Can Investigators Access Hotel CCTV & Records in Thailand?
July 15, 2025 - Reading time: 8 minutes
Updated: July 15, 2025
Why clients request this service
- Suspected infidelity during a partner’s trip
- Need to confirm who shared a hotel room or apartment
- Checking dates, companions or extra guests on bookings
Common misconceptions
Many people assume a private investigator can simply “pull” CCTV or booking data on demand. In reality:
- Hotels, condos and serviced apartments are not obliged to share footage unless there’s a police order or warrant.
- Most CCTV systems overwrite their data after 7 to 60 days.
- Getting cooperation depends heavily on timing, staff, and the story being used.
What Bangkok Investigators can actually do
- Visit the location in person (Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, Chiang Mai and beyond)
- Use carefully planned cover stories to interview receptionists, security, cleaners and managers
- Request CCTV footage or booking records (in writing or face to face)
- Document all efforts in a detailed report with names, dates and comments
Success stories (results vary)
We’ve had cases where:
- Lobby footage clearly showed a couple checking in together
- A manager quietly printed out a guest list showing an additional name on the booking
- Night staff casually described a subject’s late‑night visitor
These results come from experience, preparation and a bit of luck. They are possible, but never guaranteed.
Costs
For in‑person site visits in Bangkok, Pattaya or Phuket, fees start from 11,500 THB including tax. Prices rise for after‑hours work, complex cover stories or multiple locations. You’ll always get a clear quote first.
Extended hotel stays for deeper investigation
One quick visit isn’t always enough. In bigger cases we can book an agent into the hotel overnight. That lets us:
- Talk with staff on different shifts
- Approach cleaners, reception and security naturally
- Build rapport and pick up useful detail about guest activity
This can beat a short site visit, but it still carries no guarantee. If you want the strongest proof, real‑time surveillance is best.
Live surveillance = better odds
Gathering evidence after the fact is harder. Whenever possible, instruct us before the suspected meeting. Our teams can follow the subject discreetly and record video or stills, making later hotel enquiries far more productive.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. We can make the request, but the decision is up to the property. Your fee pays for our effort and time - not a promised outcome.
Recordings are normally recycled after 7 to 30 days. The sooner we act, the better the chance the footage still exists.
Remote requests rarely work. Face‑to‑face contact gives us a far better chance of persuading staff.
Full name of the subject, dates of stay, hotel name, room number if known, booking emails, receipts or any photos.
We’ll still document everything. You’ll get a report showing who we spoke to, what was said, and our advice on next steps.
Yes. Catching someone in real time gives stronger evidence and often makes hotel staff more willing to cooperate later.
If you accept the uncertainty involved and still want to proceed, contact Bangkok Investigators for a private consultation.
How to Check if Someone Owns Land or Property in Thailand
June 25, 2025 - Reading time: 5 minutes
Updated: June 25, 2025
How to Check Land or Property Ownership in Thailand?
If you're looking to verify whether someone owns land (or property) in Thailand, you will need to physically visit or send someone to visit the local Department of Lands Office for the specific area concerned. Property deeds and ownership records in Thailand are kept exclusively in paper format at the local, sub-provincial level, and digital databases do not exist for ownership verification.
How Do You Access Property Deeds from a Local Land Office?
The process for accessing property deeds can vary significantly depending on your specific local land office. Each land office may have its own set of requirements based on the case or reason for your inquiry, such as verification for legal purposes or personal checks. To get accurate details on what is required, including necessary documentation like the Chanote number, you should directly contact the land office involved.
Can a Background Check Include All Property and Land Owned by a Person in Thailand?
A background check can reveal addresses linked to an individual, but those addresses alone do not confirm ownership. As explained above, property and land ownership records are stored in paper format at local land offices. To check for property ownership across the entire country, you would need to visit every provincial land office and manually go through their records. Since there are thousands of land offices, this is clearly not a practical option.
Are There Any Online Resources to Check Land Boundaries?
Thailand offers a useful online resource: LandsMaps.DOL.go.th. Here, you can find information like GPS coordinates, land size, and boundary markers by entering the Chanote number. However, this site does not provide ownership details, as those are only available offline at the relevant land office.
Is There a National Land Registry in Thailand?
