Yellow Book

[StevieAus]

16 hours ago, Issannative said:

It makes it easier for getting driving licence ect that needs proof of residence, rather than going to imm every time for a proof of res letter.

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That may be the case where you live but in Chiang Mai Province if you use the Yellow House Book and or the Pink ID card they will only issue the license for two years.

I renewed my recently and had to obtain the certificate from Immigration.

Strangely enough as they did last time the license was issued for six years, yet they will accept the above documents for registering a new car in lieu of the Immigration certificate.

I decided years ago to go with the flow and avoid the stress as you will never win.

[StevieAus]

16 hours ago, Issannative said:

Ya if you have a UK licence, then they will give you a Thai one, no practical or theory test. Just sit the vid. Bus as me and the misses were told at the local driving tambian only for UK no others.

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It doesn’t only apply to UK licenses I got mine with an Australian licence both car and motorbike as have several of of my Aus expat friends with none of the tests you refer to.

Although I have never checked I understand that it also applies to other countries as well.

[Vacuum]

7 minutes ago, StevieAus said:

That may be the case where you live but in Chiang Mai Province if you use the Yellow House Book and or the Pink ID card they will only issue the license for two years.

Hogwash!

[hereforgood]

1 hour ago, beddhist said:

We did the rounds of all bank branches here and they all agree on one thing: no account without yellow book.

just another case of different places making up different rules. I am in Pattaya and have opened a BB Account and a Kbank account no issues and never was a yellow book mentioned

[Issannative]

It doesn’t only apply to UK licenses I got mine with an Australian licence both car and motorbike as have several of of my Aus expat friends with none of the tests you refer to.
Although I have never checked I understand that it also applies to other countries as well.

Yep you prob right just quoting what the head of the driving center said to us

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[StevieAus]

If that’s what they require I think you will find there is no alternative as each office sets it’s own requirements.

I went through the process with my local office a few years ago, they wanted my Aus passport, our Aus marriage certificate and my birth certificate translated, stamped by the Aus Embassy and I think the Thai Dept of Foreigh Affairs or whoever.

Because we live in the North I got some agency to arrange it all as it would have required a trip to Bangkok and an overnight stay.

When after visiting the local District Office on a number of occasions we finally lodged the documents and included a not too thick brown envelope.

The woman we had dealt with and whom I found rather difficult suddenly became a good friend and like a fairy waving a magic wand everything was fixed.

 

[PGThompson1]

40 minutes ago, StevieAus said:

That may be the case where you live but in Chiang Mai Province if you use the Yellow House Book and or the Pink ID card they will only issue the license for two years.

I renewed my recently and had to obtain the certificate from Immigration.

Strangely enough as they did last time the license was issued for six years, yet they will accept the above documents for registering a new car in lieu of the Immigration certificate.

I decided years ago to go with the flow and avoid the stress as you will never win.

Rubbish, I just renewed my licence from Chiang Mai using my yellow book and got 5 years, same as before.

[sumrit]

29 minutes ago, hereforgood said:

just another case of different places making up different rules. I am in Pattaya and have opened a BB Account and a Kbank account no issues and never was a yellow book mentioned

Of course you have, its not vital you have a yellow book and pink ID card but it's much quicker, easier and efficient to open a bank account if you do have and use them.

[StevieAus]

22 minutes ago, Vacuum said:

Hogwash!

I will excuse your lack of vocabulary as it probably sums up your mentality.

In early February this year I renewed both my licences at the Fang, Chiang Mai Province DLT and what I stated in my post was what occurred.

My Thai wife who is also fully conversant in English was with me so there was no break down in communication or translation.

Two weeks ago we visited the Chiang Mai DLT Head Office with a Expat friend to assist in transferring a car bought in Chiang Rai Province.

While we were there I asked my wife to check on what had happened at the Fang Office as it did not make sense.

The person confirmed that if you use the yellow book/ pink ID card they will now only issue the licence for two years.

Whether you believe or accept this position I do not really care.

Alternatively you could visit the office and ask them yourself

[StevieAus]

19 minutes ago, PGThompson1 said:

Rubbish, I just renewed my licence from Chiang Mai using my yellow book and got 5 years, same as before.

It is not rubbish see my post below in response to Vacuum

But it If makes you feel happy and as I would hate to mislead people on this site, I will amend the first line of my original post.

” At the Fang DLT office in the part of Chiang Mai Province where I live..............”

