strange pink card experience

[drbeach]

3 minutes ago, jackdd said:

Why do you think that Burmese who come to Thailand for work have a pink id card?

I'm quite sure that the majority of them doesn't have it.

Most do and they are easily available to them.

 

I know that quite a few expats of other countries can get them, but I don't understand why they aren't issued to everyone as a matter of course like other nations do. I understand the whole travel restriction thing, but an ID card, as is issued to these alien workers should be issued to everyone. There's no reason not to.

[Myran]

5 minutes ago, drbeach said:

That's just stupid. In other countries all foreigners get such an ID card and nobody laughs at them. These Thai people at dinner have something wrong with them.

 

And besides, what's wrong with Burmese laborers? Why should westerners be considered "better" than them to warrant such a bizarre and baseless reaction?

Your answer reveals much more prejudice than what you incorrectly managed to find in my original post.

 

"These Thai people at dinner have something wrong with them". Nope, wonderful and smart people who I respect very much.

 

"And besides, what's wrong with Burmese laborers?" No idea, I sure didn't say there were anything wrong with them. My Thai friends laughed because these cards aren't anything special; even poor, Burmese immigrants can get them. It was funny because he thought this card was somehow special and equal to a normal Thai ID card.

 

"Why should westerners be considered "better" than them to warrant such a bizarre and baseless reaction?" – Again, no idea. What are you basing your own bizarre and baseless reactions on? Maybe you should deal with your obvious prejudice against Thai people before hurling insults around.

[jackdd]

21 minutes ago, drbeach said:

Also, an ID card like the pink one is similar to what many other countries automatically give ALL foreigners not just a select group. Philippines and Korea are two such countries. An ID card is definitely much easier to carry around than a passport. I also don't like people constantly asking for my passport, but I wouldn't have a problem if they asked for my ID.

Without having this looked up now, i suspect you only get this card in Korea or the Philippines if you are a resident there, right?

If you are a resident in Thailand you will also get an "Alien registration book" (of course not as neat as a plastic card) to identify yourself, no need for your passport anymore

[luckyluke]

I have one, my wife is happy I have one. I am happy she is happy. 

I don't use it, but that's a side-issue. 

[vibration]

I used mine to open a Goverment Savings Bank Account without any problems and also to buy Government Savings Bank Lottery Tickets for 50THB per ticket. I have also used mine to check in for domestic flights.

[wozza]

I thought I would try this checking in with Air Asia, said they had to see my passport as ID as the pink card had my name in Thai script and my ticket was in English , fair cop i thought,

 

[scorecard]

10 minutes ago, wozza said:

I thought I would try this checking in with Air Asia, said they had to see my passport as ID as the pink card had my name in Thai script and my ticket was in English , fair cop i thought,

 

 

Nice point and at the same time ironic, i've noticed many times, at the boarding gate:

 

- The name on the boarding pass and the ID supplied is cursory at best and often enough no check at all.

 

 - The airline staff often never check that the face of actual live person is the same as the photo on whatever ID offered. 

 

 

[NanLaew]

5 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

It says in Thai that I must not leave the district(!) without permission

Who's doing your translating? It says it's only valid within the province of issue.

[jackdd]

49 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

Who's doing your translating? It says it's only valid within the province of issue.

Can you post a picture of yours? The pictures of cards which i find on Google say you may not leave the area of the authority which issued the card (afaik it's issued by the amphoe office, so you may not leave the amphoe)

But there are two versions, one version says "unless you have a permit", the other (probably newer) version says "unless you have a passport or a permit".

[sumrit]

2 hours ago, drbeach said:

OK that is good to know. Having said that Thais never need to prove their nationality when they go to a national park in order to avail themselves of the Thai price. i guess you are referring to checking into hotels (can be done with a driver's license too), making transactions and anywhere that ID is requested but a passport and visa not expressly required

You can't use a Thai Driving Licence to open a bank account, register a sim card renew a driving licence or (if you include a yellow book) prove your address when extending your stay with Immigration and buy a car/motorcycle to same just a few of many examples.

 

Foreigners don't need to prove their Nationality either. The Pink ID Card and yellow Tabien Baan are a more convenient option when needing to prove Identification and Official Residence.

