theoldgit

24 minutes ago, DaLa said:

Always a puzzle for me why they only accept payment in US dollars in the first place. 

It’s a question that’s been asked many times over the years, with some members going as far as instigating a FOI request and receiving a waffled response in return, which basically said “because we can”.

It certainly doesn't look like a scam, as you say it advises that the excess will be paid automatically and to only contact if you don't receive it, the email address looks pukka.

Do let us know how much you get back, every little helps.

This issue is outside the remit of the Consular Team, there is already a long running thread on the subject of "Frozen Pensions" so I'm closing this thread.

Please continue the debate here https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1142813-uk-pensions-and-related-info-2020/

This part of the Forum is where Consular Staff provide information in respect of their recent activities.

If you wish to ask the team a specific question, you might be better off asking it in the Q&A part of the Forum, I suspect it wouldn’t be read here.

Though the question I removed from this section has already been asked, and answered.

On 2/10/2021 at 5:53 AM, elgenon said:

Thanks for the survey. Do you know if Bolt operates in Chiang Mai or Pattaya?

They certainly operate in Pattaya, don't know about Chiang Mai.

They seem to have dropped the route, they're now showing no availability for the original schedule up untill 26 March.

On 2/3/2021 at 11:00 AM, theoldgit said:

Air Asia are now showing no availabilty on this route, and the Hua Hin - Udon Thani route, until 5 March.

 

They seem to have dropped the route, they're now showing no availability at all for the original schedule up untill 26 March.

6 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

Ferry is more efficient and faster.

It was when it was running.

7 hours ago, wolf81 said:

From Chiang Mai to Hua Hin would also be nice.

 

Also, Chon Buri also has a ferry service to Hua Hin that should be much quicker than driving around BKK, that might be nice to try if you didn't know about it yet.

Air Asia had direct flights from Hua Hin to both Chiang Mai and Udon Thani, they were originally scheduled to run up to 26 March, but they have dropped both routes.

The ferry hasn't been operating for months.

10 hours ago, Stevemercer said:

 

Thank you for the correction (and in being polite about it)! I must admit I am surprised that illegal aliens in the UK must pay 150%. Maybe Thailand got the idea from the UK.

I assume it is not a revenue raising stream in the UK (as most illegals couldn't afford to pay anything and would be deported regardless) so there must be some political, or deterrent, rationale behind the indexation. 

 

I assume the rationale behind Thailand's 150% is revenue  rather than deterrent.

"Illegal aliens" don't pay the higher price, in fact they are not charged at all if they are in Immigration Detention or are registered as an asylum seeker, that's also detailed in the charging rules. If people are in the UK illegally, they usually don't seek medical help unless it's life threatening, then it's free to all. 

"(and in being polite about it)!" - I'm not sure why you needed to make that throw away remark, you made an incorrect comment, I pointed out where you could find accurate information, isn't that what forums are for?

1 hour ago, Stevemercer said:

I would be surprised if the UK or USA had different schedules of hospital fees based on immigration categories or ethnicity. 

If you care to read the NHS Charging Regulations, all 124 pages of them, you will find that those not legally resident in the UK, are charged 150% of the actual cost of ongoing NHS Treatment.

it doesn’t apply to those receiving emergency life saving treatment, certain other specific conditions, those from countries with reciprocal agreements or those in prison or immigration detention.

Those in the UK on a Settlement Visa are entitled as they would have paid a NHS Surcharge.

1 hour ago, connda said:

I would bet you that if I was married to a UK citizen and was living in the UK, I'd be covered by the NHS. 

If you’re legally resident in the UK either as a British Citizen or someone with Indefinite Leave to Remain, in prison or Immigration Detention, or come from a country with reciprocal health care arrangements, then yes you’d be entitled to free ongoing treatment from the NHS.

Being married to a UK Citizen doesn’t automatically entitle to free NHS Cover though if your were in the UK with Leave to Remain then you would be covered as you would have paid a NHS Surcharge.

Life saving treatment is free as are a few other conditions.

28 minutes ago, Paul DS said:

Actually sorry but you are wrong.  Anyone requesting treatment in a NHS facility within the UK are charged the private treatment price, its the same for UK residents or Non UK etc. The difference you get with private treatment is that there is generally little or no waiting list.

 

There is no 150% price.

No I’m not wrong, I’m not on about private treatment, I’m on about treatment on the NHS in a NHS facility, legal residents in the UK can obtain treatment free of charge, whereas visitors from overseas, including taxpaying British expats are charged 150% of the actual cost of treatment.

On 2/6/2021 at 9:00 PM, madmitch said:

Cancelled mine this week. A decent VPN is cheaper than TVMucho and allows me to access just about everything I want on catchup.

I use Cyber Ghost and even with their server that is supposed to work for IPlayer. it still blocks me.

I've got a few more months of Mucho left, and it's still not too bad, but the buffering has been bad of late.

14 hours ago, herfiehandbag said:

I must confess that I was not aware that they came separately - perhaps the investment could be spread by buying the aircraft first and the engines later

I didn't realise that either, at least until I read an article in the UK media over the weekend regarding the woes of the Rolls Royce aircraft engine division, and how many staff they are laying off.
The article mentioned that the engines are actually leased to airlines on a by use basis, with so many aircraft not operatings, along with their engines, Rolls Royce are no longer receiving an income for the use of their engines.
I'm sure this is an oversimplifiction of the process, but it's certainly a difficult time for the whole industry. 

14 hours ago, Gandtee said:

HSBC croydon UK would not send cards by registered or courier mail. 

I'm with Santander and our cards were sent automatically to our address here in Thailand, the cards were pretty safe as they needed to be activated before we could use them.

I think that various Consulates have made their postion pretty clear regarding "Consular Income Letters", I see no point in asking the same question again and again, so I'll close this thread.

This thread was opened to share a slight change in the Financial Requirements Guildlines, it's now discussing all sorts of individual cases.

To avoid any confusion I'll close the thread, if any member wishes clarification on an indidviual application, it might be better to open a new thread where your questions may well be answered.

On 2/3/2021 at 11:33 AM, skorts said:

Yes, our flight on12th Feb is cancelled. 

We received an email confirming. 

We asked for a refund but they kept trying to get us to take a credit. 

After telling 6 different staff on 6 different occasions via Twitter (all in one Twitter chat) they finally agreed to pay us a refund. 

It will take up to 4 months to process. 

The Chiang Mai to Hua Hin route was only ever scheduled until 26th March and no idea if they will start it up again later in the year. 

Think asking for a refund was a good idea. 

Our fight to Udon on the 19th has been cancelled, though we haven't officially been notified yet.

There is an option to request a refund via their AVA bot chat but it's well hidden and, as you say, they really push you into accepting a credit or another flight, where they graciously advise that there's no change fee.

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

Key visa is the only agent I have heard of lately that can the application for you.

Thai Visa Express is another 

https://www.thaivisa-express.com/uk/uk-passport-application-thailand/

The UKVI have updated their guidance to staff to take account of anybody who has been prevented from returning to the UK due to Covid restrictions.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/958708/returning-residents-v3.0ext.pdf

Page 12 of the guidance refers:

Extended absence from the UK due to COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions
Some applicants will have been prevented from returning to the UK in 2020 and 2021, due to travel restrictions in place relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. In some cases this will have resulted in their indefinite leave lapsing.
You should consider whether travel restrictions after 24 January 2020 resulted in unintended absences from the UK. Where you assess someone had intended to return to the UK before their leave lapsed but were prevented from returning by travel restrictions, you should consider this as an additional factor supporting a grant of entry clearance.