Yes, thanks for the correction; I should have looked it up: 9 a.m. to noon to drop off your papers, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. the next day to collect your visa. Noon in Penang is 11 a.m. in Thailand, that must have been my confusion. Beware of them being closed on both Thai and Malaysian holidays -- I almost got burned by Nation Day one time. Don't go on Thursday, as you'll be stuck there until Monday if you have any problems/delays, or get lost and arrive just past noon. Double check as you leave home that you've got all your forms, and enough of the right size photo.

Unfortunately, the banks and moneychangers in Georgetown disagree with you. In the real world, at least the real world in Georgetown, 1 Ringgit is 10 baht , give or take a couple of percent. One could always disagree with them, and tell them that, according to Google, they are wrong, but I doubt that it would lead very far.

The last time I went, less than a month ago, the rates at Suwannapoom were even worse.

You guys really like to talk real about the real world, ok, I don't use money changers in Penang and unless the people who do earn Thai baht it would be plain stupid.

My money and the money of many tourists and expats is tied up in other currencies. When I require Ringgit I use my international ATM card (dollar account) and get the going rate on that particular day. It wouldn't be too smart to use my ATM card in Thailand and then bring those baht to Malaysia to get stung again at the money changers would it?

Have a good look at that graph again and you'll notice that the ringgit dropped to 8.6 in August and it was under 9 for a month. If what you say is true and the magic number is always 10, then the money changers in Penang at that time were reaping a 10 - 15% bonus on exchanges to people without a clue. On a currency exchange of 10,000 baht they would be short changing customers 111 ringgit or approximately 1000 baht. You guys are making these money changers rich.

Well, some of us earn our money in baht, not dollars. Can you please tell us about one place in Thailand or in Malaysia where it's possible to change cash for the rates you are referring to? The official cash selling rate at SCB is, according to their website, 10.10 baht per ringgit as per today.

What the rate was in August, is also highly irrelevant, and I couldn't care less. It's been September for a month already, and today, it's October.

I bet those overseas ATM cards give a kick ass exchange rate and never ever a service charge, LOL

Thanks guys, time to keep an eye on the airasia's promotions

"Peninsular Malaysia is one hour ahead of Thailand, and the embassy keeps local time, another barrier to getting your papers submitted on the day you arrive. Have your visa fee in exact change in R.M., and bring your camera to take amusing photographs of the applicants who don't."

And the exact fee for the visa processing is ????? I'll be sure to have that and a bit more if I know in advance.