 

When going to National Parks a lot (but not all) will give the Thai price on production of a pink ID card. Personally I've only been refused once, at the sea world centre in Bang Saen, Chonburi. Getting the Thai price very rarely happens when showing a TDL. But non Thais who look Thai (almost) always get in for the Thai price because they're never asked for ID.

 

Fewer and fewer hotels are accepting TDL's when checking in these days but, up till now, my ID card has always been accepted. That could change in the future though.

[Neeranam]

7 hours ago, worgeordie said:

Anyone use the Pink ID card to exchange notes at Bank or Money exchanges,

or do they insist on the passport ?

regards worgeordie 

Most people have passports, or bank accounts.

[Neeranam]

5 hours ago, drbeach said:

Also, there are definitely no African migrant workers in Thailand and they are treated the same as westerners.

They most definitely  are not

[Neeranam]

6 hours ago, scorecard said:

In Bkk I know a Thai lawyer who is very knowledgeable about such matters, he has checked with the ministry involved who say the wording on the back is absolutely standard for all pink cards.  He's also mentioned that the ministry knows that the pink card currently used for foreigners needs to be revised on several points.

I've seen pink cards where it has in English, non thai I'd card and states the persons nationality, only for LAO BURMESE

[dayo202]

if you have a pink ID card and a yellow book, should be no reason to file a TM30. ???? I wish

[worgeordie]

2 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Most people have passports, or bank accounts.

Even both,but that did not answer my question,others did,so now I know

regards Worgeordie

[hkt83100]

16 hours ago, worgeordie said:

Anyone use the Pink ID card to exchange notes at Bank or Money exchanges,

or do they insist on the passport ?

regards worgeordie 

I always use my Thai driving license. It probably is of much more use than the pink ID. (which I didn't bother to get)

[Peterw42]

15 hours ago, scorecard said:

Not sure about that, many TV members have shared they have used the card as an ID at airline check-in and/or at the boarding gate.

 

Here in CM I'm aware of 3 TV members who produced the card at check-in and it wasn't accepted and after some discussion an airline supervisor appeared and explained that the pink card could not be accepted because it says clearly, on the back, that the holder is not allowed to move more than 35 (that number needs checking) kilometers away from the place of issue.

 

The airline supervisor also said that knowing the card holder was about to travel a lot further than the 35? K mentioned on the card the airline was concerned that it might be accused by the authorities of accepting something which is not appropriate as an ID for longer distance travel.  

 

It seems that this explanation has been given several times. 

 

Some TV members have said the back of their pink card doesn't say anything about travel being restricted to a specific number of kilometers away from the place of issue. I have PR and I have a pink card (issued at the main amphur office for muang Chiang Mai).  and it does mention that the holder cannot travel more than 35? away from the place of issue.

 

In Bkk I know a Thai lawyer who is very knowledgeable about such matters, he has checked with the ministry involved who say the wording on the back is absolutely standard for all pink cards.  He's also mentioned that the ministry knows that the pink card currently used for foreigners needs to be revised on several points.

 

 

Airlines usually dont accept Pink ID because its your name in Thai script and the booking is in English script, so its not a valid ID. The rest gets added to the story by expats as why they think they couldn't use the pink ID.

Same as operating a bank account, the account name is in english if the account is opened with a passport so an ID with name in Thai is not valid.

[legend49]

19 hours ago, elviajero said:

They were correct about the history of the ID card, but the rest just sounds like personal bigotry.

 

There is little advantage to having an ID card, but there is no downside.

Advantage?  I am gay I have a pink card.

[Peterw42]

20 hours ago, soalbundy said:

I was with the missus at the Amphoer yesterday so by chance I asked about the pink card ID. The head of the Amphoer (blad) told me it is better not to have one, apparently foreigners are divided into 5 classes, falang have the highest class 5, the rest are for Cambodian, Burmese and other migrant workers from either Asia or Africa which is why the ID cards were made in the first place. I would fall down a class if issued with a pink ID and all the info on their files would have to be migrated to this class, they weren't meant for falangs who live here she said as they are already registered. When I mentioned that it would seem that a lot of falang have them she just shrugged and said it isn't really meant for them and serves no purpose.

