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Marks & Spencer Travel Money

Find out more about marks & spencer's travel money options with our useful guide..

In this guide

• What services does Marks & Spencer offer?
• What currencies can I order through Marks & Spencer?
• How much can I transfer with Marks & Spencer?

How soon can I get my money?

How safe is my money, are there any fees i might have to pay.

• Customer service information for M&S

As well as socks, pants, and sandwiches Marks & Spencer also buy and sell travel money. If you need some cash you can visit your nearest M&S Bureau de Change – available in over 120 M&S stores across the UK.

• Wide range of foreign currencies
• SameDay Click & Collect
• Order between £150 and £2,500

What services does Marks & Spencer offer?

M&S offers two services:

• Buy in store. You’re able to visit your nearest store to get hold of some travel money. Head to the M&S website to find your nearest store!
• Home delivery. If you have an M&S Credit Card or Chargecard, you can order between £100 and £2,500 of foreign currency online or over the phone. And if you order your travel money before 1pm, M&S will deliver it to your home address the next working day.

M&S also offer a buy-back service, so you can sell your leftover travel money at the buy-back rate on the same day you return it.

What currencies can I order through Marks & Spencer?

Here’s a list of some of the main currencies that are available with M&S:

• Argentine Peso (ARS)
• Australian Dollar (AUD)
• Bahraini Dinar (BHD)
• Brazilian Real (BRL)
• Brunei Dollar (BND)
• Bulgarian Lev (BGN)
• Canadian Dollar (CAD)
• Chilean Peso (CLP)
• Chinese Yuan Renmibi (CNY)
• Croatian Kuna (HRK)
• Czech Koruna (CZK)
• Fiji Dollar (FJD)
• Hong Kong Dollar (HKD)
• Hungarian Forint (HUF)
• Iceland Krona (ISK)
• Indonesaian Rupiah (IDR)
• New Israeli Sheqel (ILS)
• Jamaican Dollar (JMD)
• Japanese Yen (JPY)
• Jordanian Dinar (JOD)
• Kenyan Shilling (KES)
• Kuwaiti Dinar (KWD)
• Malaysian Ringgit (MYR)
• Mauritius Rupee (MUR)
• Mexican Peso (MXN)
• New Zealand Dollar (NZD)
• Norwegian Krone (NOK)
• Omani Rial (OMR)
• Peruvian Nuevo Sol (PEN)
• Philippine Peso (PHP)
• Polish Zloty (PLN)
• Qatari Rial (QAR)
• Romanian Leu (RON)
• Russian Ruble (RUB)
• Saudi Riyal (SAR)
• Singapore Dollar (SGD)
• South African Rand (ZAR)
• South Korean Won (KRW)
• Swedish Krona (SEK)
• Swiss Franc (CHF)
• New Taiwan Dollar (TWD)
• Thai Baht (THB)
• Trinidad and Tobago Dollar (TTD)
• Turkish Lira (TRY)
• UAE Dirham (AED)
• US Dollar (USD)
• Vietnamese Dong (VND)
• Aland Islands (ALA)
• Andorra (AND)
• Argentina (ARG)
• Australia (AUS)
• Austria (AUT)
• Bahrain (BHR)
• Belgium (BEL)
• Brazil (BRA)
• Brunei (BRN)
• Bulgaria (BGR)
• Canada (CAN)
• Chile (CHL)
• China (CHN)
• Croatia (HRV)
• Cyprus (CYP)
• Czech Republic (CZE)
• Estonia (EST)
• Finland (FIN)
• France (FRA)
• French Guiana (GUF)
• French Southern Territories (ATF)
• Germany (DEU)
• Greece (GRC)
• Guadeloupe (GLP)
• Hong Kong (HKG)
• Hungary (HUN)
• Iceland (ISL)
• Indonesia (IDN)
• Ireland (IRL)
• Israel (ISR)
• Italy (ITA)
• Jamaica (JAM)
• Japan (JPN)
• Jordan (JOR)
• Kenya (KEN)
• Kuwait (KWT)
• Latvia (LVA)
• Lithuania (LTU)
• Luxembourg (LUX)
• Malaysia (MYS)
• Malta (MLT)
• Martinique (MTQ)
• Mauritius (MUS)
• Mayotte (MYT)
• Mexico (MEX)
• Monaco (MCO)
• Montenegro (MNE)
• Netherlands (NLD)
• New Zealand (NZL)
• Norway (NOR)
• Philippines (PHL)
• Poland (POL)
• Portugal (PRT)
• Qatar (QAT)
• Reunion (REU)
• Romania (ROU)
• Russia (RUS)
• Saint Barthelemy (BLM)
• Saint Martin (MAF)
• Saint Pierre And Miquelon (SPM)
• San Marino (SMR)
• Saudi Arabia (SAU)
• Singapore (SGP)
• Slovakia (SVK)
• Slovenia (SVN)
• South Africa (ZAF)
• South Korea (KOR)
• Spain (ESP)
• Sweden (SWE)
• Switzerland (CHE)
• Taiwan (TWN)
• Thailand (THA)
• Trinidad And Tobago (TTO)
• Turkey (TUR)
• United Arab Emirates (ARE)
• United States (USA)
• Vietnam (VNM)

How much can I transfer with Marks & Spencer?

Orders are subject to a minimum value of £150 and a maximum value of £2,500.

Once you have ordered your card it can take up to ten working days for you to receive it. However, providing there are no delays with Royal Mail, you will typically receive your card within five working days . FairFX do not have a fast track service and you cannot collect our cards from any collection points.

