Hello all,

 

I would like to get a pink ID card and a yellow book.

What do I need to do and what do I need to get in advance?

I have looked on Google and YouTube but it seems confusing and each report seems to just add to my confusion. Each video on YouTube gives a different way that the person got said items.

Does the process differ depending on where you are in Thailand?

is there meant to be a process that every office should follow?

 

I could do this in Bangkok or Prachin Buri.

Be married and have a house.

It's quite simple, or was for me at Udon Thani (muang), and Prachuap Khiri Khan (muang).  Need who ever holds the 'Blue Book' of house, to simply authorize you issued a yellow book.

 

Then in same office, for me, walk over and have Pink  ID issued.  

 

Only think I needed was my Passport.

 

edit:  I didn't need to be married, and was not in Udon Thani for 2 yellow books.

My amphur office in BKK wanted a letter from embassy confirming passport (then translated into Thai by MFA) as well as a Thai witness ( not family). Headache getting emb appointment, had to wait 4 or 5 weeks for app date

 

They even wanted my (deceased) parents full names, for some reason!

 

If you bring everything, incl the kitchen sink, you should be ok

Go to your local office and ask what they require, they seem to be all different. Be sure to have a Thai doing the talking....😉

6 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

Be married and have a house.

That would certainly help.

 

As KhunLA said, every amphur is different. Some dead easy, some a nightmare

OP, here is 16 page recent ish thread. Enjoy.

https://aseannow.com/topic/1317702-pink-id-card-for-foreigners/

Why do you want it? what have you heard about it? great benefits?

10 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

Be married and have a house.

I am married

1 minute ago, scubascuba3 said:

Why do you want it? what have you heard about it? great benefits?

To be honest  if the amphur is easy- going....get it.

 

If they want  blood, forget it!

Just realize that the moment you have a pink card, you also have a Thai tax ID # (the 13 digit # on top of the card).

 

These days it's really an idiot move to get this otherwise useless card.

 

I made the same mistake.

3 minutes ago, Cuchulainn said:

To be honest  if the amphur is easy- going....get it.

 

If they want  blood, forget it!

Yes life's too short to waste my time for Pattaya City Hall

3 minutes ago, Sandboxer said:

Just realize that the moment you have a pink card, you also have a Thai tax ID # (the 13 digit # on top of the card).

 

These days it's really an idiot move to get this otherwise useless card.

 

I made the same mistake.

I know that it is the same number but is there any real connection between the tax office and the card/book?  In other words having had a yellow book since 2009 can I expect a letter from the taxman at the registered address if I have never actually had any dealings with them?

6 minutes ago, Sandboxer said:

Just realize that the moment you have a pink card, you also have a Thai tax ID # (the 13 digit # on top of the card).

 

These days it's really an idiot move to get this otherwise useless card.

 

I made the same mistake.

 

Why a mistake?

 

Having a pink ID or a TIN doesn't make you tax resident, nor does it require you to file a tax return.

Had my yellow book for 14 years, never had to get a residence letter ever since for anything.....☺️

14 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Why do you want it? what have you heard about it? great benefits?

The best reason is if you are working here (for over a year, while paying Thai-SS), and want to keep your Thai-SS health-insurance going after your job ends - saving a huge pile of money vs private-insurance.  Without your Pink-ID + Yellow-Book, you will not be able to do this.  Due to the sometimes-long delay-time between application to receipt, this should be done well before one's job ends.

 

A yellow-book also precludes needing to get CORs, in many/most cases - though probably not worth it for this reason alone, unless your Amphoe isn't a PITA about it (like mine was).

46 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

Be married and have a house.

Totally incorrect information. I was told that a few times at my Amphur in Bang Rakam. But when I argued the toss, and told them the correct rules, they issued first the Yellow house book, and the Pink card a week later. I am not married, and the house is not in my name.

The Pink card can be useful in place of showing your passport, although your Driving Licence has your address on it too. You get an ID number.

As said, the Pink ID includes the TIN, which I need to  recover or avoid withholding interest on my Thai bank accounts. Sooner or later my foreign banks will request a Thai TIN anyway. Further, AFAIK, I will not have to carry my passport with me, which I currently do when travelling within Thailand. 

28 minutes ago, Sandboxer said:

Just realize that the moment you have a pink card, you also have a Thai tax ID # (the 13 digit # on top of the card).

Incorrect. I volutarily got a TIN before I got the Pink card. Different numbers.

