International call rates slashed

PHUKET: The Communications Authority of Thailand (CAT) has announced that it has cut its overseas call rates between 7% and 40%. In addition to these savings, those making international calls between 7 am and 9 pm on Sundays receive a further 20% discount. Phone calls to Australia and North America now cost 22 baht a minute at peak rate (between 7 am and 9 pm), and 18 baht a minute off-peak. Closer to Thailand, calls to Laos cost 18 baht a minute, with no off-peak discount. Calls to Brunei, Indonesia or the Philippines during peak hours cost 30 baht a minute, while off-peak calls cost 24 baht per minute. Calls to countries to the west of Thailand fall into two categories. The 37 countries in Group 1 include Germany and all the countries to the north and the west of it, as well as Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece, Russia, Poland, Turkey and the Ukraine. Group 2 includes other Central European and Central Asian countries, and Pakistan. Group 1 calls are 36 baht per minute peak rate, 29 baht a minute from 5 am to 7 am and from 9 pm to midnight, and 25 baht a minute from midnight to 5 am. Calls to countries in Group 2 are 42 baht a minute peak rate. They cost 34 baht per minute from 5 am to 7 am, and 9 pm to midnight. Between midnight and 5 am, calls are 30 baht a minute. Calls to most Middle East countries during peak hours cost 42 baht a minute. From 5 am to 7 am and from 9 pm to midnight, the cost is 34 baht a minute. Between midnight and 5 am, it is 30 baht a minute. The CAT announcement does not provide a complete list of countries. For more information, or for the rates to countries not mentioned above, call the CAT at 02-9503712 or 02-6141000.