I was talking to some other expats recently and it was suggested I should get a foreigner ID card? I think its also called the Pink ID card.

So, does anyone here have one, do you find it handy to have?

Thanks

I have one. It is handy, especially in conjunction with a yellow family book.

You can use it as ID in some cases in Thailand. I think in hospitals, clinics etc.

The number on it can be used as a Thai TIN. TINs are sometimes demanded by non-Thai financial institutions.

I am sure there are more, this is just a brain dump from my increasingly faulty memory.

Oh no... here we go...

Yes, no, maybe, its useless, its useful, its too much effort - you'll get all those answers.

Ultimately - only you can decid if its worth putting in the effort and leg work to obtain the yellow house book (which is required before you get a Pink ID which is very simple after that).

There are lots of threads on this, lots of debate.

I have found the Yellow house book & Pink ID useful - its saved me both time and money.

Its a convenience - but not a necessity.

https://aseannow.com/topic/1340768-pink-id-card-yellow-book

21 minutes ago, MikeWill said:

I was talking to some other expats recently

That was a mistake...

Did they outline all the Pros of having Pink Card.

In years past it could assist with things such as renew TDL.,

Instead of having to obtain COR from immigration.

Bottom line is many (suggest most) expats live here in Thailand without one.

I use my pp for the majority of things such as checking into hotels, hospitals etc

It's my understanding that many popular expat destination countries (especially in Latin America) REQUIRE a rather easy to obtain specific foreigner ID card to function there as a longer term resident (for example to open a bank account). The yellow book isn't that. I've felt for many years that Thailand should have such a universal foreigner ID card but as usual, their country, their rules.

Then again the Pink card and the Yellow book means nothing to renewing a TDL in some areas.

In Chiang Mai I needed one to sell a motorbike and change ownership of a another bike, that was a couple of years ago, I had the yellow book as well, seemed like this rule was only in Chiang Mai province. Was an easy process to get the pink card, cost me 70bt, have to take a Thai witness as well.

55 minutes ago, BeastOfBodmin said:

I have one. It is handy, especially in conjunction with a yellow family book.

You can use it as ID in some cases in Thailand. I think in hospitals, clinics etc.

The number on it can be used as a Thai TIN. TINs are sometimes demanded by non-Thai financial institutions.

I am sure there are more, this is just a brain dump from my increasingly faulty memory.

No use outside your home province I heard.

It depends on how easy it is to obtain.

First you need the yellow house book and the pink card should be easily obtained afterwards.

The ease of obtaining the yellow house book will depend on your location and Amphur, it has been reported ( on here ) that it can be obtained as easily as offering your passport and a 20 baht fee to an outright refusal to issue and anywhere in between.

Often documents ( passport certifications and translations, birth certificates etc) or witnesses ( as proof you are living at the yellow book address) are required and these requirements vary. Sometimes they will refuse if you are not married to a Thai.

Only correct thing to do is visit your Amphur and ask for the list of requirements, then decide for yourself if it is worth pursuing.

Asking on here you will receive varying information and opinions, visit your Amphur.

A couple print shops make laminated cards; front page (face page) of your passport, and on the back, a copy of your current VISA. Would a “pink card” be better, maybe, but this works & as I do not like to carry my passport around, handy. Note, if traveling around in Thailand, carry a PP.

Thai Driver's license; auto & motorcycle, Thai bank cards, hospital ID etc. You might have more ID on you than you realize.

9 minutes ago, Dcheech said:

A couple print shops make laminated cards; front page (face page) of your passport, and on the back, a copy of your current VISA. Would a “pink card” be better, maybe, but this works & as I do not like to carry my passport around, handy. Note, if traveling around in Thailand, I do carry PP.

Thai Driver's license; auto & motorcycle, Thai bank cards, hospital ID etc. You might have more ID on you than you realize.

If its 'only' for ID purposes the Pink ID card is somewhat pointless.

