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topfield
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our dear old, erratic, self-adoring finance minister finally bites the bullet and blames all the others.
the central bank immediately announced the lifting of the last remaining capital controls.
where will the baht go from here?
will there be renewed pressure on the baht?
i guess: yes.
why shouldnt there be?
68 viewers of the topic.....not one reply.
Clearly readers of this posting are not fortune tellers....and nor am I !!!
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OK folks...the Xmas gift bonus from the BOT appears to be coming to an end. You probably have only until the end of the week to get your onshore baht cheap at super discounted prices.
Ignore the 70 per pound on todays TV exchange rate list. Banks here are today paying less than 69 for travellers cheques. The rates of offshore/onshore are coverging fast. From the 35.75 to the dollar last week now down to 35.25.
As everyone was informed on this forum, this once in a lifetime gift of 4/5 baht on every pound we brought to Thailand could not last.
We still have around one baht per dollar or around 2 baht per pound of premium remaining.
Act fast or you will lose out ......possibly forever.
Unless there is some major catastrophe with ,blood on the streets or Dubya sends his jets in to bomb Iran we are unlikely to see the current rates again for a very long time.
Just as old-timers love to tell their tales of how they got 100 baht to the pound in '98...a myth anyway as the highest rate the pound closed was 92 and that was for one day only,.... in future years stories it may be tales will be told how we once got /or could have got 70 baht for our pound !
So what is the current note exchange rate at Super Rich etc..?
Reply : Current rate at Super rich 68,70/68.80. True onshore rate 69 exactly for a combination of factors the pound down against the dollar....1.9517 a few moments ago and the premium we enjoy over the offshore rate diminishing by the day...just today the premium cut by half a percent.
I am travelling UK to BKK midweek and am planning the dosh transfers, so would appriciate a rate quote monday(pm)/tuesday, if someone would be so kind...
God only knows what the rate will be next week as new Finance Minister starts his job then. He could up the premium or...could cut it completely with a stroke of the pen !!
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I noticed the strange thing as well after reading this post,thanks for letting me know.
So what I understand now is that only in the morning I can have the normal exchange rates?
Or after 9 o'Clock in the evening till 11.45 in the morning??
I find this very annoying ,they should say the rate(euro) is not at 46 but at 43 !!!
No the onshore rate is 24 hours here in Thailand. Public financial exchange rate web sites usually quote the offshore rate ..but not always..its a big mess ..currently 6pm Thai time Bloomberg is giving the offshore rate and Yahoo Finance the onshore rate !!
In fact with a new Finance Minister coming in next week the whole picture could change again with there being just one low rate for our euro, pounds etc...nobody knows
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Thanks - 2 excellent replies
markhuahin - if the cirrus network are offering onshore rates now that is a tremendous development - could any other nationwide cash card (red) holders confirm this - use the info I have requested in post #19 to reply
topfield - as always good info and extra info too - the silent majority appreciate what you do - but a small minority find an insane pleasure in unjustifiable criticism or mockery
As an aside - seems the offshore rate is improving too !
Hi Khun Bob,
Herewith report at 5pm today.
Tested both N/W cash card and debit cardS. Deduction rate same on both 69.20 !
Other rates : dollar premium down. Yesterday 35.50 ..today 35.35 ie half percent less premium.
Rate it should be by multiplying current dollar pound rate by pegged onshore rate EXACTLY 69
Super rich rate : 68.80 ...so they are making just 20 satang.
Summary : Our onshore premium going down each day . N/W rates excellent IF deduction rate same as the final definitive rate in around 24 hours when it will appear on online banking.
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If people post the following info then it will be possible to determine whether onshore or offshore rates given...
* Date of transaction
* Exchange rate (if this isnt specifically stated then it is possible to do the math given thb amount and the deduction from your account)
* Type of transaction - ie ATM withdrawl, face-to-face purchase(customer present), on-line purchase, cash advance(only applies to credit card)
* Card used - ie Nationwide Cirrus (Red) cash card, Nationwide Visa (Blue) Debit card or Nationwide Visa (Various colors) credit card
If anyone is using the Post Office Mastercard in Thailand, would appreciate the above too...
