Thai ID card

[LoVeFuN]

Tomorrow I apply for 1 year visa based marriage.

I need an operation and thought if I can obtain one I could get free medical treatment.

What do I need to obtain one at local Ampoe. Wife has a hose registered in her name . Suggestions please.

[ThailandRyan]

Look up Yellow Book, after you obtain the Yellow Book you can then apply for a Non Immigrant Pink ID Card.  Many threads running on this.

 

 

Edited July 26, 2022 by ThailandRyan

[userabcd]

Suggestion: You ain't going to get free medical treatment in Thailand.

Edited July 26, 2022 by userabcd

[Chris.B]

You will need your birth certificate showing your mother's and father's name. You will also need your passport and birth certificate translated and stamped by an official translator.

 

Your initial aim will be to apply for a yellow book. The ID card comes when you have one.

 

[jvs]

7 minutes ago, Chris.B said:

You will need your birth certificate showing your mother's and father's name. You will also need your passport and birth certificate translated and stamped by an official translator.

 

Your initial aim will be to apply for a yellow book. The ID card comes when you have one.

 

Probably depends on where you apply for it,i was never asked for a birth certificate.

I just needed my passport translated.

[Swiss1960]

1 hour ago, LoVeFuN said:

I need an operation and thought if I can obtain one I could get free medical treatment.

Nope, your pink Thai ID does NOT give you ANY free perks, specifically not in the health area.

[richard_smith237]

2 minutes ago, Swiss1960 said:

Nope, your pink Thai ID does NOT give you ANY free perks, specifically not in the health area.

Are you implying that being registered at a property (Yellow House book) doesn’t give you cheaper access to Thai Heath care ?? (Or just arguing the semantics of ‘free’)

(Pink ID being an extension of the Yellow house registration book in this case & not 100% free, but significantly cheaper than paying the going rate as a foreigner for medical / health care services). 
 

 

[richard_smith237]

2 hours ago, LoVeFuN said:

I need an operation and thought if I can obtain one I could get free medical treatment.

If I understand correctly… Significantly cheaper as it grants you access to the Thai healthcare system. 

[perconrad]

1 hour ago, jvs said:

Probably depends on where you apply for it,i was never asked for a birth certificate.

I just needed my passport translated.

I just needed my Danish passport, not translated and the names of my mother and father for getting the yellow book, later I got the pink ID card.

 

It is best to ask at the local amphur what they want from you to get the yellow book.

 

I think that if you live in the countryside it will be easier to get a cheaper bill at the local hospital than in a city.

[KhunLA]

12 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

If I understand correctly… Significantly cheaper as it grants you access to the Thai healthcare system. 

Don't think so 

[Andrew Dwyer]

Applying for the yellow book, prior to applying for the Non-Thai pink ID card, can be as easy as presenting your passport up to a downright refusal.

Many threads on this subject with MANY different experiences , certified copies of passport from Embassy and translation at MFA is popular as is your birth certificate ( for parents names ), 2 x witnesses sometimes required, marriage certificates or , in my case, a translated certified copy of a decree nisi could also be required.

 

In short: a visit to your Amphur to get the list of required documents is the only way to find out.

 

[kinyara]

" Wife has a hose registered in her name "  

 

I know Thailand can be bureaucratic and permits can be required for various things, but who knew gardening could be so complicated. My sides are hurting, she's a keeper. ????

[Soda Soda]

50 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

If I understand correctly… Significantly cheaper as it grants you access to the Thai healthcare system. 

No it does not.

[Swiss1960]

46 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Are you implying that being registered at a property (Yellow House book) doesn’t give you cheaper access to Thai Heath care ?? (Or just arguing the semantics of ‘free’)

(Pink ID being an extension of the Yellow house registration book in this case & not 100% free, but significantly cheaper than paying the going rate as a foreigner for medical / health care services). 
 

 

yes, that is EXACTLY what I am saying. I have the yellow house book and the pink ID card. The card does NOT give you access to the health care system in the way the Thai 30 Baht scheme does or in the way the social security system does, if you are working and paying taxes. 

 

The only financial benefit it gives you is that in SOME (but not all) Thai attractions, you can get around the dual pricing scheme, but that is about it. 

