Pattaya Legal Corner: The foreigners’ yellow book and pink card are worth having

A recurrent discussion amongst expats is whether to bother applying for the yellow book (which lists the foreigner’s resident in a property) and the pink card (a Thai ID for aliens). The general answer is a yes as they can oftentimes relieve the burden of repeat journeys to the immigration office. They can be used for registering a SIM card, enrolling as a patient in a hospital, opening a bank account, entering fee-paying sites including national parks, reporting at police stations and transferring vehicle ownership.

Why do I say oftentimes? Because each bureaucracy has the power either to accept the yellow book and pink card or to insist on a specific letter from immigration as proof of address. For example, the vast…