Unlike cash, if you lose it or it’s stolen, FairFX have you covered. (See FairFX’s terms and conditions for further details). You’re also covered against shocks on your statement when you get home. It’s all there, in real time, upfront.

There is a £5 post and packaging charge for orders with a total value of less than £500. Orders of £500 or more are delivered free.

Customer service information for M&S

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2 Responses

I want to buy $100 & 100 euros at handforth dean

Hi Dr. Russ,

Thank you for reaching out to Finder.

If you want to purchase currency. M&S offers two services:

Buy in store. You’re able to visit your nearest store to get hold of some travel money. Head to the M&S website to find your nearest store! Home delivery. If you have an M&S Credit Card or Chargecard, you can order between £100 and £2,500 of foreign currency online or over the phone. And if you order your travel money before 1pm, M&S will deliver it to your home address the next working day.

Hope this helps!

Cheers, Reggie

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Travel Money Comparison

Get the best exchange rates when you buy or sell foreign currency online

• buy Currency
• sell Currency

What Currency do you want to buy?

How much do you want to spend, what currency do you want to sell, how much do you want to sell, buy currency, sell currency, why use a travel money comparison site.

Have you ever started researching the best rates between different travel money providers?

We know it can be overwhelming: the different suppliers, their different offers and of course, the ever-changing currency exchange rates. It's a lot of information to process and compile!

Our comparison site takes the stress out of researching and does it all for you. FInd the travel money supplier that will get you the best rate today.

• ✓ Compare Travel Cash is a non-biased travel money comparison site.
• ✓ To ensure our independence, we always use transparent, objective and verifiable criteria in our comparisons.
• ✓ Our mission is to show you the best rates so you can save when buying your travel money.
• ✓ We constantly update our exchange rates as they change for each money exchange supplier, and whilst we try to do this in almost real-time, there will be times when our data is slightly out of date (in normal circumstances, not more than 5 minute). Our travel money comparison site is designed to save you money by showing you the latest rates.
• ✓ We check out all the companies we list, ensuring they are reputable suppliers and pass our standards before we list them.
• ✓ We value your privacy.  We do not sell your data - you don't even need to give us your information to use our site.  Even if you choose to, it is safe with us, we will never pass it on to third parties.
• ✓ You won't get cheaper rates if you go directly to the supplier, at times, we may have discounts and incentives that you would not get by going direct!
• ✓ We do sometimes make money - but we don't make it from you.  We will never add fees or commissions to the travel money rates on the site.

Frequently asked questions

It's a great idea to buy your currency online to ensure you get the best exchange rate. You can often get much better deals online compared to what you can find on the high street or the airport. In fact ccording to recent surveys, 9 out of 10 tourists find that exchanging money at airports is the most expensive option.

The best thing about buying your travel money online through a comparison site is seeing all currency prices in one place, so whether you are buying euros , buying dollars or other currencies you get the best rate for your travel money and more importantly save time!

The quickest way to get the best currency exchange rate is by using our comparison tool . We compare the latest information from all the best travel money providers in the market to show you the best currency exchange rates.

Keep an eye out for the following when searching for the best currency exchange deals so you can choose the best option for buying your holiday money:

• High exchange rate - The higher the exchange rate number, the more holiday money you will get to the pound
• Delivery Charges - different currency providers charge different amounts for delivering your holiday money to your door
• Special offer - We will let you know if the providers are offering travel money deals

Commission is the fee that travel money providers charge for the service to exchange your money into foreign currency . The charge is usually included in the exchange rate they advertise. You will see that many foreign exchange companies advertise 0% commission, they are still charging you by including the charge in the rates.

All the travel money prices we quote include any fees and commissions, including delivery!

The simple answer is yes! Usually, the minimum order amount for foreign currency is £100, and the maximum is usually £7,500, although some providers allow you to exchange more.

Travel money is normally sent via special delivery service with Royal Mail. Travel cash orders worth more than £2,500 will be sent via a courier or multiple Royal Mail packages. This is for insurance reasons, making sure your travel money is safe.

This depends on the currency provider. Some providers offer next-day delivery, sending your travel money using Royal Mail's Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm service. There will be an extra cost for this and you can see how much when you compare the holiday money prices.

Don't forget, many foreign currency providers also allow you to pre-order currency and you can collect it in store, this means you can avoid delivery charges.

Most do, any holiday money that you have leftover after your trip abroad can be sold using a buy-back service that will convert it back to pounds. Our comparison tool will show you the providers offering the best buy-back rates .

Every few of minutes we compare the exchange rates and latest currency deals from the best travel money providers in the UK. You can see instantly who is offering the best deals and choose a service that suits your needs best.

Also, if you've come home from a trip abroad and have leftover currency, we compare many foreign currency buy back companies, showing the best rates to convert your foreign currency back into pounds.

Hundreds of customers order travel money through our site daily and have a great experience. However, as with ordering anything online, the process is never completely risk-free and you should always take care when transfering money to any company.

We undertake comprehensive checks on all of our providers and monitor them to make sure they meet our high standards and continue to do so. Having said that, no company is guaranteed not to come into trouble and we cannot guarantee the solvency of any of the providers listed on our website. We always recommend that you conduct your own due diligence before placing an order with any company.

There are many destinations where taking some local currency is extremely useful to make sure you are covered in places where credit cards are not accepted. Many of the smaller retailers globally will not allow credit cards, so cash is the only option.

