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

[DUNROAMIN]

6 hours ago, khwaibah said:

Bull shyt. Cost me 1200 baht.

You got coned, 60 B for ID. yellow book no cost.

[captpkapoor]

I bought my condo over 6 years ago but only finally got a yellow book recently. Painful process. Get your passport certified by your embassy; have it translated to Thai by an official translator; have it certified at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. If, as happened with me, in the meantime you get an annual extension of stay, you start te whole rigmarole again, as that page is very important. Appointment at my district office took over a month to get, and the hardest part was getting two Thai people to come and certify me, being a working day this took a lot of effort. Thais seemed to be very scared of where they are putting their signatures down, and for what, and all in all I spent 6000 baht in speed money and sweeteners (not including the official fees for translation, embassy certification, etc). 

From this year onward, at least in Bkk, they are levying a property tax, and if you don't have a yellow book, you're liable to pay it, even if self-occupied primary residence. having the yellow book will let us avoid this tax next year onward. 

We've now got an appointment to get our pink ID cards next week. That needs two Thai persons again! Sweeteners and speed money again. 

[Tracy79]

Hello everyone I really enjoyed this type of discussion.

[luckyluke]

Nongprue/Banglamung

 

2000 ThB for Yellow Book and Pink I.D. card, no documents needed other than my passport and wife Blue Book. 

No receipt. 

 

 Anecdote:

on my Pink ID card, despite taken barefoot, I am 2 cm taller, than when mesured in Belgium. 

 

[khwaibah]

I goy my YTB back in 2008 in Doi Saket which is just outside Chiang Mai. Back then the hatchet lady at the CNX office would not issue a YB to any foreigner. A very good friend(2008) in San Sai with just his wife her house book, his passport and marriage certificate visited their office and 30 minutes later walked out with his YB, no cost. I on the other hand just the amphora was mad to jump through hoops, witness, headman of the village, letter from immigration and a 6 week wait and yes they charged 1000 baht. I said no but the wife said yes. At that time many amphoras in Thailand would not issue a YB and quit a few charged and some still charge. In 2012 we sold up and moved to Kap Choeng Surin where I had my YB transferred to. My wife had her blue house book from Doing Saket transferred and a new ID card made on our new address for 100 baht, I also had a new YB made with our new address for 100 baht. The original YB was given back to me and on our next visit back to Chiang Mai the YB was given to the new owners of the house we sold. YB are address specific. In 2017 in Kap Choeng I got my PC. Took 4 days and 200 baht. I said no but the wife said yes. Times have changed and it does seem that gettin a YB and PC has been made easer BUT as we say TIT and what you do hear you can not do there. I have had the YB declined by  the DLT as proof of address and I have never had a reason to use either. I see a lot of the posters on the thread are what we jokingly refer to as knobs or newbies. Stick around and take notes it does get interesting. As for getting a YB I see no negative reason but in my experience at least the YB is paper and the PC is plastic..ever tried to wipe your <deleted> with plastic?????

Edited January 31, 2020 by khwaibah

[richard_smith237]

12 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

13 hours 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.

 

Agreed, at ‘some’ Amphur office the Yellow Tambien Baan application is quite a ‘campaign’ - but the information is out there to get all the documentation required and get it done correctly the first time. 

 

My Wife Visited the Amphur Office (to secure her Blue Tambien Baan book) and also received a printed list of the requirements for a Foreigner to secure a Yellow Tambien Baan book). 

The next step was the leg work in getting the required documents:

- Notarised Copy of Passport (from Embassy)

- Translation into Thai of Notarised Copy of Passport

- Verification by MFA of Translation into Thai of Notarised Copy of Passport

 

I find that when dealing with Thai’s in Amphur offices they seem to initially put up road blocks and act quite defensively, and request ‘more’ documentation than is actually required. I suspect they secretly wish its all too much hassle for us and we’ll just go away not to return. But once we have all the documentation required, they usually concede and things start to run a little more smoothly. It takes a little patience. 

 

 

 

 

[ivor bigun]

Got both very easily had not bothered for years ,just did it for the wife ,who"s lawyer mate kept on about how her husband had one and i should get one as well , 

just to keep the peace ,but my drivers licence i find is just as good for id .

PS

see how i got in that my wifes mate is a lawyer ,just so you all think i married a hi so????

 

Edited January 31, 2020 by ivor bigun

[richard_smith237]

10 minutes ago, ivor bigun said:

see how i got in that my wifes mate is a lawyer ,just so you all think i married a hi so????

 

She was clearly attracted to your ‘big un’ 

[ivor bigun]

5 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

She was clearly attracted to your ‘big un’ 

well it wasnt my money ,as her family have more than me.

[Andrew Dwyer]

1 minute ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Agreed, at ‘some’ Amphur office the Yellow Tambien Baan application is quite a ‘campaign’ - but the information is out there to get all the documentation required and get it done correctly the first time. 

 

My Wife Visited the Amphur Office (to secure her Blue Tambien Baan book) and also received a printed list of the requirements for a Foreigner to secure a Yellow Tambien Baan book). 

The next step was the leg work in getting the required documents:

- Notarised Copy of Passport (from Embassy)

- Translation into Thai of Notarised Copy of Passport

- Verification by MFA of Translation into Thai of Notarised Copy of Passport

 

I find that when dealing with Thai’s in Amphur offices they seem to initially put up road blocks and act quite defensively, and request ‘more’ documentation than is actually required. I suspect they secretly wish its all too much hassle for us and we’ll just go away not to return. But once we have all the documentation required, they usually concede and things start to run a little more smoothly. It takes a little patience. 

