Bangkok Bank, British Embassy ink MoU granting visa privileges for cardholders

[webfact]

Bangkok Bank, British Embassy ink MoU granting visa privileges for cardholders

By The Nation

 

 

Bangkok Bank and the British Embassy have signed an MoU that will see Bangkok Bank Visa Infinite cardholders access privileged service when applying for a UK visa.

 

The British Ambassador to Thailand, Brian Davidson and executive director and Bangkok Bank executive vice president Thaweelap Rittapirom last week signed the MOU. It will provide Bangkok Bank Visa Infinite cardholders access to special services and privileges when applying for a UK visa.

 

Cardholders need only their passports, their Bangkok Bank Visa Infinite credit card and to pay an extra fee of Bt4,000 to access the VIP lounge, and to apply for the visa at the VFS UK Application Centre without a reservation or the need to present any documents.

 

The MOU-signing ceremony, held recently at the British Embassy in Bangkok, was also joined by ML Radeethep Devakula, a representative of the Thai-UK Business Leadership Council (TUBLC). He is also the deputy vice president of the office of corporate communications at Thai Beverage Public Co Ltd.

 

Ambassador Davidson, said: “I was delighted to be able to sign this ground-breaking MoU. It is an exciting new initiative – first of its kind – both for the British Embassy and UKVI. And one which deepens the relationship with one of this embassy’s closest strategic partners, Bangkok Bank, pointing the way to further stimulating business between the UK and Thailand.”

 

Bangkok Bank’s Thaweelap said the Bank aimed to enable their cardholders to conveniently apply for a visa with their passport and Bangkok Bank Visa Infinite credit card without having to provide evidence of their financial status or other documents.

 

The special privileges are reserved for Thai nationals holding either a main or supplementary Bangkok Bank Visa Infinite card, including spouses and children under 18 years who submit their visa application on the same day as the cardholder. The privileges apply to applications for multiple-entry (6 months, 3 years, 5 years and 10 years) tourist and business visas at VFS UK’s Bangkok and Chiang Mai offices by paying an additional Bt4,000 to access the special service.

 

The benefits “emphasises the Bank’s commitment to continuously providing its customers with special privileges and exclusive experiences,” said Thaweelap.

 

Bangkok Bank Visa Infinite is an exclusive credit card for customers holding combined assets, such as deposits and investments, of more than Bt10 million with the bank. A menu of exclusive privileges from the bank and its partners are available to those cardholders.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/business/30373889

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2019-07-30

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[NCC1701A]

bad guys out of Thailand, into the UK.

 

too bad I can't show my Bangkok Credit card at immigration and get the VIP lounge.  

Edited July 30, 2019 by NCC1701A

[colinneil]

Davidson can sign all the MOUs he wants, he has got nothing to do with visas being granted.

Just hot air and a publicity stunt.

[DrTuner]

So VFS will give you tea & cookies while you sit in their "VIP" waiting room and then your documents get put into the same pile as the rest of them?

[Khunbilly]

They had me right up until "Bt10 million with the bank"!  ????

[JayBird]

It's a reach, but I think this is what happens:

1) Having this credit card suggests you have ample sums and are not going to the UK to work illegally.

2) Most of the documentation needed is to prove you will come back, but having this amount of money suggests you Will

3) UK can easily check your financial history with this bank. In conjunction with your passport, have all the information needed.

So basically a stream lined process where a credit check is already done.

[Classic Ray]

Shame the Ambassador can’t devote a bit more time to the interests of British citizens who live here and have and still do pay UK taxes, which pay his salary.

 

All the nonsense about income statements could easily have been sorted out if there was any will to provide service for citizens.  There isn’t, they prefer just to share extra fees from encouraging the Thai elite to visit the UK. With luck they will get the chance to see Yingluck and Thaksin while they are there!

[bowerboy]

To put it Thai immigration parlance:

 

”Rich people in. Hookers out”

[anterian]

So now let's see a reciprical agreement, just show my Natwest visa card and not all these silly Thai bank statements. 

[Fred31]

1 hour ago, Classic Ray said:

Shame the Ambassador can’t devote a bit more time to the interests of British citizens who live here and have and still do pay UK taxes, which pay his salary.

 

All the nonsense about income statements could easily have been sorted out if there was any will to provide service for citizens.  There isn’t, they prefer just to share extra fees from encouraging the Thai elite to visit the UK. With luck they will get the chance to see Yingluck and Thaksin while they are there!

