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What should I do if my passport and visa stamps got damaged at Songkran?

passport issuesvisaimmigration proceduresThailandexpat adviceSongkranemergency passport
April 16, 2024
5 months ago
Jermaine ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hi all, so I went to Songkran yesterday and my passport got wet… so… my visa and all the stamps are gone. How should I deal with this?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
A user shared their experience of getting their passport wet during the Songkran festival, resulting in the loss of their visa stamps. Comments from the community mostly advised to get a new passport urgently and contact the embassy for emergency travel documents. Many emphasized the importance of taking precautions with passports during such festivities, suggesting the use of copies instead of originals.
Shaun *********
Apply 4 a job at Billy Smarts Circus. 🤡 shouldn't have taken out or if you did put in a plastic bag. Expect a lot of hassle
5 months ago
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Tin **********
Dry it in sun ka
5 months ago
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Brandon *****************
Why do people actually carry their passports with them? I've lived here for 18 years and I've never carried my passport with me anywhere except to immigration or if I needed to make a copy for my job. And why would you take your passport with you when you know you will be participating in Songkran??? That's just dumb.
5 months ago
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Jeffrey *******
Play stupid games and get stupid prizes. Deal with it.
5 months ago
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Michael ***********
I think i wd have tried to figure this one out by myself!
5 months ago
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Michael ********
Whats done is done go to your embassy asap.

Advice for future keep folder on your phone with passport and latest visa stamps.

And buy a dry bag
5 months ago
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Alex ********
It's going to cost $$$. Emergency passport in foreign country isn't cheap
5 months ago
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Iain ******
Follow the Yellow Brick Road ... (Starts somewhere near Suze Wongs)

Request an audience with the great and powerful Oz ..

He will give you what you want and what you need .. 😉
5 months ago
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Jessie ******
Depends if on holidays get a emergency passport

If on ling stay try and get a new passport and get your stamps transfered to it
5 months ago
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Patrick ************
I keep a laminated color copy of my passport on me and leave original in a safe
5 months ago
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Piotr *******
@Patrick ***********
Most farang I know does the same. It’s just crazy to wear the original passport.
5 months ago
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Piotr *******
Every time I extend my visa in the immigration office in Jomtien, I go to Kodak at Jomtien beach road an make a new copy.

I’ve been stopped by police several times and always shows my copy. This is accepted and most farang knows that.
5 months ago
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Ruth *******
@Piotr ******
 the problem is that officially, people are supposed to carry their passports. They're told exactly that. In certain circumstances, copies are not accepted as well.

However, yes, some of us who are seasoned travelers know that keeping a copy of the main page is sufficient. Folks should not be so judgmental toward the OP for doing what we are told we are supposed to do.
5 months ago
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Piotr *******
@Ruth ******
Not only copy of the main page.

You must have a copy of visa too.

But… Kodak shops can help you with that
5 months ago
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Ruth *******
@Piotr ******
 the main page is sufficient for most needs. If immigration needs information regarding your visa, the passport number will pull up the required information.
5 months ago
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Piotr *******
@Ruth ******
This is not working that way, sorry.

You can be stopped by police if you don’t have a visa copy to show 😏
5 months ago
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Piotr *******
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Brian *********
Haha that’s a funny lie
5 months ago
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Richard ***********
5 months ago
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Chris ****
Did you happen to scan or photograph your passport and pages?
5 months ago
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Piotr *******
You should never have passport with you outside, specially at Songkran.

