Telephone Line From Tot - Really $5000 Baht?

[rainman]

about 10 months ago, i got my ToT phone line through my apartment in which i'm currently staying. at that time, i paid 5,000 "deposit and line fee" for the telephone line and got it a few days later. now, two months before my contract expires (and i'm moving out), i cancelled my phone line, which was promptly turned off, but when i asked for the deposit of 5,000 baht back at the front desk, the girl said that quote ..."this is the fee to get the phone line from ToT and is not refundable", even though my receipt says "deposit". i just can't believe that a phone line costs 5,000 baht to get in Thailand and i'm guessing she's trying to screw me here.

i know its my bad for not getting it directly from ToT, but still. if i'm wrong and its really 5,000 baht to get a line from ToT i dont mind, but i just dont believe it.

[haha]

I paid 3500 baht to get my telephone line put in my current place. since I did it once before, and also know several others who have done it also, I guess this installation fee is the norm.

what's interesting is - that if you move out of the apartment but want to keep the same phone number, TOT will set you up at your new location with the same phone number for no extra fee.

this is what I heard from others. ..but correct me if I'm wrong.

[rainman]

that's kind of high though, don't you think? i mean, i won't die paying 5,000 baht for a phone line, but all the people earning 5,000 baht/month - how do they do it? doesnt make sense to me..

[bkkmadness]

People on 5000 baht a month dont do it. I think its about 2000 baht to put in a phone line isn't it?

I think with some internet deals you might be able to get it put in cheaply, get down the True office, see what they are saying.

[Tywais]

A few years ago the standard rate was around 6000 Baht for the installation and a very long wait. Seems it's getting better now. The question is what would it cost to get a line installed in your own country? Just curious.

[haha]

that's kind of high though, don't you think? i mean, i won't die paying 5,000 baht for a phone line, but all the people earning 5,000 baht/month - how do they do it? doesnt make sense to me..

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

it maybe a price that a foreigner pays versus what a local thai pays. ...I thought about it once, and got a headache.

actually, I think a local thai pays about 200 baht to have a telephone line installed. I seem to recall someone telling me that.

then, I thought to myself. is my life overall better here than in the states? and after much thought, I said yes. so, I decided to accept many of the injustices that may exist in this society and pursue my goal of achieving happiness within it.

if it ever comes to a point where I think I am unhappy here, I will leave. right now, I'm having a good time. but keeping an eye open for possible pitfalls that may occur due to "unknown factors".

[lopburi3]

There used to be two fees for a telephone line. An installation fee (non refundable) of around 3,500 baht and another deposit of just about the same amount. A few years ago the deposit was ruled illegal and repayment ordered. Over the course of several years of stalling the return was made. Five thousand does sound high but installation fee itself only pays to outside of building so any work done on the inside would have been extra.

The fact is it was only a decade or so ago that people normally had to pay 20,000 baht (20 baht to $ days) to obtain a telephone line here in Bangkok. There had always been a shortage of lines so 3,500 baht (or whatever) seems like a real deal to most.

Edited September 27, 2005 by lopburi3

[ovenman]

The question is what would it cost to get a line installed in your own country?  Just curious.

Seems like it was $35 when I lived in California (~1435 baht). A line could be ordered with a simple phone call, no paperwork to speak of, and service would be active in a few days, tops. Relative to local wages, getting a landline installed in Thailand is very expensive and it's a hassle.

it maybe a price that a foreigner pays versus what a local thai pays.  ...I thought about it once, and got a headache. 

actually, I think a local thai pays about 200 baht to have a telephone line installed.  I seem to recall someone telling me that.

Thais are not charged any different from foreigners for an actual telephone line installation. You might see a surcharge slapped on to what is paid for a phone line if it's being installed in an apartment building and the building owner is actually procuring the line for you.

An installation fee (non refundable) of around 3,500 baht and another deposit of just about the same amount.  A few years ago the deposit was ruled illegal and repayment ordered.  Over the course of several years of stalling the return was made.

Recall that one of the methods by which the deposit could be returned was to take the refund in TOT shares. Anybody who took that option is having a long wait as the TOT has still yet to list... years later.

[uncle paul]

The question is what would it cost to get a line installed in your own country?  Just curious.