Read our blog post on taking cash on holiday .

The best time to buy any travel money is when the pound is performing strongly relative to the currency you are buying, this means it will have a higher exchange rate, so will give you more currency for your money. The amount you receive is calculated by multiplying the exchange rate by the amount of pounds you want to spend, so the higher the exchange rate, the more foreign currency you get.

Exchange rates are constantly changing but we show you the historical exchange rate performance for each of the currencies so you can have more of an idea of whether now is a good time to buy your travel money.

Exchange rates tend to be very similar wherever you are in the world to those offered in the UK, however waiting until you are away means you may be stuck with poor exchange rates, fewer options of places to offer competitive rates or even worse, you may have to pay big additional fees and commissions. By buying your travel money in the UK there are no hidden fees, charges or nasty surprises, you know exactly how much you are getting.

Once you have found the best rate, place an order on the currency suppliers’ site, and pay for your currency.Each currency supplier has different payment options, including bank transfer, debit card, with some suppliers offering payment by Apple pay and Android pay. Once your order has been confirmed your order will be prepared and your currency sent to you by registered delivery, some suppliers even offer next-day delivery.

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CompareTravelCash.co.uk is a travel money comparison service that's designed to help you save money – whilst we do our best to ensure the site is 100% up-to-date, we cannot guarantee this. We advise you to carry out your own due diligence before buying or selling travel money.

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Guide to travelling with cash

How much money can you take abroad.

If you’re travelling abroad from the UK with £10,000 cash or more, you’ll need to declare it with UK customs. You will need to declare €10,000 cash or more if you carry it between Northern Ireland and any non-EU country See footnote 1 1 .

Elsewhere, rules on carrying cash vary from country to country. For example, for countries in the EU, you’ll need to fill in a cash declaration form or declare money at an airport if you’re carrying €10,000 or more but this won’t apply to every European country See footnote 2 2 . Figures vary even more when travelling to countries on other continents with different currencies.

To avoid being issued a fine or having your money seized, it’s always best to check your destination’s local rules in advance.

How much cash can I bring into the UK?

If you’re bringing £10,000 cash or more into the UK, or €10,000 or more into Northern Ireland, you’ll need to declare it with customs See footnote 3 3 .

You’ll need to make a declaration if the total amount of cash your group or family is travelling with exceeds the £10,000 or €10,000 limit, even if individuals are carrying less than that.

You’ll have to give details about:

• who’s carrying the cash
• your journey
• how the cash was generated
• how the cash will be used

Declarations can be made 72 hours before you travel See footnote 4 4 .

Travelling with cash abroad

Follow these five tips to keep your cash safe when abroad:

• Split where you store your money – This is one of the best ways to make sure that if someone steals your cash, they don’t take all of it. Perhaps you could share your money between a group to lower the risk of losing it all from one theft.
• Only carry what you need – By splitting your money and only taking out what you need each day you can minimise the amount of cash you lose if a wallet or purse is misplaced or stolen.
• Consider a money belt – If you really want to keep your cash close, a money belt could be the answer. Wearable wallets are often slim enough to hide under clothing and some models stop would-be thieves from making contactless card payments if your debit and credit cards are stored inside.
• Store your cash securely – Taking time to set a combination and using a hotel or apartment safe can give you peace of mind that your money is stored securely.
• Exchange money with official vendors – It may be tempting to exchange currencies with street vendors offering competitive rates, but your money is always safest with a bureau exchange at a fixed address.

Buy foreign currency for your next holiday with M&S Travel Money .

Updated July 2023

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1. Correct at time of publication, see  gov.uk for up-to-date information

2. Correct at time of publication, see  European Commission for up-to-date information

3. Correct at time of publication, see  gov.uk for up-to-date information

4. Correct at time of publication, see  gov.uk for up-to-date information

Maximise your holiday money

Compare exchange rates, find local currency bureaux and get the best deal on your foreign exchange

Travel Money

Currency buyback, currency cards, money transfers.

Whether you're looking to buy currency for an upcoming holiday, exchange leftover currency back to pounds, or send money to an account overseas; our currency comparisons can save you money by showing you the best deals available right now from the UK's biggest foreign exchange providers

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Moscow Oblast, Russia

The capital city of Moskovskaya oblast: Moscow .

Moscow Oblast - Overview

Moscow Oblast is a federal subject of Russia located in the Central Federal District. Moscow, the capital city of the country, is the administrative center of Moscow Oblast. At the same time, Moscow is not part of this region, it is a separate federal subject of Russia, a city of federal importance.

The population of Moscow Oblast is about 7,769,000 (2022), the area - 44,379 sq. km.

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History of Moscow Oblast

The territory of the Moscow region was inhabited more than 20 thousand years ago. In the first millennium AD, this land was inhabited mostly by the Finno-Ugric peoples (Meryane and Meshchera). In the 9th-10th centuries, the Slavs began active development of the region. The population was engaged in hunting, fisheries, agriculture, and cattle breeding.

In the middle of the 12th century, the territory of the present Moscow region became part of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality, the first towns were founded (Volokolamsk in 1135, Moscow in 1147, Zvenigorod in 1152, Dmitrov in 1154). In the first half of the 13th century, the Vladimir-Suzdal principality was conquered by the Mongols.

In the 14th-16th centuries, Moscow principality became the center of unification of Russian lands. The history of the Moscow region is inextricably linked to military events of the Time of Troubles - the siege of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery by the troops of False Dmitry II, the first and second militias.

