RIP Wayne Guest

[meatboy]

this might not be in the right forum,my wife went to get a bankers draft to renew her uk passport at scb,first her branch in the mall at korat wouldnt do it so she had to go into the city thats ok,but it has taken over a hour and half.after giving the details who it is payable to,then they want the address this is in hong kong but then they would not do the draft without proof of the cost 1,600hkd,so she had to get her sister to print out the cost and take it to her 20minutes away,i am know waiting for her to tell me the cost.scb is her bank after today i dont think so,should she have had all that hassle just for a bankers draft.

[theoldgit]

Yes, some banks can be very difficult when dealing with simple transactions. I wanted to send 5,000 Baht from my bank to a friend in the UK for a wedding present, as well as two copies of my passport, they wanted an invoice from him and, would you believe, copies of his passport. I had to explain to two or three members of staff before the transaction went through, only for the banks head office to call me the next day to query it again.

As this is nothing to do with visas, lets move it to Banking.

[lovelaos]

I've just come across this thread as I also have to renew my British passport next month. The bank staff in Laos gave me a blank stare

(you know the one with the silly grin) when I asked how to get a bankers draft. After 30 minutes and 5 different bank staff later I walked out muttering under my breath.

I will try in a Bangkok bank when I go there next week. Can anyone tell me what documents I need to get a bankers draft? Please don't tell me I need an account with the bank.

Surely in Bangkok they will be used to this sort of request!!

[meatboy]

would the british embassy in bangkok please inform scb staff in korat that the british consulate general in hong kong is not part of a money laundering gang.they would not give my wf the draft till she got proof of who it was for,after her sister went to an internet cafe to down load the form[the banks comp was down] so they said,they also took 2copy's of her id and also 2 of her passport,and all this just to send £128.

[meatboy]

I've just come across this thread as I also have to renew my British passport next month. The bank staff in Laos gave me a blank stare

(you know the one with the silly grin) when I asked how to get a bankers draft. After 30 minutes and 5 different bank staff later I walked out muttering under my breath.

I will try in a Bangkok bank when I go there next week. Can anyone tell me what documents I need to get a bankers draft? Please don't tell me I need an account with the bank.

Surely in Bangkok they will be used to this sort of request!!

this is what you might need but dont count on it till you have or can find a bank that will do it.

they asked for the envelope of the embassy who sent the forms,wf told them she downloaded them,sort of snear

the name and address of the british consulate general,

proof of the cost with the receivers name,

copy of your passport [2]

copy of your address[2]

if you have not got an account with the bank they will sting you for more.

[WilliaminBKK]

Has anyone tried a postal order ? I know a bank draft is a pain but I wonder if the same stress and fees are involved dealing with the post office ?

http://ukinhongkong.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/passports/how-to-apply/thailand/first-time-applications#payfees

[theoldgit]

Has anyone tried a postal order ? I know a bank draft is a pain but I wonder if the same stress and fees are involved dealing with the post office ?

http://ukinhongkong.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/passports/how-to-apply/thailand/first-time-applications#payfees

You can only use a postal order if you are applying for a first passport which has to be done via the UK Embassy in Bangkok.

The OP is asking about a renewal which has to be sent direct to Hong Kong, and they will only accept an International Bankers Draft, debit or credit cards.

[meatboy]

this is what the bankers draft cost scb which my wf has an account.

1,600hkd exchange rate 4.02 =6,434

commision to the bank 200

stamp duty 3

total 6,637 bht.

then there is the couriers fee. ?

[David006]

Had to get a counter/certified cheque for a document at Canadian Embassy BKK...got it at my local boonies Government Savings Bank. Manager had no idea what I was talking about ( via the wife),had to phone his English speaking son at another branch with whom I spoke . Think it cost 100bt and took about an hour .

It always takes about 1/2 an hour with multiple copies/signatures of passport and drivers license etc just to deposit a Thai Baht cheque every frickin time!!! Go figure..?

Like many things bureaucratic in Thailand if the bureaucrat does not "know" he or she will tell you it cannot be done.

Wife spent three hours at local Amphur getting documentation for step daughter's Thai passport application...went through same hoops "cannot" "no have" "you must go here" etc etc, she tells me..got sorted in the end though....TIT

[lovelaos]

I just got this from the British Consulate-General Hong Kong.

Customer feedback had identified that it is very difficult in Laos to obtain an International Banker's Draft, payable in Hong Kong dollars (HK$). If you are unable to pay by any other means, then exceptionally the British Embassy in Bangkok will accept your application and payment, and forward it to Hong Kong. You will need to make your payment in Thai baht and include the passport fee, return courier fee (Bangkok - Hong Kong - Bangkok) and the EMS fee (Bangkok - Laos).

Edited September 27, 2012 by lovelaos

[meatboy]

this is what the bankers draft cost scb which my wf has an account.

1,600hkd exchange rate 4.02 =6,434

commision to the bank 200

stamp duty 3

total 6,637 bht.

then there is the couriers fee. ?

the total above is misleading as the wife found out today,when she went to dhl to post everything there was a chap doing his renewal and told the wife dhl in korat only does it one way and you have to pay hong kong for delivery back to thailand 249hkd=1,000.98bht.which got to be added when you get the draft.as for any help from dhl you would get more sense from a sheep although he could speak a little english yes,yes,yes,yes,and nodding as well.cant remember where i saw that dhl checks all paper work before you send.