Seems like it was $35 when I lived in California (~1435 baht). A line could be ordered with a simple phone call, no paperwork to speak of, and service would be active in a few days, tops. Relative to local wages, getting a landline installed in Thailand is very expensive and it's a hassle.

it maybe a price that a foreigner pays versus what a local thai pays.  ...I thought about it once, and got a headache. 

actually, I think a local thai pays about 200 baht to have a telephone line installed.  I seem to recall someone telling me that.

Thais are not charged any different from foreigners for an actual telephone line installation. You might see a surcharge slapped on to what is paid for a phone line if it's being installed in an apartment building and the building owner is actually procuring the line for you.

An installation fee (non refundable) of around 3,500 baht and another deposit of just about the same amount.  A few years ago the deposit was ruled illegal and repayment ordered.  Over the course of several years of stalling the return was made.

Recall that one of the methods by which the deposit could be returned was to take the refund in TOT shares. Anybody who took that option is having a long wait as the TOT has still yet to list... years later.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

we paid 3500 to have a satelite phone put in at my uncles house

[Firefan]

I paid 4000 Baht and also have a slip saying "deposit" for that amount. The line was already "there" I basically just had to change the name.

I hope, should I ever sell, to see the 4000 Baht again, but after reading this thread I doubt it.

Cheers!

[sbk]

We got our refund back by having the amount deducted from our monthly bills.

According to my husband you are charged for the actual line if it is over 300 m from the main box. It used to be 7b/m but he isn't sure now. Rainman, are you way out in the country? Down at the end of a small soi?

[rainman]

We got our refund back by having the amount deducted from our monthly bills.

According to my husband you are charged for the actual line if it is over 300 m from the main box. It used to be 7b/m but he isn't sure now. Rainman, are you way out in the country? Down at the end of a small soi?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i'm in an apartment complex right now with about 100 apartments, ranging from 1-3 bedrooms, each of them has all the phone lines put in already. when i moved in, i paid the $5,000 deposit and the line was turned on not even 2 days after i applied for it, without ever a technician coming into my apartment. so my best guess is that the front desk lady just wants to deny there's a deposit and puts it in her own pocked. i'll check with ToT tomorrow morning to confirm it and if that's the case, i won't pay for my last two months of stay and we're square, since they have a 2 months security "deposit" for the amount of 2 months stay that they should give back to me after moving out as well, as i'm worried if they won't pay back that small amount they surely won't pay back a much larger amount.

i'm not at all on my way out of the country, but planning on staying here for a long time. moving to a bigger place actually

[sbk]

My husband says sounds like a rip off to him, certainly not anything he's heard of being charged.

[rainman]

My husband says sounds like a rip off to him, certainly not anything he's heard of being charged.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

that's what i'm thinking too. i'll check with ToT tomorrow, though to confirm.

[rainman]

and doh, i thought you asked me above if i was on my way out of the country, but you asked if i'm way out in the country not at all, i'm in the middle of the Sukhumvit high-rise buildings.

[ZZZ]

The codo office where I live in Pattaya told me the cost to get a TOT line was 500Baht and will take less than 7 days.

[lopburi3]

This is the charge in Bangkok for a fixed line telephone per BOI web site:

Telephone Facilities

Installation fee 3,585-3,959

Rental per month 100,200 

Local rate per call  3 baht per call 

[billd766]

I really cannot understand why you guys are bitching so much.

I would be more than happy to pay 5,000 baht and get a line in 2 or 3 days.

I live waaaayyy out in the country and I have been waiting over 2 YEARS and I still don't have a line.

[girlx]

in february i paid 500 baht to get a TOT line installed so i could use True ADSL. my apartment manager worked the deal for me in his name (he's thai). looks like you got the farang price.

[kid]

I Paid 6000 to make the line active and they did it the same day. The office told me the price before I talked to TOT. Had to wait 5 days till the Adsl was turned on small price to pay for service that fast. And IMO you can't beat having in room High Speed Adsl in your home.

[sniffdog]

Currently the fee for a normal house connection in Bangkok is THB 3,584.20 (for both TRUE and TOT).

Until a couple of years (5-6?) ago, there was a deposit and a installation fee. But since then TOT is not allowed to claim a deposit and only an non-refundable installation fee is charged.

Edited September 28, 2005 by sniffdog

[frenchFARANGbkk]

We got our refund back by having the amount deducted from our monthly bills.

