Does anybody know if it is at all possible to get a Bangkok Bank Account on a retirement visa ?
I have a Kasikorn account with no problem, but Bangkok Bank has a branch in New York and a US bankrouting number which is very handy to use for money transfers.
Nick
Impossible to get Bangkok Bank Account ?
Re: Impossible to get Bangkok Bank Account ?
When I first came here (6 or so years ago) BB were the easiest & most Farang friendly bank to get an account with.
The main branch in Udon were just about the only one to have a specific waiting area (separate from normal banking activity) to discuss the sort of transactions that foreigners were likely to be interested in. Plus they had English speaking staff & were well 'au fait' with immigration requirements for financial reporting. I have heard that since then they seem to have rather lost interest in Farang accounts and are not as enthusiastic as they once were - where as Banks like Kasikorn have taken rather the opposite approach. Maybe there was a change of manager & emphasis along the way, I am not sure. Technically there is absolutely nothing to stop you getting an account with them. It would be interesting if you could report back with your experiences....
The main branch in Udon were just about the only one to have a specific waiting area (separate from normal banking activity) to discuss the sort of transactions that foreigners were likely to be interested in. Plus they had English speaking staff & were well 'au fait' with immigration requirements for financial reporting. I have heard that since then they seem to have rather lost interest in Farang accounts and are not as enthusiastic as they once were - where as Banks like Kasikorn have taken rather the opposite approach. Maybe there was a change of manager & emphasis along the way, I am not sure. Technically there is absolutely nothing to stop you getting an account with them. It would be interesting if you could report back with your experiences....
Re: Impossible to get Bangkok Bank Account ?
I have three accounts at Bangkok Bank on a retirement visa, no problem setting them up. Government pension from the US is deposited direct in the New York branch and transmitted instantly into my account. Unless there's a Thai bank holiday, then it gets delayed a couple days. I guess they give the computers a day off also! 
My only complaint is that they are a stickler for their rules, of which they have many. When I set up the account I had to have a Thai "government official" vouch for me. Turns out a "government official" is anybody who works for the government, school teacher, policeman, etc. But once you go through their silly little rules it's clear sailing, and the service has always been courteous and helpful. We use the branches at Big C and Ngee Soon, very convenient as they are always open.
I also have an account at Kasikorn and I agree, they are the easiest to use, only problem is that the US will not direct deposit into Kasikorn.
My only complaint is that they are a stickler for their rules, of which they have many. When I set up the account I had to have a Thai "government official" vouch for me. Turns out a "government official" is anybody who works for the government, school teacher, policeman, etc. But once you go through their silly little rules it's clear sailing, and the service has always been courteous and helpful. We use the branches at Big C and Ngee Soon, very convenient as they are always open.
I also have an account at Kasikorn and I agree, they are the easiest to use, only problem is that the US will not direct deposit into Kasikorn.
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Ray.Charles
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Re: Impossible to get Bangkok Bank Account ?
I have set up accounts both at the Bangkok Bank and the Kasikorn within the last two years. I am not sure that they even looked at my retirement visa.
You are right about the ease of transfer through the NYC branch of the Bangkok bank
You are right about the ease of transfer through the NYC branch of the Bangkok bank
Re: Impossible to get Bangkok Bank Account ?
I opened a BB account last week. They needed a Thai "voucher" or "co-signer" or whatever; my wife sufficed.
Funny thing is they started giving me the runaround - and succeeded - when I asked about doing online banking.
He whipped out a long list of either this and/or that plus whatnot. Then he distracted me by trying to sell me insurance for the fifth time.
Got the account. Now to stop back in and try to get online with them. Strange they'd give me an account, an ATM card, etc., but waffle up on letting me do it online.
Funny thing is they started giving me the runaround - and succeeded - when I asked about doing online banking.
He whipped out a long list of either this and/or that plus whatnot. Then he distracted me by trying to sell me insurance for the fifth time.
Got the account. Now to stop back in and try to get online with them. Strange they'd give me an account, an ATM card, etc., but waffle up on letting me do it online.
Re: Impossible to get Bangkok Bank Account ?
I had the same problem this week when setting up a new account for the TGF.Jed wrote:I opened a BB account last week. They needed a Thai "voucher" or "co-signer" or whatever; my wife sufficed.
Funny thing is they started giving me the runaround - and succeeded - when I asked about doing online banking.
He whipped out a long list of either this and/or that plus whatnot. Then he distracted me by trying to sell me insurance for the fifth time.
Got the account. Now to stop back in and try to get online with them. Strange they'd give me an account, an ATM card, etc., but waffle up on letting me do it online.
Asked specifically for i-banking, the guy nodding politely, but never doing the paperwork for it.
So, going back next day, telling the host lady that we want i-banking and no problem all set up in 20 minutes, ID + password, all done !