"Cheaper" with regards to the health care system means, you have to go to the government hospital, where registering with your pink ID card will be a bit faster, BUT will NOT give you any discount on the prices they charge. The prices in the government hospitals are lower than in private hospitals, but that has nothing to do with the pink ID card, you could as well register with your passport and get the exact same price. 

The ID is useful for registration purposes, i.e. in banks, for certain apps, even in hotels and on domestic flights, and it helps create some "respect" in traffic stops, if you show it together with a valid drivers license, but that is about it. The pink ID does not even have a chip to read it in, and I have never seen anybody using a mag stripe reader with it, so I don*t even know, if the data on the mag stripe is worth anything.

[Swiss1960]

52 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

If I understand correctly… Significantly cheaper as it grants you access to the Thai healthcare system. 

plain wrong

[KhunLA]

8 minutes ago, Swiss1960 said:

"Cheaper" with regards to the health care system means, you have to go to the government hospital, where registering with your pink ID card will be a bit faster, BUT will NOT give you any discount on the prices they charge. 

And you may still incur the 'foreigner surcharge' now allowed to have dual pricing for foreigner's hospital bills.

 

Edited July 26, 2022 by KhunLA

[ThailandRyan]

41 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Don't think so 

In Udon Thani, when I needed some medical care in the Nong Saeng district back in 2014, due to some food poisoning , I had my Yellow Book and Pink ID already, and the local Government hospital admitted me with my information and treated me.  I stayed in the government hospital in a semi-private room with two others, both Thai's, and when discharged my fee was less than 4k Thb.  Had the family taken me into Udon and to BKK Hospital the cost would have surely been more than 20k Thb.  Of course I had my own HI from the US which would of paid, but being treated in the local provincial hospital ended up being cheaper, and I just surmised it was by having the Yellow Book and Pink ID.  

 

I have a Friend who has had a few surgical procedures done in the provincial hospital there in Nong Saeng, and the cost was very cheap.

[ThailandRyan]

Just now, KhunLA said:

And you may still incur the 'foreigner surcharge' now allowed to have dual pricing for foreigner's hospital bills.

 

To that one has to wonder how that would affect treatment in a provincial hospital now versus a few years back.

[ThailandRyan]

8 minutes ago, Swiss1960 said:

plain wrong

It sure was cheaper for me many years ago and others I know who were registered in the provincial hospitals data base.  Treated just as a Thai would be, but then definitely not the 30 Thb scheme, but still a lot cheaper than at one of the private big name hospitals.

[Myran]

1 minute ago, ThailandRyan said:

It sure was cheaper for me many years ago and others I know who were registered in the provincial hospitals data base.  Treated just as a Thai would be, but then definitely not the 30 Thb scheme, but still a lot cheaper than at one of the private big name hospitals.

Anyone can register at the provincial hospitals and get cheaper care there than in private hospitals. It has nothing to do with having a Thai ID card.

[KhunLA]

5 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

In Udon Thani, when I needed some medical care in the Nong Saeng district back in 2014, due to some food poisoning , I had my Yellow Book and Pink ID already, and the local Government hospital admitted me with my information and treated me.  I stayed in the government hospital in a semi-private room with two others, both Thai's, and when discharged my fee was less than 4k Thb.  Had the family taken me into Udon and to BKK Hospital the cost would have surely been more than 20k Thb.  Of course I had my own HI from the US which would of paid, but being treated in the local provincial hospital ended up being cheaper, and I just surmised it was by having the Yellow Book and Pink ID.  

 

I have a Friend who has had a few surgical procedures done in the provincial hospital there in Nong Saeng, and the cost was very cheap.

Agree and gov't hospital always, usually cheaper, considerably most times.

 

Had hemorrhoids dealt with at Paolo Hosp (now BKK), and surgeon said he could have done at UT govt hosp much cheaper, but they didn't have a private room available, so I went with PH.

 

I don't wards, or semi-private, especially in hot, mozzy season.

Edited July 26, 2022 by KhunLA

[Excel]

1 minute ago, ThailandRyan said:

It sure was cheaper for me many years ago and others I know who were registered in the provincial hospitals data base.  Treated just as a Thai would be, but then definitely not the 30 Thb scheme, but still a lot cheaper than at one of the private big name hospitals.

And still is

 

5 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

To that one has to wonder how that would affect treatment in a provincial hospital now versus a few years back.

