Foreigners Avoid Condo Property Tax With Yellow House Book

[Banana7]

I just received a yellow house book for my condo in Pattaya. It was a 3 week struggle but on the 4th visit, I obtained the yellow book and a pink ID card. Went to pay the property tax on the condo, 46 baht after a 90% discount for 2021. This year the billed amount had to be paid. However, next year no property tax since now the yellow book is registered in the property tax department at Pattaya City Hall.

 

I highly recommend all foreigners who own a condo, obtain a yellow book.  Property taxes in Pattaya went up 12% from 2020 to 2021. Property discounts can disappear overnight. If the discounts disappear and the taxes keep going up above 10% per year or more, you'll soon have recovered all of your costs and pain obtaining a yellow house book.

 

 

[scubascuba3]

Not sure the yellow book is essential to get the primary property discount

[Banana7]

21 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Not sure the yellow book is essential to get the primary property discount

How else could the primary property waiver be obtained?

[scubascuba3]

Just now, Banana7 said:

How else could the primary property waiver be obtained?

chanote and passport taken to city hall

[Peterw42]

14 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

chanote and passport taken to city hall

That may work but the whole idea is proving you live in it, ie: name in yellow book.

Otherwise how would they know you are not renting it out and full tax is payable

 

[arick]

You can only get a yellow book if your married to a Thai. I havnt been sent any tax request for my Condos. But Thais have been sent a tax bill. When I  enquired I was told only Thais pay the tax. Yellow book and pink ID card means nothing chanote does. I havent has a Pink card since I went to Heaven and GAY Pride in Vuaxhall in the 90s 

[scubascuba3]

See Other

[rhodie]

43 minutes ago, arick said:

You can only get a yellow book if your married to a Thai.

I think you may find this is wrong. You don't even have to own a property to be in a yellow book, let alone be married to a Thai.

[Antonymous]

1 hour ago, arick said:

You can only get a yellow book if your married to a Thai. I havnt been sent any tax request for my Condos. But Thais have been sent a tax bill. When I  enquired I was told only Thais pay the tax. Yellow book and pink ID card means nothing chanote does. I havent has a Pink card since I went to Heaven and GAY Pride in Vuaxhall in the 90s 

 

Yes, this is definitely the rule applied in some amphur offices, but not all.

 

The actual rule book (that should cover nationally) does not state that you have to be married to a Thai (and legally registered), but nevertheless, some amphurs will still refuse.

[TigerandDog]

3 hours ago, arick said:

You can only get a yellow book if your married to a Thai. I havnt been sent any tax request for my Condos. But Thais have been sent a tax bill. When I  enquired I was told only Thais pay the tax. Yellow book and pink ID card means nothing chanote does. I havent has a Pink card since I went to Heaven and GAY Pride in Vuaxhall in the 90s 

Your opening statement with regards to a yellow book is WRONG. I have one and I'm NOT married to a Thai.

[TigerandDog]

1 hour ago, Antonymous said:

 

Yes, this is definitely the rule applied in some amphur offices, but not all.

 

The actual rule book (that should cover nationally) does not state that you have to be married to a Thai (and legally registered), but nevertheless, some amphurs will still refuse.

and if they do refuse there is a process to report those Amphurs and they will be directed to issue the yellow book. It is illegal for them to refuse to issue one.

[topt]

17 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

chanote and passport taken to city hall

 

17 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

That may work but the whole idea is proving you live in it, ie: name in yellow book.

Otherwise how would they know you are not renting it out and full tax is payable

 

There were several long threads on this started last year and from memory for Banglamung the answer seemed to be that you needed a yellow book if foreigner - chanote and passport were not enough. Unfortunately cannot find the topics when I searched quickly. 

[topt]

34 minutes ago, topt said:

 

There were several long threads on this started last year and from memory for Banglamung the answer seemed to be that you needed a yellow book if foreigner - chanote and passport were not enough. Unfortunately cannot find the topics when I searched quickly. 

