theoldgit

The UKBA have been subjected to years and years of "efficiency savings" what you and I would call "budget cuts", staff jobs have been cut and at the same time the workload has increased dramatically. There are many good and caring staff employed by the UKBA, but like many large organisations they have their fair share of tos*ers, well probably more than their fair share to be honest. With all the efficiency savings you might ask where the increased visa application fees are going.

They do make mistakes, who doesn't, the problem is that their mistakes can either ruin someones life or allow someone to stay in the UK who clearly shouldn't be there, and yes, these mistakes shouldn't happen.

Just my two satangs worth.

Not really intelligent I know, but cheap flights from anywhere in particular?

I just emailed and said I would cancel... It is a good idea to swamp them with emails.. who knows!

I emailed yesterday and got their generic response, I later replied with a further comment and the email was undeliverable, I can only assume their mailbox was full.

It's moving in the right direction, albeit very slowly, my Grandmother always used to say to me "don't tempt providence"

We usually stay in top class hotels, and of course pay through the nose for it. We went to Chiang Mai for Songkran and decided to stay at a centrally placed guest house that we found after researching Trip-advisor.

We stayed at "All in 1 GH" which was centrally located and very good value for money with a good atmosphere, it has a nice little bar where we relaxed a couple of evenings. Our air conditioned room was spotlessly clean and had a mini bar and cable tv, having been used to paying 5,000 Baht a night at top class hotels, we only paid 650 Baht a night here. The guest house is run by a really nice French guy.

http://www.allin1gh.com/html/presentation1.html

[quote name='localangmo' date='2009-05-04 13:51:03' post='2711313'

Yesterday I started downloading Spooks Season 6 on Bittorrent.

It's well worth the long download time, but well worth watching, you can also get Spooks 7.

Ironically I downloaded it via my True Internet connection.

Well have reduced from platinum to gold, may reduce further at a later stage, cancelled my Value A La Cart Package while I was at it as they charge a higher rate if you are on the gold.

Spent an absolute age getting through but was treated with the utmost courtesy when I did, felt sorry for the young lady I dealt with, she did admit that they had been overwhelmed with cancellations.

With Spot card they send vouchers, that can be used as cash, to your home address every three months.

Cannot say what the No 1 card does as I have never built up a meaningful balance.

Well I confirmed the loss of my plat sub to them yesterday..

500 baht a month to put into some other way to get the same channels

What was their response, if any?

I usually stop if I am not sure, then wait for the person to flash his headlights and hoot me.

I stopped recently at the top of a T intersection in the lane closest to the footpath while the traffic light was red, mainly because there was a police officer there, I was quickly hooted at and waved forward by the officer.

I think you have stumbled on a new offer, last week I booked to go to Udon Thani next week at 499 Baht each way, and was happy with that, but 99 Baht would have been much better.

Well done.

How many immigration advisers did he get free advice off?

I suspect more than one advisor plus a number of others with a bit of knowledge judging by the earlier note of thanks, and pm's.

Glad it worked out ok. and was of course willing to lend a hand even though I am not employed by a respected firm of Immigration Lawyers.

I re-kindled this thread to try and find where I can get a new remote, can anyone help?

Why don't you ask an even more difficult question, you lost your card and they gave you a new one with a new number, and then you tried to claim the flight. I am sure cards are replaced for a number of reasons.

I booked a flight last week for my lawyer to fly from Bangkok to Udon Thani with Thai Airways on line, it does say that the credit card holder must be one of the travelers. It says if not they may not be able to board, well i booked it anyway.

I saw this topic and it got me thinking so i have just called Thai Airways and they have said that because i am not traveling my lawyer will not be able to travel. They are calling my lawyer now to ask him to pay for the flight and then they will refund the money i paid to my credit card. All a bit stupid really but i can understand why they do it this way.

Geordie

At least they sorted it out once you had foreseen that there might be a problem. I called their call centre after my girlfriend and I booked a couple of weeks in Phuket, not a problem as we were travelling together. She needed to go back to Bangkok for a couple of days so, as I was not travelling back with her, they made the booking and arranged for me to pay for the ticket in Phuket. So they have their rules but will usually advise you what to do.

BBC Entertainment are currently advertising the new series of Spooks (6), I am hooked on that series. Unfortunately it seems I will only be able to watch three episodes before the big switch off.

I am not surprised they have had a number of complaints, but I suspect it will not make any difference as it would be too late to reverse the decision - even if they wanted to.

Probably part of the ICE team, which is a multinational force stationed at BKK international working with Thai authorities. Been going on for years and they are responsible for targeting false travel documentation, mainly of non-Thai suspects.

One of the key giveaways is an unusual routing (ie Philipine nationals going from BKK to Brazil?).

Google ICE team bangkok and the first google result will have an interesting powerpoint on what it is all about.

Thanks for that it was indeed interesting, I wasn't aware those guys were there though I have seen foreigners checking documents on an ad hoc basis.

Yes, fairly old news

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Commercial-F...mi-t260785.html

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Emirates-Lau...ng-t250479.html

I booked an Air Asia flight for my gf, or rather she did with her CC, I advised her to make sure she had her card with her as we did with Bangkok Airways last month. I heard that they don't require the card on check in and then noticed that it actually said "confirmed" next to the card payment details on the receipt.

Perhaps they are better organised than I thought.

You actually have the right to cancel her visa and she can be removed fronm the country.

I am very sorry he cannot cancel the visa, only UK Visas can do that, as an "expert" you really should not give misleading advice that people may take as fact.

He can inform UKBA that the relationship is no more when it reaches that stage.

Edit - Sorry Eff1n2ret, I answered in haste before I got to your response.

Ah that's the idea, stop em smoking inside and then nab em outside.

I'm not actually a smoker but what should they do with their butts, put them in a bin and set light to them?

Anybody know where I can get a new remote for a Mitsubishi in Bangkok (Thong Lor), and how much they cost?

Just received an email with the latest BA Club World offer, they are having a three day sale of 2 for 1 Club World Seats to many worldwide destinations, including Bangkok.

As we plan to go to the UK in the summer I thought I would check it out. The offer page defaults to flights from the UK and sure enough there is availability from the UK at £2,845 for two passengers in Club World, I make that about 133,000 Baht at the current rate, however doing the journey from Bangkok to London on the same dates it's 286,680 Baht, £5,500 at the BA conversion rate.

I know this is nothing new but it still makes me pretty cross.

I wonder just how many people will cancel or at least reduce their subscription, I will be doing so next week. The people that have implemented this will not care less, the staff at the call centre will take all the stick.

There was a letter to The Bangkok Post on this subject today.

You can smoke in The Hunstman Pub in the Landmark Hotel, quite amazing really - wonder how much they are bribing the authorities to be allowed to flout the law.

Before anyone goes off on one, I am a non smoker but I don't really care.