What are the Good and Bad Points of having a Yellow Book?

[Mango Bob]

What are the Good and Bad Points of having a Yellow Book?

[Swiss1960]

I am not aware of any bad point except the amount of time and hassle needed to get it.

 

Positive is it enables you to get your pink Thai ID card which I very often use as identification in many places and sometimes the yellow book is a replacement for immigration address certificates.

 

I have both btw

[fourpack]

I second the first response but will say my process of getting the house book was very easy. As usual depends on where you live.

But all positive from me.

[fishtank]

Easy to obtain and saves a bit of hassle when needing to supply ID.

[CharlieH]

As with many things in Thailand the process and requirements and subsequently the hassle and time or not, will vary greatly from province to province and area to area.

 

Got mine several years ago took 20 minutes. Cannot see and have not encountered anything negative about possessing one.

 

The "need" for one is entirely dependent on your personal circumstances and requirements.

 

 

 

[glegolo]

Yes agree to all the above posts, however my yellow tabien baan took like 6 months to finally get, because the head of the housebooks was enforcing a "charge" of 5.000 baht which I REFUSED big time to pay. He kept my readymade yellow book all this time, until I was sick of it and forced my wife to bring my brother in law, a thai, that is a headmaster of a school here, he came dressed in his most fancy uniform, and I got the book less then 3 minutes later. I thank the <deleted> for letting me wait 6 months and told him right out loud in the office there, that I NEVER would have paid him a <deleted> nor the 5.000 baht.... That <deleted> was sacked one month later and forced into retirement....

 

So for me I hve had good use of this yellow housebook in different circumstances, and also enabled me to get my pink Bat bah cha chon (ID card)...

 

glegolo

[Swiss1960]

8 hours ago, CharlieH said:

 

Got mine several years ago took 20 minutes. Cannot see and have not encountered anything negative about possessing one.

 

Mine took a month, maybe because I got it from the municipality and not the Amphoe..  

 

First visit with basic documents and learning about additional requirements,  i.e. need for 2 witnesses instead of one.. second visit with witnesses 3 days later  third visit a month later when the book came back from Bangkok (they said they had to send it there for cross-check).

 

They lady who took care of the process was friendly and seemed to know what she needed, but time it took.

.

[villerupt]

hi,

i've got the yellow book very easily in BKK (khet wangthonglang)

and last time I used it to renew my driving license instead of going to the consulate to get a residence-domiciliation certificate

 big saving time ...

 

[transam]

If you can get one, get one....????

[richard_smith237]

Bad Points: 

I can be a headache to get. This depends on your Amphur Office and what requirements they have. 

 

I needed a Certified Copy of my Passport (from the British Embassy), Translated in Thai, and that translation Certified at the MFA in Chaengwattana. 

I then had to wait for an appointment at the Local Amphur Office (about 1 month). 

Once at the Amphur Office the process took a whole morning (a lot of paper work for the Amphur Officer - not much other than signing for me). 

Pink Card processed at the same time, after I’d been issued the Yellow Tambien Baan Book, it took an extra 30mins. 

 

Good Points: 

Both the Yellow Book and Pink ID card a free.

I used the Yellow Book and Pink ID as proof of address to renew my Thai Driving Licence.

I carry around Government issued ID (*note below). 

Can be used to get Thai Price in a lot of places (usually the Thai DL works just as well in the same places, in some places that do not accept the Thai DL, the Pink ID card may make the difference). 

 

Realistically the Yellow Book and Pink ID card don’t offer much more than can’t be achieved through other means. That said, its useful as ID (the Pink ID card) and can be shown to BiB if asked, you may get treated more favourably as a ‘long termer’ who knows the game... 

 

 

*Thai law stipulates we must carry around government issued photo ID at all times, or be able to produce it within a reasonable timeframe. Usually for foreigners this is a passport (no one wants to carry around their passport). 

The Pink ID card is Govournment issued photo ID and fits this requirement, although Police may still try it on and ask for a Passport, that’s them just trying it on. Only immigration officers can ask for our Passport to prove Immigration status (and that we must be able to do within a reasonable timeframe). 

[Caveat - of course we can’t tell the Police what their laws are and what they don’t know !... mileage will also very as is typical in Thailand].

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Fairynuff]

16 hours ago, fourpack said:

I second the first response but will say my process of getting the house book was very easy. As usual depends on where you live.