You go to Kodak office and make plastic copy of the passport.
5 months ago
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James ***********
Piotr Deyna ,then what do you recommend when people are going ‘outside’ traveling to the airport, train station, or to the immigration office-as you’re saying, never have it outside?
5 months ago
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Kim *********
@Piotr ******
 actually you are obliged to have the passport with you - if they insist on that when checked I don't know
5 months ago
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Piotr *******
@Kim ********
No. Passport copy is ok. Most farang have it and the police accept that.
5 months ago
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Kim *********
@Piotr ******
 ok
5 months ago
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Kim *********
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Carlos *********
Explain it to the immigration office immediately and maybe they will take pity on you.
5 months ago
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Kevin *******
Go to your nearest police station and hand yourself in. They will likely sentence you to 2 years education to avoid doing something stupid again.
5 months ago
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Matthew ********
People make such nice comments, they've never made a mistake obviously. Sad they come to live in this country.
5 months ago
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Steve ************
@Matthew *******
 yeah, stay where you belong, Karen town USA
5 months ago
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Ruth *******
@Matthew *******
 I really wonder why they're so bitting in such an amazing country. They truly spoil it. I wish they'd go home.
5 months ago
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Ruth *******
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Jermaine ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hey guys, the festival required me to bring a passport… not that I wanted to bring it to get it wet.
5 months ago
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Piotr *******
@Jermaine *****
No. You can have plastic copy of your passport with you as all others farang 😂
5 months ago
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Ruth *******
@Piotr ******
 laugh it up, but when someone is told the passport is required, they bring their passport. I'm sure you were just born knowing everything, but not everyone was.
5 months ago
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Andrew ***********
@Ruth ******
 yes but you can take a lamented copy of your passport, or a copy, you don't need the original, these people don't expect the original passport as the know it's going to get wet.
5 months ago
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Andrew ***********
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Jae *******
Clearly you need adult supervision.
5 months ago
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Paul ***********
NUMPTY 👎
5 months ago
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Kent *********
I would think everything being computerized this should be an easy fix, maybe a bit time consuming.
5 months ago
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Chris *****
🤦🏻‍♂️ Good grief
5 months ago
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Nigel *********
Don't take your passport to a water festival. Simple
5 months ago
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Ruth *******
@Nigel ********
 that was not the question
5 months ago
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Nigel *********
@Ruth ******
 I know but what a dick for doing that . Doesn't deserve any help
5 months ago
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Calvin *********
@Nigel ********
 He deserves more help than you, sexpat
5 months ago
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Calvin *********
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Jae *******
@Ruth ******
 No, it was the answer.
5 months ago
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Ruth *******
@Jae ******
 You're not too bright; are you? The passport is already wet. Telling him not to take his passport to a water festival is not an answer to anything. He's trying to find out what to do now that his passport is wet.

So, no, it is not the answer.
5 months ago
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Ruth *******
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Simon ********
Obviously too late now but in the future, all you need to carry is a screenshot of your passport
5 months ago
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Jermaine ******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Thanks all! I will head to the embassy ASAP!
5 months ago
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Ruth *******
@Jermaine *****
 Good luck to you. I'm sure you're not the first for whom this has happened and you won't be the last. Hopefully, they can get your straightened out quickly.
5 months ago
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John *********
@Ruth ******
 Some one else did the same the other day
5 months ago
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Ruth *******
@John ********
 I’m sure multiple people have. There’s no reason for people to be so snide. Mistakes happen, but I’m sure they’re all perfect.
5 months ago
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John *********
@Ruth ******
 Who is been snide ?
5 months ago
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Ruth *******
@John ********
 several folks. I was not accusing you. That's why I said "they", not "you".
5 months ago
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Ruth *******
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Keith *******
Make sure you put your wallet, passport, etc in a plastic sandwich bag when you go out..... 😉
5 months ago
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Andrew ***********
@Keith ******
 better still don't take your passport out if you know it's Songkran
5 months ago
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Andrew ***********
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Jan **********
new passport, then immigration.
5 months ago
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John *********
A passport is a legal document so any damage then a new one needed ASAP
5 months ago
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Abdalah **********
😂😂😂😂
5 months ago
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Ben *****
You need to contact your embassy, you cannot travel with a damaged passport. And all you idiots putting down this young person, seriously chill the fuck out.
5 months ago
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Brian ********
@Ben ****
 well said, we’ve all made mistakes. Let’s hope this guy learns his lesson
5 months ago
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Kevin ***********
@Ben ****
 really, who takes their passport out knowing they're Gona get soaked anywhere at this time of year. brainless, if you ask me
5 months ago
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James ***********
@Kevin **********
 but nobody asked you passive aggressive commentor
5 months ago
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Gareth ********
@Kevin **********
 and then the next post someone will say they were stopped by Police and asked to show their passport and people will call them stupid for not knowing to have it with them at all times. Can't win on here eh?
5 months ago
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Mika ********
@Gareth *******
 police these days accept photos of your passport pages on your phone

There is really no excuse for bringing a passport to a water fight 😂
5 months ago
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Gareth ********
@Mika *******
 check out some of the earlier posts then! 🤣
5 months ago
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Gareth ********
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พี่ *****
@Singapore *********************
5 months ago
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Warren *********
Idiot
5 months ago
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Joel *******
@Warren ********
 average old grumpy sexpat no2
5 months ago
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Joel *******
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Lynnette *******
You can't travel on a damaged passport. Contact your embassy to get a new passport urgently, or an emergency travel document.
5 months ago
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Trudy *********
Go to nearest immigration
5 months ago
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Brandon ************
Get a new passport. Go to immigration to get your stamps transferred to new passport. If you're just in Thailand on holiday then try to get emergency travel documents from your embassy for your trip home.
5 months ago
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Kevin ***********
Clown
5 months ago
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Joel *******
@Kevin **********
 average old grumpy sexpat no1
5 months ago
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Mika ********
@Joel ******
 he very well might be ( or not ) but he is not wrong about this !
5 months ago
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Mika ********
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