More historical facts…

In 1708, by decree of Peter the Great, Moskovskaya gubernia (province) was established. It included most of the territory of present Moscow oblast. In 1712, St. Petersburg became the capital of the Russian Empire and the significance of the Moscow region as the country’s economic center began to decrease.

In 1812, the Battle of Borodino took place near Moscow. It was the biggest battle of the Russian-French War of 1812. In the second half of the 19th century, especially after the peasant reform of 1861, the Moscow province experienced economic growth. In 1851, the first railway connected Moscow and St. Petersburg; in 1862 - Nizhny Novgorod.

The population of the Moscow region increased significantly (in 1847 - 1.13 million people, in 1905 - 2.65 million). On the eve of the First World War, Moscow was a city with a population of more than one million people.

In November, 1917, the Soviet power was established in the region. In 1918, the country’s capital was moved from St. Petersburg to Moscow that contributed to economic recovery of the province. In the 1920s-1930s, a lot of churches located near Moscow were closed, a large number of cultural monuments were destroyed. On January 14, 1929, Moscow Oblast was formed.

In 1941-1942, one of the most important battles of the Second World War took place on the territory of the region - the Battle for Moscow. In the postwar years, the growth of economic potential of the region continued; several science cities were founded (Dubna, Troitsk, Pushchino, Chernogolovka).

In the 1990s, the economy of Moscow Oblast experienced a deep crisis. Since the 1990s, due to the motorization of the population and commuting, road traffic situation in the Moscow region significantly deteriorated. Traffic jams have become commonplace.

Pictures of Moscow Oblast

Moscow Oblast scenery

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At the airport in the Moscow region

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Nature of Moscow Oblast

Author: Alexander Khmelkov

Moscow Oblast - Features

Moscow Oblast is located in the central part of the East European Plain, in the basin of the rivers of Volga, Oka, Klyazma, Moskva. The region stretches from north to south for 310 km, from west to east - 340 km. It was named after the city of Moscow, which however is not part of the region. Part of the administrative authorities of the region is located in Krasnogorsk.

On the territory of the Moscow region, there are 77 cities and towns, 19 of them have a population of more than 100 thousand people. The largest cities are Balashikha (518,300), Podolsk (309,600), Mytishchi (262,700), Khimky (256,300), Korolyov (225,300), Lubertsy (209,600), Krasnogorsk (174,900), Elektrostal (149,000), Odintsovo (138,900), Kolomna (136,800), Domodedovo (136,100).

The climate is temperate continental. Summers are warm, winters are moderately cold. The average temperature in January is minus 10 degrees Celsius, in July - plus 19 degrees Celsius.

One of the most important features of the local economy is its proximity to Moscow. Some of the cities (Odintsovo, Krasnogorsk, Mytishchi) have become in fact the “sleeping districts” of Moscow. The region is in second place in terms of industrial production among the regions of Russia (after Moscow).

The leading industries are food processing, engineering, chemical, metallurgy, construction. Moscow oblast has one of the largest in Russia scientific and technological complexes. Handicrafts are well developed (Gzhel ceramics, Zhostov trays, Fedoskino lacquered miniatures, toy-making).

Moscow railway hub is the largest in Russia (11 radial directions, 2,700 km of railways, the density of railways is the highest in Russia). There are two large international airports - Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo. Vnukovo airport is used for the flights within the country.

Attractions of Moscow Oblast

Moscow Oblast has more than 6,400 objects of cultural heritage:

• famous estate complexes,
• ancient towns with architectural monuments (Vereya, Volokolamsk, Dmitrov, Zaraysk, Zvenigorod, Istra, Kolomna, Sergiev Posad, Serpukhov),
• churches and monasteries-museums (the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, Joseph-Volokolamsk monastery, Pokrovsky Khotkov monastery, Savvino Storozhevsky monastery, Nikolo Ugresha monastery).

The most famous estate complexes:

• Arkhangelskoye - a large museum with a rich collection of Western European and Russian art of the 17th-19th centuries,
• Abramtsevo - a literary and artistic center,
• Melikhovo - an estate owned by A.P. Chekhov at the end of the 19th century,
• Zakharovo and Bolshiye Vyazyomy included in the History and Literature Museum-Reserve of Alexander Pushkin,
• House-Museum of the composer P.I. Tchaikovsky in Klin,
• Muranovo that belonged to the poet F.I. Tyutchev,
• Shakhmatovo - the estate of the poet Alexander Blok.

The architectural ensemble of the Trinity Sergius Lavra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The largest museum of the Moscow region is located in Serpukhov - Serpukhov Historical and Art Museum.

The places of traditional arts and crafts are the basis of the souvenir industry of Russia:

• Fedoskino - lacquer miniature painting,
• Bogorodskoe - traditional manufacture of wooden toys,
• Gzhel - unique tradition of creating ceramics,
• Zhostovo - painted metal crafts,
• Pavlovsky Posad - fabrics with traditional printed pattern.

Some of these settlements have museums dedicated to traditional crafts (for example, a toy museum in Bogorodskoe), as well as centers of learning arts and crafts.

Moskovskaya oblast of Russia photos

Landscapes of moscow oblast.

