Camerata's Guide To The Permanent Residence Process

[Michael Hare]

8 hours ago, Bubbha said:

On the back of the pink card are term and conditions for the user (photo attached of the back side of my pink card).

Under Number 3 it states that PRs are allowed to travel outside of the card issuing administrative area.

Not all pink cards include this language on the back. A friend who completed PR at the same time as I, did not have Number 3 on the back of his card. (He subsequently went and changed that.)

I use this card routinely for flights and hotels. I once was checking into a Thai Airways flight from Chiang Mai to Bangkok and the staff person asked for my letter of permission to travel. I told her I didn’t need one and referred her to the back of the card. Problem solved…

 

My pink card has exactly the same writing in number 3. In February, when I flew on Air Asia from Bangkok to Koh Samui, the Air Asia check in people refused to accept it. The big boss read the back of the card and got a bit stroppy saying I was not allowed out of the province. I pointed out that I had PR but he refused to listen. My wife was with me and she didn't want to make a fuss so I just handed over my driver's licence. This was the first time in 12 years of using this ID card on domestic flights that I have had a problem. 

[Arkady]

On 7/6/2022 at 11:39 PM, Bubbha said:

On the back of the pink card are term and conditions for the user (photo attached of the back side of my pink card).

Under Number 3 it states that PRs are allowed to travel outside of the card issuing administrative area.

Not all pink cards include this language on the back. A friend who completed PR at the same time as I, did not have Number 3 on the back of his card. (He subsequently went and changed that.)

I use this card routinely for flights and hotels. I once was checking into a Thai Airways flight from Chiang Mai to Bangkok and the staff person asked for my letter of permission to travel. I told her I didn’t need one and referred her to the back of the card. Problem solved…

 

Since Note 3 says you need to have an alien book or a letter of permission to travel outside the issuing district, they are entitled to ask for your alien book which, of course no self respecting Thai airline, hotel or bank will accept as proof of identity and will fall to pieces, if carried around with you. Potentially a Catch 22.

 

I guess many district offices can't be bothered to order the blank cards with that wording or maybe they just pick up the first one that comes to hand. The whole system is ridiculous giving PRs a card that was designed for stateless minorities without PR and later used for foreign migrant workers after they signed the MOUs with neighboring countries. It wouldn't cost much more to print some blanks that say "Permanent Resident of Thailand" but then, of course, PRs fall between two stools and between the police and DOPA, as they are still under the 1927 regulations that require them to carry their alien books around everywhere.  The police are legally required to issue the alien books which PRs are legally obliged to have and DOPA is legally required to issue the pink cards, but only if requested and the Note 2 that says the pink cards should always be carried is not actually a legal requirement for PRs.  Overlapping regulations but the police have a senior claim with the alien books, which probably explains why nothing is done to rationalise the system and issue a new smart card to PRs and scrap the 100 year old alien books.  

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, Arkady said:

Since Note 3 says you need to have an alien book or a letter of permission to travel outside the issuing district, they are entitled to ask for your alien book which, of course no self respecting Thai airline, hotel or bank will accept as proof of identity and will fall to pieces, if carried around with you. Potentially a Catch 22.

 

I guess many district offices can't be bothered to order the blank cards with that wording or maybe they just pick up the first one that comes to hand. The whole system is ridiculous giving PRs a card that was designed for stateless minorities without PR and later used for foreign migrant workers after they signed the MOUs with neighboring countries. It wouldn't cost much more to print some blanks that say "Permanent Resident of Thailand" but then, of course, PRs fall between two stools and between the police and DOPA, as they are still under the 1927 regulations that require them to carry their alien books around everywhere.  The police are legally required to issue the alien books which PRs are legally obliged to have and DOPA is legally required to issue the pink cards, but only if requested and the Note 2 that says the pink cards should always be carried is not actually a legal requirement for PRs.  Overlapping regulations but the police have a senior claim with the alien books, which probably explains why nothing is done to rationalise the system and issue a new smart card to PRs and scrap the 100 year old alien books.  

Plus use English and Thai for the personal name etc., on the card.

