Yellow House Book revisited

[Maestro]

7 hours ago, brianthainess said:

Yeh i had a bun fight with one LTO staff insisting on LOR with yellow book, on registering a car, my missus even rang our Amphur office and got her to talk to them, off i went to my IO even they phoned the woman refusing it, she would not back down, my IO gave me the LOR in 10min free...

What do you mean with "LOR"?

[brianthainess]

Just now, Maestro said:

What do you mean with "LOR"?

Letter Of Residence from Immigration. (it is not a Certificate as some people call it) its a letter.

[sirineou]

10 hours ago, cooked said:

The general consensus amongst ex-pats seems to be that it isn't necessary.

Not nessacery but does save a lot of hustle. I find it invaluable during several goverment transactions where it saved me a lot of work.

10 hours ago, cooked said:

when we finally got the book two senior officials appeared and a group foto was taken. "Welcome to Thailand" was written on a prepared sign behind us

Sure beats the one they had at my yellow book ceremony,

                     "Deleted" Off Ki Not Farang.

Edited July 1, 2023 by sirineou
typo,

[cooked]

OP here.... I might have mentioned that at one point there were SEVEN Amphur employees gathered around, they were very helpful, only took three hours. Plus the two guys that turned up for the 'Welcome to Thailand' foto. Can't complain, but still a bit mystified.

[IgboChief]

Two things:

 

1) Always get all the papers possible because you will never know what the next government will be doing and how regulation will change.

 

2) The Yellow Book is very helpful when you stay in Thailand, but will want to apply for Visa to other countries. Those Visa will only issued in Thailand with a CoR (which the Yellow Book provides conveniently.) Otherwise they will ask you to apply in your "home country".

[Maestro]

6 hours ago, IgboChief said:

...The Yellow Book is very helpful when you stay in Thailand, but will want to apply for Visa to other countries. Those Visa will only issued in Thailand with a CoR (which the Yellow Book provides conveniently.) Otherwise they will ask you to apply in your "home country".

This is an interesting aspect of the use of the yellow house registration book. Thank you for having mentioned it.

[KannikaP]

On 7/1/2023 at 8:20 AM, KhunLA said:

Not sure why others find it complicated.  Simply walk in, ask for it, provide blue book & PP, and walk out with yellow book.  Really was that easy each time.

FIVE times to the Amphur with various papers & copies, TWELVE photos,and all the waiting while the Officer fills in an online form.

Was told five years ago that I could not have one because my GF & I are not married, to which I said BS. Had to take our village boss to vouch for me.

Anyway, I now have my Yellow Book so can go to National Parks for Thai price! 

[KhunLA]

41 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

Anyway, I now have my Yellow Book so can go to National Parks for Thai price! 

Good luck with that, as not a given for sure.  Let us know if that works for you, as hasn't with me.  Always up to the discretion of the guard.  Only been successful a couple times, w/pink ID and or YB, though most parks may not be worth the Thai price ????

 

Some are nice, but if just for landscape, the surrounding area is the same or better, without the crowd, noise, drama ????

 

Would be nice if all worked out of the same play book.  oh well

 

Happy Travels

Edited July 15, 2023 by KhunLA

[sandyf]

On 7/1/2023 at 8:03 AM, cooked said:

It is still a mystery to me why I need this book.

I have had my yellow book since 2010 and seen several benefits over the years but the question is if the benefits are of any interest to you.

I used my yellow book to register at the hospital and when the pandemic came along the hospital put me on Mor Phrom, I was at the front of the queue when the vaccine started.

When making a UK visa application for my wife I use the yellow book as support for intent to return, is it a benefit, who knows.

Reduced entrance fees are a bit hit and miss, accepted at some and ignored at others.

I think the biggest benefit came a few years later when they introduced the pink card, much easier using that than your passport in hospitals, after all it is what the Thais do.

[Robin]

My experience as well.  I was told by I/O that it was 'important' that I had this book.

Since then I have never found a use for it.  I have shown it at SVB Immigration and local I/O when doing TM30 or 90 day reporting.

