Thread: The pink id card for foreigners

Yesterday I was talking to a French resident at our condo, and he mentioned that he recently obtained a Pink ID card.

I asked him the usual how? where? why? questions and was told that if your name is on the tabien baan then you are entitled to one of these ID cards for foreigners.

He wasnt sure of the benefits, if any, that come with the card, other than you dont need to present your passport when visiting a bank, or when asked for ID by the authorities.

So I duly went to the tessabaan offices this morning and 10 minutes later was given my Thai ID card. I showed my tabien baan and my passport, they took my thumbprints and my photo and charged me B60.

But they couldnt tell me of the benefits of having the card. Shoulders were shrugged and the next customer was called, a Thai women registering the birth of her daughter.

Can any forum member with one of these cards post about the benefits, if any, of having this card.

Dunno, but doubtless it suits you.

From what I have been told, while it likely doesn't apply to you specifically Tax, If you work and pay taxes you have access to the local Thai hospitals. Disclaimer: I have never tried using it in that fashion but was told my wife's nurse friend. Best part IMHO is never having to carry your passport with you. I find it to be very convenient and for 60bht and about an hour of time, its pretty painless.

I have a Pink ID card. There really isn't much benefit in having one other than using it as an ID card. My bank insists on my passport to be shown and I used it to renew my Thai driving license.

It brings you one step closer to becoming a Thai citizen but other than that it's useful as another form of ID and lording it over newbies.

Edmond was waxing lyrical about this pink card before.. You can use it to enrol as a Thai scoutmaster, receive dwarf allowance from the State and get free treatment at the Red Cross STD clinic, I think he said.

As Pragmatic says, no real benefits, simply an ID card. Locals would find it easier to make sense of, and no need to carry around a passport.
On its own having one won't get you cheap health care. For that you need to pay into the Thai social security.

My understanding when they first came out it was yet another way of somehow trying and failing to keep track of foreigners living in Thailand.
My local amphur sent out letters to all foreigners they had on record as having a tabien baan

Not long before that I was visited at work by a group of soldiers who had been sent round to take photographs of all foreigners working in the area.
I had my photo taken stood against a wall with both hands at head height, one hand holding my passport, the other my work permit.
They informed me they were acting on instructions from Bangkok.

The government went through a phase back then when they appeared paranoid about keeping tabs on foreigners

Can hardly blame them.

Originally Posted by Happy As Larry

On its own having one won't get you cheap health care. For that you need to pay into the Thai social security.

Exactly, why I noted to Tax that it won't do that for him. I did go to the local hospital near our place and got set up with the Thai ID card and my Thai Tax ID number. So from what I was told, now I just roll in and show them my Pink card and all is paid for. Again, haven't used it.

Other than that, it's just another form of ID but again not having to carry your passport around is very nice. One less thing they can try and scam money out of you on a road stop.

Originally Posted by Reg Dingle

Edmond was waxing lyrical about this pink card before.. You can use it to enrol as a Thai scoutmaster, receive dwarf allowance from the State and get free treatment at the Red Cross STD clinic, I think he said.

And a 10% discount at lolitas. Pretty good deal really for only an initial 60 baht outlay

Originally Posted by Reg Dingle

Edmond was waxing lyrical about this pink card before.. You can use it to enrol as a Thai scoutmaster, receive dwarf allowance from the State and get free treatment at the Red Cross STD clinic, I think he said.

Thanks for the replies and info. As I dont work here and pay into the Thai SS system the only benefit seems to be that it negates the requirement to carry a passport around, which I have never done anyway. Lording it over newbies is always an enjoyable activity and for B60 remarkably good value too.

Best thing since sliced cheddar.

Comes as part of the yellow tabien bahn deal (just after it, really).

Never need a certificate of residence when buying/selling properties and vehicles again for as long as you lulu, renewing driving licenses, opening bank accounts etc etc. Brilliant bit o' kit.

Lording a worthless piece of cardboard over newbies… sounds exactly like your style.

its not cardboard, its plastic, you feeble minded pustule.

There’s no need to carry your passport around, you just need to be able to identify yourself. A driving licence or even a photo of your passport on your phone is sufficient.

Originally Posted by taxexile

its not cardboard, its plastic, you feeble minded pustule.

Nice misdirection, hardly even noticed.

I got a pink card about 5 years ago. I probably would not have bothered but there was a change in the Thai Social Insurance system identification numbering some time before that. Social Insurance originally had its own numbering system for participants, but it was changed to use the normal Thai I.D. numbers, which made sense. I knew at the time I was going to have more hospital visits than I cared for, so I got the pink I.D. card to ease the way. The Social Insurance system has saved me a lot of money (hundreds of thousands of baht) for which IÂ’m grateful.

I recall that issuing the pink card did not turn out to be a gimme. That dragon at the Amphur office decided that a farang having an ID number with the first digit of 5 was entirely unsuitable. After multiple calls to Bangkok, she finally found somebody that was old enough to confirm that some farangs had indeed been allocated those numbers. I was impressed that enough of the old information had been digitized so that she was able to pull up a house registration certificate where I was listed dating back to very early 70s.

There is a new system at my local hospital now to speed up checking in using machines which accept the insertion of an I.D. card. This wonÂ’t work for the pink cards because they are not chipped but an officer can manually enter your I.D. number and get a result.
As far as for general identification purposes, the pink card is no better than a Drivers Licence. The former is only in Thai while the latter shows your name in Thai and English and your I.D. number (mine does anyway).

Originally Posted by dirk diggler

There’s no need to carry your passport around, you just need to be able to identify yourself. A driving licence or even a photo of your passport on your phone is sufficient

On other forums it's claimed that a photocopy of your passport will suffice as ID.

Tips for Carrying Your Passport While Traveling in Thailand

So, you can leave it in a safe. Make copies of the passport: Law officers often accept digital and hard passport copies. Make colored copies and use these where the original passport is not mandatory.

Originally Posted by Happy As Larry

As Pragmatic says, no real benefits, simply an ID card. Locals would find it easier to make sense of, and no need to carry around a passport.
On its own having one won't get you cheap health care. For that you need to pay into the Thai social security.

My understanding when they first came out it was yet another way of somehow trying and failing to keep track of foreigners living in Thailand.
My local amphur sent out letters to all foreigners they had on record as having a tabien baan

Not long before that I was visited at work by a group of soldiers who had been sent round to take photographs of all foreigners working in the area.
I had my photo taken stood against a wall with both hands at head height, one hand holding my passport, the other my work permit.
They informed me they were acting on instructions from Bangkok.

The government went through a phase back then when they appeared paranoid about keeping tabs on foreigners

Did you not try to explain to them that both the Dept of Employment and Immigration held original photographs of you together with copies of your passport submitted to those departments in connection with your application for the WP.

The trouble with the imbecilic Thai is that on most occasions they are merely acting blindly under the instructions of someone above them and have no understanding as to purpose. Stupidity is self perpetuating in this absurd little country.

Originally Posted by Seekingasylum

this absurd little country.

It's far from being a little country. I thought you were clever?

Originally Posted by Seekingasylum

The trouble with the imbecilic Thai is that on most occasions they are merely acting blindly under the instructions of someone above them and have no understanding as to purpose.

This is quite different from double pricing according to you, then.

Because the motivation behind that, in your barmy little brainbox, is that all Thais believe they are superior to 'farang'.

Originally Posted by cyrille

all Thais believe they are superior to 'farang'.

it is nothing to do with superiority, it's more a tribal thing, but the fact is though, that in the majority of cases involving a dispute between a foreigner and a thai, it is the thai who holds the advantage. the burden of proof will always be heavier on the foreigner.