Yep ok to go schmooze with officials, but don't  bother to help with retirement letters--that means work!

[Just Weird]

4 hours ago, colinneil said:

Davidson can sign all the MOUs he wants, he has got nothing to do with visas being granted.

Just hot air and a publicity stunt.

Hot air?  From whom? You?

Neither the OP, nor Mr Davidson, said that he had anything to do with granting visas.

Edited July 30, 2019 by Just Weird

[geoffbezoz]

4 minutes ago, Just Weird said:

Hot air?  From whom? You?

Neither the OP, nor Mr Davidson, said that he had anything to do with granting visas.

Only a fool would attempt to say applying for a visa ( as the article covered) was not connected with having a visa granted.

Edited July 30, 2019 by geoffbezoz

[Just Weird]

3 hours ago, DrTuner said:

So VFS will give you tea & cookies while you sit in their "VIP" waiting room and then your documents get put into the same pile as the rest of them?

No, that's not the case.

From the very clear, easily understood OP...

"...without having to provide evidence of their financial status or other documents".

[Just Weird]

1 minute ago, geoffbezoz said:

Onlly a fool would attempt to say applying for a visa ( as the article covered) was not connected with granting a visa.

Well, I didn't say that, so you can't be meaning me. 

[DrTuner]

4 minutes ago, Just Weird said:

No, that's not the case.

From the very clear, easily understood OP...

"...without having to provide evidence of their financial status or other documents".

Oh I understood easily: 'aimed to enable their cardholders'

 

Lots of aiming but no shooting.

[mercman24]

anyone with 10 million in this country needs their head read.

[Caldera]

Is Boris already flogging visa to finance his Brexit shenanigans?

 

Seriously though, I think it's not a bad move. Those Thais who qualify for that particular credit card are big spenders and should easily qualify for visa to all countries, including the UK. Assuming that they haven't been bad, obviously.

[Oziex1]

Thailand, the hub of MoU's. 

[Andycoops]

19 hours ago, Classic Ray said:

Shame the Ambassador can’t devote a bit more time to the interests of British citizens who live here and have and still do pay UK taxes, which pay his salary.

 

All the nonsense about income statements could easily have been sorted out if there was any will to provide service for citizens.  There isn’t, they prefer just to share extra fees from encouraging the Thai elite to visit the UK. With luck they will get the chance to see Yingluck and Thaksin while they are there!

Quite correct.

[Almer]

On 7/30/2019 at 3:23 PM, Khunbilly said:

They had me right up until "Bt10 million with the bank"!  ????

Snap

[Almer]

4 hours ago, Oziex1 said:

Thailand, the hub of MoU's. 

Any Thai with 10 million credit status will not give 2 sh/ts for this service, the 10 million gets them what they want anywhere and any when 

[Thingamabob]

Davidson is a waste of time and money.

[Denim]

On 7/30/2019 at 3:23 PM, Khunbilly said:

They had me right up until "Bt10 million with the bank"!  ????

Yes, 200 million would have been better. Much surer way to keep out the riff raff.

 

Mind you , Prayuth sold land worth more than that recently so maybe 800 million would be better.

[moe666]

On 7/30/2019 at 2:52 PM, colinneil said:

Davidson can sign all the MOUs he wants, he has got nothing to do with visas being granted.

Just hot air and a publicity stunt.

I doubt very seriously if someone with 10million in Thai assets will have a problem getting a visa 

[Baerboxer]

On 7/30/2019 at 6:59 PM, Just Weird said:

Hot air?  From whom? You?

Neither the OP, nor Mr Davidson, said that he had anything to do with granting visas.

 

Actually he's right, technically. VFS is an outsourced supplier to the British Home Office. Davidson works for the Foreign Office. Any changes to the contract with VFS will be managed by the Home Office. I'm not sure the HO will allow local staff to do this rather than central as that could lead to contract performance issues.

 

This is however wrong on many other points. The UK has very clear strict law and policies regarding fair competition, fair treatment, tendering etc etc. Even more so on public sector commerce. There have been many issues around these under the Cameron and May governments. Britain also tightened its anti Bribery legislation. So 

 

Why is only on bank being favored? Who decided this is acceptable and at what level? Is that allowed according to commercial rules?

 

There is a "fee" of ThB 4k. Who is having this? How are VFS costs verified and covered? Is there any cost or benefit to the British Taxpayer? How is this being accounted for?