Dear K.Bob,
Sorry I did not reply to your query sooner but in the last few days the BOT has been letting the onshore baht strengthen ...the dollar peg has risen from 36 to 35.40 ..and I was a little concerned that with the resignation of Tevakun the BOT governor who had expressed his main aim to be protection of the Thai export sector , thus possibly the promotor of the dollar peg, it was possible that this morning the BOT would have dropped the onshore rate. However they have not done so......yet !
I am delighted to provide the info requested if it will help you and other Thai visa readers as my aim has always been to assist others and provide truthful and accurate info . Its astonishing that some people dont appreciate that but that's life ......................as Esther Rantzen used to say years ago when I lived in the UK.
Rates achieved using N/W Debit Card
24 /25 Feb Five test withdrawals Rate 69.881 on all these over the week end.
26 February Six test withdrawals rates 69.883 and 69.881
28 February Seven tst withdrals durind day/evening rates 69.63 and 69.67. Its worth noting that Super Rich was offering 69.25 on 28 Feb for 50 pound notes.
I do hope this is of help.
Sincerely,
Topfield
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What is it with Topfield and his 'Stop Press' line.
It seems nobody was interested after the presses had stopped anywway!
Posting was made immediately after the resignation announced ....and before any other posting on the subject an event which could effect financially all expats in Thailand !!
If moomfuity is saying one shouldn't post important breaking news can he please explain why.
Thank you
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FYI Priditatorn's son failed to appear on Newsline ! In his place was a young man called Jay Bunnag whose English was ther best I've ever heard in 20 years here. He surely has an English mother and spent most of his life in the UK.
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To everyone's surprise the Minister of Finance and former BOT Governor Pridiyatorn Tevagorn announced his resignation this morning.
Whether connected or not is not known , but the baht strengthened this morning narrowing the gap between the fixed onshore and the free market offshore rate.
Reason given was disagreement over the media , meaning perhaps his fight with media tycoon and Toxin killer Sontee Limtongkun who had been invited to air his program Guardian of the Nation on Ch 11 .
Last night Sontee said his program would quit Channel 11 with immediate effect.
Note for viewers of Thai tv : At 10.30 tonight on Channel 11 the Bangkok Post News Report appears.
Anchorman : Pridiyatorn's son !
How he will handle reporting his own father's resignation will make facinating viewing.....all should watch if at home.and in Thailand
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OK folks...the Xmas gift bonus from the BOT appears to be coming to an end. You probably have only until the end of the week to get your onshore baht cheap at super discounted prices.
Ignore the 70 per pound on todays TV exchange rate list. Banks here are today paying less than 69 for travellers cheques. The rates of offshore/onshore are coverging fast. From the 35.75 to the dollar last week now down to 35.25.
As everyone was informed on this forum, this once in a lifetime gift of 4/5 baht on every pound we brought to Thailand could not last.
We still have around one baht per dollar or around 2 baht per pound of premium remaining.
Act fast or you will lose out ......possibly forever.
Unless there is some major catastrophe with ,blood on the streets or Dubya sends his jets in to bomb Iran we are unlikely to see the current rates again for a very long time.
Just as old-timers love to tell their tales of how they got 100 baht to the pound in '98...a myth anyway as the highest rate the pound closed was 92 and that was for one day only,.... in future years stories it may be tales will be told how we once got /or could have got 70 baht for our pound !
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With regard to the non recognition of divorces carried out at the Thai Embassy London (usually,) up to three / four years ago the Consular section of the British Embassy in Bangkok were freely handing out 'Declarations of Freedom to Marry' where one partner had obtained his/her divorce at a Thai Embassy having married in Thailand and where the husband was a UK national/resident.
After raising this matter with the Vice Consul , the Embassy after consulting London, agreed with my legal opinion and introduced a policy of non recognition of such divorces.
Please excuse my views on this subject but clearly the policy is correct.