Re: Impossible to get Bangkok Bank Account ?
Friday while at the main branch to set up i-banking for my TGF new account, the lady got interested after I mentioned I had a retirement visa, but backed off after I said that she could open me an account.BobHelm wrote:When I first came here (6 or so years ago) BB were the easiest & most Farang friendly bank to get an account with.
The main branch in Udon were just about the only one to have a specific waiting area (separate from normal banking activity) to discuss the sort of transactions that foreigners were likely to be interested in. Plus they had English speaking staff & were well 'au fait' with immigration requirements for financial reporting. I have heard that since then they seem to have rather lost interest in Farang accounts and are not as enthusiastic as they once were - where as Banks like Kasikorn have taken rather the opposite approach. Maybe there was a change of manager & emphasis along the way, I am not sure. Technically there is absolutely nothing to stop you getting an account with them. It would be interesting if you could report back with your experiences....
Otherwise very helpful Thai people became reluctant when I asked them for help (co-signing) with setting up an account with BKK bank.
Monday I will try and go to a different branch.
Right now I am trying to transfer money from ING Direct (USA) to TGF Account using the BKK bank USA routing number
Tried that before, but the money got returned by BKK bank stating (unspecified) problems with the TGF account.
Re: Impossible to get Bangkok Bank Account ?
On the e-banking front....
I set up an account with Kasikorn (in the Complex) about 2 weeks ago. They seemed to be having a bit of a "drive" on new accounts at the time. Very, very easy & no hassle process which also included e-banking.
A couple of days later I received a couple of e-mails from them telling me how to access the e-banking side of things. Nice web site that can be changed to viewing in English language. Sadly i could not sign on as per their instructions as I was getting a 'Password incorrect" error - although they had e-mailed me the password.
Sent the an e-mail, clearly (I thought ) explaining what I was trying to do & what the problem was.
They came back with a repeat of the first 2 e-mails they had already sent to me & had failed to get me logged on.
I replied in that vein, that I consider myself pretty computer literate, have had online banking accounts without problems for years & that their instructions did not work - no matter how often they sent them to me.
Two days later got an e-mail that gave me completely different instructions that worked perfectly.
The confusion (that they create) is all about what your user sign on identification is.
Now no issues....
I set up an account with Kasikorn (in the Complex) about 2 weeks ago. They seemed to be having a bit of a "drive" on new accounts at the time. Very, very easy & no hassle process which also included e-banking.
A couple of days later I received a couple of e-mails from them telling me how to access the e-banking side of things. Nice web site that can be changed to viewing in English language. Sadly i could not sign on as per their instructions as I was getting a 'Password incorrect" error - although they had e-mailed me the password.
Sent the an e-mail, clearly (I thought
) explaining what I was trying to do & what the problem was. They came back with a repeat of the first 2 e-mails they had already sent to me & had failed to get me logged on.
I replied in that vein, that I consider myself pretty computer literate, have had online banking accounts without problems for years & that their instructions did not work - no matter how often they sent them to me.
Two days later got an e-mail that gave me completely different instructions that worked perfectly.
The confusion (that they create) is all about what your user sign on identification is.
Now no issues....
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lepidoptra
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Re: Impossible to get Bangkok Bank Account ?
I had an account with the BB in Udon. I found them totally useless. Only one member of staff could speak some broken English. I asked if I could draw 800.000 baht on my debit card to complete the purchase of the house. Too much was their answer.
Walked 50 metres down the road to SCB asked the same question (Didn't have an account with them)
No problem,took copy of my passport, swiped my debit card and gave me the cash.
I was then asked if I would like to open an account with them (perfect English)
Of course I did, gave me book, new debit visa card and lots of other goodies.
My visa was a non 'O' type. Don't think you can open account with Tourist visa
Walked 50 metres down the road to SCB asked the same question (Didn't have an account with them)
No problem,took copy of my passport, swiped my debit card and gave me the cash.
I was then asked if I would like to open an account with them (perfect English)
Of course I did, gave me book, new debit visa card and lots of other goodies.
My visa was a non 'O' type. Don't think you can open account with Tourist visa
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stattointhailand
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Re: Impossible to get Bangkok Bank Account ?
I had an account with the BB in Udon. I found them totally useless. Only one member of staff could speak some broken English.
When did all this happen Lepidoptra ........ 1950
NEARLY ALL the management and most of the tellers speak perfectly understandable English and have done so for at least 5 years to my knowledge
When did all this happen Lepidoptra ........ 1950
NEARLY ALL the management and most of the tellers speak perfectly understandable English and have done so for at least 5 years to my knowledge
Re: Impossible to get Bangkok Bank Account ?
You can open a bank account on a tourist visa (not a visa on arrival).
