We often get asked just what is a Tabien Baan as it’s not a common word known by a lot of foreigners. In short, the Tabien Baan is a government issued house registration book. It allows the owner to register their address in Thailand, which in our case is Phuket. It’s a very important document as it lists every person that is registered to an address at any one time.
So what book do you need? The Blue Book, Yellow Book or No Book at all?
For those of you reading this that are not familiar with a Tabien Baan and what it’s used for, don’t worry, you are not alone. If you’re a long term resident and property owner in Phuket though, you should know a little bit more about it.
Tabien Baan Explained
“Tabien Baan” has a literal translation to English as “House Registration” but is more commonly referred to as a “House Book” or a “Blue Book”, the latter being more obvious as it’s literally a Blue Book.
Not to be mixed up as a document that confirms ownership of a property, as rather than ownership, the Tabien Baan is used as a way to register people that reside at a spefic residence and is issued by the local Amphoe (municilpality).
Most authorities will require an address confirmation when Thai nationals want to open a bank account, purchase a car, or even go on holiday and in that situation, a Tabien Baan will be presented. Most countries around the world require you to be registered to the district where you would vote from, but in Thailand you will also need house registration to do so.
As a foreigner, you will not be required by law to have a Tabien Baan (house book) or even that you are registered to one. This is one of the reasons that many expats and long term residence are unaware that there is also a Yellow Book specifically for foreigners. So when you finally buy your property, you will be presented with the Tabien Baan and once you have this, you can then apply for the Yellow Tabien Baan.
The Tabien Baan Rules
There are different Amphoe’s across Phuket and you will find that the requirements will often differ, so the best thing to do is contact your local municipality office for more information. IF you live in one of the larger municipalities on the island such as Patong or Karon that have subdistrict or twon status, you may be able to apply for your Yellow Tabien Baan there and then, making the whole process much easier.
If you’re a long term resident or you have a Thai spouse, getting your name on the Tabien Baan will come with advantages. As you may of noticed if you are here full time, Thai people generally need there Thai ID number to do most things including drivers licenses, mobile phone contracts, internet contracts and so on, being on the Tabien Baan will make your life easier when it comes to getting those.
It also helps with other government services as when dealing with them, you will often need to provide some sort of translated copy of a document proving where you life. Typically this will come from your home countries Embassy located in Bangkok and at your own cost. Having a Yellow Tabien Baan will take care of this problem for you, and while there is always a little bit of bureaucracy when dealing with government officials here, applying for the Yellow book is actually free.
What Do You Need To Apply For A Yellow House Book?
There are a few requirements when it comes to applying for a Yellow Book in each Amphoe or Thesaban and most places require the same documents each time. We would certainly advise to call or visit the office in your municipality first to double check what they need. As a general rule though, you will need the following:
- Your old blue book
- Your current passport
- Your work permit if applicable
- Your marriage certificate if applicable with Thai wife’s ID card and her blue house book
- If your renting or leasing, your agreement together with the ID of your landlord, and his or her blue Tabien Baan
Where Are The Local Phuket Amphoe Offices?
The three main offices in Phuket that issue Tabien Baans. You will need to check which district you fall under to make sure that you contact the correct office. The three offices are:
- Kathu District Office
- Phuket Town District
- Thalang District
Applying For Thai Citizenship Or Bringing Thai Spouse Home
If you have a Thai Spouse and that one day you imagine that one day you would like to apply for Thai Citizenship your Tabien Baan will be required. Also, should you wish to to return to your home country with your spouse, a Tabien Baan is an important document to prove that you have previously lived together and are in as relationship. This is a prerequisite for any marriage visa or green card application that you spouse would make.
Our Final Thoughts
Once you buy a property in Phuket you will receive a Tabien Baan which is your new government issued house registration book. Your lawyer will keep a copy but as the owner its your responsibility to keep it safe as if you plan to sell the property in the future you will need it.