Nature of the Moscow region

Country road in the Moscow region

Moscow Oblast landscape

Author: Mikhail Kurtsev

Moscow Oblast views

Author: Asedach Alexander

Country life in Moscow Oblast

Author: Andrey Zakharov

Church in Moscow Oblast

Author: Groshev Dmitrii

Churches of Moscow Oblast

Church in the Moscow region

Cathedral in Moscow Oblast

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Encounter data includes U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) Title 8 Apprehensions, Office of Field Operations (OFO) Title 8 Inadmissibles, and Title 42 Expulsions* for fiscal years (FY) 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023. Data is available for the Northern Land Border, Southwest Land Border, and Nationwide (i.e., air, land, and sea modes of transportation) encounters.

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Data is extracted from live CBP systems and data sources. Statistical information is subject to change due to corrections, systems changes, change in data definition, additional information, or encounters pending final review. Final statistics are available at the conclusion of each fiscal year.

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U.S. Border Patrol and Office of Field Operations Encounters by State

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*Title 42 expulsions began March 21, 2020, and ended on May 11, 2023.

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Search on for missing Chinese tourist in Thailand after RM3.25mil ransom demand surfaces

Saturday, 08 Jun 2024

Related News

Thailand's progressive Move Forward party braces for court case that might dissolve it

Internet sensation siberian husky gives birth to three pups in thailand, thailand leads in greater mekong subregion tourism, aims for over 95 million tourists by 2025.

Image from The Star/ANN

BANGKOK (The Straits Times/ANN): Bangkok police are searching for a Chinese tourist who went missing in the Thai capital, whose father received a ransom demand of 5 million yuan (S$932,000 - RM3.25 million) for her safe return.

Media outlet Thai Examiner reported that the father of 27-year-old Xin Lei Lu had received a message on Chinese messaging app WeChat on June 7 at about 6pm, demanding he pay the ransom in order to secure Lu’s release to Shanghai.

Lu resides in Shanghai with her family and had arrived in Thailand on June 5 with a group of more than 10 friends.

Upon receiving the ransom demand, Lu’s father found a Chinese interpreter who alerted officers at the Phra Khanong Police Station of the incident. A report was filed at 7.30pm.

According to Thai media outlet Thaiger, staff members at a hotel that Lu was staying at - The Quarter Onnut Hotel - confirmed with Phra Khanong Police’s investigative unit that Lu had checked in and left the hotel at around 3.11pm on June 7.

CCTV footage reportedly showed her walking out alone.

Lu had initially stayed at the Evergreen Place Siam Hotel in Bangkok’s Phaya Thai district on her first night, before moving to the second hotel.

Thai Examiner reported that several hours after the report was filed, the Chinese interpreter informed Thai police that Ms Lu’s father had discovered that a flight ticket to Singapore had been reserved in Ms Lu’s name.

According to flight-tracking website Flight Aware, the Scoot flight - TR617 - departed Bangkok at 8.58pm on June 7, and landed at 11.35pm in Singapore on the same day.

However, checks with Thailand’s Immigration Bureau and the Tourism Authority found no records of Ms Lu having left the country, reported Thaiger, citing media outlet KhaoSod. - The Straits Times/ANN

Tags / Keywords: Thailand , Bangkok , Chinese National , Girl , Kidnapped , Ransom Call

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Money blog: The 24-minute rule - What time you should actually arrive at cinema to avoid adverts

We've gathered information from the UK's major cinema chains and spoken to experts about how long you can expect adverts and trailers to run until the main event actually begins. Read this and the rest of our Weekend Money content below and we'll be back on Monday with live updates.

Saturday 8 June 2024 19:46, UK

Weekend Money

• How long trailers last at each cinema chain - and what time you should get there
• Your comments : Concert prices, state of UK airports, self-service kiosks at Subway and HMRC glitch
• £2,000 tax hikes and interest rate cuts - the two things you need to know from Money this week

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• Money Problem : 'I returned an item by post to Nike, they say they never got it and won't refund - what can I do?'
• Why you should consider swapping chicken breasts out of your shopping basket
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• Best of the Money blog - an archive

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By Narbeh Minassian , news reporter

The time on your ticket is 7pm, but you already know it's not going to start then.

So, what time do you get to the cinema?

If you're arriving at 7.10pm, you're almost certainly safe, but any later and you may cut it fine.

Here, we've gathered information from the UK's major cinema chains and spoken to experts about how long you can expect adverts and trailers to run until the main event actually begins.

According to the Cineworld website, ads and trailers "normally last between 30-45 minutes before the actual film begins".

The cinema also asks customers to collect tickets at least 20 minutes before the listed time "to make the most of their visit".

There appears to be a shorter wait at Odeon, which claims advert and trailer length is "typically 15-25 minutes" - but this varies with each performance and can be "considerably less".

"We always recommend to avoid disappointment you arrive with enough time to enter the screen at the scheduled performance start time," the website says.

There's a wider range at Everyman, which says it plays 25 minutes' worth of adverts and trailers.

But beware - "the length of ads and trailers varies for special events and it can be between 15 and 40 minutes, subject to type of event".

There isn't any specific information on the website and we got no response when we reached out to them, but Showcase did respond to a customer on social media on this very question.

In a May 2022 tweet, the cinema said: "The advertised time is when the adverts/ trailers start and are approximately 20-25 minutes long before each show."

Vue offers a more precise window: "Please be aware that most films have around 20 to 25 minutes of ads and trailers before the feature starts."

Its only recommendation is to be in your seat at the time stated so you "don't take any chances in missing the start of your film".