Some years ago I was in N.Y. And was trying to open an account with the Bank of Amerika. So I enter the bank and ask them in perfect Dutch, French and German how to open an account. Not even 1 person was able to speak Dutch, French or German, so I never go there again …
Frans.
Some years ago I was in N.Y. And was trying to open an account with the Bank of Amerika. So I enter the bank and ask them in perfect Dutch, French and German how to open an account. Not even 1 person was able to speak Dutch, French or German, so I never go there again …
Frans.
Re: Impossible to get Bangkok Bank Account ?
55555555 Good on Ya =D>
Re: Impossible to get Bangkok Bank Account ?
Yes, that was a stupid thing to change from New Amsterdam to New York (and change from Dutch to English).Frans wrote:You can open a bank account on a tourist visa (not a visa on arrival).
Some years ago I was in N.Y. And was trying to open an account with the Bank of Amerika. So I enter the bank and ask them in perfect Dutch, French and German how to open an account. Not even 1 person was able to speak Dutch, French or German, so I never go there again …
Frans.
Btw, I opened a Kasikorn account with online banking without problems on a tourist visa.
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treehugger
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Re: Impossible to get Bangkok Bank Account ?
I have had an account with BB in Udon for the last nine years - but they have persistently refused to let me have 'on-line' banking - no explanation, just saying 'cannot'. So I opened another account at the Kasikorn with 'on line' banking.
Incidentally, I recently had to phone the Kasikorn help desk at two in the morning and got a wonderfully helpful lady speaking perfect English, who proceeded to solve my problem courteously and efficiently. Pity my UK bank call centre can't do the same!!
Incidentally, I recently had to phone the Kasikorn help desk at two in the morning and got a wonderfully helpful lady speaking perfect English, who proceeded to solve my problem courteously and efficiently. Pity my UK bank call centre can't do the same!!
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stattointhailand
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Re: Impossible to get Bangkok Bank Account ?
helpful lady speaking perfect English, who proceeded to solve my problem courteously and efficiently. Pity my UK bank call centre can't do the same!!
Not too many ladies speak "perfect English" in Calcutta
Not too many ladies speak "perfect English" in Calcutta
Re: Impossible to get Bangkok Bank Account ?
The way that I understand the banks in thailand.If one bank refuses ya ,just go to another branch.I opened an account with kasikorn no problem,no visa.I believe i'll do the same with bangkok bank.I don't think they'll turn down a million baht deposit.
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stattointhailand
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Re: Impossible to get Bangkok Bank Account ?
I don't think they'll turn down a million baht deposit.
Geeeee, some people just NEVER learn ............. hello ......... this is THAILAND
Geeeee, some people just NEVER learn ............. hello ......... this is THAILAND
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hangsaboot
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Re: Impossible to get Bangkok Bank Account ?
[quote="Jed"]I opened a BB account last week. They needed a Thai "voucher" or "co-signer" or whatever; my wife sufficed.
Funny thing is they started giving me the runaround - and succeeded - when I asked about doing online banking.
BB ,, bad bank.
KK,central plaza, easy to open a ATM / account ,
on line banking , brain dead farang, friendly.
Funny thing is they started giving me the runaround - and succeeded - when I asked about doing online banking.
BB ,, bad bank.
KK,central plaza, easy to open a ATM / account ,
on line banking , brain dead farang, friendly.
Re: Impossible to get Bangkok Bank Account ?
From Stickman this week:
Bangkok Bank appears to have revised its policy regarding foreigners opening an account. On this page of the Bangkok Bank site says that "Even if you are only visiting Thailand for a relatively short period of time, you can open a savings account and get a debit card to use for shopping and ATM withdrawals. All you will need to provide is your passport and one other official identification document – for example, your driver's license". So according to that, it is no longer necessary to have a long term visa or work permit to open a bank account. Of course, this is Thailand and not every branch may be aware of the policy.
Bangkok Bank appears to have revised its policy regarding foreigners opening an account. On this page of the Bangkok Bank site says that "Even if you are only visiting Thailand for a relatively short period of time, you can open a savings account and get a debit card to use for shopping and ATM withdrawals. All you will need to provide is your passport and one other official identification document – for example, your driver's license". So according to that, it is no longer necessary to have a long term visa or work permit to open a bank account. Of course, this is Thailand and not every branch may be aware of the policy.
Re: Impossible to get Bangkok Bank Account ?
I tried 5yrs ago to get an account from the Bangkok Bank in Udon on just a 30day tourist visa. I dont have a wifey or a house. They said no, but after abit of haggling, they said if I got a thai friend to vouch for me, yes I could have, but I had no thai friends that I wanted to put in that position, but it can be done, and BB are good for international online banking. Just throw a good wad of Baht on the counter and they will soon come around.