A tale of two Udon bank branches

Today, I struck out to do a little banking business. Nothing serious and nothing urgent. Just decided to go to some different branches in Udon to do some simple transactions and show my face.

First, I went to an SCB branch by the Clock Circle to do a cash advance, which I have found to be a very inexpensive way to transfer money from my US bank account to a Thailand bank. The percentage charged is negligible -- less than 1%.

When I first walked in, I stopped and looked around. There was only one desk servicing customers that had a sign in English, and that was 'customer service'. I sat in the waiting area behind the desk while one customer was being served. There was a lady next to me. Within five minutes, a bank employee came and helped the lady next to me to a second desk. Within minutes, the gentleman at the first customer service desk was finished and left. The entire time I was there, I attempted to make eye contact with bank employees walking through the lobby. I also kept my bank book in plain view so that employees could see that I was already a customer. Nothing.

Within a few minutes, the lady at the first customer service desk picked up her things and walked out the front door. Probably going to lunch. I watched her all the way out, but no eye contact.

Just after she left, another bank employee went to the first customer service desk. Again, I waited to be called, but an elderly Thai man walked in the front door and was immediately serviced at the first customer service desk. I attempted to make eye contact the entire time. Nothing.

When the elderly Thai man's business was complete, he left and the lady waiting on him disappeared into an office never to be seen again.

After sitting for 25 minutes and getting no help or even a "Sawadee", I stood up and looked around the lobby. Most of the customers who had been waiting to be served had left from other desks across the lobby (where there were no signs in English posted). I walked over to one of the desks and plopped myself down in a chair and was immediately greeted and serviced. The cash advance took only 10 to 15 minutes.

Now to bank #2, Kasikorn Bank. I went to the bank to just get change for two 1,000 baht bills. I like to keep smaller denomination bills handy since not everyone in Udon can give change from a 1,000 baht bill. I had written my denomination amounts and requests on a sheet of paper to make it easy for the teller. I took a number and sat and waited for my turn, which was only four numbers away from being serviced. I was prepared to wait and was in no hurry.

Within two minutes from being seated, a young lady came over speaking excellent English and asked if she could help me. I informed her that I wanted change for my two 1,000 baht bills. She took my bills and went to a teller window that was closed and had the teller there make change for me. Since I never took my Kasikorn Bank book out, no one really knew if I was a customer of Kasikorn or not.

I was out the door and back on my motorbike in 5 minutes.

And that ends the tale of two Udon bank branches.

Kasikorn have always been by far the most helpful bank in Thailand towards whitey.
Have a look around on the Thai forums and see for yourself.

get change for two 1,000 baht bills

i thought that is what 7-11 was for

Prenders88 wrote:Kasikorn have always been by far the most helpful bank in Thailand towards whitey.
Have a look around on the Thai forums and see for yourself.

Yes, I did all my research ahead of time. Thanks.

I was just relaying experiences for those interested.

Bank of Auytha the other day in Big C

I took my number and queued, 1 customer desk officer working, the other 1 was talking to the Western Union lady, it was aboute the recent shopping catalogue, can see it plainly, 10 mins later , catalogue in hand, and lots of smiling and personal calls , from the body language etc.

So i walked over and sat at her desk and plonked my bank book , passport and a few other things i needed to show . Didnt seem to mean anything, so i took another number leaving my stuff on her desk, nothing again, took another number , so i had all areas covered.

Manager walked in and i immediately collared him and gave him all my documents etc , suprised as hell, he directed me to the number machine, showed him all my numbers with the times on them ! Then walked out after 25 mins !

Wrote a letter to their customer service in Bangkok, translated by the GF, got a call 48 hrs later from BKK, to say they are sorry, i said its not accepted and are they actually going to pass it on to the branch, the reply......... hold your breath ...... NO.

Wazza, Bank Ayudayha in Nong Khai,The other day EXACTLY the same happened to me, But when I walked up to the counter & plonked My Pound Notes down for exchange the guy Counted Them,Turned them over,AND counted them a 2nd time,then got his calculator out,Dont know what for as his computer input gives him rate of how many Thai baht to give me back......Then he CARESSED or should that be FONDLED my Pound notes again and YES you guessd it COUNTED them for a 3rd time,Jeez ,It took me 30 mins to change a measily 200.00 gbp.......