 

Plus use the correct terminology where the card is named, 'Certificate of Residence' or 'Permanent Resident or Residence'

 

Plus remove all reference on the back of the card limiting the amount of travel away from the place where the card is issued. If it is for some rason necessary then state that the card is valid anywhere in Thailand. 

 

 

[onthemoon]

10 minutes ago, scorecard said:

Plus use English and Thai for the personal name etc., on the card.

 

Plus use the correct terminology where the card is named, 'Certificate of Residence' or 'Permanent Resident or Residence'

 

Plus remove all reference on the back of the card limiting the amount of travel away from the place where the card is issued. If it is for some rason necessary then state that the card is valid anywhere in Thailand. 

 

 

Plus add the computer chip like the Thai ID cards have. ????

[Dogmatix]

2 hours ago, scorecard said:

Plus use English and Thai for the personal name etc., on the card.

 

Plus use the correct terminology where the card is named, 'Certificate of Residence' or 'Permanent Resident or Residence'

 

Plus remove all reference on the back of the card limiting the amount of travel away from the place where the card is issued. If it is for some rason necessary then state that the card is valid anywhere in Thailand. 

They should remove the travel restriction completely. It's inhuman that people born in Thailand with Thai names and speaking Thai fluently or as mother language are not allowed to travel around, as well as denied access to education, healthcare and employment. After the case of the boys in the cave it was revealed that they can even grant citizenship to this people if they pull their fingers out.

[scorecard]

13 hours ago, Dogmatix said:

They should remove the travel restriction completely. It's inhuman that people born in Thailand with Thai names and speaking Thai fluently or as mother language are not allowed to travel around, as well as denied access to education, healthcare and employment. After the case of the boys in the cave it was revealed that they can even grant citizenship to this people if they pull their fingers out.

Well proven before the roadblock to granting Thai citizenship to many similar folks (regardless of football teams etc.), is simply the arrogant local officials who automatically see these people as inferior, not nice people* and therefore cannot be given Thai citizenship. plus the local officials on an ego trip to show their perceived power. 

 

Like so many things no national controls in place to ensure regulations and entitlements are strictly followed. 

 

• * Lao and Cambodina people seen as inferior and even more so the Burmese, seen as bad people because they won wars two hundred years ago.  

Edited July 9, 2022 by scorecard

[Arkady]

3 hours ago, scorecard said:

Well proven before the roadblock to granting Thai citizenship to many similar folks (regardless of football teams etc.), is simply the arrogant local officials who automatically see these people as inferior, not nice people* and therefore cannot be given Thai citizenship. plus the local officials on an ego trip to show their perceived power. 

 

Like so many things no national controls in place to ensure regulations and entitlements are strictly followed. 

 

• * Lao and Cambodina people seen as inferior and even more so the Burmese, seen as bad people because they won wars two hundred years ago.  

Many of the minorities who have lived in Thailand for generations were initially left out in the cold because they were nomadic slash and burn agriculturalists who, through ill fortune, were not in their main village when Thai officials arrived unannounced to conduct the first consensus of 1956.  Those who were unable to get this fixed by 1972 were officially made stateless along with their unborn descendants by Revolutionary Decree 337 which ended the automatic right to citizenship to all born within the Kingdom and restricted it to children born to a Thai father or to two permanent resident parents who were officially married or a Thai mother officially married to a permanent resident.  The decree also revoked citizenship from those who had become Thai through birth in the Kingdom to alien parents who were not both PRs and even to children of Thai mothers with foreign fathers.  There was a transitional provision that allowed them to re-register as citizens at the discretion of the minister, which was usually granted, but, of course, people out in the sticks were unaware of this or lacked the wherewithal to make the application and were stripped of their Thai citizenship, often without being aware of it until they applied for a new ID card.

,

The above injustices were fixed for those born to Thai mothers and foreign fathers, who were often left stateless by the 1972 decree, despite birth in Thailand, through the 1992 amendment to the Nationality Act that allowed citizenship to pass through the matralineal line.  There have been many cabinet resolutions and legal amendments aimed at somewhat redressing the balance for minorities.  However, as Scorecard correctly points out implementation is left to local officials without much effort to ensure consistent implementation.