If Anglo-Thai couples can obtain quickie Las Vegas type divorces at a Thai Embassy what of the sanctity of marriage and respect for the law (English law of course) ? ,
Should Thai wives of British residents obtain a lesser degree of protection than their English counterparts ?
The law was passed to protect married couples...Thai wives in particular, who should enjoy the same human and legal rights as any other wife in the UK.
Anyone disagree ?
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We are walking on thin ice here.
Do realize that watching pay TV channels using equipment designed to receive them without paying for them is illegal!
So keep the discussion very low on details, better to communicate through PM!
One word of advice, ALL these systems rely on a provider somewhere to either update software or send out keys. Sooner or later they will have made enough money, or they will get caught and get locked away, rendering your equipment completely useless...
Hi Monty,
Your advice is spot on but if one accepts such a box will stop after a year or so when it becomes a FTA receiver then no harm will be done.
By the way the EU legsilation...and that covers the UK , allows one to watch any tv one wishes in the privacy of ones own home and for non commercial purposes as long as no subscription was possible in the country concerned.
As an illustration you can watch TPS or other French bouquets in the UK through hacking or card sharing and you will not be committing an offence because TPS for copyright reasons cannot / will not sell subscriptions in the UK !! Were this same law in Thailand then it would be a criminal offence to hack UBC/True but no offence to hack Astro or Multichoice.
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On several ocassions over the past few years I have been in contact with a Mr Peter Karni who is a very important official at the Embassy, and is in fact the head of the Consular section.[ He is H.M Consul in Bangkok]
His name is Peter Karmy
Anyone, can make a mistake, can they not ?
Can we have a truce in the GU22 vs topfield war of words ? I for one do not care who is or is not legally qualified.
Sorry my friend but if a person actually holds him or herself out to be an expert in a particular field ie visa matters at the British Embassy Bangkok , inviting others to put questions for that person to answer and does not even know such a basic fact namely that there is a Consul at the Embassy and indeed a Vice Consul and often sometimes a Pro Consul then that person could possibly cause serious harm to others through the dissemination of incorrect or inaccurate information.
Hence the law in the UK that generally only qualified people may offer advice on immigration matters.
Of course people posting their opinions and experiences on a forum represent no such danger.
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ps No....no Sky Digital here...at least not on satellite. Only a Jodrell Bank sized dish could pick up the signal !
Not even a 'Jodrell Bank' sized dish could pick up Sky Digital from here....the satelite is over the horizon from here in Thailand.
Oh no...not again !! No it is NOT over the horizon ! You can watch Bloomberg on Panamsat 2 at 169 degrees East easily here with a ten foot dish and with the dish elevation of around 14 degrees..
Bangkok is 100 degrees East.
It follows therefore that if you can with ease watch a channel seventy degrees to the East you can in theory watch a channel seventy degrees to the West.
Sky Digital is 28 degrees East on Astra 2
This is theory. As the beam is not directed towards Thailand only the faintest of signal is possible which only a Jodrell Bank size dish could possibly pick up .
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I've never understood this, If your wife/girlfriend went for a job interview would you go along with her? It's an interview for her, about her - if she can't survive talking to an English Beaurocrat for 5 minutes how on Earth will she survive in the UK.
I can only say benny me boy that if you dont know why your spouse/girlfriend wants you with her then you have never experienced the horrific grilling, the virulent diatribe she has to listen to and has to endure it with a smile on her face lest the interigator behind the screen take a dislike and fails them. Like everyone else on here, my mate knows this mate who knows someone in the embassy etc, but i got this from an ex- Bangkok entry clearance officer to my face in my old restaurant here in Thailand, he said they are told to go by the "P" rule when conducting interviews (Quaking now you little shits in the Embassy?) , it goes like this no matter what you have got letters , bank details etc you have the reality procedure is so: If the candidate is from a Powerful or a highly Positoned family, they are to be treat like Potential Princes/Princess's and visa's granted, if they are Powerless, Positionless and Poor they are to be treat like Potential Prostitutes or Ponces and you must do your upmost to find reason to refuse.
