Amid Shortage Of National Id Cards, Authorities Plan To Hike Fee For Replacements

[Lite Beer]

Amid shortage of national ID cards, authorities plan to hike fee for replacements

Thanapat Kitjakosol

The Nation on Sunday

BANGKOK: -- During the past few months, 'Kom' (not his real name) has made several calls to a sub-district office in Nonthaburi to check if he can get his national identification card. The answer, to date, has been "No".

Relevant authorities have blamed this delay on a supplier's failure to deliver blank cards on time and also on the very high number of missing ID cards. Last year, 1.8 million ID cards were reported as "lost" with their owners officially asking for replacements. Kom also lost his ID card.

"We are planning to raise the fee for the replacement," Premsak Kiranont said in his role as head of the ID-card division at the Bureau of Registration Administration in the Department of Provincial Administration.

"The Bt20 fee has been in place for two decades already. We believe it's time for a change," he said.

Premsak also hoped the higher fee would encourage people to keep closer watch on their ID cards.

He said the actual cost for an ID card shouldered by the government was in fact well over Bt100 and that lost cards now cost the country more than Bt200 million a year. The Department of Provincial Administration is working on a proposal that a person who loses his or her ID card repeatedly be subjected to a higher fee, he said.

The fee would stay at just Bt20 if a person loses their ID card once. But for a second time, the fee would rise to Bt50. For a person who loses their ID card three times, the fee would be Bt100.

Premsak said the proposal must receive endorsement from the Council of State and the Cabinet, before the increase can take effect.

He said Singapore charged up to 100 Singapore dollars for a person who needs a replacement for a lost ID card, while Malaysia charged 200 Ringgit, and Hong Kong charged 395 Hong Kong dollars.

Duangsuda Apiwatdamrongkit, a student at the Khon Kaen University, felt, however, that the state policy to require children aged from seven years to carry an ID card is the reason for long queues for ID-card issuance. Starting from mid-2011, the laws have required younger Thais to have an ID card. In the past, only those over 15 years old needed to this official document.

The shortage of blank cards was very serious late last year when Duangsuda rang many district offices to see if she could get a new ID card.

Premsak reckoned the shortage really took place at that period but he said the situation had already improved. He said authorities were in the process of importing three million blank cards from South Korea. And some 700,000 of those have already reached Thailand. "Each service unit can issue more than 100 ID cards a day," he said.

But not all service units have enough cards. Oy (not her real name) called on the Klong Luang District Office in Pathum Thani at 10am yesterday only to be told blank cards for new ID had already ran out.

"I was told the office got just 90 blank cards for the day," she said.

Oy then rushed to Mueang Tha Klong Municipal Office in the hope of getting an ID card to replace her one that was about to expire. "But there, the blank cards also ran out. It got just 40 cards," she lamented.

She tired a third time, as an ID card is very important for various agencies and with which to conduct financial transactions, after all.

"I showed up at the Bang Na District Office in Bangkok. But it said all 100 blank cards already ran out. If I wanted to get the ID card, I must be ready to join a queue at least half an hour before the district office opens at 8.30 am," Oy said.

Thanet Utaisri, 39, said he spoke to a service unit in Chon Buri in the morning one day and there had already been more than 150 people before him in the queue. "It was past 3pm when I actually got the ID card," he said.

He believed the number of people seeking ID cards in Chon Buri was high because the government allowed migrants to contact a service unit

outside their registered hometown too. Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is aware of this too and is considering whether to charge more - for migrants.

-- The Nation 2013-01-20

[chooka]

Guess it won't effect us farangs. I actually think they should have a national I.D card in Australia also, help stamp out a few ilegals.

[Time Traveller]

"He said Singapore charged up to 100 Singapore dollars for a person who needs a replacement for a lost ID card, while Malaysia charged 200 Ringgit, and Hong Kong charged 395 Hong Kong dollars."

Singapore issue Singaporean ID cards, not Thai ID cards. A Singapore ID card IS worth 100 Sing dollars. A Thai card is NOT. To compare the two cards and prices is he joking?

Edited January 20, 2013 by Time Traveller

[fakename]

I doubt that if a card cost 50 baht, that people would be any more careful with them. Its not the peoples fault, that the government cant even get ID cards made, same as the car register plates, seems nothing can get made here, except knock off hand bags. That may be a good idea, get the people that are making all the knock off products, to work for the government!

