bluesofa

6 hours ago, bluesofa said:

 

I'd agree with you on that. I assumed I was more decrepit than I'd imagined and my memory was playing tricks on me.

     

BTW, I have already emailed HMPO asking if there is a date already decided when the burgundy passports will be replaced by 'blue'.

(It says they will respond within 15 working days, so don't get too excited yet.)

 

Further to my post above HMPO have just replied to my email - in less than 24 hours - that's great!

See below:

(quote) We will be introducing a new blue and gold passport for all UK citizens once we have left the European Union.

Leaving the European Union means that British passports will no longer have to conform to the standard EU common format passport criteria, and this gives us the opportunity to introduce a new, unique travel document.

To save the taxpayer money, the newly designed passports will be introduced in a phased approach, starting from October 2019. We anticipate that from 1 January 2020, all UK passports will be blue.

There is no need for British passport holders to do anything ahead of their current passport renewal date – existing passports remain valid. Upon application, the standard renewal fees will apply. (unquote)

This is basically the same as someone else who posted a page from the gov.uk website a couple of hours ago.

1 minute ago, pontious said:

To avoid over excitement Blue passports will be issued from October 2019. That is when the contract for the supplier is renewed.

Thanks for that info, but will they have some stock to use up as well, irrespective of the contract renewal date?

Also, what about Brexit in March 2019? Are you saying they will still be issuing passports with the EU on until October 2019, or is there a more complicated answer about using up the burgundy passport stock, but somehow without the EU at the top?

Sorry to be pedantic, but your reply has raised more questions (to my mind anyway)!

5 minutes ago, Happy enough said:

slightly off topic but am i the only person confused with the brexit 'back to blue' passport thing. mine was definately black, not blue. not dark blue. black

I'd agree with you on that. I assumed I was more decrepit than I'd imagined and my memory was playing tricks on me.

However, googling does produce different results:

BTW, I have already emailed HMPO asking if there is a date already decided when the burgundy passports will be replaced by 'blue'.

(It says they will respond within 15 working days, so don't get too excited yet.)

On 29/03/2018 at 1:36 PM, KhunBENQ said:

They can not understand how I can find the way to a place I have never been before

They were very concerned that I would get in the car and drive down 600 km to find a spot.

 

I have a big Thailand map on the wall.

The "show me Bangkok" question is quite a challenge for most.

 

I also have a world map besides.

Better don't even try a quiz!

 

Years ago in Pattaya, the usual touts came round beer bars selling stuff.

One guy had a world map. I asked where it was printed. He proudly said "Thailand". I knew that already, as it had Singapore in the southern hemisphere.

29 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

The cost is increasing soon.

The cost has just increased. That was the new price I quoted in my OP.

See below:

You have to pay a fee for your passport and a courier fee of £23.01
 

       Passport type                             Passport fee     Cost with courier fee

Adult standard 34-page passport      £95.50                   £118.51

Adult jumbo 50-page passport          £105.50                 £128.51

Maybe I've been reading this too literally, as it said, "dated within the last year". I took that to mean issued within the last year.

So as long as someone has successfully used say, a driving licence, that was currently valid at the time, but not necessarily "issued" within that year, it sounds like it would be OK. Good.

Pleased to hear a bank statement was accepted too, although I'd need to get  mine translated into English, as the address is in Thai.

I've used a local language school showing their letter-heading, when I translated my passport into Thai for my yellow housebook, So I hope that would be accepted by VFS at Trendy too.

Thanks for all the replies, put my mind at rest about it. Obviously I'll call VFS when it's nearer the time, just to confirm everything.

If anyone has other comments regarding their experience of UK passport renewal from Thailand, I'd be pleased to hear them too, thanks.

I’m not sure if this is the correct forum regarding UK passport renewal while in Thailand?

(If it’s not, I’m sure a mod could move my post to the correct place.)

My UK passport doesn’t need renewing just yet, but I am trying to be organised so I can be clear regarding some of the requirements.

I see the fee for a 50-page jumbo passport has increased to £128.51, including the courier fee from the UK back to Thailand.

