What documents and steps are necessary for renewing a Thai passport and setting up US social security deposits in Thailand?

Hi Jennifer, you are a sweet daughter helping your mom transition back to her home country. Get her Thai passport photos before you go to the consulate - CVS, Costco, Walgreens, etc. The same specification as a USA passport photo. After your visit at the consulate, I believe officially is 4-6 weeks, best to plan for about two months to get the passport. You can pick it up at the consulate or have it mailed to your house.

Do you have your mom's Thai ID and house registration to get the Thai passport? Just to cover all bases, Thais have several important documents that you should locate and save if your mom has them here in USA with her:

1. Thailand birth certificate - I'm guessing your mom is a permanent resident of USA, so she must have a Thai birth certificate translated to English. If she has the Thai birth certificate in Thai (original/copy) then even better.

2. Thailand house registration - Each Thai person needs to belong to a house (and only one house) to prove where they live. Sometimes if the person has moved abroad for many years, the family moves, home changes owners, gets torn down, etc. and the person gets removed from the house registration by the current owner. The removed name moves to a "central database" of people not on a house registration. It's not a problem for the Thai person abroad until they try to renew a Thai ID and can't do it, because they are not on a valid house registration, and this can only be fixed in Thailand not outside the country.

3. Thai ID card - the national ID. Thai ID has a 13 digit identification number, which is used in many instances, much like the American SSN. Must be on a valid house registration to renew or re-establish a Thai ID card that is expired.

4. Thai Passport - normally the Thai passport issued requires a valid Thai ID. I see the Thai Consulate in LA requires "Original of Thai Identification Card or proof of Thai residency with address, name and a 13-digit identification number". Which means they will look up the Thai ID via the 13 digit number, and look up the Thai house registration via the address.

If you don't have your mom's Thai ID card and Thai house registration info, contact the Thai Consulate in LA and explain the situation, and get their advice. I know you said you have emailed them before, give them a call during their office hours if you don’t get a reply. I have communicated with the Thai Consulate in Washington DC numerous times and they were very good communicating in English, helping answer my questions, and connecting me with the right person. I was quite impressed with how much they were willing to go out of their way to assist me. I don’t have experience with the consulate in LA, but I hope they give the same good assistance. Again you are a very caring daughter, helping your mom. I hope all goes well for you both.

You need to get pictures first . Lots of places do passport photos , Google it . I got a u.s. passport in a week by paying extra to expedite it .

Bangkok Bank is where I have my US social security direct deposited into, and not through their New York branch, but directly into my Thai account. Everything dealing with US social security in Thailand is handled through the Manila Philippines embassy office. It is one simple form to fill out, and Bangkok Bank will help with it. When I changed mine to a Thai bank, it was completed by my next check date.

Any Thai citizen can re-enter Thailand, even with an expired passport, or expired ID card.

Unfortunately I can't answer any of your questions. But I can tell you if your mother still has her previous expired Thai passport, she can travel to Thailand with that.