[edwinchester]

Surprising that there is a shortage of blank cards. Just how difficult are they to make?

As an aside I took one of the wifes friends to the local Amphur for a new card last week. They said that because of a shortage she couldn't have one but if she paid extra then yes she could!

Always an opportunity for tea money somewhere.

[kotsak]

"He said Singapore charged up to 100 Singapore dollars for a person who needs a replacement for a lost ID card, while Malaysia charged 200 Ringgit, and Hong Kong charged 395 Hong Kong dollars."

Singapore issue Singaporean ID cards, not Thai ID cards. A Singapore ID card IS worth 100 Sing dollars. A Thai card is NOT. To compare the two cards and prices is he joking?

Not to mention that those two issue ID cards to anyone who lives in their territory making their life much easier but that's another story..

[Thai at Heart]

he very high number of missing ID cards. Last year, 1.8 million ID cards

that lost cards now cost the country more than Bt200 million a year.

If it cost Visa that much per card they would probably be out of business.

[Locationthailand]

If Thailand continues to have security guards at housing and building complexes take ID cards, people in retail outlets being asked to provide etc - is it no wonder 1.8M of them needed replacing? If the cost were high enough then yes, fewer people would lose them but as already stated in the OP, 50 Baht is not going to make any difference, especially if the provider of the cards cannot meet demand already.

[JoeW]

They better try to find more suppliers who can provide for the plastic cards instead of increasing the price.

[Para]

Now I understand.

My g/f had to get a replacement card and was told they didn't have any advising her to call every day to check.

Great planning.....

[ChrisY1]

I wonder what an ID card is worth on the black market???

[Valentine]

Do you have to go back to your place of residence to get a replacement ID card or can one be issued in another province?

[NanLaew]

Doesn't mention that the quality of the cards is crap, hence the higher requests for replacements. The ones they made 5 or 6 years ago seemed to last forever... until lost. Then they came out with the ones with the 'chip' built in and they delaminated and fell apart very quickly. That caused a surge in requests so the 'old type' became available again but that one splits and cracks and gets lost as well.

I wonder if the same guy that was awarded the car number plate contract also got the awarded the ID card contract.... by the same guy.

Edited January 20, 2013 by NanLaew

[GentlemanJim]

Do you have to go back to your place of residence to get a replacement ID card or can one be issued in another province?

Try Khausan Road, I am sure folks can get a genuine one there no problem!

[edwinchester]

Do you have to go back to your place of residence to get a replacement ID card or can one be issued in another province?

It should be able to be got from any Amphur.

Thais abroad can get from their embassy's too I believe.

If the blanks are available of course.

[Valentine]

Do you have to go back to your place of residence to get a replacement ID card or can one be issued in another province?

Try Khausan Road, I am sure folks can get a genuine one there no problem!

We are in Phuket, card is from Udon Thani & want a legitimate card.

[bigbamboo]

Guess it won't effect us farangs. I actually think they should have a national I.D card in Australia also, help stamp out a few ilegals.

Just hope there's no announcement of a shortage of visa extension forms.....!

Re ID cards I wish we had them in the UK too. Would make life a lot easier unless you had something to hide.

[tomross46]

It would be interesting to see the data on which area had the most ID cards lost and where the loss occurred. If the losses where of Issan girls in Pattaya or Phuket it might indicate a pattern of ID theft. If it was along the Cambodian, Laos, or Burmese border, than the cards could be going to unwanted immigrants. if it is along the border with Malaysia than the identities could be going to terrorist.

The government should track all the losses to see if there is a trend. Were all the loses reported to the police?

[bkk_mike]

Guess it won't effect us farangs. I actually think they should have a national I.D card in Australia also, help stamp out a few ilegals.

Just hope there's no announcement of a shortage of visa extension forms.....!

Re ID cards I wish we had them in the UK too. Would make life a lot easier unless you had something to hide.

Please tell me you're kidding... Just look at the cost of a UK passport. You really want to give the UK government a new method to extract money from your wallet. They take your money at every opportunity as it is...

[belg]

raise the price and keep check who lose it, maybe some part of the populace just sells it for cash... you know those kind of people who are undesired everywhere they go with their bombing practises...

