Lamkyong Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 has anyone recently applied for the income/pension letter ? last year i had problems using my thai bank debit card the matter was eventually resolved by sending a bank draft although the embassy staff saying the draft i forwarded was the incorrect type all this took about 3 weeks to get the letter at that time i thought i would investigate early this year based on other folks recent applications. i have today been on the website it does not indicate that Thai bank credits are not acceptable also a call to the embassy that Thai debit cards cannot be used and that bank cheque/ bankers draft would be any advice ?? my card is acceptable on LAZADA/EBAY/ ALLIBABA/PAY PAL and many major stores within Thailand thanks 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jip99 Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 Everything here:- https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/573863/Pension_7_12_16.pdf Payment taken in Sterling by credit card. For other payment options you need to contact them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lamkyong Posted July 24, 2017 Author Share Posted July 24, 2017 thanks for info from my post you may detect that i have the web site particulars also have been in touch with the notary dept my question was particularly directed to people who have recently applied for this letter and possibly incurred any problems with the accepted methods of payment ie NON UK BASED DEBIT CARDS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billd766 Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 (edited) I had exactly the same problem less than 2 weeks ago. 36 minutes ago, Jip99 said: Everything here:- https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/573863/Pension_7_12_16.pdf Payment taken in Sterling by credit card. For other payment options you need to contact them. No it isn't. I rang the embassy 2 weeks before I sent my application off to them and told them that I had a Kasikorn Bank debit card which cleasrly had the word VISA printed in the bottom right corner. Would this be OK I asked and the response was just send it in and if there is a problem we will let you know. I posted my paperwork by EMS on Thursday 13 July and they called me just before lunch on Tuesday 18 July to explain that they had put the application on hold and that I can pay by bank draft. I asked them to email me on what they require in both English an Thai. I took that to the bank along with my wife to translate if needed and they issued the bank draft. I sent that off by EMS before lunch on Wednesday and it was signed for on Thursday afternoon, and rejected on Tuesday 18 July. Here is a copy of their email to me. Names have been removed Unfortunately, your card has been refused by our Barclays System. If your card is issued by Thai Bank, there might have been security issue preventing Barclays from charging your card. Please kindly go to any bank and get the banker’s draft or a cashier cheque in the amount of 2,400 THB (fee effective since 7/12/2016), pay to the British Embassy and send it to us. The original letter will be sent to you as soon as we received your payment We apologize for any inconvenience this might have caused you If you need any assistance, please let me know. I did that and it was sent off last Wednesday by EMS, accepted on Thursday afternoon. Now I can no longer pay in these 3 different ways. 1. I can no longer visit the embassy to deal with it. 2. The embassy will no longer accept a postal draft for the 2,400 thb. 3. They will not accept my KBank debit card. In the end I had to send a bank draft. I am still waiting for my letter from the Embassy Edited July 24, 2017 by billd766 Added extra text Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eff1n2ret Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 5 minutes ago, billd766 said: 40 minutes ago, Jip99 said: Payment taken in Sterling by credit card. No it isn't. It is. That's how I paid them - by credit card. A debit card isn't a credit card. I've never tried to pay for anything in Thailand using my UK bank debit card, and I suspect that wouldn't work because it's linked to a sterling account, so I guess it operates the other way round in Thailand. However, I sympathise with your problem. One would have thought that for local transactions with the Embassy (as opposed to passport applications made to the UK passport office) they could set up a facility to accept card transactions in Baht. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lamkyong Posted July 24, 2017 Author Share Posted July 24, 2017 thanks for up todate actual experience i think i read recently that Kbank may have a different name for there draft/cheque any ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billd766 Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 53 minutes ago, Eff1n2ret said: It is. That's how I paid them - by credit card. A debit card isn't a credit card. I've never tried to pay for anything in Thailand using my UK bank debit card, and I suspect that wouldn't work because it's linked to a sterling account, so I guess it operates the other way round in Thailand. However, I sympathise with your problem. One would have thought that for local transactions with the Embassy (as opposed to passport applications made to the UK passport office) they could set up a facility to accept card transactions in Baht. Here is the copy of their card authorisation form. It clearly states that they will accept Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards. What it does NOT say is that they will NOT accept Kasikorn Bank debit cards even with VISA clearly written on it. Whether they will accept other