[scorecard]

Different point: I got PR 24+ yrs ago, my knowledge on some points / some of the regulations etc., is now a bit fuzzy.

 

I have a buddy who has done a lot of research etc., and is pretty much ready to submit at the next submission window, but he's just asked me some very specific quetions which I can't answer, as follows:

 

- It seems that to apply the foreigner must have held a WP for at least the three preceding years without break and with the same employer?    IS THIS FULLY CORRECT NOWDAYS?

 

- And the WP must still be current on the date of lodging the PR application.  IS THIS STILL CORRECT NOWDAYS?

- But can the foreigner lodge the PR application then stop work and return the WP?    ???

 

- Or can the foreigner now change jobs but with the new WP issued quickly for the new job?   ???

 

- Or does the PR applicant need to continue the same WP and still hold the same WP on the date of issue of the Certificate of Residence book etc., if the PR application is approved?  ???

 

 

My buddie is concerned that he might submit with all of his documents in order, fairly confident re the interview etc., but might fall foul of the processing of his application continuing because he 'breaks' a regulation re the scenarios just above.

 

Any advice much welcome, but please folks not interested in what the regulations 'should be' etc. Only interested in fact.

 

Thanks. Appreciated.

[scorecard]

I guess worth sharing, recently I was talking to another long-term PR holder (10 years), he mentioned his 'wish list' of benefits he would like to see coming with PR approval:

 

1. - No need for work permit but list of occupations reserved for Thai continues.

 

2. - PR holders allowed to join the Thai SS 30Baht health scheme on receiving PR, personal payment every month (about 470Baht a month) direct to SS office. (Same as quite a few other farang; on leaving employment able to privately continue the 30Baht health scheme, personal payment every month). 

 

Any thoughts? 

[Arkady]

13 minutes ago, scorecard said:

I guess worth sharing, recently I was talking to another long-term PR holder (10 years), he mentioned his 'wish list' of benefits he would like to see coming with PR approval:

 

1. - No need for work permit but list of occupations reserved for Thai continues.

 

2. - PR holders allowed to join the Thai SS 30Baht health scheme on receiving PR, personal payment every month (about 470Baht a month) direct to SS office. (Same as quite a few other farang; on leaving employment able to privately continue the 30Baht health scheme, personal payment every month). 

 

Any thoughts? 

1. Re WP. A good idea but a huge stretch.  Government thinking is not that PR effectively is close to citizenship without voting rights, as in many other countries.  The Thai view of PR is simply foreigners who have been granted a visa of permanent validity, albeit subject to endorsements for travel. In every other respect they are still 100% alien.

 

2. You mean the Universal Healthcare Scheme not the SS (Social Security) scheme which is open to foreigners in employment. They stopped collecting the 30 baht under the Sarayudh government in 2006 because the administrative cost of collecting it was found be more than 30 baht.  This scheme actually started off being open to anyone on a tabien baan (not sure if yellow books were accepted or not) including foreigners with PR.  I was sent the original gold card and you should have received one too, since you have been a PR for over 24 years. A few years later they cancelled the right of foreigners to join the scheme but those already in were grandfathered.  Later they obliged foreign workers from neighbouring countries to join the scheme because they realised that excluding them and leaving them untreated for infectious diseases was a health hazard to Thais. So you can see the thinking.  Foreigners with PR are regarded as having enough money to pay for their own healthcare and are not a threat to Thais.  So the government will never let them back into the scheme, having already made a calculated decision to kick them out. 

[Arkady]

2 hours ago, scorecard said:

Different point: I got PR 24+ yrs ago, my knowledge on some points / some of the regulations etc., is now a bit fuzzy.

 

I have a buddy who has done a lot of research etc., and is pretty much ready to submit at the next submission window, but he's just asked me some very specific quetions which I can't answer, as follows:

 

- It seems that to apply the foreigner must have held a WP for at least the three preceding years without break and with the same employer?    IS THIS FULLY CORRECT NOWDAYS?

 

- And the WP must still be current on the date of lodging the PR application.  IS THIS STILL CORRECT NOWDAYS?

