What is a Thai house book?
Tabien BaanTabien Baan is the official house book or condominium identification and address registration book. The house book is not a legal ownership document but an administrative document issued by the local municipality giving the address of the house or condominium and is the address registration book for the persons living in it.
Contrary to what is often assumed this document has nothing to do with actual ownership of a house or condo. In any case it cannot be used as proof of ownership, but as proof of address (learn more about technical ownership of a house). A house book could state the name of the owner but not necessarily. Non-resident foreigners can usually only be registered as the owner of a house in Thailand in a yellow house book or yellow Tabien Baan, but the value is limited.
Thailand has 2 types of house books:
- the blue house book (Thor.Ror.14) for Thai nationals, and;
- the yellow house book (Thor.Ror.13) for foreigners.
A house book is asked as proof of address of a person in official registration procedures such as transfer of ownership of a car at the Transport Department or opening a bank account. Foreigners can in such cases also show a letter of residence issued by the local immigration office instead of a house book, or a condominium unit title deed in combination with the blue book.
In case of a foreigner the blue house book is usually empty, unless he has Thai relations living with him. It is more important for Thai nationals to be registered in a house book than it is for foreigners.
House book application
The application of a blue house book is straightforward and standard issued. A house book can be issued for a house, condominium appartment (whether registered under the Condominium Act or not). The official house book for foreigners is the yellow book. The blue book can be exchanged for a yellow book if the foreigner meets specific criteria. The documents required for the application of a yellow book vary per district or location, but could among others include:
- a non-immigrant visa
- work permit
- marriage certificate
- condominium title deed
- the official land office sale of a structure agreement (click sample on the right)
- building permit.
The house or condominium registration book is for foreigners not an important document and most foreigners owning a condominium or a house (separate from the land) will have a blue house registration book and not a yellow book. Generally there is no need or requirement for exchanging a blue tabien baan for a yellow tabien baan. A blue book or yellow book the practical effect is for most foreigners the same.
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