In all these topics - the lines between the Pink ID itself and Yellow Housebook burr - effectively they are the 'same package'... and come combined (ok - the pink card takes an additional 15 min step to obtain at the Amphur office after processing the Yellow House Book which is a far more long winded process)

But 'combined' with the Yellow House Book and the 13 digit Non-Thai ID number is where usefulness of the 'Pink ID - Yellow House Book' can be experienced.

1 hour ago, MikeWill said:

So, does anyone here have on

Yes

1 hour ago, MikeWill said:

do you find it handy to have?

No. Never use it and don’t even carry it. It’s more of a novelty thing for some.

26 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

But 'combined' with the Yellow House Book and the 13 digit Non-Thai ID number is where usefulness of the 'Pink ID - Yellow House Book' can be experienced.

Looked it up as I didn't know all the 'experinces' I am missing & have to say, that's it?! BTW long time gone, if your company had a contract/relationship with the Thai government, you got one. Don't think I used it for much back then either.

1 hour ago, NE1 said:

Then again the Pink card and the Yellow book means nothing to renewing a TDL in some areas.

Which area's ?

I know Chonburi does not accept the Pink ID card and the Yellow House Book as proof of address for some obscure reason.... which others ?

I know of a fact - DLT Area 3 (Bangchak) Bangkok - does accept it.

It would be useful info - for some that might the deciding factor concerning whether its worth it or not.

---

I'm not sure if its the case any more - but a number of years back I could not get a Certificate of Address from Immigration in Chaeng Wattana because I'd never submitted at 90 day report ( I think it may have changed since then )

The Brit Embassy charged ~2xxx baht for an Affirmation of Residence letter, then stopped issuing them all together if we didn't have a Non-Imm O Visa.

The only way to 'get a proof of address' for the Thai Drivers license was using the Yellow House Book.

2 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

I know of a fact - DLT Area 3 (Bangchak) Bangkok - does accept it.

Chatuchak requires COR

3 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

I'm not sure if its the case any more - but a number of years back I could not get a Certificate of Address from Immigration in Chaeng Wattana because I'd never submitted at 90 day report

That is no longer a requirement.

Changed not that long ago..

Long-time Bangkok resident here (since 2006), just sharing my experience in case it helps others.

I’ve had a yellow house book since 2013 and got my pink ID card back in 2016. Over the years, it’s turned out to be surprisingly useful.

I’ve used it for:

• Renewing my driving licence (this month at Chatuchak dlt)

• Opening a bank account in Bangkok

• Registering at hospitals (especially during the COVID vaccination period)

• Domestic travel check-ins

• Checking into hotels without handing over my passport every time

It obviously doesn’t replace a passport, but for everyday admin it definitely makes things easier.

1 minute ago, walailak said:

Long-time Bangkok resident here (since 2006), just sharing my experience in case it helps others.

I’ve had a yellow house book since 2013 and got my pink ID card back in 2016. Over the years, it’s turned out to be surprisingly useful.

I’ve used it for:

• Renewing my driving licence (this month at Chatuchak dlt)

• Opening a bank account in Bangkok

• Registering at hospitals (especially during the COVID vaccination period)

• Domestic travel check-ins

• Checking into hotels without handing over my passport every time

It obviously doesn’t replace a passport, but for everyday admin it definitely makes things easier.

Interesting - DrJack implied the the DLT at Chatuchak does not accept the Yellow House Book / Pink ID as proof of address - you clearly proved otherwise.

23 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Which area's ?

Ratchaburi

1 minute ago, NE1 said:

Ratchaburi

Thx...

So far then... Places that wont accept Yellow House Book as proof of addres:

DLTChonburi

DLT Ratchaburi

DLT Chatuchak (turns out it does).

For those stating how useful the pink card is.

Is there anything the YB/pink card is required?
for the thing it is useful for, can the same not be accomplished using PP or TDL ?

the point being, is it needed for anything?

myself I see it as Novacova states:
it's just novelty.