This was one of them -

 

@scubascuba3 seems to be the only one who was told he didn't need to pay without a yellow book but this was over the phone.......

[uksmdh]

4 hours ago, arick said:

You can only get a yellow book if your married to a Thai. I havnt been sent any tax request for my Condos. But Thais have been sent a tax bill. When I  enquired I was told only Thais pay the tax. Yellow book and pink ID card means nothing chanote does. I havent has a Pink card since I went to Heaven and GAY Pride in Vuaxhall in the 90s 

Anyone can get a Yellow Book.  My Gay friend has one for a villa.  I know tenants who have them.  They only register you at that address.

[anfh]

6 hours ago, arick said:

You can only get a yellow book if your married to a Thai. I havnt been sent any tax request for my Condos. But Thais have been sent a tax bill. When I  enquired I was told only Thais pay the tax. Yellow book and pink ID card means nothing chanote does. I havent has a Pink card since I went to Heaven and GAY Pride in Vuaxhall in the 90s 

Absolute rubbish, you do NOT need to be married to a Thai to get Yellow book.

you are allowed to get one if you own the property, some Amphurs try and fob you off with reasons you cannot have one, but thi is a legal entitlement. 
Chanote does not prove you live at condo, only that you own it.

pink card can be useful in many circumstances.

[skatewash]

I am the owner and occupant of my condo unit for seven years (channote and blue book).  I have had a yellow book for seven years.  I have received property tax bills the last two years which I have paid.  Do I qualify for tax exemption on the basis that it is my first (only) residential house (condo unit) and that the assessed value is below 50 million baht?  If so, how do I claim the exemption?

[scubascuba3]

38 minutes ago, skatewash said:

I am the owner and occupant of my condo unit for seven years (channote and blue book).  I have had a yellow book for seven years.  I have received property tax bills the last two years which I have paid.  Do I qualify for tax exemption on the basis that it is my first (only) residential house (condo unit) and that the assessed value is below 50 million baht?  If so, how do I claim the exemption?

yes, you shouldn't have paid, of course they won't ask the question if it's your only or principal property. Ask for a refund

[skatewash]

3 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

yes, you shouldn't have paid, of course they won't ask the question if it's your only or principal property. Ask for a refund

Good to know.  I won't ask for a refund as it was a total cost of about 120 baht, but next year I will certainly ask for the exemption as it is my only property and I believe the cost goes up to about 600 baht next year.

I guess I'll just ask for the exemption at the amphur office where I've paid the past two years.  I'll have my yellow book, blue book, chanote, and the tax bill with me.

I'm interested if anyone else has obtained the exemption in a different way.  For example, can one claim the exemption when they receive the tax bill and mail that back to the amphur?

 

[arick]

1 hour ago, anfh said:

Absolute rubbish, you do NOT need to be married to a Thai to get Yellow book.

you are allowed to get one if you own the property, some Amphurs try and fob you off with reasons you cannot have one, but thi is a legal entitlement. 
Chanote does not prove you live at condo, only that you own it.

pink card can be useful in many circumstances.

I have been with lawyers in Chiang Mai and in Chiayaphum and you need to be married 

[skatewash]

2 minutes ago, arick said:

I have been with lawyers in Chiang Mai and in Chiayaphum and you need to be married 

Is it possible the lawyers were mistaken?  I have a yellow book and to my knowledge I've never been married.

[arick]

Just now, skatewash said:

Is it possible the lawyers were mistaken?  I have a yellow book and to my knowledge I've never been married.

We asked while collecting the chanote and blue book and they said no! 

[arick]

Just now, arick said:

We asked while collecting the chanote and blue book and they said no! 

That was at Chiang Mai District and Hang Dong District and also in Chiayaphum. Please attach the Thai document saying you don't be married. Yes I was under the impression you just needed the land owners ID card 

[skatewash]

1 minute ago, arick said:

We asked while collecting the chanote and blue book and they said no! 