Thai bank debit cards I do not know. I can use my KBank debit card for purchases on Paypal and in other countries without a problem. credit-card-authorisation-form_221116_updated_151216 blank.pdf 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lamkyong Posted July 24, 2017 Author Share Posted July 24, 2017 5 minutes ago, billd766 said: Here is the copy of their card authorisation form. It clearly states that they will accept Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards. What it does NOT say is that they will NOT accept Kasikorn Bank debit cards even with VISA clearly written on it. Whether they will accept other Thai bank debit cards I do not know. I can use my KBank debit card for purchases on Paypal and in other countries without a problem. credit-card-authorisation-form_221116_updated_151216 blank.pdf Whether they will accept other Thai bank debit cards I do not know. ok so you do not know but thanks for input Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billd766 Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 47 minutes ago, Lamkyong said: thanks for up todate actual experience i think i read recently that Kbank may have a different name for there draft/cheque any ideas? The guy at the embassy dealing with my letter sent me this information. Hopefully it will work for you. I printed it out and took it to my local KBank branch and gave it to the cashier. They sorted it out in 10 minutes. All they wanted was a copy of my wife's ID card (she came with me to help if there was a problem). I did have my passport, driving licence and yellow tabien baan with me just in case. Dear Mr Please kindly go to any bank and get the banker’s draft or a cashier cheque in the amount of 2,400 THB (fee effective since 7/12/2016), pay to the British Embassy and send it to us. The original letter will be sent to you as soon as we received your payment We apologize for any inconvenience this might have caused you If you need any assistance, please let me know. สำหรับธนาคาร รบกวนทางธนาคาร ออกใบ cashier cheque หรือ banker’s draft ให้สำหรับทางลูกค้าท่านนี้ เป็นจำนวน 2,400 บาทถ้วยครับ นำจ่าย British Embassy ครับผม Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jip99 Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 3 hours ago, billd766 said: I had exactly the same problem less than 2 weeks ago. No it isn't. I rang the embassy 2 weeks before I sent my application off to them and told them that I had a Kasikorn Bank debit card which cleasrly had the word VISA printed in the bottom right corner. Would this be OK I asked and the response was just send it in and if there is a problem we will let you know. I posted my paperwork by EMS on Thursday 13 July and they called me just before lunch on Tuesday 18 July to explain that they had put the application on hold and that I can pay by bank draft. I asked them to email me on what they require in both English an Thai. I took that to the bank along with my wife to translate if needed and they issued the bank draft. I sent that off by EMS before lunch on Wednesday and it was signed for on Thursday afternoon, and rejected on Tuesday 18 July. Here is a copy of their email to me. Names have been removed Unfortunately, your card has been refused by our Barclays System. If your card is issued by Thai Bank, there might have been security issue preventing Barclays from charging your card. Please kindly go to any bank and get the banker’s draft or a cashier cheque in the amount of 2,400 THB (fee effective since 7/12/2016), pay to the British Embassy and send it to us. The original letter will be sent to you as soon as we received your payment We apologize for any inconvenience this might have caused you If you need any assistance, please let me know. I did that and it was sent off last Wednesday by EMS, accepted on Thursday afternoon. Now I can no longer pay in these 3 different ways. 1. I can no longer visit the embassy to deal with it. 2. The embassy will no longer accept a postal draft for the 2,400 thb. 3. They will not accept my KBank debit card. In the end I had to send a bank draft. I am still waiting for my letter from the Embassy I am not aware of anyone getting a Sterling payment through on a Thai bank card. Their instructions relate to U.K.cards I believe. If you get nowhere Bill, send me a PM and I will pay it on my card. If they are prepared to accept a bank draft why did the drop the Postal Order option. Personality , I prefer the U.K. Credit card option, simple and clean - no trips to the Post Office ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billd766 Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 5 hours ago, Jip99 said: I am not aware of anyone getting a Sterling payment through on a Thai bank card. Their instructions relate to U.K.cards I believe. If you get nowhere Bill, send me a PM and I will pay it on my card. If they are prepared to accept a bank draft why did the drop the Postal Order option. Personality , I prefer the U.K. Credit card option, simple and clean - no trips to the Post Office ! Thank you for your kind offer but I think and hope that I am OK now. I have no idea why they dropped the Postal order option. Quite a few expats who have been out of the UK for a long time like me no longer have a UK bank account, credit card or even a UK address any more. I was rather hoping that my letter would have arrved today by EMS but it didn't. When it finally arrives I shall write to the embassy copy to the ambassador explaining to him the inaccuracies and errors of their website. I may possibly get a reply from the embassy but I doubt that the ambassador will lower himself to reply to an oik like me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OJAS Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 (edited) 8 hours ago, billd766 said: สำหรับธนาคาร รบกวนทางธนาคาร ออกใบ cashier cheque หรือ banker’s draft ให้สำหรับทางลูกค้าท่านนี้ เป็นจำนวน 2,400 บาทถ้วยครับ นำจ่าย British Embassy ครับผม Is this what the Embassy have told you that you should show to the bank clerk in the event of their minimal grasp of the English language proving a major stumbling block in your ability to get them to understand that what you are after is a banker’s draft or a cashier cheque in the amount of 2,400 THB payabke to the British Embassy? Edited July 24, 2017 by OJAS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eff1n2ret Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 20 hours ago, billd766 said: Here is the copy of their card authorisation form. It clearly states that they will accept Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards. What it does NOT say is that they will NOT accept Kasikorn Bank debit cards even with VISA clearly written on it. Whether they will accept other Thai bank debit cards I do not know. I can use my KBank debit card for purchases on Paypal and in other countries without a problem. credit-card-authorisation-form_221116_updated_151216 blank.pdf I stand corrected. In fact, the third paragraph on the form refers to the "actual fee" fluctuating because of possible exchange rate movements. As the fees are set by FCO in sterling, this can only mean that they can take a card payment in Thai Baht, so I don't understand why they would not accept a Visa debit card linked to a Thai baht account. Given the extortionate amount that they charge for these wretched letters they should be more accommodating, but like so many UK government organisations, they have no real conception of the genuine customer service that commercial operations have to offer to stay in business. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phutoie2 Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 Has the postal order option totally finished now?. In the past I always used it, never much of a problem. Like some others on here nearly all my funds are in a Thai bank and my pension is paid into it as well. No UK debit or credit cards anymore and unless they kick us out the last journey will be to the town temple. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
007 RED Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 FYI - I sent my request in last Wednesday together with the card authorisation form (VISA Debit Card details given) by EMS, and it was received by the Embassy the next day. I have just looked at my online bank account, and it shows that £52 was taken from my account yesterday by the FCO Thailand. No mention of Thai Baht plus exchange fees thank goodness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theoldgit Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 I have one of Kasikorns virtual credit cards, they call it a web-card, they don't give you a physical card just a card number, cvv and expiry date, it's linked to the same account as my debit card. You apply online or visa a Kasikorn ATM. I've used this to pay for my letter ever since the UK Embassy started accepting cards by mail, never had a problem, last used it in April. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 14 minutes ago, phutoie2 said: Has the postal order option totally finished now?. It ended in November of 2015. See: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-obtain-a-pensionincome-letter-for-thai-immigration Quote 30 November 2015 Added Credit card authorisation form and revised Pension form Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
007 RED Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 22 minutes ago, phutoie2 said: Has the postal order option totally finished now?. Looking at the revised notes that accompany the request form... it states (in red)...Postal Orders are no longer accepted. This change has been effective since October 2016. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/631665/Attachment_2.pdf Another service enhancement Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lamkyong Posted July 25, 2017 Author Share Posted July 25, 2017 19 minutes ago, phutoie2 said: Has the postal order option totally finished now?. In the past I always used it, never much of a problem. Like some others on here nearly all my funds are in a Thai bank and my pension is paid into it as well. No UK debit or credit cards anymore and unless they kick us out the last journey will be to the town temple. on the web site about this time last year it advised that the postal order option was no longer available as one poster said what is the difference between p/o and bankers draft Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lamkyong Posted July 25, 2017 Author Share Posted July 25, 2017 15 minutes ago, 007 RED said: FYI - I sent my request in last Wednesday together with the card authorisation form (VISA Debit Card details given) by EMS, and it was received by the Embassy the next day. I have just looked at my online bank account, and it shows that £52 was taken from my account yesterday by the FCO Thailand. No mention of Thai Baht plus exchange fees thank goodness. uk acc card ?or Thai based bank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 1 minute ago, Lamkyong said: on the web site about this time last year it advised that the postal order option was no longer available as one poster said what is the difference between p/o and bankers draft Not having to go to a post office to get the money is the difference. A bank draft could be directly deposited in their bank account. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lamkyong Posted July 25, 2017 Author Share Posted July 25, 2017 Just now, ubonjoe said: Not having to go to a post office to get the money is the difference. A bank draft could be directly deposited in their bank account. but you have to visit the bank to do a draft sort of same same i dont really bother myself with how the embassy deals with payment at their end i just know that the embassy last year said my K /bank debit cards would not go through there system that included my fully functional virtual shopping card both are set up correctly and include the visa logo obviously not visible on the virtual acc the advise this year on contacting them was bankers draft/cheque 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billd766 Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 12 hours ago, OJAS said: Is this what the Embassy have told you that you should show to the bank clerk in the event of their minimal grasp of the English language proving a major stumbling block in your ability to get them to understand that what you are after is a banker’s draft or a cashier cheque in the amount of 2,400 THB payabke to the British Embassy? Yes they did and when I showed it at the bank they understood what I wanted and did it on the spot at the cashiers window and the senior bank guy signed it off. Less than 10 minutes and it was done. Perhaps in the next year the embassy may change their method of payment yet againg and require the payment in the Albanian Lek or the Bosnian Convertible Marka and require us to go to a different country to pay it in cash at the embassy there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billd766 Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 41 minutes ago, 007 RED said: FYI - I sent my request in last Wednesday together with the card authorisation form (VISA Debit Card details given) by EMS, and it was received by the Embassy the next day. I have just looked at my online bank account, and it shows that £52 was taken from my account yesterday by the FCO Thailand. No mention of Thai Baht plus exchange fees thank goodness. Can you tell us which countries credit card you used please? Whether UK or Thai bank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 2 minutes ago, billd766 said: Can you tell us which countries credit card you used please? Whether UK or Yhai bank. I think it was a UK bank since he wrote it was done in pounds. If a Thai bank it would be shown in baht. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jip99 Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 1 hour ago, Eff1n2ret said: I stand corrected. In fact, the third paragraph on the form refers to the "actual fee" fluctuating because of possible exchange rate movements. As the fees are set by FCO in sterling, this can only mean that they can take a card payment in Thai Baht, so I don't understand why they would not accept a Visa debit card linked to a Thai baht account. Given the extortionate amount that they charge for these wretched letters they should be more accommodating, but like so many UK government organisations, they have no real conception of the genuine customer service that commercial operations have to offer to stay in business. I can can confirm that the fee is taken in Sterling. I can only imagine that the reference to fluctuations in exchange rate is there in the event that the Thai bank draft route is taken....... imagine asking a Thai bank for a £52 bank draft drawn on London? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattd Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 (edited) The form provided online by the Embassy is really quite clear about the card payment options, as it does very clearly state that they will accept UK issued debit & credit cards and Thai issued CREDIT cards, what they will not accept is a Thai DEBIT card. Credit Card Payment will be taken in GBP (UK debit/credit card and Thai credit card are accepted) Complete the Credit Card Authorisation Form No idea why really. If they accept a bank draft, then I wonder why they do not allow an online transfer to their Thai account. Edited July 25, 2017 by Mattd 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jip99 Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 I think a direct question to TV members should sort this out......... If anyone HAS paid by Thai bank card please advise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jip99 Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 Just now, Mattd said: The form provided online by the Embassy is really quite clear about the card payment options, as it does very clearly state that they will accept UK issued debit & credit cards and Thai issued CREDIT cards, what they will not accept is a Thai DEBIT card. No idea why really. If they accept a bank draft, then I wonder why they do not allow an online transfer to their Thai account. ha..... now we being progressive.?........ an online transfer is simple, immediate and cost effective - no paper handling and a minion simply has to check their nominated bank account to cross reference the payment...... date of birth and first 4 letters of surname should work.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 3 minutes ago, Jip99 said: If anyone HAS paid by Thai bank card please advise. Answered here. 45 minutes ago, theoldgit said: I have one of Kasikorns virtual credit cards, they call it a web-card, they don't give you a physical card just a card number, cvv and expiry date, it's linked to the same account as my debit card. You apply online or visa a Kasikorn ATM. I've used this to pay for my letter ever since the UK Embassy started accepting cards by mail, never had a problem, last used it in April. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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