Do you realise that Foreigners with PR (Permanent Resident) also get issued with the same Pink ID, maybe you could step up a class.

 

The classes that you refer to are as follows, they are to do with the Thai ID number you get when you get a yellow book and Pink ID. Without a Pink ID you dont have any Thai ID number, with a pink ID you will have one of the following.

 

[soalbundy]

19 hours ago, elviajero said:

They were correct about the history of the ID card, but the rest just sounds like personal bigotry.

 

There is little advantage to having an ID card, but there is no downside.

I don't have an opinion one way or the other about the pink ID but since we were at the Amphoer anyway I decided to ask about it and get one, After speaking with the boss there I decided not to, it's just something else to lose. Perhaps they will bring out an ID especially for expats in the future, probably with 'visa extension until...' on it meaning, get a new one each year.

[Peterw42]

Here is why a Pink ID cannot be used for domestic check-in, Notice the red script from nok air booking site.

 

Name must be filled in English characters and be sure to match the documents you are holding.

 

Pink ID is name in Thai script so does not match the booking.

Nothing to do with the statement on the back of the pink ID about travel restrictions for migrant workers.

 

 

 

[Rawairat]

Thai friend called it a refugee card!!

[jackdd]

23 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

Do you realise that Foreigners with PR (Permanent Resident) also get issued with the same Pink ID, maybe you could step up a class.

A PR can get this pink id card, but he doesn't have to.

 

23 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

The classes that you refer to are as follows, they are to do with the Thai ID number you get when you get a yellow book and Pink ID. Without a Pink ID you dont have any Thai ID number, with a pink ID you will have one of the following.

The Thai ID number comes with the yellow house book, no pink ID card required.

[Peterw42]

4 minutes ago, jackdd said:

A PR can get this pink id card, but he doesn't have to.

 

The Thai ID number comes with the yellow house book, no pink ID card required.

Yes a PR doesnt need to get the card or can throw it away. The point was, a pink ID does not mean a change in status to a stateless refugee as the OP said. A Thai ID that starts with number 6 is any foreigner living temporarily in Thailand. That may include stateless, refugees, illegals etc, but does not make you one of those groups.

 

Yes, as I said the Thai ID number comes from when you get a yellow book.

[maybefitz]

The pink card is very useful signing in to a Government Hospital, It photocopies easily into their automated document system.

[jackdd]

39 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

as I said the Thai ID number comes from when you get a yellow book

Actually that's not what you said. You said:

1 hour ago, Peterw42 said:

Without a Pink ID you dont have any Thai ID number, with a pink ID you will have one of the following.

 

[Boon Mee]

Bottom line is that it's better to have the Pink Card than not. 

[Peterw42]

14 minutes ago, jackdd said:

Actually that's not what you said. You said:

 

Maybe include the sentence prior to that one, instead of selectively quoting.

 

1 hour ago, Peterw42 said:

Thai ID number you get when you get a yellow book and Pink ID.

 

Most people are aware that the ID number comes from the yellow book and is repeated on the Pink ID. So any reference to a pink ID is including the yellow book that it came from.

You are just being pedantic for no reason

[crazykopite]

21 hours ago, elviajero said:

They were correct about the history of the ID card, but the rest just sounds like personal bigotry.

 

There is little advantage to having an ID card, but there is no downside.

If I wish to buy a vehicle I can go direct to the dealer show my pink ID card no need to go to immigration and wait a few hours to get confirmation of address letter that costs 500baht also when I am renewing my drivers licence.  I also get discount on the island ferries and and pay the Thai price at my dentist and Government hospital so I have to disagree with your remark of it being of little disadvantage . I have found my Pink card to have been of great advantage I use it as my ID no need to be carrying my passport around .

[sumrit]

56 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

Most people are aware that the ID number comes from the yellow book and is repeated on the Pink ID. So any reference to a pink ID is including the yellow book that it came from.

When renewing a Thai Driving licence, if you use the yellow book instead of a residence certificate from immigration for proof of residence and the pink ID card instead of your passport for ID purposes your Thai ID number will be also be printed on your licence instead of your passport number.