On the page on the gov.uk website, in Table A (for renewal) is required “name and address and/or residency evidence.”

That says, “one document as evidence of name and address and/or residency dated within the last year.

You must get documents that aren’t in English – including documents showing an address – fully translated by a professional translator.”

Originally I was hoping to use my yellow housebook or pink ID card, but neither of those are “dated within the last year”

I thought about my AIS bill, but that doesn’t come from a “local government department.”

Also, what is acceptable as “translated by a professional translator”?

What have others used successfully as proof of their address?

14 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

This number is incomplete (if that is what you dialed?).

From their website:

077-8248723

I think you'll find the number the OP quoted is correct - regarding the number of digits anyway.

The way phone numbers are written is not always consistant or clear.

In Thailand there are three-digit area codes followed by six-digit numbers (I'm now talking specificially about landlines and outside of Bangkok).

The convention for writing the number is: 077-824872/3

This signifies there are two local numbers: 824872 and 824873, usually they will be set set-up so if the first number is busy it will switch to the next one, but not always.

It's the character between the last digits  "2" and "3" which causes problems. The standard is to use a forward slash: / not a hypen: -

It allows for the VAT.

I've had AIS FTTH for over two years. My router is an Huawei HG8240 GPON.

I subscribed to pay for 20M d/l, and was on the basis of (their words) "free router & free installation".

Admittedly it didn't actually say in black and white that it was a gift and they would not require it back if I terminated the service.

The pause from lights in one direction turning to red to the next direction turning to green is three seconds.

I know because I take my son to school every day and out of boredom I count how long the lights are green on each different direction, along with the pause.

Yes, I should have been an accountant I hear you say, but it's something to do.

Also, the last time I went to renew my driving licence and had to watch the compulsory video, I noticed the narrator mentioned that same three-second pause.

1 minute ago, phuketrichard said:

I almost do the same with my scb card, for buying online air tickets all the time

EXCEPT my scb card says Hipcard (not my name) which is what i input, it than goes to verify by scb page

 

Yes, the Hipcard was the first SCB debit card I had, which (for me) wasn't enabled for internet use, but I could make purchases with it at Big C, for example.

When it expired, SCB gave me the new generation "Smart PromptCard" which is the new (for Thailand anyway, I think) chip & pin card, with a six-digit pin number, but still without my name on it.

I specifically asked for that one to be enabled for online purchases. That was the one I referred to in my last post.

29 minutes ago, Mattd said:

For clarity's sake, 99% of the cards issued by Thai banks are a 'debit' card of sorts and can usually be used for normal shopping purposes and some local online transactions.

There is a very simple reason for this, the card is a generic card whose number is linked to the account, it doesn't have your name embossed on to it.

This is usually why online airline and overseas transactions fail.

I have a BKK bank, SCB and Kasikorn bank debit cards. None of them have my name on the card.

When I've bought airline tickets and it asks for the cardholder's name, I fill in my name same as the account name, then it goes to my bank for verification, that has worked fine for me. I never realised there might be a problem with that.

I don't know where else to ask about this in the forum.

I'm after a short length of wool to repair the cuffs of a jumper I bought in the UK.

Now I know that if locals have never seen wool products before, they'll insist it's not available in Thailand, which is just what my wife and her seamstress friend have said.

I only need one foot or so in length, green would be good.

I'm in Udon, but I do have to go to Bangkok next week, if maybe someone knows of a shop there?

14 minutes ago, jackdd said:

The problem is that the banks use confusing terms them self.

For example the term "Secured credit card" which is made up by US banks.

So you can't really expect that all the customers understand the differences

Surely it is down to the customer to ensure they understand what they are applying for, before signing the form?

It is a subject they need to be pedantic about - it's their money here.

There have been so many people in the UK who have been "miss-sold" insurance. What it really means is the the companies did their level best to make the contract in their favour, by making it very difficult to understand.

Do US banks really use the term "secured credit card"? That's an oxymoron itself!