29 minutes ago, walailak said:

but for everyday admin it definitely makes things easier.

How does it make things easier?

This is the bit I don't get, apart from proof of address for TDL renewal which is once every 5 years
or open a bank account which is once in a lifetime per bank
I do not understand how it does anything my PP or TDL cannot do

I use mine to check into hotels .... so no need to carry my passport. Also use it when a hospital or bank needs to see ID and when registering a Rabbit card for the BTS.

A passport could also be used for all these tasks, but I don't like to carry my passport all the time, especially during Songkran and when riding my motorbike. The pink card is waterproof, my passport is not.

19 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Interesting - DrJack implied the the DLT at Chatuchak does not accept the Yellow House Book / Pink ID as proof of address - you clearly proved otherwise.

Indeed. The chap you quoted did very clear OP in this thread pointing out he used Pink ID card and yellow book.

My experience was 2 years ago and was with a USA guy. He was not successful with his Pink ID.

https://aseannow.com/topic/1389344-renewed-my-5-years-thai-driving-licence-at-chatuchak-march-2026/

While AI can be not accurate here is that answer.

"Alternative to COR: A valid Work Permit or a Yellow House Book (Yellow Tabian Baan) can sometimes be used instead of a COR, depending on the DLT office."

Would seem it varies.

22 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Interesting - DrJack implied the the DLT at Chatuchak does not accept the Yellow House Book / Pink ID as proof of address - you clearly proved otherwise.

DLT acceptance of address is location dependent. Our local DLT only accepts CoR, so I renewed DL elsewhere.

@MikeWill I have, and comes in quite handy. Less people handling my passport is a major plus. If someone asks me my address that isn't English fluent, again, very handy.

My backwater amphoe is such a bureaucratic nightmare to deal with that the thought of applying for any type of optional supplementary ID documentation (yellow tabian ban book, pink ID card, etc.) through them sends shivers up my spine, and I would not do it for all the tea in China unless absolutely necessary. Something else to consider would be the hassle of updating these documents in the event you change addresses.

It was interesting to read the comments about how pink ID facilitated certain transactions (many of which I was unaware of), but for me carrying my passport while traveling has become second nature and not a big deal. If I happen to have a request for my passport and I don't have it on me (for example when mailing an international letter) my Thai driver's license, which has my address on the back, suffices as a backup ID. It is almost certain that banks, which demand your passport for most transactions and also verify that your visa is valid, would not accept an ID card in lieu of your passport. I am also skeptical that when renewing my driver's license, the local transport office (DMV) would accept a pink ID in lieu of an address verification letter from immigration, for the understandable reason that your ID card may have been issued eons ago, and they need verification that your address is current.

There have been a few comments suggesting that one can use the Pink ID Card to register in hotels.
I literally finished a driving tour of both the NNW (CM, CR and Sukhothai) and the NE/E (Khon Kaen, Nong Khai, Bueng Kan, and Nakon Phathom) yesterday (26 03 26) and just drove home after getting him get on a bus to go to Bangkok before flying home Sunday.
We stayed in seven different hotels. With the exception of the first hotel I stayed in Chiang Mai, all the hotels had similar signage saying that they will no longer accept Pink Cards or Drivers Licences as ID and will only accept a foreigner's passport to check-in.
I assume - obviously I don't know for sure - this is due to people overstaying visas or entering illegally.
My TDL, not due to expire until mid-2027 has my old passport number on it which I had to replace in 2023. I'm fairly sure I'm not the only one with that issue.

