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  1. #1
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    Indo Bureaucracy....

    You may recall the fun I had with my wireless internet bill in thailand.....

    Well I've been having a similar problem with my satellite TV company now.

    I've been suscribing for a year now, get a few sports channels, BBC, movies, action and Australian channel. It's about $30 per month, not too bad and Indo TV is totally woeful.

    However, last months bill they decided, without any warning, to change the billing method. Previously the maid would take all the months bills and go and pay at the post office (I think..... to be truthful, I gave her the bills and the money and they all got paid each month, I don't really need to know much more about the process)

    Anyway, I digress, in last months bill was a letter,

    "we have now decided that the methods of payment are via ATM with the following banks, an exhaustive list followed but did not include any of the banks I use ( I have 3, one for aussie $, one for US$ and one for Indo rupiah) or via direct debit, another list and it did include my bank this time."

    by now I have been cut off because I was 2 days late on the bill!

    So trundle off to the bank to sign up for direct debit, this takes approx 2 hours, costs my a little extra money but, never mind, that's life. However, it will not start until next month.

    OK - give the maid some money and ask her to go pay this months bill.....

    she returns, sorry mister, cannot!

    Hmmm, I had invited some friends around for a BBQ and to watch the State of Origin rugby match on TV - but no satelite, so I get on the phone and begin trying to explain, not having much luck but the guy says he'll send a technician around tomorrow, I try explaining the tomorrow is too late, so he then asks me do I speak bahasa indonesian, I reply in the negative ( i do a little, but i am getting annoyed and didn't want any mis-translations, this is the english helpline after all!)

    I finally agree that a technician will come tomorrow and sort everything out. I then ask can I have a discount since I have had no TV for 2 weeks - he replies rapidly, and, I assume crossly, in Indonesian. I hang up.

    Technician turns up the next day, 3 hours late. fiddles with the satelitte for an hour or so, and then tells me I need to pay the bill!

    Yes, thanks for that, can I pay you? Nope.

    A week later, I get a call, blah blah blah, you need to pay your bill, yes i am trying etc. direct debit starts next month etc. OK you can pay you bill at the BCA bank direct into our savigns account there.

    OK - I'll do it later today...

    And we'll reconnect your satelittle once you do!

    OK, sounds ok. So today I head done to BCA bank, wait in que with money and bill in hand......

    no prizes for guessing what I was told.....

    yep you are correct,

    "Sorry sir, have to use the ATM outside for this"

    "but, i dont have an ATM card with your bank, can I just deposit money into this account number? "

    "Maaf Pak, tidak bisa" (=Sorry sir, cannot!)

    So I am still without TV and still have not been able to pay this flaming BILL!

  2. #2
    Excommunicated baldrick's Avatar
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    queensland won

    next time go down the pub

  3. #3
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    Have you knobbed your maid yet?

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by baldrick View Post
    queensland won

    next time go down the pub

    yeah, cheers mate, i ducked over to a mates house with chilli bin of beers in hand! (bloody GREAT result!)

    mrsquirrel Have you knobbed your maid yet?
    insensitive twit, whaddya think i am!@?

  5. #5
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    what about your driver?

  6. #6
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    ^ piss orf idiot, work colleagues only!

  7. #7
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    they just rang again.

    converstation consisted of me explaining that i cannot pay this month but want to

    and he asking if i had a particular bank account or atm card

    no i only have such and such...

    so why u not have this one?? cos i dont!
    but u can pay with ATM card then?

    but i have organised direct debit but that starts next month....

    oh

    how can i pay ?

    wot is ur hand phone number?

    you've got my house phone , why u need my hand phone?

    you have ?

    no i dont?

    u dont have a hand phone ?

    no.

    why not?

    why u need it? i am at home today - you can ring me here again, in fact you are talking to me now.

    yes, but you dont have a hand phone??

    No I dont

    at this point i gave up because my bahasha indonesian (and patience) was begining to wear thin.

    so my maid then spoke with him for the better part of 15 minutes, and they still do not seem to have a solution...

  8. #8
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    what about your driver?

  9. #9
    Excommunicated baldrick's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by slimboyfat View Post
    what about your driver?
    has he got an ATM card of the weird variety required ?

  10. #10
    ding ding ding
    Spin's Avatar
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    wait near ATM, pester random cardholder / account holder to pay your bill.

    give them cash and a little on top

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by baldrick View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by slimboyfat View Post
    what about your driver?
    has he got an ATM card of the weird variety required ?

    actually, funny that you should mention him, that's exactly what we've done.

    simple solution to a dumb problem. and the company (indovision) just did not want to help out!

  12. #12
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    simple solution & dealing with Indonesian business' ??



    It didnt work, so I still have no satellite TV !!! GRRRRR

  13. #13
    Thailand Expat

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    You should knob your maid.

  14. #14
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    ^^While she's on the phone to Indovision

  15. #15
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    got it sorted, finally, got another (indo) friend to ring them and she finally got it all sorted (and a discount!)

    now i'm back to watching TV .... and not sure why....

  16. #16
    There once upon a time...
    Torbek's Avatar
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    Because it keeps you off forums...

    For a moment...

  17. #17
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    i was juz abt to say nice to see ya posting again mate......

    besides, i'm actually 1/2 female... i can multi-task!

    currently watching an interesting show about telephone history....

    (a bit gay i know!)

  18. #18
    There once upon a time...
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    Quote Originally Posted by kingwillyhggtb
    currently watching an interesting show about telephone history....

    (a bit gay i know!)
    Just a bit?

    I know it is a school night, but you need to get out...

  19. #19
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    ^ actually on holidays mate!

    its not gay it called self improvement! I learneded something!

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