 

 

 

 

I totally agree Richard , armed with the required documents is the way to go and we did indeed visit the Amphur first to get this information unfortunately it wasn’t given out fully on this visit.

But, in my case the stumbling block was the headman there didn’t want to play ball and added new requirements after our return.

It appeared to me , from his body language, that this was something he wasn’t going to cooperate with and totally ignored my presence there.

This was confirmed by my gf afterwards , he had an open disliking of foreigners and asked my gf if i took drugs as in his words “ all foreigners are on some form of drugs “.

 

I realised afterwards that it would become stressful if i tried to pursue the matter and wrote it off as a bad experience caused by one person , the others at the Amphur were all very pleasant and receptive.

 

It is a shame as it left a bitter taste in my mouth and I would have liked the yellow book and pink card irrespective of their usefulness.

 

A new Tessabahn is almost completed just down the road, i will probably make enquires there when the time is right.

[Fairynuff]

15 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

but the information is out there to get all the documentation required and get it done correctly the first time. 

In theory I agree but we all know however well prepared we think we are, they’ll always ask for more. A perfect example of this my spouse and I going to CW. Our circumstances are identical, even our passports have consecutive numbers. We sit there at adjacent desks, all paperwork identical and in order. One of us has a difficult IO who requires a number of extra photocopies. Why? Simply because they can.

With the yellow book story, for me it could not have been easier on both occasions in different parts of the country and the staff were polite helpful and friendly. And yet for you and many others it’s been a bit difficult and for some poor souls it’s been an f'ing nightmare. The luck of the draw.

[richard_smith237]

Agreed on all the comments [Andrew Dwyer & Fairynuff] - it often comes down to the attitude of the Amphur Officer who on a whim can decided to make life difficult for you or not just because they can. 

 

Unfortunately, the issuance of the Yellow Tambien Baan is something we can only do at a specific Amphur Office. 

 

 

-----

 

My Wife and I encountered a particularly poisonous Amphur Officer 10 years ago when we got married. 

We are used to being treated more than favourably in almost every engagement we encounter in Thailand whether official or unofficial. 

 

On this particular occasion the Amphur officer was quite rude and must have taken a firm dislike to us straight away. 

She refused to marry us on a technicality: I'd answered one of the her questions slightly incorrectly and she said my Thai was not good enough and that I could be at the office under false pretences: During the interview process She’d asked when I came here, I answered 10 years ago, she [the Amphur Officer] wanted a specific date, I argued that her question was vague and my Thai was sufficient to understand what I was doing - no luck she outright refused to sign the marriage document. 

I called my close Thai friend (Col. in RTP), I wanted him to talk with the nasty little cow and ‘smooth things over’, while we were talking (on the phone) my friend overheard the Amphur Officer ranting in the background and told me to forget it, this woman was poison and was going to make the whole process a nightmare.

I demanded the Amphur officers name to make a formal complaint - she refused outright to give out her name.

I demanded her boss’ name and got it. We walked out, drove straight to Bang-rak and were legally married within  15mins of arrival. 

 

That evening after relaying the story my FiL was furious and got straight on the phone. 

An hour later I was called with an apology from the head officer of the Amphur Office - quite an incredible turn around, the officer even mentioned ‘firing’ of the junior officer who was rude !! I would have liked that, but instead asked that she is taught how to politely deal with people she is dealing with. 

 

 

[sandyf]

18 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

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

Like quite a few things in Thailand, what is available to one is not always available to all. When I heard about them going nationwide I went along to the local Amphur here in Chonburi and they said they didn't do them but would shortly as they had sent someone on a training course. Went back a few weeks later and picked up the 7th one they had issued, and like the yellow book which I got in 2010, all free of charge.

I believe the validity only applies to those under 60, there is no expiry date on mine.

[sandyf]

18 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

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

Nothing, if you are not asked. All I had to provide was a photo, they took copies of marriage certificate and passport.

[Andrew Dwyer]

1 minute ago, sandyf said:

Nothing, if you are not asked. 

Obviously ????

[sandyf]

36 minutes ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

Obviously ????

So obviously your question should have been phrased differently, why ask something that may not apply, better to ask if there was expense rather than "How much".

[jacko45k]

17 hours ago, DUNROAMIN said:

You got coned, 60 B for ID. yellow book no cost.

Oh dear, you are diminishing all the bragging rights of the thing!

[Andrew Dwyer]

55 minutes ago, sandyf said:

So obviously your question should have been phrased differently, why ask something that may not apply, better to ask if there was expense rather than "How much".

I was replying to a poster who stated, on post number 10, that he had already obtained a certified copy of his passport and a certified translation at MFA , rather than assuming he got these for free I asked “ how much “.

Clearly you haven’t read the thread in its entirety .

[Tracy79]

I totally agree with sandyf.

 

[sandyf]

17 hours ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

I was replying to a poster who stated, on post number 10, that he had already obtained a certified copy of his passport and a certified translation at MFA , rather than assuming he got these for free I asked “ how much “.

Clearly you haven’t read the thread in its entirety .

As I said you should be more careful in how you say things. You were not responding to Post No 10 but to post No 24.

[Andrew Dwyer]

8 minutes ago, sandyf said:

As I said you should be more careful in how you say things. You were not responding to Post No 10 but to post No 24.

So you didn’t read the thread then ?

Try to keep up to date.

[Mango Bob]

Mod can we close this now.  Some are getting out of hand and I got the information I needed.  Thank you.

[ubonjoe]

13 minutes ago, Mango Bob said:

Mod can we close this now.  Some are getting out of hand and I got the information I needed.  Thank you.

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