- But can the foreigner lodge the PR application then stop work and return the WP?    ???

 

- Or can the foreigner now change jobs but with the new WP issued quickly for the new job?   ???

 

- Or does the PR applicant need to continue the same WP and still hold the same WP on the date of issue of the Certificate of Residence book etc., if the PR application is approved?  ???

 

 

My buddie is concerned that he might submit with all of his documents in order, fairly confident re the interview etc., but might fall foul of the processing of his application continuing because he 'breaks' a regulation re the scenarios just above.

 

Any advice much welcome, but please folks not interested in what the regulations 'should be' etc. Only interested in fact.

 

Thanks. Appreciated.

- It seems that to apply the foreigner must have held a WP for at least the three preceding years without break and with the same employer? 

Last I heard from someone who applied a few years ago was that you needed to be with the same employer for a year before applying. They may have extended this to 3 years.

- And the WP must still be current on the date of lodging the PR application. 

Definitely true

- But can the foreigner lodge the PR application then stop work and return the WP?

 

Technically correct. You can give up work after applying but I would recommend trying to hang on till after the formal interview, if possible. If they find out you are no longer in employment, they might say you are no longer qualified. I would guess that technically the timing for all your information being correct is the date that Immigration accepts your application but someone might interpret this as the date of your formal interview.

- Or can the foreigner now change jobs but with the new WP issued quickly for the new job? 

I don't see any problem with changing jobs after applying. However, again I would avoid drawing attention to that, if it happens before the formal interview.

- Or does the PR applicant need to continue the same WP and still hold the same WP on the date of issue of the Certificate of Residence book etc., if the PR application is approved? 

No. There have been a lot of cases where the applicant had ceased employment or changed jobs by the time they went to collect their PR books, particularly during the period before the 2014 coup when PR applications were taking up to 7 years.

 

As always, the best thing is to visit the Police Senior Sergeant Majors on the PR desk with queries. Some of the requirements are not set in stone and are subject to change when new management comes into Immigration or the Ministry of the Interior.

 

[scorecard]

34 minutes ago, Arkady said:

- It seems that to apply the foreigner must have held a WP for at least the three preceding years without break and with the same employer? 

Last I heard from someone who applied a few years ago was that you needed to be with the same employer for a year before applying. They may have extended this to 3 years.

- And the WP must still be current on the date of lodging the PR application. 

Definitely true

- But can the foreigner lodge the PR application then stop work and return the WP?

 

Technically correct. You can give up work after applying but I would recommend trying to hang on till after the formal interview, if possible. If they find out you are no longer in employment, they might say you are no longer qualified. I would guess that technically the timing for all your information being correct is the date that Immigration accepts your application but someone might interpret this as the date of your formal interview.

- Or can the foreigner now change jobs but with the new WP issued quickly for the new job? 

I don't see any problem with changing jobs after applying. However, again I would avoid drawing attention to that, if it happens before the formal interview.

- Or does the PR applicant need to continue the same WP and still hold the same WP on the date of issue of the Certificate of Residence book etc., if the PR application is approved? 

No. There have been a lot of cases where the applicant had ceased employment or changed jobs by the time they went to collect their PR books, particularly during the period before the 2014 coup when PR applications were taking up to 7 years.

 

As always, the best thing is to visit the Police Senior Sergeant Majors on the PR desk with queries. Some of the requirements are not set in stone and are subject to change when new management comes into Immigration or the Ministry of the Interior.

 

Thank you Arkady. I'm 77 yo, I got my PR 24 years ago, my memory of the fine details is fading more and more. 

[onthemoon]

21 hours ago, scorecard said:

I guess worth sharing, recently I was talking to another long-term PR holder (10 years), he mentioned his 'wish list' of benefits he would like to see coming with PR approval:

 

1. - No need for work permit but list of occupations reserved for Thai continues.

 

2. - PR holders allowed to join the Thai SS 30Baht health scheme on receiving PR, personal payment every month (about 470Baht a month) direct to SS office. (Same as quite a few other farang; on leaving employment able to privately continue the 30Baht health scheme, personal payment every month). 