 

This is clearly suggesting a privileged few, wealthy Thais, who use one, and only one commercial private company bank, and who meet that bank's criteria, and are willing to pay a fee, can be treated on a VIP basis when applying for a UK visa. This expressly says including use of a VIP lounge and being able to queue jump. Implicit is the idea that anyone using this will have the visa application processed more quickly and more favorably. To think it doesn't imply this is naive at best.

 

The recent Tory government seem to equate all value of people and all judgement of people to their wealth so it might well fit with their thinking. But it is not in tune with the business and commercial rules they espouse.

[Baerboxer]

18 hours ago, moe666 said:

I doubt very seriously if someone with 10million in Thai assets will have a problem getting a visa 

 

Probably true. But their wealth and choice of particular bank shouldn't mean they can jump the queue and be treated better than others.

 

VFS offer an express service for UAE visas. UDS 20 gets you a 2 -3 day turnround and use of special email for any questions, document requests etc. All done on-line, very efficient.

 

Any express service should be reasonable cost, and not open to just a select few, from one nationality and one commercial bank!

 

This deal smells bad for some reason.

[Just Weird]

43 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Actually he's right, technically. VFS is an outsourced supplier to the British Home Office. Davidson works for the Foreign Office. Any changes to the contract with VFS will be managed by the Home Office. I'm not sure the HO will allow local staff to do this rather than central as that could lead to contract performance issues.

 

This is however wrong on many other points. The UK has very clear strict law and policies regarding fair competition, fair treatment, tendering etc etc. Even more so on public sector commerce. There have been many issues around these under the Cameron and May governments. Britain also tightened its anti Bribery legislation. So 

 

Why is only on bank being favored? Who decided this is acceptable and at what level? Is that allowed according to commercial rules?

 

There is a "fee" of ThB 4k. Who is having this? How are VFS costs verified and covered? Is there any cost or benefit to the British Taxpayer? How is this being accounted for?

 

This is clearly suggesting a privileged few, wealthy Thais, who use one, and only one commercial private company bank, and who meet that bank's criteria, and are willing to pay a fee, can be treated on a VIP basis when applying for a UK visa. This expressly says including use of a VIP lounge and being able to queue jump. Implicit is the idea that anyone using this will have the visa application processed more quickly and more favorably. To think it doesn't imply this is naive at best.

"Actually he's right, technically".

Actually, he's not, neither Davidson nor anyone else mad claims that he would be making, or changing, visa decisions, this is just a privilege that having the card allows, one of them being not having to provide so much documentation, presumably because the applicants have already been vetted financially.

 

"The UK has very clear strict law and policies regarding fair competition, fair treatment, tendering etc..."

So what?  Applying for a visa is not putting anyone in competition with anyone else!  How is this privilege "unfair" for anyone?  Tendering?  What's tendering got to do with visa applications?

 

"This is clearly suggesting a privileged few, wealthy Thais, who use one, and only one commercial private company bank..."

This is for anyone who has the card and a benefit of having a card that has required them to prove their financial status already is simply being applied to the financial requirements of the Home Office!   That the UK's representative here works for the Foreign Office is beside the point.

 

"Why is only on bank being favored?"

Perhaps other banks (your suggestion that BBL is a private bank available only to the select few is wrong) couldn't meet the UK's requirements, perhaps they had no interest in being involved, who knows?  What does it matter, though, unless you're suggesting that the Home Office and BBL are involved in corrupt practices?  I'd like to see you back that one up if that is your assertion!

 

"This expressly says including use of a VIP lounge and being able to queue jump".

The queue jumping facility is there already for anyone who wants to take advantage of it.

 

" Implicit is the idea that anyone using this will have the visa application processed more quickly and more favorably"

A more favourable decision is not implicit, that's just your view of it.

[cmsally]

On 7/30/2019 at 8:00 PM, mercman24 said:

anyone with 10 million in this country needs their head read.

Especially as there is now a guarantee of only 5m should the bank get into financial trouble. Next year it will go down to 1million , so you would be even more stupid.

[wgdanson]

Sorry to be thick....what's an MOU please?

[DrTuner]

43 minutes ago, wgdanson said:

Sorry to be thick....what's an MOU please?

Memorandum of understanding. Otherwise also known as "Yeah sure, why not, if it pleases you". Usually doesn't bind the parties to anything.