Never had an I/O even look at it, just dismissed as 'not required.'

Questions on this forum s to hat use it might be have never got a sensible response.

Just write it off a part of the joys and fun of living in Thailand.

I does contain your official address in Thailand, written in Thai, if that is any use.

[oldcpu]

On 7/15/2023 at 9:42 AM, sandyf said:

I have had my yellow book since 2010 and seen several benefits over the years but the question is if the benefits are of any interest to you.

I used my yellow book to register at the hospital and when the pandemic came along the hospital put me on Mor Phrom, I was at the front of the queue when the vaccine started.

When making a UK visa application for my wife I use the yellow book as support for intent to return, is it a benefit, who knows.

Reduced entrance fees are a bit hit and miss, accepted at some and ignored at others.

I think the biggest benefit came a few years later when they introduced the pink card, much easier using that than your passport in hospitals, after all it is what the Thais do.

Further to what you note, I used the number (that is in my yellow book & the same identical number in my pink-ID ) when I needed to provide a 'tax-number' to Bangkok Bank for the purchase of Thai Government bonds (I needed these bonds as part of my investment in Thailand for my subsequently successful LTR visa).  As a retiree I don't nominally have a Tax ID number.  The Bangkok bank teller was not going to let me apply for the bond without that (or a tax) number.

 

Further, about 30 minutes prior to that, when asking the Bangkok Bank manager if I could buy a Thai government bond from the Bangkok bank branch that he managed, he stated yes, ONLY if I had a yellow book and a pink ID.  Was that really necessary?  I don't know, but since I had such, it was a mute point for me.

 

Some time before that, I also used the Yellow book for Phuket immigration when proving my place of residence in Phuket ... they asked initially for the Blue Book (and Thai person's ID) for my condo (a foreign can't have a blue book with the foreigners name), so instead it was simply easier to pass them a copy of my yellow book.  Clearly the Yellow book was NOT necessary here, but it did come in handy.

 

I also used the yellow book (instead of a blue book and Thai person's ID) when going for a Thai driver's licence renewal.  Clearly the Yellow book was NOT necessary here, but it did come in handy.

 

Fortunately I did NOT have the difficulty that some report in obtaining the yellow book.

 

I personally don't think a yellow book is necessary - but I can NOT deny it has come in handy on some rare occasions.

 

[sandyf]

1 hour ago, oldcpu said:

Further to what you note, I used the number (that is in my yellow book & the same identical number in my pink-ID ) when I needed to provide a 'tax-number' to Bangkok Bank for the purchase of Thai Government bonds (I needed these bonds as part of my investment in Thailand for my subsequently successful LTR visa).  As a retiree I don't nominally have a Tax ID number.  The Bangkok bank teller was not going to let me apply for the bond without that (or a tax) number.

 

Further, about 30 minutes prior to that, when asking the Bangkok Bank manager if I could buy a Thai government bond from the Bangkok bank branch that he managed, he stated yes, ONLY if I had a yellow book and a pink ID.  Was that really necessary?  I don't know, but since I had such, it was a mute point for me.

 

Some time before that, I also used the Yellow book for Phuket immigration when proving my place of residence in Phuket ... they asked initially for the Blue Book (and Thai person's ID) for my condo (a foreign can't have a blue book with the foreigners name), so instead it was simply easier to pass them a copy of my yellow book.  Clearly the Yellow book was NOT necessary here, but it did come in handy.

 

I also used the yellow book (instead of a blue book and Thai person's ID) when going for a Thai driver's licence renewal.  Clearly the Yellow book was NOT necessary here, but it did come in handy.

 

Fortunately I did NOT have the difficulty that some report in obtaining the yellow book.

 

I personally don't think a yellow book is necessary - but I can NOT deny it has come in handy on some rare occasions.

 

Quite, the benefits are not always that obvious and it is not really a problem to live without it.

I never had any problem getting mine, no translations or anything like that. Only thing a bit unusual, I had to wait 6 weeks for it while they ran a police check. I have never heard anyone else mention that, maybe it can be done on the spot these days.