Does not exist in my local Udon Thani hospital, just the same as you experienced

[Swiss1960]

3 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

It sure was cheaper for me many years ago and others I know who were registered in the provincial hospitals data base.  Treated just as a Thai would be, but then definitely not the 30 Thb scheme, but still a lot cheaper than at one of the private big name hospitals.

As per my long answer: Thai govt hospitals ARE significantly cheaper than private hospitals, BUT you could as well register with your passport, has nothing to do with the pink ID card

[lopburi3]

5 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

but being treated in the local provincial hospital ended up being cheaper, and I just surmised it was by having the Yellow Book and Pink ID.  

Using a government will almost always be much cheaper than a private hospital - but everyone is able to use such a facility on a pay basis.  As for foreigner surcharge very few even bother with that - in almost all cases you will pay the same as a Thai of same means if Thai using non assigned hospital.  

[crazykopite]

Thai ID card will not give you free medical I can tell you that from experience and since the government opened up a free for all to allow government hospitals to charge what they want the prices have at least doubled if not trebled hope you’ve got deep pockets if your near a private hospital it might be a good idea to get a quote as now days the charges are similar 

[asiaexpat]

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

If I understand correctly… Significantly cheaper as it grants you access to the Thai healthcare system. 

From very recent experience I can unequivocally state that a Pink ID card will not get one into the Thai healthcare system on its own. Siriraj Hospital has a 25% foreigner surcharge even with Pink ID (they could care less about the Pink ID.) Chula Hospital charges the same fee regardless of Pink ID (but much cheaper than most private hospitals.) Bangkok Hospital charges the same fee regardless and need my passport for registration, not Pink ID (Medical tourist may pay more.) Just be aware most Thai government hospitals will require a Social Security number (retired do not qualify)to to get Thai healthcare. 

[arithai12]

4 hours ago, LoVeFuN said:

Tomorrow I apply for 1 year visa based marriage.

I doubt you will obtain  a pink ID card already if you are just starting your 1 year extension.

Even if free medical is not an option, however, the card offers many advantages IMO, and you should definitely look into that eventually.

This was one thing for which I did use an agent, and I was happy with that.

[FriendlyFarang]

2 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

In Udon Thani, when I needed some medical care in the Nong Saeng district back in 2014, due to some food poisoning , I had my Yellow Book and Pink ID already, and the local Government hospital admitted me with my information and treated me.  I stayed in the government hospital in a semi-private room with two others, both Thai's, and when discharged my fee was less than 4k Thb.  Had the family taken me into Udon and to BKK Hospital the cost would have surely been more than 20k Thb.  Of course I had my own HI from the US which would of paid, but being treated in the local provincial hospital ended up being cheaper, and I just surmised it was by having the Yellow Book and Pink ID.  

 

I have a Friend who has had a few surgical procedures done in the provincial hospital there in Nong Saeng, and the cost was very cheap.

Yes, a government hospital is cheaper than a private hospital. This has nothing to do with the pink id card.

You could have registered at the government hospital with your passport and would have paid the same.

[userabcd]

An anecdote related to pink ID card at the DLT chatuchak last week.

 

Whilst waiting to renew my 5yr driving license last week (appointment made 1 month before with residence certificate) an Indian guy with his family arrived and they had a Thai woman to help them for getting a driving license appointment.

 

The Indian guy presented his pink ID card stating that it was in lieu of submitting a resident certificate. The DLT staff politely told him that the pink ID card was not acceptable and he must present a residence certificate from his embassy or from immigration. An argument ensued from the Indian but was told to take his pink ID card and go to wherever he obtained it and ask them to make his driving license.

 

Eventually they left without even making an appointment and the DLT lady could continue serving other customers.

 

The pink ID card basically does not confer any benefits for a temporary foreigner on visa extensions that a Thai citizen would enjoy despite what they may think. Sometimes some get lucky with it.

Edited July 26, 2022 by userabcd

[lopburi3]

27 minutes ago, asiaexpat said:

Just be aware most Thai government hospitals will require a Social Security number (retired do not qualify)to to get Thai healthcare. 

Thai hospitals offer free (30 baht) care to any Thai who is registered for their coverage area or are referred to them.  SS is an entirely different system and offers a choice of hospitals and retired do qualify if they keep service AFAIK.  Thai government hospitals do not require a SS number to get pay for service healthcare, which i believe you stated getting recently.