CAT slashes international call rates

PHUKET: The Communications Authority of Thailand (CAT) has announced a promotion whereby it has slashed to six baht a minute its charges on international calls to 30 countries, regardless of what time of the day the call is made. The discounted rates apply to calls to: the US, the UK, Canada, Germany, Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Guam, Indonesia, Brunei, Korea, Italy, Norway, Macau, Brazil, Israel, Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, Russia, Kuwait and South Africa. To make a discounted call to any of the above countries using the CAT service, callers must first buy a CAT PhoneNet card. They can then make a discount-rate call by dialing 1544, entering the PhoneNet card’s PIN Code (found under a scratch-off patch), then pressing “#” followed by 009 + country code + area code + telephone number and then pressing “#” again. PhoneNet cards are available in Phuket City, at the CAT office at 112/2 Phang Nga Rd and at the Tops supermarket in the Robinson department store. They are also available at the CAT office on the upper floor of the Patong Post Office on Thaweewong Rd. In the past, such promotions have often resulted in the service being so jammed by callers as to be inaccessible, so another, slightly more expensive option is being offered in conjunction with the CAT promotion. This option, applying to the same 30 countries over the same period, is via Thai telecommunications company eFONE, which is offering calls at seven baht a minute. To make a discounted call using the eFONE service from a fixed-line phone, dial 001-809 + country code + area code + telephone number. If calling from a mobile phone (AMPS, CDMA, DTAC, AIS, Orange, One-2-Call), dial 009 instead of the 001-809 prefix. For more information about either promotion, call CAT’s 24-hour Contact Center at Tel: 1322.