"Need Passport to Top up BTS Card"

[OliverKlozerof]

About a week ago I went to the window at my local BTS station to add some money to my BTS 'rabbit' card and was told that next time I should bring my passport with me. Never happened before. Anyone else hear this? If this is real, does it mean you can no longer top up your card without your passport? If so, what a hassle. 

[Crossy]

This is being reported all over, including Thaivisa. All Emoney instruments must be registered just like your mobile. 

 

This is a government initiative and also applies to those who have a SevenEleven card.

 

You only need to register once, then reloads will be as normal.

[NE1]

Do Thais have to show there I.D. cards when they do the top up ?

[donim]

6 minutes ago, Crossy said:

This is being reported all over, including Thaivisa. All Emoney instruments must be registered just like your mobile. 

 

This is a government initiative and also applies to those who have a SevenEleven card.

 

You only need to register once, then reloads will be as normal.

Did not accept at 7eleven, they only accepted real Thai ID card with chip.

Had to use GF's ID card.

 

Any had register their SevenEleven card with foreign passport?

 

[Crossy]

1 minute ago, NE1 said:

Do Thais have to show there I.D. cards when they do the top up ?

 

Yes to register, then you don't need ID to top up.

 

[Crossy]

Just now, donim said:

Did not accept at 7eleven, they only accepted real Thai ID card with chip.

Had to use GF's ID card.

 

Yeah, I remember someone noting that in the earlier thread. Annoying.

 

[donim]

Just now, NE1 said:

Do Thais have to show there I.D. cards when they do the top up ?

Just a one time registration.

They, even I was called/messaged on my old phone to re-register the old SIM card. Even I had bought it with showing the passport, the information stored in the system was not accurate.

[NE1]

Thanks Crossy

[OliverKlozerof]

Aha.

[WorriedNoodle]

I just topped my Rabbit card up from the mobile phone banking app. No need to queue up for that or show any ID as far as Rabbit goes.

[wordchild]

Thai Driving License works ok, or at least it did for me, when I registered a few weeks ago

[Date Masamune]

This is being reported all over, including Thaivisa. All Emoney instruments must be registered just like your mobile. 
 
This is a government initiative and also applies to those who have a SevenEleven card.
 
You only need to register once, then reloads will be as normal.

And a 7-11 card cards only be registered by sticking a Thai ID card in the reader. They are not set up to take passports. Solution, apply for Thai citizenship.

[Crossy]

7 hours ago, Date Masamune said:

And a 7-11 card cards only be registered by sticking a Thai ID card in the reader. They are not set up to take passports. Solution, apply for Thai citizenship.

 

Yeah, I remember someone noting that in the earlier thread. Annoying.

[jaiyen]

18 hours ago, NE1 said:

Do Thais have to show there I.D. cards when they do the top up ?

Yes

[blackcab]

19 hours ago, NE1 said:

Do Thais have to show there I.D. cards when they do the top up ?

 

They need to show their ID one time to register the card. No need to show their ID after that when they top up.

[SWW]

10 hours ago, Date Masamune said:

And a 7-11 card cards only be registered by sticking a Thai ID card in the reader. They are not set up to take passports. Solution, apply for Thai citizenship.

Because that is a simple, quick and hassle-free process!

 

(Note: The previous phrase may have included some sarcasm)

[elgenon]

Just wondering if the next step is requiring the pp when you pay cash. Then the government will have your info too. That seems to be the idea.

[Letseng]

21 hours ago, Crossy said:

This is being reported all over, including Thaivisa. All Emoney instruments must be registered just like your mobile. 

 

This is a government initiative and also applies to those who have a SevenEleven card.

 

You only need to register once, then reloads will be as normal.

And why not on Mrt?

[Letseng]

21 hours ago, Crossy said:

This is being reported all over, including Thaivisa. All Emoney instruments must be registered just like your mobile. 

 

This is a government initiative and also applies to those who have a SevenEleven card.

 

You only need to register once, then reloads will be as normal.

And your personal info can then be sold.

I have gone back to buying single tickets and at the same time one for return.  No queueing ever at our Bts station.

[Crossy]

13 minutes ago, Letseng said:

And why not on Mrt?

