Looks like my biking holiday might be over before it starts!

My betting is that if you are polite, respectful and point out the law (in Thailand and the rules imposed by the British government on passports), they will relent. If not then go elsewhere.

A western passport has a HUGE worth in some parts of the world. In certain areas a real passport can be worth $10,000 plus. The hotel receptionist you give your passport to might also be a criminal. It's like handing him/her this amount in cash.

I will gladly show my passport to anyone who asks to see it but I will NEVER let it leave my sight.

Perhaps the way around this potential problem is to take with you a photocopy of your passport or ask the hotel/hirer to make a copy (in your presence).

I refuse to be one of the SHEEPLE baaaah......

__________________
Triumph Bonneville 800 (2004), Yamaha XT600E (1999), Honda XBR500 (1986).

I don't know if the UK govt. allow you to retain your old, expired passports. In the USA they do. I always carry one or two old ones along when traveling.
(useful for several situations)

In Thailand they INSISTED on a passport for the rental. I gave them one of my expired ones. No worries.

No idea what the situation is now ... I was last there early 90's.

In some hotels I've stayed in they ... by law ... are required to hold your passport during your stay. Not sure how you get round that ... ? If the secret police or whomever show up ...the Hotelier must produce a passport for every registered guest. Some places more strict on this than others I suppose.

Have a great Thai trip! Ride safe ... three friends are there now ... they're staying 3 months. ALL are very experienced riders. Two of the guys have crashed so far. One spent a few days in Hospital. I don't know details ... but they're both embarrassed by the incidents.

I had a few close calls ... but survived unscathed. Motorways are not much fun on the small bikes ... and trucks will pull out on you on the two lanes and come straight at you ... turns out motorbikes are meant to ride in the 2 ft. wide jogging/bike lane ... either that or you go into the rice paddy.
Stay safe!

About your passport concerns: Most companies that rent out motorbikes in Thailand require that you leave your passport at their desk as a sequrity that you will come back with the bike. However not all companies do so. And if business are slow and incoming money the same they might let it go without leaving the passport there. Once I hired a bike - I had to leave a security of 5000 baht in stead of the passport. So I guess that some kind of security are required when you rent a bike from a rental company. Seems pretty fair to me...
I have never heard scams about "made up damages" to the hired motorbike and thus extorting the tourist for big amounts of money. But - this is Thailand - and the only things thats sure is that nothing is. On waterscooters/waterjets for rent - or whatever their called in english language - there are plentiful of stories about scams about "made up damages" - so it could be that this practise could be coming to the motorbike rental business as well.

I rented a bike in Chiang Mai a couple of years ago and while riding offroad a blinker/turn signal fractured and fell off the bike. I worried a little that the rental company would charge me a lot because of this damage - but the young girl that worked in the office the day I returned the bike back told me that would be 300 baht extra to pay. So my worries were in vain....

Passport at hotels/guesthouses in Thailand: All hotels and guesthouses in Thailand have to report their guests and send in a list every day to police/Immigration authorities with names of their guests. I think this list maybe also added by a copy of the main side and the visa sides of the guests passports. This are according to rules and laws in Thailand. Thus all the hotels and guesthouses will require a copy of your passport when you check in. You will get the passport back immideately after they have copied it. And there is no way that they need to keep your passport for hours or overnight. If they say they have to do so - its bullshit and probably a scam. Better not stay at that hotel/guesthouse. However - after 20-30 holidays in Thailand the last 12 years I have never heard of scams with passports left in hotel desks.

However I have noticed that if I am very remote and in an area they hardly see any tourists this rule are not always followed. The only thing they require then is the cash..... But in tourist places this rules are always followed.

__________________
In the end everything will be fine. If its not fine its not the end....

I have 2 OLD passports (both outdated). Totally worthless apart from my name and date of birth.

I'm going to take one with me and offer it as security against the rental bike.

I might even throw in an old out of date credit card too.

SORTED!

__________________
Triumph Bonneville 800 (2004), Yamaha XT600E (1999), Honda XBR500 (1986).

Some vendors may be "wise" to an out date or cancelled passport ... dunno.
Worth a try anyway.

But as I.D. even a cancelled passport is useful. When my passport was stolen in Ecuador the US Embassy was glad I could present my old cancelled passport as I.D. Saved time and paperwork.
I got a new one ... the same day! (that was eons ago .. I doubt this could be done now, in the age of HomeLand Security and the NSA "protecting" us)

No idea how the UK system works ... US passports stamp CANCELLED on front page and perforate the cover ... but who knows what various foreign nationals make of this? ... I think they are dazzled by the color hologram pics and other anti counterfeit devices modern passports use.

I've given expired California driving license to police on just one occasion ... did not go back to retrieve it ... and did not pay "fine". But I always carry at least one expired one. (Old Photo looking a bit odd these days!)

How did the Thailand trip work out?