Thailand does not have a centralised national land registry in the way some other countries do. Ownership records, including current and historical data from the Chanote (land title deed), are stored locally at individual land offices and are only accessible in person. While online tools like LandsMaps.DOL.go.th allow you to check boundary lines, coordinates, and land sizes, they do not display current ownership or transfer history. That kind of information remains entirely offline and decentralised.
Can Foreigners Own Land in Thailand Through a Thai Company?
Foreign nationals are largely restricted from owning land in Thailand, with only rare exceptions. As a workaround, some individuals have historically set up Thai companies as holding entities to retain control over land or property. While this practice has come under greater scrutiny in recent years, it remains a notable method in certain situations. The key advantage from an investigative standpoint is that Thai company registration records are digitised. This means that if the person in question is, or has been, listed as a director of a Thai company, those records can be identified through a digital directorship search. This approach can reveal ties to property holdings when direct land ownership cannot be easily established.
How Can I Find Addresses in Thailand Using Google Maps?
Finding specific addresses in Thailand using Google Maps can be challenging. Street numbers often do not match accurately, and villages or less-populated streets might be difficult to locate on the map. GPS coordinates or a registered Google business listing greatly simplify locating a property. In practice, locating an address often involves physically checking street signs, house number sequences, or interviewing locals directly.
What Can Background Checks in Thailand Include?
A thorough background check can cover a range of details, including marriage and divorce history, family connections, employment history, criminal history, and online presence checks (such as dating sites and social media). However, it cannot include all land/property owned by the individual within Thailand, as this information is not stored in a central database.
For further details, visit our background checks service page.
How to Check if a Thai ID Card is Fake
June 22, 2025 - Reading time: 7 minutes
Updated: June 27, 2025
If you're dealing with Thai identity documents such as Thai ID cards, passports, or driving licences, verifying their authenticity is critical. Fake Thai ID cards can present major risks, particularly for employers, business owners, or individuals entering personal relationships. In this guide, you'll learn practical ways to check if a Thai ID card is genuine, understand the structure of the 13-digit Thai identification number, and discover when professional verification is needed.
Why Check if a Thai ID Card is Genuine?
Verifying a Thai identity card's authenticity is essential for several reasons:
- Pre-employment screening in Thailand: Protect your business from employing individuals with fake IDs and avoid serious legal consequences.
- Romantic relationships: Confirm your partner’s true identity to reduce the risk of romance scams and deception.
- Business partnerships: Prevent fraud by verifying the true identity and reputation of potential business partners.
- Legal compliance: Avoid complications related to immigration or fraudulent identification in employment practices.
- Fraud prevention: Protect yourself from identity theft and financial scams by ensuring documents are legitimate.
💡 Did You Know?
Can you check if a Thai person is married by looking at their ID card?
The answer is no. For men, Thai ID cards always show the title "Mr." For women, the title can be "Mrs." if they specifically apply to change it after marriage. However, many married Thai women still carry the title "Miss" on their ID cards because either they don't realise they can update it or choose not to. Thus, the ID alone doesn't reliably show marital status.
If you're involved with someone who turns out to be married, their partner could sue you under Thai law for interfering in their marriage. To avoid this scenario, a thorough background check is highly recommended.
Understanding the Thai 13-Digit ID Number
Every genuine Thai ID card features a unique 13-digit personal identification number. These digits represent specific information:
- Digit 1: Indicates the registration category (Thai national or resident).
- Digits 2 to 5: Represent birth year and province or region of registration. Digit two indicates the century ("1" for the 1900s, "2" for the 2000s), followed by three digits for province identification.
- Digits 6 to 10: Encode date of birth details and regional registration information.
- Digit 11: A mathematically calculated checksum digit ensuring the ID number is valid.
- Digits 12 and 13: Random digits ensuring the ID number's uniqueness.
How to Validate a Thai ID Number Online
You can easily validate a Thai ID number online using a checksum validator. The checksum (digit 11) verifies that the number sequence follows a legitimate mathematical pattern.
Image: Despite being invalid, the number passes validation due to its adherence to the correct sequence described earlier.
Try using this convenient online tool to quickly test any Thai ID number:
👉 Thai National ID Validator by Chukkrit Visitsaktavorn
If the ID fails this checksum test, it's definitely fake. However, even if it passes, this does not guarantee authenticity because scammers might use legitimate numbers belonging to others (these are easy to find online), or digitally alter an ID which features a genuine ID number.
Types of Fake Thai ID Cards to Be Aware Of
Common forms of fake Thai ID cards include:
- Digitally altered documents: Genuine ID card images modified with fake details or photos.
