Transcript of the above video: 

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing Yellow House Books and Pink ID Cards for foreigners here in Thailand. I should say the title doesn't say Pink ID but understand that foreign nationals in Thailand who are eligible and will receive an ID Card, do not receive a Blue ID Cards like Thai nationals. Thai Nationals have a Blue National ID Card, foreign nationals have a Pink ID Card that just is basically an ID card to allow, as we discussed in another video made contemporaneously with this one, in the context for example of folks that are coming over from the border of Myanmar, they're trying to work and live in Thailand at least temporarily while the situation over there sort of plays out. Farang can get a Pink ID card too but it sort of operates in a different way. 

As a practical matter, the Pink ID card for those coming over the Myanmar border operates sort of if you will sort of akin to something like a Work Authorization basically for sort of manual labour in various segments of the labour pool here in Thailand that are viewed to be deficient, they're using migrant labour in order to fill those gaps and those who want to operate legally as migrant labour here in Thailand need a Pink ID Card. In the context of Farang or sort of Western foreigners here in Thailand, the Pink ID Card is more or less just an ID.

Now there are arguments both for and against; I've made the arguments in the past. I have my own thoughts on Pink ID Cards. My personal opinion is if I had the choice between a Pink ID card and a Driving License, I would get the Driving License because the Driving License actually gives you the ability to drive in Thailand, whereas the Pink ID card is just ID and the Driving License can act as ID simultaneously.

Meanwhile what are we talking about with regard to Yellow House Books? Well Yellow House books are effectively the foundation to allow for the application for a Pink ID Card. A Yellow House Book is sort of an addendum to what's called a Blue House Book or Tabian Baan here in Thailand. Every Thai in Thailand is registered in some form in a Tabian Baan, in a House Registration Book. Foreign nationals however are not necessarily allowed to be registered in a Tabian Baan. If they do not have Permanent Residence and by that I mean Lawful Permanent Residence, Thai PR, they cannot be in a Blue House Book. So a Blue House Book can only be obtained if you will by a Thai citizen or by someone who has Permanent Residence here in the Kingdom. That said, pursuant to the Civil Registration Act of 1991, it is possible for foreign nationals to be in a House Book of some kind but it is a House Book specifically designated to foreign nationals, i.e. the Yellow House Book. Once one has that Yellow House Book, it is then possible to then turn around and apply for a Pink ID Card but you have to be in the House Book system first in order to get the Pink ID Card, so it's sort of a package deal in a certain way. 

Again, those who are all that interested in the Pink ID card, there may be a better practical alternative in seeking a Driving License rather than that piece of documentation but different people have different opinions and some folks opt for the Pink ID Card, rather than going for a Driving License here in the Kingdom of Thailand.