'In general, it's 24 minutes'

Karen Stacey, the chief executive of Digital Cinema Media, which supplies advertisement for the likes of Odeon, Vue and Cineworld, told Sky News the wait is typically 24 minutes - 12 minutes for ads, and 12 for trailers.

This remains true whatever the film and whatever the time of day, with about 95% of DCM's schedules "exactly the same".

"It's very formulaic, that's what consumers are used to," she said. "By making it consistent in length, people are always happy to come and join in."

She said 24 minutes gives schedulers enough time to prepare the film and allow a more staggered entry for the audience - while also bringing in revenue.

Any longer than half an hour, though, is "rare".

"Cinemas want to have as many films in as possible and they want to be mindful they don't finish too late in the evening," Ms Stacey said.

"My experience working with them is they are quite strict."

Are there rules over the length?

As the above suggests, there aren't any set rules or procedures governing cinema advertising length.

Kathryn Jacob, chief executive of cinema advertising company Pearl & Dean, said the length was determined by the cinema.

"Some cinemas take only one ad, like the BFI IMAX, and the maximum length is determined by the cinemas themselves," she told Sky News.

"Factors determining the length depend on demand from advertisers and the films that a cinema might want to showcase to the audience that's at the screening via trailers."

Cinema policy is the key decider and she said research has shown audiences find advertising in cinema "part of the entertainment".

Do viewers like the adverts and trailers?

Ms Jacob may have a point.

According to research published by DCM , advertising in cinemas is more effective than in any other media.

For a 60-second advert in the cinema, viewers will watch 48 seconds, which is a far higher proportion than TV or social media.

It is also highly trusted, with DCM citing a survey by IPA Touchpoints claiming nearly 100% of respondents say they trust what they see in the cinema - for comparison, 75% trust TV adverts.

Avid cinema-goer Bill Boswell, who pays £18 a month for an unlimited pass at Cineworld on the Isle of Wight, said he was happy to wait.

"I know that these adverts help pay for the cinema to run," he told Sky News. "The cinema is my place to escape, so it's good for my mental health and I would not want to lose it.

"If I watch at home, I can sometimes reach for my mobile phone, but a film on the big screen would get my 100% attention, so I just accept the pre-show adverts."

But what are the drawbacks?

The main thing Mr Boswell considers is his car, as his nearest Cineworld offers three hours of free parking.

"I would sometimes plan on 30 minutes of trailers and work back so I can fit the free parking in, as the cinema costs enough already," he said.

"If the film is more than two and a half hours, I park outside town and walk to the cinema."

Consumer expert Martin Lewis raised parking tickets as one of the issues in a 2019 tweet, in which he said he waited 33 minutes for a film to start.

Responding to one user, he said greater clarity would help customers to save on parking tickets and babysitting, while giving "legitimate expectation".

"And there's no rigorous research that prices [cinema tickets] would go up - they're often set by market demand," he added.

Are there alternatives?

If you want to avoid the pre-show altogether, your best bet might be independent or community cinemas.

Draycott Community Cinema, for example, is the only cinema in the Somerset village and is run by volunteers.

Committee member Chloe Haywood told Sky News they are always debating how long to make their pre-show.

They try to keep it to two short trailers, often without any adverts - though they are planning to find a sponsor later this year.

"We do find that it sets the audience up for the screening," she said, referring to their brief pre-show.

"We don't have trailers for long. They're to advertise the next two films, any local news that might be of interest, and then standard 'switch off your phones' type info."

We had a lot of feedback after our in-depth look at why concert ticket prices are so high these days...

Here's some of what you said...

Why do arenas and sports events have to charge so much for food and drinks? Over £8 a pint is absolutely scandalous and opportunistic greed. Britain is an absolute rip off. Lee J

In the same way that football has been gentrified, music is being steered towards the rich and middle class - real fans like me are no longer wanted by agents like Ticketmaster. Frontman

The ones responsible are the ones paying the prices like with coffee shops and other consumer products. Stop paying stupid prices, they won't charge them! Toby

Why are resale tickets allowed to be tripled or quadrupled? Recently offered a David Gilmour ticket for £600??? Springbok

1970... $7.50 to see Elvis at his prime in Vegas. The greatest entertainer ever. 2020... £300 to see Taylor Swift. The most overrated singer around today.  I know who got the best deal there! Steve Elliott

A quick calculation shows $7.50 in 1970 is the equivalent of $60.61 today.

Next, a brief mention of Subway's decision to change its ordering process in all stores to electronic kiosks by the end of the year...

Some readers complained in our comments box but when we asked our followers on LinkedIn whether they liked or loathed self-service via a screen, this was the result...

Another post that got you exercised contained quotes from the boss of Emirates comparing Heathrow to a Second World War airport ...

There wasn't much love for the UK's biggest airport from readers - or for any other airport across the country...

There need to be a lot of change at Heathrow! Specially with immigration checks. The long queues are killing me, someone can't wait 2hrs in a queue to get a clearance, it's absurd! Cheka

Heathrow is not the only one. Coming back to UK through Gatwick yesterday was a sobering experience. Tatty floor covering, scuffed and drab paint everywhere. Wall graphics lacking any imagination or vibrancy. Narrow walkways and corridors. Doesn't show the UK in a good light all. Frequent traveller

Heathrow a Second World War airport? Try coming off a plane with 300 others at Leeds Bradford and queueing outside in the cold and pouring rain trying to shuffle in through a small door that looks like it used to be an emergency exit. How difficult can it be to erect something? Paula Blue

I totally disagree Heathrow is as bad as the president says. Has he ever visited Manchester Airport? AJ

A major HMRC glitch on Monday meant 500,000 families did not get their child benefit on time. Multiple readers wrote in with their views...