So Benny if you had to go through that type of prejudicial/hostile interview would you not like a shoulder to lean on.
Ewelve...having dealt with many many hundreds of applications I have to say : you are right in every respect and detail !
ps was the restaurant you refered to Jools on Soi 4 ???
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I thought I'd chime in here. I use my Dynasat box (it's one step up from the Silverbox) as a backup entertainment device. Usually Dream change their encryption coding methods and it leads to your box (not running the most legal method of decrypting) getting the wrong keys since (I presume) it is running the wrong algorithms. Sometimes it gets it right, every few days. I'd say half the time, not. There used to be regular firmware upgrades from Dynasat when the code algorithm changed, but as of late...not so much. I think they lost some of their business, and don't have the income to keep programmers employed. I could definitely be wrong though. www.jsat.com is a good resource for things going on, but if you email (or even call them) you could wait an eternity getting a response. If your box is able to pirate the codes, try searching the web for "dynasat firmware" and see what comes up. It will take a while to funnel through. And if you do find something that looks like it's right....double and triple check that the file is meant for your box....as it may not be and you're likely to blow the whole deal. Best of luck.
As mentioned jsat is excellent but wow...you pay double or even three times the Thai dealers rate for top Kiwi service.
Also they do not now offer any support for Dynasat products ! Clearly a bust up there with Dyna's owner not wanting Western know how or "to be taken over" by a Kiwi 'upstart'...however good his ideas were.
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As a resident here of many years whose great interest and passion is sat tv...especially tv we can all understand, there is in fact an amazing choice. Internet tv has been mentioned already and the service quoted is indeed good but restricted. They had a fabulous new US channel last week called Spike tv ( belongs to MTV group) but it lasted only a couple of days.
New progs are put on all the time. I can recommend "tvants" which has BBC NEWS...not BBC World freely available here....look it up on google and download.
The best free UK tv is of course Freeview and as I posted a week or so back if you have broadband in UK and Thailand you can watch this if you buy a box costing around 200 pounds called a slingbox. Yes freeview in your Pattay house or condo is indeed quite feasible now.
Finally satellite tv...the answer is a box called a Dreambox which will get almost everything available in the region with the right dish and a very small subscription but this forum does not permit any further details to be given.
Ask your sat dealer about it. !
ps No....no Sky Digital here...at least not on satellite. Only a Jodrell Bank sized dish could pick up the signal !
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On several ocassions over the past few years I have been in contact with a Mr Peter Karni who is a very important official at the Embassy, and is in fact the head of the Consular section.[ He is H.M Consul in Bangkok]
It was to my absolute astonishment therefore that I happened see see the following in a recent posting "
"There is no British consul in Bangkok." [posted by "visa expert" GU 22 ]
QuiteIn fact if you request authentification/notarisations etc. from the Embassy they will be presently signed by him.
A poster asked about what pertains in other countries
The Ambassade de France-Consular Section-in South Kensington, London, would only ever allow one person to enter to request a visa.
Interestingly there has been a little publicised change in the visa rules for spouses of EU nationals applying for Schengen Visas. Now Both parties must attend the embassy of the point of entry into the EU-before you could go and get a visa for your wife..etc. How the Ambassade de France is dealing with this I do not know. However if your wife has UK residence or a valid Visa this is hardly likely to present a problem.
Anyway I have never had any problems with the UK Bangkok Embassy. As everywhere politeness and conforming to the regulations is all.
PS I simply do not believe 'the scum' post. Who said it, where? If it had been said you should have laid a formal protest with the embassy.
Dear Srisatch, In reply to your query as to who said "there is no British Consul in Bangkok ", and where , the posting was made yesterday at 23.40.04 by a self styled "visa expert " and you can find it on this thread directly above. I trust this answers your question. Thank you
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Some people on this section of the forum. with no formal qualifications whatsoever set themselves up as experts in visa and legal matters. This can be very dangerous as if the wrong advice is given then people who trust such postings could land themselves in trouble.
Yesterday I happened to see a posting by one of these so called experts that was so completely false and incorrect it was obvious that the person who wrote it clearly has not a clue about the British Embassy or how it functions.