- Professionally printed fake IDs: Completely fabricated ID cards used by illegal migrants or fraudulent individuals.
- Stolen genuine numbers: Using authentic ID numbers belonging to other individuals, making initial checks appear valid.
Subtle digital manipulations or professional counterfeit documents can often evade basic visual inspections or online validators.
Limitations of DIY Thai ID Card Verification
Although online checksum validation helps identify obviously fake IDs, it’s important to recognise its limitations:
- An ID card using a stolen genuine number may pass the checksum test.
- Digitally manipulated ID images may look real unless checked professionally.
- Other identification forms like Thai passports or driving licences need professional cross-checking beyond simple ID validators.
When Should You Hire a Professional to Verify Thai IDs?
For situations where authenticity is critical, such as employment, serious relationships, or important business deals, it's best to hire professional verification services. At Bangkok Investigators, we provide:
- Verification of ID details against official Thai government databases.
- Comprehensive background checks, including marital history, criminal records, and employment verification.
- Detailed analysis to detect counterfeit Thai passports and verify Thai driving licence authenticity.
🔍 Did You Know?
Many fake Thai ID cards we've uncovered passed basic checksum validators online. Digital manipulation and sophisticated forgery methods mean that initial checks are often insufficient for total confidence.
To protect yourself fully from fraudulent identities, consider hiring a private investigator specialising in Thai ID verification and thorough background checks.
For guaranteed peace of mind: Explore our professional verification services now.
Authenticating Thai identification documents involves more than basic online checks. Professional verification is essential if you need to be certain of someone's identity and background. By taking these extra steps, you minimise risks in employment, business, and personal relationships and ensure decisions are based on accurate, verified information.
How to Check if Someone is Attending University in Thailand
June 14, 2025 - Reading time: 6 minutes
Updated: June 14, 2025
If you're trying to verify someone's education records in Thailand — whether they are currently attending university, completed a course, or have claimed qualifications — there are important things to understand about how education records are handled in the country.
Can I check someone's university or school attendance online?
There is no centralised system or public education portal in Thailand that allows you to look up whether someone is currently going to school or university. If you’re trying to check if someone is going to school in Thailand or enrolled at a specific university, you’ll need to contact the institution directly.
How are university records handled in Thailand?
There is no nationwide database where Thai university records or school attendance can be searched. If you want to verify a Thai degree or confirm someone's educational background, you’ll need to make direct enquiries with the relevant institution. This includes verifying the authenticity of Thai degrees or checking qualifications claimed on a CV or application.
Can I check school or university records as part of a background check?
We often assist clients who want to confirm if a Thai university degree is real or verify academic records from schools in Thailand. This must be done on a case-by-case basis, by contacting the institution directly to confirm the individual’s claimed education. Whether you're trying to confirm attendance, degree authenticity, or graduation status — it all depends on the cooperation of the specific school or university.
What other records can be checked in Thailand?
- Employment history
- Marriage and divorce history
- Civil litigation check
- Family background and personal history
- Criminal records (where accessible)
- Online presence, including dating profiles and adult material
Why should you consider a background check?
If you’re romantically involved with a Thai woman and you’re unsure of her background — whether academic, personal, or marital — then a background check can provide essential clarity. Thai law permits a husband to sue his wife's lover, so if she’s married, this could have serious consequences for you.
We offer:
- Pre-marital background checks
- Pre-employment background checks (for employers)
- Romantic background checks (with or without marriage plans)
- Verification of Thai university degrees and academic qualifications
While background checks do not typically include surveillance, it is possible to add what we call a lifestyle check — a discreet surveillance service which helps to understand someone's real-world movements, daily habits, and whether their lifestyle aligns with what they claim. This can be especially useful if you're unsure about their university attendance or general honesty. Our surveillance fee depends on the location of the case. If you'd like a quote, please let us know exactly where the work would take place.
Click here to learn more about our background check service.In summary
If you're trying to check if someone is enrolled in school in Thailand or confirm academic attendance, this information is only available by directly contacting the relevant school or university. There is no one-click solution or national system to look this up.
If you need to confirm whether a Thai degree is legitimate or whether someone has actually attended the school or university they claim, we can make discreet, direct inquiries on your behalf. A lifestyle check (surveillance) may also be added if needed to observe someone's actual behaviour and routine.
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