Edited June 15, 2019 by StevieAus
To add further clarification

[sumrit]

1 hour ago, StevieAus said:

That may be the case where you live but in Chiang Mai Province if you use the Yellow House Book and or the Pink ID card they will only issue the license for two years.

I renewed my recently and had to obtain the certificate from Immigration.

Strangely enough as they did last time the license was issued for six years, yet they will accept the above documents for registering a new car in lieu of the Immigration certificate.

I decided years ago to go with the flow and avoid the stress as you will never win.

What type of permission of stay were you using when you recently renewed your DL and what document were you using for ID?

 

[asiaexpat]

18 hours ago, Issannative said:

Ya if you have a UK licence, then they will give you a Thai one, no practical or theory test. Just sit the vid. Bus as me and the misses were told at the local driving tambian only for UK no others.

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Told totally wrong! I have used USA license and Korean license over the years to get Thai DL. Yellow Tabien Baan is accepted in place of embassy document.

[Suradit69]

On June 14, 2019 at 11:13 PM, apetryxx said:

must go to the US Embassy and have them make a “certified copy” of my passport. My passport is already a certified document in its own right so all they would have to do is walk over to the co

Since the US Embassy offers specifically to certify  copies of one's US passport, apparently they consider the service a common requirement.

 

Obviously you can't give the Thai office personnel your passport to keep so they want to have a certified copy n file.

 

i agree it's painful to hand over $50  for the 30 seconds someone spends putting a raised seal on a piece of paper, but the embassy pretty much has no competition in this area. so they have pricing power.

 

When it comes to making simple tasks both expensive and unnecessarily inconvenient, at times the US embassy can compete with Thai government officials impressively.

 

 

 

 

Edited June 15, 2019 by Suradit69

[Vacuum]

13 hours ago, StevieAus said:

In early February this year I renewed both my licences at the Fang

Ok, I missed that part. In Chiang Mai you get the five yerar DL by showing a yellow book. Again I missed that you did it in Fang, my bad.

[sumrit]

On 6/15/2019 at 12:58 AM, Issannative said:

Ya if you have a UK licence, then they will give you a Thai one, no practical or theory test. Just sit the vid. Bus as me and the misses were told at the local driving tambian only for UK no others.

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Not true, your licence must either be written in English or have a certified English translation to get a Thai licence without having to pass the Thai theory and practical tests.

My mate just had to get his Swedish licence translated into English to get his Thai licence without doing any theory/practical tests........... apart from the eyesight/reaction/perception tests of course,

[Andrew Dwyer]

Not true, your licence must either be written in English or have a certified English translation to get a Thai licence without having to pass the Thai theory and practical tests.
My mate just had to get his Swedish licence translated into English to get his Thai licence without doing any theory/practical tests........... apart from the eyesight/reaction/perception tests of course,

Obtaining an IDP ( International Drivers Permit ) in your home country is a cheap and easy alternative to translation.

[featography]

On ‎6‎/‎15‎/‎2019 at 12:49 AM, Issannative said:

It makes it easier for getting driving licence ect that needs proof of residence, rather than going to imm every time for a proof of res letter.

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It also pays for itself when a copy of the yellow book is presented to venues that double price. Every time I use it I pay the same entrance fee as Thai, with only 1 exception, Doi Inthinon who wont accept any proof that we live here. 

[ThaiFelix]

On 6/15/2019 at 12:49 AM, Issannative said:

It makes it easier for getting driving licence ect that needs proof of residence, rather than going to imm every time for a proof of res letter.

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That may depend on what driving centre (DLT?) you attend.  Whenever I have made inquiries I have been told the yellow book is not acceptable.  Seems a waste of time to me.

[ThaiFelix]

17 hours ago, StevieAus said:

It doesn’t only apply to UK licenses I got mine with an Australian licence both car and motorbike as have several of of my Aus expat friends with none of the tests you refer to.

Although I have never checked I understand that it also applies to other countries as well.

Yes ditto for me too with an Aussie drivers license and also no tests but the officer did whisper to me that he usually told the Brits they were the only ones because they think they are special!

[Robin]

I went through all the process of getting a Yellow Book 2 years ago, as local immigration office said I should get one.  Since then I have tried to show this book at entry to Thailand, visa extensions, 90 day reporting... and nobody has ever been interested.  Complete waste of time, effort, and money, in my opinion.