Interesting.  My experience is that I received the chanote and blue book from the Land Office, but that I had to apply for the yellow book from my local amphur office.  I wonder if I had asked at the Land Office for a yellow book if they would have said no, too.  Hopefully, they would have conveyed to me that I had to apply for the yellow book myself at the amphur office and that the Land Office can't issue such documentation.  

 

[arick]

Just now, skatewash said:

Interesting.  My experience is that I received the chanote and blue book from the Land Office, but that I had to apply for the yellow book from my local amphur office.  I wonder if I had asked at the Land Office for a yellow book if they would have said no, too.  Hopefully, they would have conveyed to me that I had to apply for the yellow book myself at the amphur office and that the Land Office can't issue such documentation.  

 

I asked at my local office Amphur office 4 years ago the old guy said yes but go get this and this and this and last month we ask and the young guy said no have to show marriage certificate. 

[arick]

2 minutes ago, skatewash said:

Interesting.  My experience is that I received the chanote and blue book from the Land Office, but that I had to apply for the yellow book from my local amphur office.  I wonder if I had asked at the Land Office for a yellow book if they would have said no, too.  Hopefully, they would have conveyed to me that I had to apply for the yellow book myself at the amphur office and that the Land Office can't issue such documentation.  

 

Maybe try again and take our blue book and chanote with my name on it and say I want a yellow book. I doubt if they have ever seen a farangs name on a chanote in my district. 

[Bob4u]

Interesting read:

 

https://writingbymatt.com/thailand-yellow-book/?fbclid=IwAR0T8sF6Ajum2xKlzsARJh6s908iIq5vwf3se6K9myslk6LCgZ4Qb6yLesA

[skatewash]

When I got my yellow book from my local amphur they gave me an English language booklet for the requirements to be met.  I can't find it now, but if I remember correctly it included things like:

1. long-term extension of stay, copies of passport
2. certificate of residence issued by immigration
3. blue book, chanote, possibly the bill of sale issued by Land Office
4. two witnesses who knew me and that knew I lived there (my witnesses were Thai and they were questioned in Thai extensively, the questions and answers written down and I remember they had to present their Thai ID, blue book, and sign the transcript of their testimony)
5.  They also wanted information on my parents, their names (in Thai), birthdates, etc.

There was no requirement to be married.  There was no cost for issuing the yellow book.  It was issued the day the witnesses testified.  This was in Phuket.

One of the things they have to do to issue you a yellow book is to have a Thai translation of your name.  I think they got that in my case from some documentation from the Land Office, perhaps the bill of sale.

[jackdd]

34 minutes ago, arick said:

I have been with lawyers in Chiang Mai and in Chiayaphum and you need to be married 

You don't need to be married.

Here are the regulations for everything house book related: http://www.bora.dopa.go.th/CallCenter1548/index.php/menu-population

It doesn't say anywhere that you have to be married, would also not make any sense.

They just told you this to get rid of you because they are lazy or just don't know what exactly they have to do.

[Bradmeister]

Residents, property owners!!!!

 

Not Foreigners. You attempting to keep everyone segregated? 

 

Most Residents per Thai law were required to have a Yellow Book for over 5 years now.

 

Regardless of Being a Property Owner or Renter, you, me, or anyone without a Thai National ID has been required since last September to have with your retirement Visa renewal.

 

As far as taxes being required, or discounted for anyone...thats up to your Province and Town and each owners intent and usage of the property.

 

 

[flexomike]

8 hours ago, arick said:

You can only get a yellow book if your married to a Thai. I havnt been sent any tax request for my Condos. But Thais have been sent a tax bill. When I  enquired I was told only Thais pay the tax. Yellow book and pink ID card means nothing chanote does. I havent has a Pink card since I went to Heaven and GAY Pride in Vuaxhall in the 90s 

not true, just, a little more work