So they will be paying compensation then? As they would fine us for late payments... Cybertuck

HMRC? Apologise? Due to an error by working tax credits, I've only just been paid six years' worth. And as to child maintenance payments… I can't even begin to discuss that without crying. LWE

Is there any government IT system in this country that works as it should? Tudor1

I don't have children, very sadly, but if I were told that HMRC were "sorry" for this glitch I would probably feel very violent. We get a lot of apologies these days which mean absolutely nothing (regrettably). Gillydhill

Confirming the problem had been fixed late on Monday afternoon, HMRC said: "We are very sorry some customers didn't receive their scheduled child benefit payments as expected and we understand the concern and difficulty this may have caused. 

"We've fixed the problem and affected customers will now receive their payments on Wednesday morning."

The news agenda this week has been dominated by election campaigning - with the first leaders' debate taking place on Tuesday night.

It saw Rishi Sunak cheer his supporters with the repeated claim that Labour would put up taxes by £2,000.

Sir Keir Starmer was, most observers thought, far too slow to respond - but the claim began to unravel the next day.

Data and economics editor Ed Conway's analysis of the Tory calculations suggested the £2,000 rise was actually spread out over four years - so £500 a year may have been a more suitable number for the PM to throw at his opponent.

Concluding his piece, Conway said you "probably shouldn't" believe the figures - but if you used the same methodology as the Tories, it would show they had put up taxes by £3,000 a year over the course of this parliament. Or £13,000, if you wanted to present the numbers in the same way as Mr Sunak did during the debate. 

Read Conway's full analysis here ...

Some distance from Westminster, the 20 countries that use the euro saw an interest rate cut this week - the European Central Bank moving before the US Fed and Bank of England.

A cut in the UK is currently priced in by markets for September - in the meantime, British holidaymakers could benefit from a weaker euro against the pound.

Business presenter Ian King says a potential weakening of the euro could have wider implications.

He explained: "It comes with risks, not least in terms of pushing up the cost of imports - particularly energy, which is priced in dollars, which could in turn push up inflation."

The price of exports into the US could go down - potentially undercutting American firms.

King went on: "A weaker euro would also carry risks in a US election year in which both Joe Biden and Donald Trump, his challenger, will be seeking to out-bid each other with protectionist policies."

Read his full analysis here ...

The Money blog is your place for consumer news, economic analysis and everything you need to know about the cost of living - bookmark news.sky.com/money.

It runs with live updates every weekday - while on Saturdays we scale back and offer you a selection of weekend reads.

Check them out this morning and we'll be back on Monday with rolling news and features.

The Money team is Bhvishya Patel, Jess Sharp, Katie Williams, Brad Young and Ollie Cooper, with sub-editing by Isobel Souster. The blog is edited by Jimmy Rice.

The BBC's content arm is among the suitors vying to buy the television production company which owns the rights to The Gruffalo.

Sky News has learnt that BBC Studios is participating in a sale process for Magic Light Pictures, which has won three BAFTAs and secured a quartet of Oscar nominations.

The auction is being run by Gotham Street, a specialist media deals boutique.

A number of other bidders are also said to be involved in the process given the quality of Magic Light's content library, which includes a number of works by The Gruffalo's creators, Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler.

The Gruffalo has become one of Britain's best-known children's characters, telling the story of an adventurous mouse that fends off a series of would-be predators by telling them about a supposedly imaginary creature called a gruffalo.

In the 2011 sequel, The Gruffalo's Child, the mouse then scares off a young gruffalo by using shadows to project a giant version of itself.

The two films have been distributed internationally by Magic Light, and along with the original Gruffalo books have sparked substantial merchandising revenues as well as a theme park attraction at Chessington World of Adventures.

The woman alleged to be the inspiration for the stalker in hit Netflix series Baby Reindeer is suing the streaming platform for $170m (£133m).

The show is said to be based on the real-life experiences of writer Richard Gadd, who plays himself as he copes with stalker Martha Scott.

Fiona Harvey, 58, claims she is the inspiration for Martha, who begins stalking Gadd after he serves her a free cup of tea in the pub where he works.

In the lawsuit, Ms Harvey has accused Netflix of spreading "brutal lies", including that she is a "twice convicted stalker who was sentenced to five years in prison".

"Defendants told these lies, and never stopped, because it was a better story than the truth, and better stories made money," it states.

"As a result of defendants' lies, malfeasance and utterly reckless misconduct, Harvey's life had been ruined."

Sky News's US partner network NBC News reports the lawsuit described the show's claim "this is a true story" as "the biggest lie in television history".

"Netflix destroyed a woman, claiming, among many allegations, that she was a convicted woman," Richard Roth, a lawyer for Ms Harvey, wrote in an email.

"It never contacted her. It never checked the facts. It never made any effort to understand the truth of its 'true story!'"

The lawsuit seeks actual damages and compensatory damages at $50m (£39m) each, punitive damages at $20m (£16m); as well as "all profits" from Baby Reindeer at $50m (£39m).

A Netflix spokesperson told Sky News: "We intend to defend this matter vigorously and to stand by Richard Gadd's right to tell his story."

Administrators to The Body Shop are aiming to clinch a sale of the stricken cosmetics retailer by the end of the month, even as its former owner veers away from making an offer for it.