3 minutes ago, jackdd said:

{snipped}

In case that you are renting from a natural person (for example your GF writes a rental contract for you) he also wants a copy of this persons id card, signed, with phone number, and a note that says that you are allowed to stay at his / her place.

Good luck

 

It's great you've given so much detailed information for the OP to apply for a bank account.

I can't but comment on the part where you could have a rental contract, but also need confirmation that you can stay there?

Either it's Thai logic, or am I missing something obvious about it?

1 minute ago, Tanoshi said:

Don't take the g/f with you.........big mistake!

They only confuse the issue.

 

Look on branch websites......opening an account.........print it off and take it with you.

The front desk staff are really poorly trained.....ask for the manager, show them their own website requirements.

Stand firm, but be polite.

 

I would echo exactly what Tanoshi has said above.

Regarding Bangkok Bank and Visa/Unon Pay debit cards.

There is a thread elsewhere on TVF about this. BKK Bank are issuing that useless UP card to a lot of customers.

Do a search in the banking forum on here, you'll find the thread about it in there.

There have been a few posters who have said they've insisted on a Visa card, not a UP card when their old Visa card expired. A lot of the time from what I can remember, off the top of my head, unless pushed, the staff will try and fob you off with the UP card.

It seems quite often it's the individual branch who are either unwilling or not knowledgeable about what is possible.

I'd suggest calling the BKK Bank call centre (I think they're on shortcode 1333?) and ask - or rather insist on a Visa debit card. See what transpires.

As other posters have said, it is absolutely nothing at all to do with where you live/are registered living. Your g/f seems to have some hidden agenda there.

I can suggest AIA. I've had health insurance with them for three years now.

I have a slightly lower cover than when I was with BUPA, but the AIA cost is significantly lower. Having said that, you can select the level of cover that suits you.

The reason I left BUPA after five years was the no-claims-refund they offered you annually, as long as you paid your renewal premium on time. I did, and despite the admin office saying them would send it, they never did.

It was only when a new MD took over about three years ago and mailed all policyholders suggesting they contact him if they had any issues. I did, and after a few weeks got my five years no-claims-refunds.

I still left left, as every year the price went up, plus I still didn't fancy fighting every year to get my refund.

At least with AIA they agree to keep the renewal price the same for three years - and have kept their word on that.

1 hour ago, juice777 said:

On 17/02/2018 at 9:21 AM, overherebc said:

As Tommy Cooper once said at a bar in London when someone took his 2/6p off the bar. 
 'It's not the principle, it's the money.'

Tommy Cooper was famous for being tight. He used get out of a Taxi and slip something in the Taxi drivers hand saying have a drink on me. It felt like a few notes but it was actually a tea bag.

Hmmm.

If you had read the post immediately following the one you have quoted, you would have seen the exact same  story had already been posted.

4 minutes ago, vogie said:

I always used Wilkinson Razor G3 (not sure) when I moved to Thailand I brought many cartridges with me, but they eventually ran out. I cannot find Wilkinson here, so tried the Gillette Mach3, which in all honesty gave me a good shave, but the price of the replacement cartridges are very expensive. So have gone down the DE safety razor route, so far very happy with the result, hot water is a must though.

I'm going to try the Watsons razor, for exactly the same reason as you - the cost. I was asking about it here:  https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1023742-razors-shavers/?page=2&tab=comments#comment-12701052 

8 minutes ago, MaeJoMTB said:

Razorburn is caused by not shaving in the direction your hair grows ........ it's not the razor, but improper shaving technique.

Thanks for the reply.

I had no idea about that, it's getting a little involved now!

I have used the Gillette Mach3 for years and have always shaved 'against the grain', I suppose you could call it, as I personally feel it gives a closer shave. No problems using the Gillette.

3 minutes ago, ozmeldo said:

It's not the same as the cheap two blade throwaways. it's three blades. I get about five shaves out of it.

 

I'll never go to four it's just ridiculous and money in the bin.

OK, thanks.

Yes, I think it was the twin blade version, as that's all the 7 Eleven had.