 

Allegedly the MRT card is not Emoney because it can only be used for transit and not in retail outlets like McDonalds etc.

 

Some operators are arguing that this is incorrect and that BEM should enforce registration of their cards too, the jury is still out on this one.

 

[Crossy]

16 minutes ago, Letseng said:

And your personal info can then be sold.

I have gone back to buying single tickets and at the same time one for return.  No queueing ever at our Bts station.

 

Since every man and his dog has your PP and Phone number anyway the additional risk is slight compared with the inconvenience of buying single ride tickets.

 

By the way, the Business Rules state that single-ride is only usable at the station of issue (so your return ticket won't work) evidently this feature is not currently enabled. I will have to check why not. Right now it's not much of an issue, but when Pink and Yellow start operations the money collected will be with the "wrong" operator when your journey is apportioned.

 

[Bangkok Barry]

I've read that it is to prevent money laundering. The fact that people topping up BTS cards are not exactly big spenders signifies that the government has a hidden agenda. Or maybe it's just Thai logic at work again. Anyone using cash might be a money launderer and so everyone must be registered in the database (as if that has any practical purpose other than to sell the information on).

You also have to show your passport even to buy a stamp to send a letter overseas. Why? We'll have to show a passport to get a haircut soon. It's all about control.

[essox essox]

22 hours ago, NE1 said:

Do Thais have to show there I.D. cards when they do the top up ?

doubt it !!!!

[statman78]

13 hours ago, wordchild said:

Thai Driving License works ok, or at least it did for me, when I registered a few weeks ago

Good to know.  I don't like carrying my passport around so I'll try using my Thai driving license.

 

Does it need to be the actual passport or will the picture on my mobile phone work?

[Tanlic]

What's the chances someone doesn't know about this and thinks the world has gone crazy when asked?.............next it will be please register which hand you wipe your backside with before using the public toilets

[Quack]

23 hours ago, donim said:

Did not accept at 7eleven, they only accepted real Thai ID card with chip.

Had to use GF's ID card.

 

Any had register their SevenEleven card with foreign passport?

 

I register everything in my wife's name using her ID card, it's just easier and better that way.

[Crossy]

1 hour ago, Bangkok Barry said:

I've read that it is to prevent money laundering.

 

That's the story.

 

Let's be clear, it's not just 7eleven and Rabbit cards. Any card (monetary instrument) which comes under the definition of Emoney must be registered to a name, of course most of these are already linked (bank cards, credit cards and the like).

 

The low volume cards like rabbit and 7eleven just got caught up in the definition, nobody really believed that they would be used for money laundering - or did they.

 

Also, this isn't a new requirement, the law came out about 3 years ago. Rabbit et-al have been holding out for an exception which it now seems didn't happen. 

[josephbloggs]

2 hours ago, essox essox said:

doubt it !!!!

Why??  Are you another one with a paranoid anti foreigner delusion?

 

(You're wrong by the way)

[Letseng]

6 hours ago, Crossy said:

 

Since every man and his dog has your PP and Phone number anyway the additional risk is slight compared with the inconvenience of buying single ride tickets.

 

By the way, the Business Rules state that single-ride is only usable at the station of issue (so your return ticket won't work) evidently this feature is not currently enabled. I will have to check why not. Right now it's not much of an issue, but when Pink and Yellow start operations the money collected will be with the "wrong" operator when your journey is apportioned.

 

..(so your return ticket won't work)..

It has worked since the silly rule came into force. Odd, isn't it?

Different routes/operators won't be a problem for me. I only ever travel the same route rtn twice/week.

For all other trips I prefer to sit in an aircon taxi from door to door.

[Letseng]

5 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

I've read that it is to prevent money laundering. The fact that people topping up BTS cards are not exactly big spenders signifies that the government has a hidden agenda. Or maybe it's just Thai logic at work again. Anyone using cash might be a money launderer and so everyone must be registered in the database (as if that has any practical purpose other than to sell the information on).

You also have to show your passport even to buy a stamp to send a letter overseas. Why? We'll have to show a passport to get a haircut soon. It's all about control.

"You also have to show your passport even to buy a stamp to send a letter overseas."

 

Never needed to show p.p. in 16 years.