But all positive from me.

Same for me, negligible cost in both time and money. No downside and both useful in lots of ways. A driving licence sometimes works too but not as often as yellow book and pink card.

[khwaibah]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

Both the Yellow Book and Pink ID card a free

Bull shyt. Cost me 1200 baht.

[Fairynuff]

@richard_smith237 such widely differing “rules” as to what’s needed. I needed almost nothing and neither took much time at all, though I did have to pay 60 baht for my card.

[Fairynuff]

4 minutes ago, khwaibah said:

Bull shyt. Cost me 1200 baht.

Each? YB was free, ID was 60thb

[khwaibah]

7 minutes ago, Fairynuff said:

Each? YB was free, ID was 60thb

YB was 1000 and PC was 200.

YB was Doi Saket and PC was Kap Choeng.

I agree with CharlieH.

 

 

Edited January 30, 2020 by khwaibah

[richard_smith237]

11 minutes ago, khwaibah said:

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

Both the Yellow Book and Pink ID card a free

Bull shyt. Cost me 1200 baht.

Bull shyt. Cost me nothing. 

 

See, I can be as thick-as-pig-sh!t too... 

 

Or you can pretend not to be dumb and recognise that each Amphur office applies the rules and regulations differently. That said, the Yellow Book is universally free (and the Blue Tambien Baan free for Thai’s).

 

If you paid for it, they saw you coming, you must look highly gullible. 

That said, many report paying a nominal fee for their Pink ID card. 

 

Khwaibah - do also get ripped off everywhere else you go?

[boonchu]

I got mine at Khet Ladprao  Yellow book free, pink card 20 bt. 

[dsj]

I got mine at the Amphur on Thong-lo and it didn't take that long, they also noticed that there was a spelling name mistake on daughters birth ceertificate, so they corrected and gave me a new laminated birth certificate. Also it didn't cost me anything.

[LOS1]

1 hour ago, Fairynuff said:

Each? YB was free, ID was 60thb

Same for me at Udon Thani. 

[Jaxxper]

Only had yellow book and pink ID card a few months, but have found the card useful for hotel checking and discounts at some places.

Took about 6 weeks to get but no downsides that I can see.

[ThailandRyan]

Udon Thani, Yellow Book FREE, Pink Card 30 Baht, took me 1 week as the paperwork at the time needed to go to Bangkok for review.

[richard_smith237]

 

3 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Udon Thani, Yellow Book FREE, Pink Card 30 Baht, took me 1 week as the paperwork at the time needed to go to Bangkok for review.

 

Bull shyt. Cost Khwaibah 1200 baht !!! ????

 

3 hours ago, khwaibah said:

4 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Both the Yellow Book and Pink ID card a free

Bull shyt. Cost me 1200 baht.

[ThailandRyan]

9 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

 

Bull shyt. Cost Khwaibah 1200 baht !!! ????

 

Just goes to show you, all is different.  I have had mine for almost 10 years. Pink Card expires this July.

Edited January 30, 2020 by ThailandRyan

[richard_smith237]

12 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

22 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Bull shyt. Cost Khwaibah 1200 baht !!! ????

 

Just goes to show you, all is different.  I have had mine for almost 10 years. Pink Card expires this July.

 

I was taking the pish out of Khwaibah who paid 1200 baht for his called BS on my comments that my Yellow Book and Pink ID card were free (I got them this week) - he obviously struggles to understand that someone experiences are different, so they had to be lying !

 

I think he’s [Khwaibah] the only one so far who has paid for his Yellow Book, everyone else seems to have paid a tiny amount for their Pink ID card (20-60 baht), it may be that they just forgot to charge me for mine this week. 

 

Personally, I have no issues paying a nominal amount for either - its the extortionate amount for the Affirmation of Residency letter from my Embassy that I object to and was the main drive in me getting the Yellow Tambien Baan Book and Pink ID. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 30, 2020 by richard_smith237

[Andrew Dwyer]

33 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

I was taking the pish out of Khwaibah who paid 1200 baht for his called BS on my comments that my Yellow Book and Pink ID card were free (I got them this week) - he obviously struggles to understand that someone experiences are different, so they had to be lying !

 

I think he’s [Khwaibah] the only one so far who has paid for his Yellow Book, everyone else seems to have paid a tiny amount for their Pink ID card (20-60 baht), it may be that they just forgot to charge me for mine this week. 