This thing about getting a queue number in the banks is a mystery to me. Several times when I have had business with my bank the TGF goes right to the counter and I get service right away. This has happened at other places also. I must be butting in ahead of other folks, but TGF just says no problem. Can't figure what she is saying, but I wonder how the Thai folks feel about the Falang that goes ahead of them.

This isn't really a complaint, just recounting how I am constantly mystified by the way they do banking here. Okay, I get two checks in the mail from my insurance company in America, refund of overpayment on canceled policies, in American dollars. About 13,000 baht equivalent. First I take them to the Bangkok Bank branch at Big C for deposit into my account, fully aware that it might take some time for the checks to clear before the cash is available. No can do, have to take to main office downtown. OK, go to main office. Am directed to the foreign exchange desk on the second floor. The girl looks at the checks, stares at them for a while, then gets up and holds a conference with two other bank employees. They all stare at the checks, hold extensive discussions in Thai, like they have never before seen such a thing. Then she comes back, wants to know what the checks are for. I try to explain but she clearly doesn't understand what a refund on an overpayment is. Even when my TW tries to explain in Thai, she still looked terribly confused. I held my tongue and didn't shout "WTF do you care what they are for, just deposit the damned checks!". Then she informs me that since the checks are made out in my name only, I must deposit them into my separate account, not the joint account that I hold with my wife, presumably to insure that my wife can't withdraw the money and skip town. Apparently they don't trust my wife as much as I do, I am gratified that they are concerned about my welfare.

Finally, the preliminaries being taken care of, she gets down to business and starts calling up numerous data screens on her computer, typing in data furiously, printing out various forms which she then rubber stamps and puts in various drawers. Then comes the bad news. There is a fee of 344 baht for each check which I have to pay right away. This seems rather steep, but I agree and hand her my ATM card. She smiles sweetly and says "no ATM, cash only". Even though it is their own ATM card, and she can clearly see that there is money in the account to cover it, and it will be debited instantly. But no can do. At this point I say to my wife, "we need to find a new bank". TW replies "all banks same, Thai law, no ATM in bank". So I go outside the bank, draw the cash from the ATM and carry it back into the bank and hand it to her. She prints out a receipt, then informs that it will take 30 days before the funds appear in my account. I guess they will send the checks to America by freighter, hope it doesn't get hijacked.

So, transaction completed, elapsed time about one hour. Moral of the story, don't get any checks from your home country, try to do an electronic transfer.

I'm sure the Thais are as pissed off as I am when someone que jumps.

i few years ago, almost same, but not hassles about depositing check. just deposit at teller's window. then i receive a call from the exchange desk a day later, as the gal informed me of an approx 30 % charge on the 130 USD check, and up to 45 days to clear.........no thanks, i'll be back to pick up. mailed to brother in states and deposited there. definitely appreciated the call from exchange gal, at the time i was there couple times a month for couple years, doing cash advance wthdrawals, as free and could take 2500 usd a day if wanted. though for some reason, anything over 20 k baht or maybe 40 k instantly go denied, even if she called approval desk, guessing in bkk. one time i asked to talk to approving rep she always got stuck calling, asked me all the security question you could possible think of, give phone back to bank rep please.......denied. happened every time, then i would ring my back, unblock possible fraud block from thailand, since denied, considered fraud attempt, then she would swipe thru again and be instantly approved, usually 50 k baht, as on marriage visa then.

just unbelievable, that the same smuck, would deny every transaction over a certain amount, simply because he was afraid of making a mistake and have to answer to the boss. expecially when every time, yes....have passport, have house papers, has bank account with 1-2 mill in it, answered all the questions, then denied. felt sorry for her having to call all the time, then we both new, after i called to reset card, it would instantly be approved.

the gal did make the mistake of telling me thanachart just opened in the area, pay 1.25 interest instead of .75 %. changed banks next day. i'll take a 66 % raise anyday. though i don't keep large balance anymore.......200 baht. maybe put up to 100k a month in, then withdraw the next couple days. which immigration noticed last time and questioned, you have mill baht go thru your bank account, but only 200 balance. ....... why .......... spent it, isn't that what you want. between that, and for some reason, 3 people couldn't figure out how to use calculator, extension almost got denied, plus had income statement. took some explaining on how to read numbers and use calculator, but new supervisor finally approved. i prefer mr happy anyday, though they are nicer now.

Hey Mister happy is the one that gave me one year extensions with no need to do 90 day reports, so he's okay in my book

It wa only for two years and I got another guy and he wouldn't do it even-though the wife ask, but it was nice while it lasted