I did have separate TIN, SS number and Pink ID as they were all issued at different times and the systems are not interconnected.

 

When I applied to continue my SS myself when my employment ended the SS department adjusted my SS to match my pink card.

 

I've made no attempt to match TIN and pink. It can stay that way until someone asks.

14 minutes ago, Rob Browder said:

The best reason is if you are working here (for over a year, while paying Thai-SS), and want to keep your Thai-SS health-insurance going after your job ends - saving a huge pile of money vs private-insurance.  Without your Pink-ID + Yellow-Book, you will not be able to do this.  Due to the sometimes-long delay-time between application to receipt, this should be done well before one's job ends.

 

 

That makes sense 👍, finally someone posts a good reason 

41 minutes ago, transam said:

Go to your local office and ask what they require, they seem to be all different. Be sure to have a Thai doing the talking....😉

 

This is the way.

7 minutes ago, Crossy said:

I did have separate TIN, SS number and Pink ID as they were all issued at different times and the systems are not interconnected.

 

When I applied to continue my SS myself when my employment ended the SS department adjusted my SS to match my pink card.

 

I've made no attempt to match TIN and pink. It can stay that way until someone asks.

same TIN and Pink iD were issued at different times. When i went to Tax office to ask about it i was told that i got 2 TIN ,one from before and one from when the Pink ID was issued.....They said off you go now but one day they need to be connected, that was 6 six years ago never heard back from them. TIT

31 minutes ago, Cuchulainn said:

To be honest  if the amphur is easy- going....get it.

 

If they want  blood, forget it!

Best advice.

You have to check with the amphoe (district office).

For me (married) it was quite easy.

(among others: your name already translated to Thai script)

No embassy/consulate involved.

Just a local translation office for the passport and(?) birth certificate.

(be sure the translator has the marriage documents so your name in Thai does not differ, there is no hard coded rules for that, quite "flexible")

Fortunately they didn't want proof for the parents names etc.

For the pink card be prepared for questions like religion, blood group,...

 

An anecdote: at our upcountry office pink card could only be issued after 3 PM when all other clients were ready. They had to call some central office to switch their terminals?

 

Whether it's useful also seems to depend on the local authorities.

While here it is full sufficient for driving license stuff, address for immigration.

Even my new car was registered on my "Thai name".

 

Other offices seem stubborn and ignore it from what I read (Pattaya/Jomtien e.g.).

 

32 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Yes life's too short to waste my time for Pattaya City Hall

 

Piece o' cake. I enjoyed my visits to Pattaya City Hall, joked around with the nice ladies, got to meet the Mayor and his capos. It was all interesting. Now I enjoy paying no property tax on my condo, too. Etc.

 

 

 

 

50 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

Be married and have a house.

I am not married. My GF has a house. I have a pink ID card, and a Yellow Book.

One note to add to the SS continuance.

 

If you want to pay by direct-debit the account must be in your Thai name (at least according to our local SS office).

 

This was rather less easy than expected, both BKK Bank and SCB said "cannot" (translate as "too hard, go away"), but I finally got an account sorted at Krungthai who actually seemed to know what was needed.

9 minutes ago, BigStar said:

 

Piece o' cake. I enjoyed my visits to Pattaya City Hall, joked around with the nice ladies, got to meet the Mayor and his capos. It was all interesting. Now I enjoy paying no property tax on my condo, too. Etc.

 

 

 

 

I couldn't drag a couple of Thais up there, just wouldn't waste their time, rather pay the very low property tax

18 minutes ago, Crossy said:

One note to add to the SS continuance.

 

If you want to pay by direct-debit the account must be in your Thai name (at least according to our local SS office).

 

This was rather less easy than expected, both BKK Bank and SCB said "cannot" (translate as "too hard, go away"), but I finally got an account sorted at Krungthai who actually seemed to know what was needed.

I ran into this problem also - now pay at 7/11, as no bank (including the KTB branch I tried) would open an account in Thai-script for me. 

Some report one can get a non-Thai-script account added at the Rayong Thai-SS office, which is purportedly more friendly to farangs.

14 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

I couldn't drag a couple of Thais up there, just wouldn't waste their time

 

Oh, I could. They didn't really mind, I get along well with most Thais. Gave them gifts of appreciation at the end of the process, as they knew I would, and we parted with wais and smiles all around.

 

Besides avoiding property tax, the other conveniences of a pink card have been argued extensively in other threads. No point in regurgitating all here again. No one is suggesting pink cards are necessary--yet.