 

Any thoughts? 

I support point 1, no need for work permit for PR holders, 100%. I already brought this up to the Ministry of Industry when they publicly announced that holders of the new Long Term Residence (LTR) visa for 10 years won't need a work permit. Why do we PR holders? 

 

The problem is that several ministries have to agree to waive this requirement, and nobody sees any priority. There are "so few" PR holders, nobody thought of this. Plus, whoever needs a work permit already has one, so what's the point? - I think we'll need an inside advocate for this.

[scorecard]

46 minutes ago, onthemoon said:

I support point 1, no need for work permit for PR holders, 100%. I already brought this up to the Ministry of Industry when they publicly announced that holders of the new Long Term Residence (LTR) visa for 10 years won't need a work permit. Why do we PR holders? 

 

The problem is that several ministries have to agree to waive this requirement, and nobody sees any priority. There are "so few" PR holders, nobody thought of this. Plus, whoever needs a work permit already has one, so what's the point? - I think we'll need an inside advocate for this.

Nice point about 'inside addvocate'. In fact i'm wondering if there is a specific committee which is tasked with this matter overall.

 

When I was working as a management consultant I suggested to / pushed several Thai / international companies to officially create either a single position or a small team with the title of Business Analysis and Business Development.

 

What was difficult at first was to get these folks to be proactive. They preferred (not surprising to wait for speific instructions from the boss. I had to convince them their role was to continuoulsy suggest innnovations etc., to the boss, with no prompting from the boss.

 

Ultimately in every case these positions/small teams were very productive and produced revenues/margins way beyond their costs.

 

Same applies here, but of course it runs against the basic local cultural beliefs/attitudes/behaviors. And especially in government, and especially when the government is 'managed', and controlled by military folks.

 

 

 

Here's hoping... 

Edited July 14, 2022 by scorecard

[onthemoon]

4 hours ago, scorecard said:

Nice point about 'inside addvocate'. In fact i'm wondering if there is a specific committee which is tasked with this matter overall.

 

When I was working as a management consultant I suggested to / pushed several Thai / international companies to officially create either a single position or a small team with the title of Business Analysis and Business Development.

 

What was difficult at first was to get these folks to be proactive. They preferred (not surprising to wait for speific instructions from the boss. I had to convince them their role was to continuoulsy suggest innnovations etc., to the boss, with no prompting from the boss.

 

Ultimately in every case these positions/small teams were very productive and produced revenues/margins way beyond their costs.

 

Same applies here, but of course it runs against the basic local cultural beliefs/attitudes/behaviors. And especially in government, and especially when the government is 'managed', and controlled by military folks.

 

 

 

Here's hoping... 

There is no committee working on it. There is simply no interest and no political will for that. We are a small minority that won't bring more money to the country if we don't need a work permit, and we cannot even vote. Where is the incentive for them?

[Dogmatix]

4 hours ago, onthemoon said:

I support point 1, no need for work permit for PR holders, 100%. I already brought this up to the Ministry of Industry when they publicly announced that holders of the new Long Term Residence (LTR) visa for 10 years won't need a work permit. Why do we PR holders? 

 

The problem is that several ministries have to agree to waive this requirement, and nobody sees any priority. There are "so few" PR holders, nobody thought of this. Plus, whoever needs a work permit already has one, so what's the point? - I think we'll need an inside advocate for this.

I agree it needs energetic advocacy. You are dealing with a greed factor that is willing to trade convenience for cash which means they feel PRs will not pay anything for the privilege, even if they have a prior claim over other visa holders. Also there is the issue that they always forget that PRs still exist, as they thnk of PR as just something from the past that their elderly Chinese great aunts and uncles had, if they have even heard of it.

 

Actually if they were smart, they would revamp PR and offer a fast track class for big money, which would be a lot more interesting than what they are selling,  but then they would probably want to axe the regular class. It would also require amending the 1979 Immigration and they only like doing things they can do at the stroke of a pen with ministerial or national police order.