 

Personally, I have no issues paying a nominal amount for either - its the extortionate amount for the Affirmation of Residency letter from my Embassy that I object to and was the main drive in me getting the Yellow Tambien Baan Book and Pink ID. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, but how much was your Embassy certified copy and translation at MFA ?

[Susco]

53 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Pink Card expires this July.

 

 

Pink card has a validity of 10 years. I don't think there was a pink card already 10 years ago.

Edited January 30, 2020 by Susco

[ThailandRyan]

3 minutes ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Yes, but how much was your Embassy certified copy and translation at MFA ?

Back when I did it I just gave them the copy in English and a certified and notarized translated copy of my passport ID page, and the VISA Sticker and Extension of stay.  Translated in Udon Thani at Prachoom Wittaya School for 200 baht who then sent it off to the MFA for 120 baht.  That took a week, then of course the other week for the whole package to go to Bangkok.  So a grand total of 350 baht.  I know because I still have all the receipts, I keep a paper trail, can never trust government officials.  No Embassy certified copy needed.

[richard_smith237]

16 minutes ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Yes, but how much was your Embassy certified copy and translation at MFA ?

 

Embassy Certified Copy of Passport: 2400 baht *(about, can’t remember exactly)

Translation and MFA verification: 800 baht (including postage fees - 2 days)

 

So its still more cost effective than 2x Affirmation of Residence letter from the Embassy: 2600 each (I needed two as photocopy’s not accepted). *(again, about, as I can’t remember exactly)

 

I can reuse the Yellow Book / Pink ID over the coming years, when I want a new car, motorcycle etc.. 

In the past 5 years I’ve needed the Affirmation of Residence Letter 4 times I think. 

 

There’s definitely a cost and convenience saving with the getting the Yellow Tambien Baan and Pink ID. 

But it is a pain in the backside having to get the paperwork done etc and involves a bit of leg work and having to jump through bureaucratic hoops, but once done that is.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 30, 2020 by richard_smith237

[ThailandRyan]

14 minutes ago, Susco said:

 

 

Pink card has a validity of 10 years. I don't think there was a pink card already 10 years ago.

Issued 26 July 2553 Expires 25 July 2563, clearly imprinted on the bottom left below my photo. I obtained mine as well as the yellow tabien ban after I married my wife, who I am now divorced from, and who is the daughter of the Phu Yai for Nong Saeng.  He is the one who set the wheels in motion for me.  The house is now in my daughters name.

 

In 2016 with the need to ensure registration of all migrant workers it went nation wide.  The program actually started in 2551.

 

https://www.isaanlawyers.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Regulation-of-Pink-Card.pdf

Edited January 30, 2020 by ThailandRyan

[Andrew Dwyer]

1 minute ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Embassy Certified Copy of Passport: 2400 baht. 

Translation and MFA verification: 800 baht

 

Affirmation of Residence letter from Embassy: 2600 each (I needed two as photocopy’s not accepted).

 

I can reuse the Yellow Book / Pink ID over the coming years, when I want a new car, motorcycle etc.. 

In the past 5 years I’ve needed the Affirmation of Residence Letter 4 times I think. 

 

There’s definitely a cost and convenience saving with the getting the Yellow Tambien Baan and Pink ID. 

But it is a pain in the backside having to get the paperwork done etc and involves a bit of leg work and having to jump through bureaucratic hoops, but once done that is.

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, the reason I asked was my yellow book “ campaign “ was a farce.

 

Went to Amphur ( where gf’s blue book was issued ) told by the lady there that would need a certified copy of my passport from British Embassy then translated at MFA.

Got the copy and while at MFA my gf had to call the Amphur ( don’t remember why ) , the lady then said I needed a translation of my birth certificate also !!

Luckily I had an original birth certificate with me and the Amphur would accept a translation only ( no certified copy ).

 

Back to Amphur to have a meeting with headman there, he studied the documents with a stoney face and said “ I now need a certified copy and MFA translation of your decree nisi !!

Not wanting another trip to BKK and the expense that goes with it I gathered my docs said “ kop khun khrap “ and left .

 

He is probably still waiting for my return 2 1/2 years later ????

 

My Immigration Office gives me residence certificates on the spot and free so I don’t miss YB or pink card.

 

I think I paid 1015 baht at the Embassy and 450 ( ish ) at MFA including postage.