[XGM]

On 6/30/2023 at 10:59 PM, Neeranam said:

It's worth getting the Yellow Housebook, that some farang call Tabien Baan.

By getting that, and some other things, I got a Thai ID card. 

I assume you mean gaining points for citizenship application. Will be interested to hear more. Did you post your experiences here? I noticed a long 2007 thread of another poster on this topic but I guess things might have changed since then.

[Neeranam]

3 hours ago, XGM said:

I assume you mean gaining points for citizenship application. Will be interested to hear more. Did you post your experiences here? I noticed a long 2007 thread of another poster on this topic but I guess things might have changed since then.

Yes, i got  5 points for being on a yellow housebook. Only needed 50 points, from a possible 100.

 

 

 

 

[foreverlomsak]

On 7/1/2023 at 8:03 AM, cooked said:

anyway, I guess I will no longer need a residence certificate every time I .............. open a new bank account.

Went to SCB to open a new account and get it added to mobile banking, the existing account was opened when I had a work permit, now I'm retired so no work permit - all so difficult until I produced the yellow book - then it was sign here, here and here, 10 minutes later all done.

[foreverlomsak]

On 7/15/2023 at 8:53 AM, KannikaP said:

Anyway, I now have my Yellow Book so can go to National Parks for Thai price! 

Not in my local National Park you wouldn't, the last time I checked it was 30 Baht for Thai & had risen to 500 Baht for me and unmovable (god knows what it is now), the wife tried a number of times using yellow book, pink card & driving license to get it reduced, no way. They have a 15 ft waterfall & rapids and the kids liked to play in the pool at the bottom, it's about a 2 km walk from the car park.

15 km further along the road is a set of rapids & smaller pools which are free and is only about 200 m walk, guess where the wife liked and the kids couldn't care less, it was hot and there was water.

[foreverlomsak]

9 hours ago, oldcpu said:

Fortunately I did NOT have the difficulty that some report in obtaining the yellow book.

Yes, some do seem to have real difficulties in getting the Yellow Book, I was registered in the Blue Book (later transferred to the Yellow Book) when we got married so I had no real problems (other than a sore bum sitting for 5 hours on a bench seat). A friend went to get one from the same Ampher and hit a complete brick wall, nothing could be done until he produced a copy of his birth certificate certified by the UK Embassy, as everybody know that is NFC.

[moogradod]

On 7/1/2023 at 8:20 AM, KhunLA said:

It's not needed, but I find it very convenient to have.  Just saving trips to Imm & paying for a CoR is enough.  I've had 3 yellow books, and one of the easiest docs for me to acquire here.

 

Only thing easier to get, was Pink ID, and taking 5 mins at the same office, same day.

 

Not sure why others find it complicated.  Simply walk in, ask for it, provide blue book & PP, and walk out with yellow book.  Really was that easy each time.

..............................................................................

 

For Chonburi: Isn't it that I NEED a yellow book when I will move to the new house of my Thai wife and give up our rented condo (happens all in Chonburi) when

 

1. I need to apply for a new passport in a few years time (German). I suppose I cannot have a CoR anymore without a rental contract. My Wife has a Blue Book. At least for a CoR a rental contract always was a requirement at Jomtien. I am a holder of a Thai-Elite PE Visa

 

2. Would it make sense to involve an agent for some steps, although he might not be able to interact with the embassy (although I would be very reluctant to do that)

 

Reason: It is very much true that some easy things can be difficult and supposedly difficult things easy here. Some kind of lottery. However given the extraordinary friendly, lovable nature of my wife who will always accompany me it was most of the time (if not always) the latter.

