Jeff,
Do you have a link? I would like to check that out if you can provide a link to it.
Please keep us info.
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Jeff,
Do you have a link? I would like to check that out if you can provide a link to it.
Please keep us info.
[url]http://www.pattayatoday.net/index.php?action=show&type=news&id=6866[/url]
Hummm ... I wonder whether this will get rid of all the taxi touts and hustlers, or simply remove the cheaper taxi options.
In general what it will mean is the dark influence will now make tourists suffer in other ways.
Have you noticed there is now no trolleys available at the taxi drop off area's? Only if you are very lucky will you get one.
Its the strange way the Thai mind works, but someone will link this lack of trollies to there being no hustlers and scammers, and perhaps the hustlers and scammers were actuallty putting trollies out for drop off passangers, so in fact the scammers and hustlers are good, and so they should be allowed back.
[QUOTE=Daddy07][url]http://www.pattayatoday.net/index.php?action=show&type=news&id=6866[/url]
Hummm ... I wonder whether this will get rid of all the taxi touts and hustlers, or simply remove the cheaper taxi options.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Daddy07]Hummm ... I wonder whether this will get rid of all the taxi touts and hustlers, or simply remove the cheaper taxi options.[/QUOTE]It will probably do absolutely nothing. I came through Swampypoom the last time they had one of these 'crackdowns' and my driver -- from the regular AOT public taxi stand, the best and safest place to catch a cab there -- was laughing at the absurdity of all. 'They speak English and I don't,' he said, referring to the 'ghost taxis'. 'They wear sportsjackets and I wear a plain blue shirt. They pay the police more than I ever could. How can I expect to get any passengers when they're around?' He'd waited 2 hours for his first fare that day, me.
[QUOTE=AndyBKK]Jeff,
Do you have a link? I would like to check that out if you can provide a link to it.
Please keep us info.[/QUOTE]Sorry no link I just saw the report on tv and not in full only the end. But I found this in internet. Apparently this story have already start in April.
Hhttp://www.fernsehen.ch/blog/archives/2343-Rundschau-u.a.-mit-Sex-mit-Kindern-Schweizer-Reiseveranstalter-schockiert.htmlotelplan Switzerland
I read this today re the Aug. 8 paper. Another big hit to Thai tourism?
[quote]On the front page of today Singapore Straits Times.
"Travellers alerted to Bangkok airport scam."
800,000 Singaporean are said to has visited Thailand last year.[/quote]This issue isn't going away. Though many travellers will be staying away, as far as LOS is concerned.
[QUOTE=Daddy07][url]http://www.pattayatoday.net/index.php?action=show&type=news&id=6866[/url]
Hummm ... I wonder whether this will get rid of all the taxi touts and hustlers, or simply remove the cheaper taxi options.[/QUOTE]
Hopefully the touts and the hustlers.
On one trip I went through customs then went to change some cash to baht.
I turned around and there were 6 taxi touts all wanting my business.
I just said a friend is comming to pick me up and they all left me alone.
I had already had booked a taxi.
I did a check again today on the Bank of Ayudhya ATM (the yellow ones with Krung Siri on them).
I am glad I did as I came across a very interesting twist.
I took out 15,000 baht from a UK account (Visa Debit and not Visa Credit) and then immediatly went to my own on line banking and also the B of A website.
[url]http://www.krungsri.com/en/foreign-exchange-rates.aspx[/url]
The amount worked out at 56.615 baht to the pound after charges at the UK end (checking how much sterling my account was reduced by, divided by the 15,000 baht received)
So the interesting thing for me was not that the BofA is still not charging the 150baht, but the fact that they give you the "Sight Bill" exchange rate (same as travellers cheques) which is higher than the exchange rate you would get for cash, and without having to pay service charges to get travellers cheques issued.
All in all taking money out via ATM from Bank Of Ayudhya is the most cost effective way of getting cash, better exchange rate than cash, and no service charge and hassle like TC's.
I will check sometime whether UOB also gives you the rate of "Sight Bill" when taking money out of their ATM's.
Sorry typo, should have said 55.615 in the earlier post (in case anyone was wondering where you get 56.615 from).
HM Queen Sirikit was 77 today. I made two of her Isaan subjects happy today with a full facial and gs to share between them. Hope you all followed suit.
[QUOTE=The Pro]I will check sometime whether UOB also gives you the rate of "Sight Bill" when taking money out of their ATM's.[/QUOTE]
I've been using UOB for the past few weeks exclusively. How do I check this 'sight bill' stuff?
[QUOTE=Pita123]I've been using UOB for the past few weeks exclusively. How do I check this 'sight bill' stuff?[/QUOTE]Check what the "Buying cash" and what the "Buying Sight Bill" rates are, and see which one you get from UOB (by dividing the Thai baht you take out into the amount your foreign currency account goes down by).
You can find all the exchange rates for UOB here.
[url]http://www.uob.co.th/business/foreign-exchange-rates.htm[/url]
As you can see from this for GBP they buy your cash notes at 55.15 baht to the pound, but they buy sight bill (TC etc..) at 55.591 to the pound. So after your Thai baht withdrawel check what the rate is, is it near to the cash rate or the sight bill rate.
For me the Bank of Ayudhya have "Sight Bill" rates.
[QUOTE=The Pro]The amount worked out at 56.615 baht to the pound after charges at the UK end (checking how much sterling my account was reduced by, divided by the 15,000 baht received)[/QUOTE]
Open a Nationwide Flex account. They don't charge for foreign ATM withdrawals, and you get the inter-bank exchange rate.
[QUOTE=Terry Terrier]Open a Nationwide Flex account. They don't charge for foreign ATM withdrawals, and you get the inter-bank exchange rate.[/QUOTE]
Yes they do now .84%
[url]http://www.nationwide.co.uk/current_account/foreigntransactions.htm[/url]
they are alot more competative than other banks.
I found a way to get my Thai girl fix without going to Thailand.
There are a lot of Thai girls working here in the states as Au Pairs. Most of them are between 22 and 27, all their bills are paid for by the Au Pair system, what you do is look for a local Thai Temple and try to get a group together that will teach you Thai. Their English is real basic, so it works both ways, become friends with them and..... Most of these girls are looking for a way to stay in the states, and after their contract is up they have up to 6 months to travel on their Au Pair visa before they have to return home.
Just promise them what they want to hear, and you can have a lot of fun. LOL