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

 

 

 

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.

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

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, 20178 yr by billd766
Added extra text

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.

thanks for up todate actual experience  i think i read recently that Kbank may have a different name for there draft/cheque   any ideas?

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

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

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

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 !

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.

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, 20178 yr by OJAS

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.

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. 

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.

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. 

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

 

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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 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?

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, 20178 yr by Mattd

I think a direct question to TV members should sort this out.........

 

 

If anyone HAS paid by Thai bank card please advise.

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..

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.