 

[KhunLA]

3 hours ago, moogradod said:

For Chonburi: Isn't it that I NEED a yellow book when I will move to the new house of my Thai wife and give up our rented condo (happens all in Chonburi) when

 

1. I need to apply for a new passport in a few years time (German). I suppose I cannot have a CoR anymore without a rental contract. My Wife has a Blue Book. At least for a CoR a rental contract always was a requirement at Jomtien. I am a holder of a Thai-Elite PE Visa

 

2. Would it make sense to involve an agent for some steps, although he might not be able to interact with the embassy (although I would be very reluctant to do that)

 

Reason: It is very much true that some easy things can be difficult and supposedly difficult things easy here. Some kind of lottery. However given the extraordinary friendly, lovable nature of my wife who will always accompany me it was most of the time (if not always) the latter.

 

Nothing says you can't have a YB, a lease & CoR all at the same time.  If that's what you want or think you may need. 

 

PP, Pink ID or yellow book is all I've ever needed.  When asked for ID or address, I offer the Pink ID first, and 99% of the time, that's all they need or want to see.  

[jeffandgop]

On 7/1/2023 at 6:04 PM, brianthainess said:

Letter Of Residence from Immigration. (it is not a Certificate as some people call it) its a letter.

The Thai Immigration residency verification form I had to use to obtain a DL is titled "Appliccation (sic) Form Residence Certificate In Thailand".  See pics from the form issued/required by CM Immigration.

[Pumpuynarak]

The last time i needed to renew my Thai DL in Korat i thought great now i've got a yellow book and pink ID card i would'nt need a COR from immigration, how wrong i was !!!

 

The local DL renewal center would'nt accept either and insisted i go to the IO and get a COR, beggars belief.......but hey TIT lol

[MartinL]

1 minute ago, Pumpuynarak said:

The last time i needed to renew my Thai DL in Korat i thought great now i've got a yellow book and pink ID card i would'nt need a COR from immigration, how wrong i was !!!

 

The local DL renewal center would'nt accept either and insisted i go to the IO and get a COR, beggars belief.......but hey TIT lol

Last time I renewed my DL, the DLT office would have accepted my Pink Card etc. for renewal BUT they said it would be restricted to driving within the local area - not a lot of use then! I renewed using my PP.

 

I've not heard of a geographically-restricted full licence before or since then and have no idea how such a restriction would have been implemented or enforced - except in typical Thai fashion, i.e. not at all.

[moogradod]

25 minutes ago, MartinL said:

Last time I renewed my DL, the DLT office would have accepted my Pink Card etc. for renewal BUT they said it would be restricted to driving within the local area - not a lot of use then! I renewed using my PP.

 

I've not heard of a geographically-restricted full licence before or since then and have no idea how such a restriction would have been implemented or enforced - except in typical Thai fashion, i.e. not at all.

We should think of the equivalent of a "Ripley's Believe it or not" with one of the items being displayed a full Driving License - but geographically restricted within its own country. For sure we would find many examples to fill a whole museum (I can think of a Red Light mounted just above your own lane, but only valid for the lane to the right - without any sign saying so - so you are good to go when it shows red - exists in Pattaya)

 

With entrance fees for Foreign Guests X THB and Locals 2X THB to make it more even further authentic.

[Pumpuynarak]

2 hours ago, MartinL said:

Last time I renewed my DL, the DLT office would have accepted my Pink Card etc. for renewal BUT they said it would be restricted to driving within the local area - not a lot of use then! I renewed using my PP.

 

I've not heard of a geographically-restricted full licence before or since then and have no idea how such a restriction would have been implemented or enforced - except in typical Thai fashion, i.e. not at all.

The mind boggles ehh lol, Tell me how can you use your PP as it does'nt show your address, well mine does'nt lol

I think its just all b******* dolled out by totally inept incompetent people who have'nt got a clue what their doing.

[Neeranam]

2 hours ago, Pumpuynarak said:

The mind boggles ehh lol, Tell me how can you use your PP as it does'nt show your address, well mine does'nt lol

I think its just all b******* dolled out by totally inept incompetent people who have'nt got a clue what their doing.

The issue here I think is that your pink ID card says that you are restricted to the province you are registered in. It says so on the back. 

These pink cards were originally used for migrant workers and around 2016, they were told that all foreigners could get one. 