On several ocassions over the past few years I have been in contact with a Mr Peter Karni who is a very important official at the Embassy, and is in fact the head of the Consular section.[ He is H.M Consul in Bangkok]
It was to my absolute astonishment therefore that I happened see see the following in a recent posting "
"There is no British consul in Bangkok." [posted by "visa expert" GU 22 ]
Normally it would not matter one iota if information given on this forum is incorrect or totally untrue but where the person posting advice holds him/ herself out to an expert on Embassy matters and regularly , almost on a daily basis, not only posts visa advice but attacks others who post who might be far more qualified in terms of both experience as well as legal qualification. then there is something seriously wrong
It is worth mentioning that it is illegal in the UK to offer immigration advice for payment if one is not qualified to do so.
Thank you
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Yesterday the Assistant Governor of the Bank of Thailand announced at a press conference a loss in the value of the official reserves of Baht 174 billion ( saen tjet see pan laan. ).
There is something I don't understand (I'm no expert!!!).
On 17 Feb 2006, The BOT declares 2099.9 Bns Bahts for its international reserve (53.5 Bns USD, rate 39.25 BHT/USD)
On 16 Feb 2007, The BOT declares 2407.1 Bns Bahts for its international reserve (67.5 Bns USD, rate 35.66 BHT/USD)
Year on year, that looks like an increase of 307.2 Bns Bahts, not a decrease?
The figures are from the BOT website:
Economic condition 17.02.2006:
http://www.bot.or.th/BOThomepage/DataBank/...006/E240206.htm
Economic condition 16.02.2007:
http://www.bot.or.th/BOThomepage/DataBank/...007/E230207.pdf
Take the Feb 2006 figure and you see 53.5 billion dollars of reserves. Those reserves were worth 2099.9 billion baht . Well they are now worth far less as each dollar is worth only 36.6 baht now. When the figues came out each dollar was worth far more 39.25 each. Understand the principle ?
As for your point that the reserves are far higher now in baht terms than they were, this is because there are far more dollars in the reserves now than they were then...but each dollar is worth far less in baht.
What it all means is that when a currency strengthens often as a result of a stronger economy the value of its reserves decreases. When a country has problems and the local currency slides ,the value of its reserves in local currency increases. Therefore it was in my opinion grossly unfair for Sontee of ASTV who I otherwise admire and respect to criticise the BOT governor. After all look at what Gordon Brown did...he sold almost the entire UK gold reserves at around US$250 an ounce losing billions and billions for the UK as the price has tripled since his stupid short sighted decision. And yes, he should have known better . Chancellor Barber in the 60's handed over to the Americans three quarters of then massive UK gold reserves for $35 AN OUNCE !!! [The value of the gold is now US$685 an ounce ]
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You would have been much better off getting the 'DREAMBOX' with the DMove system..
The problem with the F1 box and Agulia KU is the Key, this keeps changing and you must go to the RDI web site and look for the new key every time you lose your picture, also the weather = bad picture... Auto updating of the key appears never to work + they can change the key up to 3x per day !!
Yes I have the Move F1 box for 3 years, but last October added the [internet connected] Dreambox, this updates the KEY over the internet no problem + you get ALL of the Agulia KU channels + more on MEASAT 1KU 'ASTRO' I get some 1,366 channels on the Dreambox via all the different Sats.
Hi
Do you get Astro for free or pay a monthly charge ? Also can you get multichoice with your d box ?
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hi Khun Bob
I have the info you want or at least how to get it.
N/W (Mr Lock and his dpt ) have a list of the N/W rates going back yonks. They call it their 'Treasury rate"
Am sure you can get these rates if you request them.
By the way have now tested the 7am card daily limit changeover time. One minute to seven no cash , one minute past and the cash spewed out !
Extremely useful information there for those on an all night bender and short of cash at 6.59am.
Humourous remark , but clearly what is a very important point for all cardholders at ATM'S in Thailand was not grasped . ....