[TommoPhysicist]

Guess it won't effect us farangs. I actually think they should have a national I.D card in Australia also, help stamp out a few ilegals.

Just hope there's no announcement of a shortage of visa extension forms.....!

Re ID cards I wish we had them in the UK too. Would make life a lot easier unless you had something to hide.

Bar code tattooed on the forehead, hard to lose, impossible to hide.

[ginjag]

Normally every Thai person HAS to go to the place where they are registered, example--in the family house book. So anyone in Chon Buri would have to go to Udon if their name is registered there, to obtain a new -or replacement.

Unless things have changed this is the only way to do it. Something similar to voting in rural areas.

[Mudcrab]

Guess it won't effect us farangs. I actually think they should have a national I.D card in Australia also, help stamp out a few ilegals.

F..uk you

[Mudcrab]

he very high number of missing ID cards. Last year, 1.8 million ID cards

that lost cards now cost the country more than Bt200 million a year.

If it cost Visa that much per card they would probably be out of business.

They wouldn"t...but he Visa runners would be !!!

Edited January 20, 2013 by Mudcrab

[Mudcrab]

Guess it won't effect us farangs. I actually think they should have a national I.D card in Australia also, help stamp out a few ilegals.

Just hope there's no announcement of a shortage of visa extension forms.....!

Re ID cards I wish we had them in the UK too. Would make life a lot easier unless you had something to hide.

typical nazi response....how about we tattoo a bar code on the back of the neck at birth???

[Fozfromoz]

Guess it won't effect us farangs. I actually think they should have a national I.D card in Australia also, help stamp out a few ilegals.

Just hope there's no announcement of a shortage of visa extension forms.....!

Re ID cards I wish we had them in the UK too. Would make life a lot easier unless you had something to hide.

typical nazi response....how about we tattoo a bar code on the back of the neck at birth???

Sorry, off topic a bit i know. The point that Chooka made, and the same lines bigbamboo made have some merit. I do recall the issue some Years back when they spoke about introducing the Australia Card. Just an ID card. Big hue and cry about invasion of privacy so eventually it was dropped. Little did/ do the people know that the government, credit institutions and more know just about everything there is to know about its citizens anyway.

Prime form of ID in Australia? yep drivers licences, all chipped with all the info. Then run around with 100 points in various forms of ID. Guess what, it goes into a computer, how about that!

But no we don't want a National ID card, thats an invasion on my privacy. Thick as 2 short planks those that think like that I reckon.

Edited January 20, 2013 by Fozfromoz

[BrianCR]

Guess it won't effect us farangs. I actually think they should have a national I.D card in Australia also, help stamp out a few ilegals.

Just hope there's no announcement of a shortage of visa extension forms.....!

Re ID cards I wish we had them in the UK too. Would make life a lot easier unless you had something to hide.

Easier for the government to control sheep you mean?

[BrianCR]

Guess it won't effect us farangs. I actually think they should have a national I.D card in Australia also, help stamp out a few ilegals.

Just hope there's no announcement of a shortage of visa extension forms.....!

Re ID cards I wish we had them in the UK too. Would make life a lot easier unless you had something to hide.

typical nazi response....how about we tattoo a bar code on the back of the neck at birth???

Sorry, off topic a bit i know. The point that Chooka made, and the same lines bigbamboo made have some merit. I do recall the issue some Years back when they spoke about introducing the Australia Card. Just an ID card. Big hue and cry about invasion of privacy so eventually it was dropped. Little did/ do the people know that the government, credit institutions and more know just about everything there is to know about its citizens anyway.

Prime form of ID in Australia? yep drivers licences, all chipped with all the info. Then run around with 100 points in various forms of ID. Guess what, it goes into a computer, how about that!

But no we don't want a National ID card, thats an invasion on my privacy. Thick as 2 short planks those that think like that I reckon.

Very good answer! If adolescent, money grabbing, power hungry governments need information about me, let them find it.! It's not for me to carry a stupid card to make their lives easier and, before some government crawl ar** makes the comment, no, I have nothing to hide just the right to protect my rights and privacy

[samjaidee]

Guess it won't effect us farangs. I actually think they should have a national I.D card in Australia also, help stamp out a few ilegals.

F..uk you

That's a very grown up reply. Shouldn't you be in school studying like a good child.