General Reports

[Terry Terrier]

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)

Open a Nationwide Flex account. They don't charge for foreign ATM withdrawals, and you get the inter-bank exchange rate.

[The Pro]

I've been using UOB for the past few weeks exclusively. How do I check this 'sight bill' stuff?

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.

http://www.uob.co.th/business/foreig...ange-rates.htm

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.

[Pita123]

I will check sometime whether UOB also gives you the rate of "Sight Bill" when taking money out of their ATM's.

I've been using UOB for the past few weeks exclusively. How do I check this 'sight bill' stuff?

[The Departed]

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.

[The Pro]

Sorry typo, should have said 55.615 in the earlier post (in case anyone was wondering where you get 56.615 from).

[The Pro]

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.

http://www.krungsri.com/en/foreign-exchange-rates.aspx

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.

[ThaiLearner]

http://www.pattayatoday.net/index.ph...e=news&id=6866

Hummm ... I wonder whether this will get rid of all the taxi touts and hustlers, or simply remove the cheaper taxi options.

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.

[PinkPearl]

I read this today re the Aug. 8 paper. Another big hit to Thai tourism?

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.

This issue isn't going away. Though many travellers will be staying away, as far as LOS is concerned.

[Jeff46]

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.

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

[Betong]

Hummm ... I wonder whether this will get rid of all the taxi touts and hustlers, or simply remove the cheaper taxi options.

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.

[The Pro]

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.

http://www.pattayatoday.net/index.ph...e=news&id=6866

Hummm ... I wonder whether this will get rid of all the taxi touts and hustlers, or simply remove the cheaper taxi options.

[Daddy07]

http://www.pattayatoday.net/index.ph...e=news&id=6866

Hummm ... I wonder whether this will get rid of all the taxi touts and hustlers, or simply remove the cheaper taxi options.

[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.

[Jeff46]

no, you will find that the girls are still where they are suppose to be. just less tourists means you can use your bargaining skills. pty is pretty quiet as far as the tourist crowd is concern, but i was there last week and the girls are still there. as for bkk, this is probably a really good time because i went to nana a few days ago and there were many stunners there even though it was after 10pm when i got there. this can only mean that the recession is taking it's toll.

i see mostly arabic and indian (from india) tourist here now. also the petty crimes is on the rises because of the slow down in business, so becareful when you are moving about.

pattaya low. like to tell this here. yesterday at the main news time at german tv chanel sat3 was a report that some tv channel journalist posed and acting as ****hile and sex tourist in pattaya and bangkok (testing if its possible to get **** sex in hotel). all was filmed with hiden camera.

they asked from concierge and room boy if they can provide with boy and girl young one. test and action was taken in 8 hotels 4 and 5 star hotel in pattaya

and yes all of them delivered this service. boy and girl **** all filmed with hiden camera.(they have not mentioned name of hotel not sure. but i recongnize in tv. amari. royal cliff nova lodge)

result large tour operator in switerland immediately (kuoni hotelplan) deleted all concerned hotel in pattaya from sales and feature in brochure programm and consider to ban pattaya on theier programm.

story to follow.

[AndyBKK]

I will be going to LOS for 2 weeks in late sept, home early oct.. 3 days in BKK, 8 days in PTY and then back up to BKK again...

I know the rain and crappy weather that might happen.. But I wonder how everything is moving at that time? Do the "establishments" close down as the girls go home during off season or is it normal action as always?

And how is it with this effing swineflu?? Read in the news that people should not go to places where people are.. like to dinner, cinemas, clubs.

Is it noticable ?

No, you will find that the girls are still where they are suppose to be. Just less tourists means you can use your bargaining skills. PTY is pretty quiet as far as the tourist crowd is concern, but I was there last week and the girls are still there. As for Bkk, this is probably a really good time because I went to Nana a few days ago and there were many stunners there even though it was after 10pm when I got there. This can only mean that the recession is taking it's toll.

I see mostly Arabic and Indian (from India) tourist here now. Also the petty crimes is on the rises because of the slow down in business, so becareful when you are moving about.