Sky News' city editor Mark Kleinman has learnt that FRP Advisory, which was appointed to handle the chain's insolvency in January, has asked for indicative bids by next Tuesday.

British entrepreneur Mike Lynch has been cleared of all charges by a US jury in the high-profile fraud case related to the sale of his software company Autonomy to Hewlett-Packard (HP) in 2011.

Dr Lynch, who was extradited to the US to face trial just over a year ago, was acquitted alongside a former finance executive Stephen Chamberlain who had faced the same charges.

They were accused of conspiracy and attempted fraud over the £8.3bn sale to HP - a deal that has been the subject of costly legal action since.

Labour is promising to get more young people on the housing ladder as it announces its "freedom to buy" scheme on Friday.

The party is pledging to make the existing mortgage guarantee scheme - which sees the government act as a guarantor for people unable to save big deposits - into a permanent fixture if it wins the election on 4 July.

Meanwhile, the Tories are promising a tax cut for parents by raising the threshold for when families have to pay a levy on their child benefit.

The current system means if either parents or a parent's partner earns more than £60,000, they begin paying the high income child benefit tax charge, and lose the benefit altogether when a salary hits £80,000.

But if the Tories win the election on 4 July, they have promised to increase the threshold to £120,000 before any tax is paid, and to £160,000 before the benefit is withdrawn, as well as base it on a household income, rather than an individual.

Ever wanted to own your own Victorian island fort?

Well now you can - with two being listed with a guide price of £1m.

Spitbank Fort in Hampshire and No Man's Land Fort off the Isle of Wight have been listed for auction and can be bought separately - or as a pair if you can't pick between the two.  

During the Second World War, the forts were used to defend the Portsmouth dockyards. 

No Man's Fort is substantially bigger and probably presents itself more as a business opportunity, but Spitbank offers nine large bedroom suites across three floors and could potentially work as a private home to the right buyer. 

No Man's Fort has its own traditional English pub, a nightclub, and a helipad, while Spitbank Fort naturally boasts a wine cave plus a swimming pool and spa complex.

"Throughout my career as an auctioneer I've seen several sea forts hit the market that have achieved impressive prices as buyers have sought to pursue these trophy assets," said Robin Howeson, head of Savills Auctions.

"Having been carefully restored by the current owners, No Man's and Spitbank Fort represent exceptional market value, each guided at £1m. 

"Both offer an opportunity like no other; a waterfront location, up to 99,000sq ft of space and a chance to champion the heritage and legacy of these iconic maritime structures."

The auction takes place on 18 June. 

If you missed out on the general sales but want to bag yourself a last-minute ticket to Taylor Swift's show in Edinburgh tonight , it could set you back a whopping £4,000. 

Not to fear, however, as it is currently possible to land yourself a ticket for as little as £271 - if you settle for a somewhat restricted view. 

We've checked resale giant Viagogo for the latest prices, accurate as of 10.30am. 

As is often the case with popular tours listed on resale sites, many of the tickets are sold individually - so if you're happy to go alone tonight, you're more likely to get a ticket. 

For context, a ticket at general sale cost somewhere between £80-£160 depending on where you sit/stand. 

As it stands, the cheapest seat with an unrestricted view of the stage is currently up for sale at £323.

Just one ticket is up for £271, but has a "restricted view". 

Bringing a crowd

If you're looking to take someone with you, the cheapest pair of tickets without any restricted view will cost you a combined £1,706.

However, if you're happy with a restricted or limited view, you can pay the cheaper price of £538 for the pair (£269 each). 

You can buy up to four tickets in the same area for £303 each (£1,212 together) for a restricted view, or £555 each (£2,220 together) for an unobstructed view of the stage. 

Getting closer to the action 

Standing tickets are much sought after given their proximity to the stage. 

As alluded to at the top of this post, one frankly optimistic reseller has listed four general admission tickets for a staggering £4,256 each (in the "floor" section shown in the map below). 

However, you can get even closer - with one ticket remaining in the separate section to the left of the stage at £651 and another to the right at £559. 

A word of caution

Ticket resale sites, including Viagogo, have previously been accused of "ripping off" consumers amid concerns customers could be turned away at venues because of restrictions on some resold tickets.

The company was told in 2019 that it was required to make a number of changes to the way it collects and presents information about tickets on its site.

It has since pledged to be compliant with UK watchdogs and now offers a "100% order guarantee [which] covers both buyers and sellers".

If you're happy paying over the odds for last-minute tickets, make sure you're buying through a site with such a guarantee and always beware of scams!

House prices in the UK dropped by 0.1% between April and May, data from mortgage lender Halifax shows.

Analysts had expected a drop of around 0.2%, while last week, rival lender Nationwide said its measure of house prices rose in May after falling in the previous two months.

In the 12 months to May, prices rose by 1.5%, Halifax said - faster than the median forecast in a Reuters news agency poll for an annual increase of 1.2%.

"Market activity remained resilient throughout the spring months, supported by strong nominal wage growth and some evidence of an improvement in confidence about the economic outlook," Halifax's head of mortgages, Amanda Bryden, said.

The stable picture for property prices over the last three months was likely to give more confidence to buyers and sellers, she added. 

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South Korea to blast loudspeaker broadcasts after North's trash balloons

South Korea will begin loudspeaker broadcasts directed at North Korea on Sunday that will be "unbearable" for the Kim Jong Un regime, its National Security Council said, after Pyongyang resumed sending balloons carrying trash across the border.