According to my husband you are charged for the actual line if it is over 300 m from the main box. It used to be 7b/m but he isn't sure now. Rainman, are you way out in the country? Down at the end of a small soi?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i'm in an apartment complex right now with about 100 apartments, ranging from 1-3 bedrooms, each of them has all the phone lines put in already. when i moved in, i paid the $5,000 deposit and the line was turned on not even 2 days after i applied for it, without ever a technician coming into my apartment. so my best guess is that the front desk lady just wants to deny there's a deposit and puts it in her own pocked. i'll check with ToT tomorrow morning to confirm it and if that's the case, i won't pay for my last two months of stay and we're square, since they have a 2 months security "deposit" for the amount of 2 months stay that they should give back to me after moving out as well, as i'm worried if they won't pay back that small amount they surely won't pay back a much larger amount.

i'm not at all on my way out of the country, but planning on staying here for a long time. moving to a bigger place actually

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Still paranoiac about people robbing you after so long time in Los?

I was like this the first months I came here, but now I know it hardly happens that anybody try to steal you, so I do not even check the bills!

[rainman]

We got our refund back by having the amount deducted from our monthly bills.

According to my husband you are charged for the actual line if it is over 300 m from the main box. It used to be 7b/m but he isn't sure now. Rainman, are you way out in the country? Down at the end of a small soi?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i'm in an apartment complex right now with about 100 apartments, ranging from 1-3 bedrooms, each of them has all the phone lines put in already. when i moved in, i paid the $5,000 deposit and the line was turned on not even 2 days after i applied for it, without ever a technician coming into my apartment. so my best guess is that the front desk lady just wants to deny there's a deposit and puts it in her own pocked. i'll check with ToT tomorrow morning to confirm it and if that's the case, i won't pay for my last two months of stay and we're square, since they have a 2 months security "deposit" for the amount of 2 months stay that they should give back to me after moving out as well, as i'm worried if they won't pay back that small amount they surely won't pay back a much larger amount.

i'm not at all on my way out of the country, but planning on staying here for a long time. moving to a bigger place actually

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Still paranoiac about people robbing you after so long time in Los?

I was like this the first months I came here, but now I know it hardly happens that anybody try to steal you, so I do not even check the bills!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not paranoid, just careful and want to be sure after not getting back Baht 5000 with a document that states 'Deposit'.

[ProThaiExpat]

I waited three years for a TOT line as I refused to pay the developer in Chiang Mai 15k Baht for a line.

Last month, my Thai got the call from TOT that line was available so off to the office. As owner of the house, my Thai took the line in own name and payed just under 4k Baht for installation to the pole on the street.

The house was pre-wired for the phone line, so hook up from house to TOT line was already done and TOT just turned on the line, once they completed running their line to my pole from neighbors pole across the street where the TOT line terminatded.

My Thai insists that the connection fee is refundable, but I personally doubt it, after all, TOT did run a specific telephone line to my house where none existed before.

Edited September 29, 2005 by ProThaiExpat

[ovenman]

My Thai insists that the connection fee is refundable, but I personally doubt it, after all, TOT did run a specific telephone line to my house where none existed before.

I'm pretty sure that your Thai has this fee confused with the old deposit for a landline that is no longer paid (but was refundable).

[meadish_sweetball]

Well, now I am confused anyway. :-)

[monty]

There is no refundable deposit on phonelines anymore ...

Regular price upcountry (don't know about Bangkok) is around 3000 Baht both for TOT and TT&T, with possibly an additional charge if the cable to be installed exceeds a certain length.

A couple of years ago the price for a phoneline was 6000 Baht, which was a combination of the 3000 Baht for the line and a 3000 Baht refundable deposit!

This deposit was abolished (late 90's), and existing customers who payed the deposit got this 3000 Baht refunded in discounts on phonebills, or in free equipment.(I seem to recall TOT offered some kind of free or reduced price mobile phone as one of the options)

Rainman, in your OP you mentioned you got your line through your condo.

Most if not all condo's charge you to use the cabling they pre-installed in the building!

In my case I just went straight to the telephone company, payed the 2990 something Baht for a line, which they bring into the main switch box from the condo. Then I had to pay an additional 1200 Baht to the condo management for the use of their internal cabling (and for the privilege of not having to dial out through their overpriced automated switchboard!) , after which the condo technicion patched the TT&T line through to my unit!

[jingjingna]

Wouldn't it just make everyone's life easier if they stated 'refundable/Non refundable' on the receipts?..I have only been living here a couple of years and the way I understand the term 'deposit' is to give and not get back.

I paid two months rent in advance for the house I rent and I hoping the 'deposit' I paid will be refunded if and when I move out BUT I am not expecting it to!