Namely that once a card holder has reached his daily limit ,should he be in need of further cash , for hotel bills or whatever, he will have to wait until not midnight as one might expect, but until 7 am the following day before any further funds will be available to him at the ATM.
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Looking at my last few transactions, the rates were:
26 Jan 70.332
27 Jan 69.974
29 Jan 69.974
I'm pretty sure that these are the on-shore rates.
Oswulf - thanks for the reply
Yes to do look like on-shore - as far as i am aware onshore has stayed in the range 69-70 ond off-shore has been 65-66 for the past month.
But, I'm not sure when this change began and your transactions are nearly 1 month ago...
Still it is encouraging...
I'm tempted to just pay 250bt and see what happens with Nationiwde credit, then pay 250bt with nationwide visa debit...
Oswulf - were your transactions for normal customer present(ie in a shop) purchases or on-line purchases ?
Does anyone have any more recent rates on online purchases for the nationwide visa debit card or credit card ?
hi Khun Bob
I have the info you want or at least how to get it.
N/W (Mr Lock and his dpt ) have a list of the N/W rates going back yonks. They call it their 'Treasury rate"
Am sure you can get these rates if you request them.
By the way have now tested the 7am card daily limit changeover time. One minute to seven no cash , one minute past and the cash spewed out !
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What is this dual currency thing you are talking about? When using my VISA card, what rate am I being charged? And where does the two of them differ?
Yes , confirmed...two different exchange rates for the baht currently, the onshore and the offshore rate.
As for your question, it depends on the policy of the card you are using ! Clearly nobody has tested every single card as there are thousands of them, but taking the Nationwide in the UK as an example if you use their Cirrus/Mastercard in an ATM in Thailand you will receive the offshore rate of around 65 to the pound. If you use their Debit card in a Thai ATM which utilises the Visa system you will receive around 70 baht .
For the US$ the rate in Thailand is currently around 35.64 for travellers cheques whereas outside Thailand it is around 33.5 !!! This is quite important if you have to exchange currency to pay visa fees.
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The answer is simple.
Cost of a visit visa is 3,750 baht ( see Visa fees)
Visa application centre handling charge is 425 baht plus 7% VAT (See this page.)
There is no reason why an applicant should pay anyone any more than this.
For the avoidance of all confusion , it should be noted that Consular Fees are laid down in sterling by Parliament through Statutory Instrument .
The Embassy then fixes an exchange rate which may be up to ten percent more than the going market rate .
At the moment the rate for the pound outside Thailand is around 65 but inside Thailand it is around 70 baht to the pound The fee cannot be paid in sterling but can only be paid in Thai currency and only a bankers draft is acceptable.This can be bought at an outside bank or at the application office in Rajdamri .
If the baht fee seems unduly high, this is due to the current dual exchange rate operating in Thailand at the moment .
RE: can only be paid in Thai currency and only a bankers draft is acceptable
Are you saying that you can only pay by Bankers Draft ?
Is it no longer acceptable to pay in cash ?
Last time for Visa at UK Embassy in BKK I paid in cash (Thai Bt)
Regards
Yes confirmed ! You will not be dealing with the British Embassy but the VFS and they, unlike the British Embassy will only accept a banker's draft. If you buy this locally from a Thai bank, it costs less than buying from the VFS !
The Embassy cashier did indeed accept payment in cash and cashiers cheque and probably still does if there is a payment due to them which has to be paid ...but not the VFS which responsible for visa matters.!
Can I Import A Tv From The Uk?
in IT and Computers
Posted
RESOLUTION, my friend resolution. The Thai tv manufacturers are more honest than the UK shops which say a tv is HDready. Here Sony will say SD...Standard definition, HD high definition or FULL HD full high definition.
You must compare like with like or price comparison is wortlhess.
Go for 1080p....thats the best and will not date for many years. At the moment there is no HD broadcast tv in Thailand but three sat channels with HD tv. HD/FHD will soon be out for dvd's !
Anyhow other than shop soiled old models etc Thailand tv's are cheaper generally so why bring over 6000 miles where there is transit damage possibility and no guarantee !!