 

[FarangRimPing]

50 minutes ago, onthemoon said:

There is no committee working on it. There is simply no interest and no political will for that. We are a small minority that won't bring more money to the country if we don't need a work permit, and we cannot even vote. Where is the incentive for them?

Exactly.

 

And why would they want to make PR more attractive? With Thai Elite Visa, they can get 1m Baht per person. Why kill that cash cow?

[Dogmatix]

8 minutes ago, FarangRimPing said:

Exactly.

 

And why would they want to make PR more attractive? With Thai Elite Visa, they can get 1m Baht per person. Why kill that cash cow?

At least PR holders have an option to apply for citizenship, if they are still working, and avoid WPs that way. That's a option that will not be available with any of the new top dollar visa packages. 

[jombangkok]

On 7/13/2022 at 12:57 PM, Arkady said:

- It seems that to apply the foreigner must have held a WP for at least the three preceding years without break and with the same employer? 

Last I heard from someone who applied a few years ago was that you needed to be with the same employer for a year before applying. They may have extended this to 3 years.

I recently asked a firm in general and I believe this to be relevant:

Quote

First will be the records of permitted of stay for 3 consecutively years, second will be the period of employment with the current employer for at least 1 year ......

So it appears that the current employer needs to be 1 year only.

[scorecard]

6 hours ago, jombangkok said:

I recently asked a firm in general and I believe this to be relevant:

So it appears that the current employer needs to be 1 year only.

Thanks.

[DrJoy]

Can any PR holder please confirm this -

 

The Pink Card that comes with the Yellow Book, upon request, offers zero benefits that I have experienced, except for ID. However, a Pink Card issued to Permanent Residents, who have specifically applied for PR with working rights and etc. has a tiny PR printed on it that the ordinary Pink Card does not. The PR Pink Card provides free 'Emergency Care' at 'any' hospital, even BNH. 

 

 

@LoudHailer mentioned this in an another topic.

[onthemoon]

13 hours ago, DrJoy said:

Can any PR holder please confirm this -

 

The Pink Card that comes with the Yellow Book, upon request, offers zero benefits that I have experienced, except for ID. However, a Pink Card issued to Permanent Residents, who have specifically applied for PR with working rights and etc. has a tiny PR printed on it that the ordinary Pink Card does not. The PR Pink Card provides free 'Emergency Care' at 'any' hospital, even BNH. 

 

 

@LoudHailer mentioned this in an another topic.

I only know about the pink card for PR holders. It says at the front "ID card for non-Thai citizens who have PR" in Thai language. That's printed pretty small and can be easily overlooked.

 

Yes, the main benefit if the pink card is ID. I don't need to carry the passport around with me any more. The card will be issued by the ID department of your local Khet/Amphur upon request.

 

It does not give you free healthcare benefits. Your social security card gives you the free healthcare benefits, and if I am not mistaken, at any government hospital in case of emergency. I don't think it includes private hospitals but will be happy to be corrected.

In a non-emergency you have to go to the hospital mentioned in your SocSec card, of course.

 

The pink ID card (even the one for PRs) does not come with working rights. You still have to apply for a work permit.

[DrJoy]

3 hours ago, onthemoon said:

I only know about the pink card for PR holders. It says at the front "ID card for non-Thai citizens who have PR" in Thai language. That's printed pretty small and can be easily overlooked.

Is it printed on the back?

[jayboy]

4 hours ago, onthemoon said:

I don't need to carry the passport around with me any more

Depends what you want to do and how sure you are the Pink card will be accepted for the purpose you have in mind.Even a casual trawl through this forum shows that the Pink card is baffling (and not accepted) by many Thai officials and functionaries. There are many cases where it makes sense to keep a passport in the back pocket, if only to remove a slight doubt.

 

I accept there are some folks who enjoy nothing better than a long boring argument with some overworked Thai functionary about the validity of the Pink Card. Takes all sorts.

 

The good news is that the Pink card is becoming slowly more accepted for ID purposes.The direction of travel is clear and my guess is that within a few years this storm in a teapot will be no more.

[onthemoon]

1 hour ago, DrJoy said:

Is it printed on the back?

No, in the front.