I was given a Thai driving licence after attending 2 day's instruction at local centre, but no written or practical test as they did not have the English version.  I explained the various 'groups'(car and m/c)  on my UK licence and was given the equivalent for Thailand.  Seems that no test needed, nor any need for Yellow book.

[Tanoshi]

4 minutes ago, Robin said:

went through all the process of getting a Yellow Book 2 years ago, as local immigration office said I should get one.  Since then I have tried to show this book at entry to Thailand, visa extensions, 90 day reporting... and nobody has ever been interested.  Complete waste of time, effort, and money, in my opinion.

For Immigration purposes your Passport is your International ID.

The yellow TB and ID card is purely restricted for use in Thailand.

 

6 minutes ago, Robin said:

I was given a Thai driving licence after attending 2 day's instruction at local centre, but no written or practical test as they did not have the English version.  I explained the various 'groups'(car and m/c)  on my UK licence and was given the equivalent for Thailand.  Seems that no test needed, nor any need for Yellow book.

The TB and ID card can be used within Thailand as proof of address and ID in exactly the same manner as Thais use theirs. Purchase/Sell vehicles, Open bank accounts, Driving licences etc.

That's the whole idea of registration.

The fact some Thais are not aware of the purpose of this ID, is another matter.

[jonclark]

If you plan to make Thailand you home and are putting down roots, it pays to have as many documents that prove and link you to your house. If you wish to apply for citizenship for example then you need to have a yellow book for 5 years prior to the application. Likewise for PR having a yellow book, while not a requirement, it will show that you have put down roots, especially if you have a family who are on the blue book at the same address it will help your application.

 

I have used my pink ID card for getting on domestic flights, hotels check ins (that one surprised me too!), Hospitals, and basically anywhere when ID has been required including National Parks, Zoos etc. 

 

 

[sumrit]

48 minutes ago, jonclark said:

I have used my pink ID card for hotels check ins (that one surprised me too!),

I always use my pink ID card when checking into hotels. As far as I'm aware, by not using your passport, you're not added to the TM30 report then.

[bluesofa]

2 minutes ago, sumrit said:

I always use my pink ID card when checking into hotels. As far as I'm aware, by not using your passport, you're not added to the TM30 report then.

That's an interesting point.

Has anyone been refused their pink ID when checking in, and the hotel insisting on a passport instead?

[Tanoshi]

24 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

That's an interesting point.

Has anyone been refused their pink ID when checking in, and the hotel insisting on a passport instead?

In Bangkok, yes, always insist on Passport.

Outside of Bangkok some have never asked for any ID whatsoever.

 

Depending on the check in person, I've also had Air Asia refuse Thai ID card and insist on Passport.

The reason being booked in English and Thai ID card only has name in Thai.

[sumrit]

8 minutes ago, Tanoshi said:

In Bangkok, yes, always insist on Passport.

Outside of Bangkok some have never asked for any ID whatsoever.

Since I've had a pink ID card I've stayed in various hotels (10+) all over Thailand, but only once in Bangkok. I never carry my passport but every hotel always asks for it initially. I simply say I haven't got it with me and offer my ID card instead. It's never been refused, or even questioned.

 

I've never tried flying domestically using my ID card so can't comment on any Airport restrictions.

[Tanoshi]

2 minutes ago, sumrit said:

Since I've had a pink ID card I've stayed in various hotels (10+) all over Thailand, but only once in Bangkok. I never carry my passport but every hotel always asks for it initially. I simply say I haven't got it with me and offer my ID card instead. It's never been refused, or even questioned.

The hotel can't submit a TM30 without Passport details, so it's a risk they take.

If it looks and talks like a foreigner, it usually is a foreigner.

They could face a fine of up to 10,000BHt if caught not complying.

Alternatively they could refuse your stay, but never known a Thai to turn money down.  ????

[Neeranam]

On 6/15/2019 at 12:49 AM, Issannative said:

It makes it easier for getting driving licence ect that needs proof of residence, rather than going to imm every time for a proof of res letter.

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Going to immigration ever 6 years is a problem for some.

The yellow book is needed if you go for citizenship, otherwise forget it.

[sumrit]

3 hours ago, Tanoshi said:

The hotel can't submit a TM30 without Passport details,

And that's why I originally said in post 53 that I always use  my ID card instead of my passport.

[sumrit]

17 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Going to immigration ever 6 years is a problem for some.

The yellow book is needed if you go for citizenship, otherwise forget it.

Also needed to get a pink ID card.