They really need to issue a new type of card, but that is more work for them and it may be discrimination of foreigners from Myanamr/Cambodia if they can't get the new foreigner card. They believe that farang don't need a pink card and can't understand why so many these days want one, as they have a passport. Why on earth would a rich farang want a card that says they are restricted to the one province?

Rather than waste time, and encourage all foreigners to get one, they try to say it is not possible.

 

Khon Kaen DLT also don't accept pink cards but do the yellow book, which is the proper document used to verify address. 

 

 

 

[Neeranam]

14 hours ago, foreverlomsak said:

Yes, some do seem to have real difficulties in getting the Yellow Book,

The reasons for this could be multiple. 

It most probably is because of the attitude of the foreigner, or maybe lack of spoken Thai. 

 

There are many ways around this. Firstly, don't start criticizing Thai culture and their lack of whatever. Learn Thai culture and how to over come these hurdles. It might be by bring a few donuts, or using the name of someone of influence you know. 

Alternatively, tell them you need it as you are applying to become a Thai national, showing them the checklist that is issued by Special Branch police.  Tell them that  if they refuse to comply, you'll take them international court.

[DrJoy]

On 7/16/2023 at 1:00 PM, oldcpu said:

a foreign can't have a blue book with the foreigners name

Wrong.

Thai PR holders have the Blue book, their name is entered in the original blue Tabien Baan.

[jayboy]

44 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

The reasons for this could be multiple. 

It most probably is because of the attitude of the foreigner, or maybe lack of spoken Thai. 

 

There are many ways around this. Firstly, don't start criticizing Thai culture and their lack of whatever. Learn Thai culture and how to over come these hurdles. It might be by bring a few donuts, or using the name of someone of influence you know. 

Alternatively, tell them you need it as you are applying to become a Thai national, showing them the checklist that is issued by Special Branch police.  Tell them that  if they refuse to comply, you'll take them international court.

I know you are a converted citizen but I wonder how much you know about Thai culture. Who but a mad man would dream of criticizing Thai culture in front of a public official anyway? It is certainly not necessary to bring donuts or any other kind of tasty comestible or for that matter to invoke some influential person. (Most foreigners and apparently some converted citizens have no idea what a public official would regard as an "influential person.") I don't think it's necessary to comment on how a public official would react to being threatened with the special branch or, ludicrously , with an international court.

 

What's needed is to be an affable nicely behaved and appropriately dressed farang ideally accompanied by an educated middle class/upper middle class Thai.Then if everything is in order you will almost certainly get what you want.

 

Incidentally as someone who is a long time sceptic on the pink card's usefulness, I don't think one need pay too much attention to the obviously inappropriate wording on the card's back.It's an anomaly that most understand, at least those who have ever heard of it.

[oldcpu]

9 hours ago, Pumpuynarak said:

The last time i needed to renew my Thai DL in Korat i thought great now i've got a yellow book and pink ID card i would'nt need a COR from immigration, how wrong i was !!!

 

The local DL renewal center would'nt accept either and insisted i go to the IO and get a COR, beggars belief.......but hey TIT lol

It possibly depends on what province the DL bureau is located?  The Phuket DL accepted my yellow-book/Pink-ID card combination (and hence I did not need to get a COR from immigration) when I last renewed my Thai driver's licence. 

[oldcpu]

9 hours ago, MartinL said:

Last time I renewed my DL, the DLT office would have accepted my Pink Card etc. for renewal BUT they said it would be restricted to driving within the local area - not a lot of use then! I renewed using my PP.

 

I've not heard of a geographically-restricted full licence before or since then and have no idea how such a restriction would have been implemented or enforced - except in typical Thai fashion, i.e. not at all.

As noted, Phuket DL accepted my Yellow-book / Pink Card for a renewal - there is no geographical restriction on my driver's license. 

 

As it is for some things in Thailand, possibly each provincial DL bureau have their own rule implementation.  .... Possibly it even depends on which DL bureau person one is dealing with at the time.

.