[onthemoon]

6 minutes ago, jayboy said:

Depends what you want to do and how sure you are the Pink card will be accepted for the purpose you have in mind.Even a casual trawl through this forum shows that the Pink card is baffling (and not accepted) by many Thai officials and functionaries. There are many cases where it makes sense to keep a passport in the back pocket, if only to remove a slight doubt.

 

I accept there are some folks who enjoy nothing better than a long boring argument with some overworked Thai functionary about the validity of the Pink Card. Takes all sorts.

 

The good news is that the Pink card is becoming slowly more accepted for ID purposes.The direction of travel is clear and my guess is that within a few years this storm in a teapot will be no more.

Well, your experience may differ, but I haven't carried my passport around within Thailand for years, and if any official is not familiar with it, any discussion is usually very short as they immediately ask their supervisor. I haven't had a problem since I first renewed my driver's licence six years ago.

 

Edit: I forgot to answer what I want to do with it. Take domestic flights, check in at hotels, renew driver's licence; anything I need an ID for. The exception is when renewing the work permit, that's when I need the passport.

Edited July 28, 2022 by onthemoon

[jayboy]

1 hour ago, onthemoon said:

Well, your experience may differ, but I haven't carried my passport around within Thailand for years, and if any official is not familiar with it, any discussion is usually very short as they immediately ask their supervisor. I haven't had a problem since I first renewed my driver's licence six years ago.

 

Edit: I forgot to answer what I want to do with it. Take domestic flights, check in at hotels, renew driver's licence; anything I need an ID for. The exception is when renewing the work permit, that's when I need the passport.

Then you have been fortunate.It is by no means everybody's experience - take a look at the many examples provided on this forum. I note you miss out the need for ID in banking/finance, a critical area for many and one where a passport is invariably required..A couple of years ago my Pink card in one instance was not accepted at airport check in.In any case the fact that you have had to invoke a supervisor on some occasions rather confirms my point.

 

 

[rimmae2]

12 hours ago, jayboy said:

Then you have been fortunate.It is by no means everybody's experience - take a look at the many examples provided on this forum. I note you miss out the need for ID in banking/finance, a critical area for many and one where a passport is invariably required..A couple of years ago my Pink card in one instance was not accepted at airport check in.In any case the fact that you have had to invoke a supervisor on some occasions rather confirms my point.

 

 

I only take my passport when travelling to a remote area of Thailand after a flight. I have used and continue to use the ID card for everything I need - domestic flights, hotels, banking, sending post by Kerry Express, using DHL; only once when departing SVB did a young lady at security say PP required, but the lady next to her quickly said PP not required.  

 

 

[onthemoon]

15 hours ago, jayboy said:

Then you have been fortunate.It is by no means everybody's experience - take a look at the many examples provided on this forum. I note you miss out the need for ID in banking/finance, a critical area for many and one where a passport is invariably required..A couple of years ago my Pink card in one instance was not accepted at airport check in.In any case the fact that you have had to invoke a supervisor on some occasions rather confirms my point.

At Bangkok Bank, they even asked for my pink ID... Have changed to pink ID also at SCB and K-Bank. 

 

At the airport for domestic travel, I sometimes have to show my driver's licence, because the pink ID shows the name only in Thai while the ticket is in English. The last time anybody asked for my passport is many years ago.

 

So yes, your mileage may differ.

[Michael Hare]

17 hours ago, onthemoon said:

Well, your experience may differ, but I haven't carried my passport around within Thailand for years, and if any official is not familiar with it, any discussion is usually very short as they immediately ask their supervisor. I haven't had a problem since I first renewed my driver's licence six years ago.

 

Edit: I forgot to answer what I want to do with it. Take domestic flights, check in at hotels, renew driver's licence; anything I need an ID for. The exception is when renewing the work permit, that's when I need the passport.

When renewing my work permit, my passport can not be used as there is no visa permit in it.  Because I own a company all the accounts have to be shown. Actually it is a real hazzle and I get our accountant to handle it. The accountant asks for my PR book (the old red book) , house registration and ID card. The amount of papers I have sign is incredible. Fortunately, I only need to get the work permit every two years.