Phoning Vanguard from Bangkok...

[Lancelot]

Having nothing to do tonight (Nov 13, 2230 hrs) I phoned my pals at Vanguard.

I called (using my cell phone, the skype connection was horrible) the "collect" number at 1-610-669-1000 and asked them to call me back. They asked for my name, SSN and after five minutes I got the ring.

The first caller was talking to her office chum, explaining that she had some guy from Thailand on the line. After 30 seconds the line went dead.

I called "collect" again and went through the same security screening, then received the call back and spoke to a web technical rep. He seemed to know about Thailand being blocked, but the line went dead after about one minute (no details on why I was being blocked)

I called again (third time is the charm) and again went through the security screening and duly received the call back, about a 10 minute wait this time. I spoke to a regular rep and asked when web access to Thailand would be restored. He laughed and replied "thats a good question"

Not funny.

Mr. Happy said he recalled a "political disturbance" that may have cause Thailand to be banned... What the ****? The coup was in September and what did that have to do with me, a Vanguard investor wanting only to access my accounts?!?

I was belatedely connected with yet another web technical rep that seemed to be aware that Vanguard web access was curtailed in Thailand but again, the line went dead before I could get a plausible reason for interruption of service.

After the first disconnect, I gave each Vanguard rep my number and asked them to phone me back if the line was dropped. None did. I phone my parents in a very rural area of the USA and I have yet to be disconnected.

I try to take the long view (I hate capital gains taxes) but I may have to seriously consider switching investment companies. I know anyone can make a mistake, but I have not been able to log on for eight days and it seems that Vanguard could care less about resolving this issue. Why should they if they can even bother to call some one back after being disconnected?

Sad, really sad.

Lance

PS- Etrade, NetBank Treasury Direct and Fidelity still allow access in Thailand. Perhaps they were backing the generals while Vanguard was supporting Taksin the previous prime minister? (Joke...)