For those that were here: "some time ago" some Immigration Minister decided to rabidly enforce the law that every time you left your house for more than 24 hours and you stayed at a hotel or someone else's house, you had to get re-registered as an alien (TM30) when you got back to your rental accommodation. [I think even foreigners returning to their own owned condos had to fill in an equivalent form, not the TM30] This caused so much backlash, it didn't last long. It smothered domestic tourism, and made lessors ropable - especially if they didn't live near the rental accommodation, or didn't use the online system, necessitating them (the lessor) to queue up at Immigration to register their long-term lessee after each and every time they came home from a holiday - and it also increased in the workload experienced by IOs incredibly, especially in big districts like Chon Buri, Phuket, CW, and CM). Some rental property owners, of course, don't even live in the same province, let alone the same city. Around that time, I overheard men (hundreds of miles from where I live) discussing how they got counterfeit Pink IDs made so they can't be tracked when the TM30 is uploaded by the hotel, thereby skirting the requirement for their landlord/partner/whomever from then also having to do a TM30 when they got home.

Still, some places will allow the Pink ID to give you the "Thai Price" at dual-priced national parks.

18 minutes ago, The Oracle said:

We stayed in seven different hotels. With the exception of the first hotel I stayed in Chiang Mai, all the hotels had similar signage saying that they will no longer accept Pink Cards or Drivers Licences as ID and will only accept a foreigner's passport to check-in.

Thats interesting... Over the past few years I've only used my Pink ID to check in at hotels in Thailand.

The most recent once - Centra in Pattaya and some smaller place in Khon Kaen.

Its somewhat of a 'moot point' though - as I don't travel anywhere (domestically) without my passport anyway - so its there if needed.

But, I use the Pink ID as its in my wallet and easy to get to, whereas my passport is in a 'passport wallet' (with emergency cards, backup keys, emergency cash etc) - I can access it easily enough, its tucked away in my bag so no drama - just never needed to as yet - seems thats changing.

There have been threads asking questions about travelling without a passport - I think your comment highlights it would be unwise to do so.

25 minutes ago, The Oracle said:

I assume - obviously I don't know for sure - this is due to people overstaying visas or entering illegally.

Its down to the local Immigration Office - If they are more active, they enforce hotels to register their non-Thai guests - in other areas such issues are not on the radar.

31 minutes ago, The Oracle said:

My TDL, not due to expire until mid-2027 has my old passport number on it which I had to replace in 2023. I'm fairly sure I'm not the only one with that issue.

That doesn't matter - your Thai Driving licence is already 'tied to you'.... You've already proven your ID to obtain it - the biometrics are the same, Name, DOB, Nationality etc..

5 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Thats interesting... Over the past few years I've only used my Pink ID to check in at hotels in Thailand.

The most recent once - Centra in Pattaya and some smaller place in Khon Kaen.

Its somewhat of a 'moot point' though - as I don't travel anywhere (domestically) without my passport anyway - so its there if needed.

But, I use the Pink ID as its in my wallet and easy to get to, whereas my passport is in a 'passport wallet' (with emergency cards, backup keys, emergency cash etc) - I can access it easily enough, its tucked away in my bag so no drama - just never needed to as yet - seems thats changing.

There have been threads asking questions about travelling without a passport - I think your comment highlights it would be unwise to do so.

I was lucky. Except during Covid, I rarely travelled domestically with my PP and just used my Drivers Licence - including checking in on domestic flights.
Last week in Chiang Mai, I still had my passport wallet in my suitcase from a couple of February trips the Legalization Office of the Dept of Foreign Affairs in Pattaya Central as I had forgotten to put it back in my desk when returning from that trip.
I don't recall specifically if the hotel in Bangkok a week that trip had the "no PID no DL" signage up because I had my passport with me anyway to go to my embassy.

I would suggest people do not travel without their passport. I have seen, as others have mentioned, those scanned plastic copies of one's passport but I don't know if they're still acceptable to hotels.

Also, in the hotel in Bueng Kan, I was asked to sign and date a photocopy of my passport as well. I don't recall ever having to do that previously, or when using m y DL.

8 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

That doesn't matter - your Thai Driving licence is already 'tied to you'.... You've already proven your ID to obtain it - the biometrics are the same, Name, DOB, Nationality etc..