy ring, posing as a cleaning company, has busted by Thailand’s cybercrime police after surrogate mothers were unable to deliver the children to buyers overseas due to the current travel restrictions. Officers from the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau raided 10 locations suspected of being involved in the underground transnational surrogacy network, arresting 3 alleged agents and…

  • Tourism NewsThai Vietjet announces 6 and 12 month unlimited travel passes

    Thai Vietjet announces 6 and 12 month unlimited travel passes

    Following the successful launch of Hat Yai Pass and Northeastern Pass, today, Thai Vietjet is now introducing the ‘Thailand Power Pass’ – an unlimited flight pass that allows passengers to fly on Thai Vietjet’s domestic network as often as they like within 6 or 12 months. The passes are available in two types – a 6 months pass at 12,000…

  • Things To DoRiding and renting a motorbike in Thailand | Top 10 tips | VIDEO

    Riding and renting a motorbike in Thailand | Top 10 tips | VIDEO

    Motorbikes and scooters are the most popular mode of transport in Thailand, and most of south east Asia. In many cases, they’re the ‘engine’ for the local economies. Most of them just go and go and go, they’re astonishingly reliable. Getting around on a motorbike is easy enough and will get you to your destination faster, whilst the cars and…

  • ExpatsBelgian arrested after living and working in Thailand without a passport for 4 years

    Belgian arrested after living and working in Thailand without a passport for 4 years

    A 49 year old Belgian man has been arrested by Thai immigration police after being discovered living in the Kingdom without a passport. The man was reported to be living in an apartment at Wang Thonglang, a north east suburb of Bangkok. Officials started an investigation into a “good looking European man” that spoke fluent Thai and discovered that the man has…