Widow's and Bangkok Bank be careful

One of the VFW , members died recently, he had a Bangkok Bank account with an ATM card. She went to withdraw money she must have mentioned that her husband died bad move. The will tell you that your wife can have access to the money. What they don't tell is after all the lagalities have been gone thought I assume.

I'm guessing on some one this these people had been married for years, so it wasn't a matter of trust, she actually handled the budget any way. So I believe it was account for immigration, as you can be the only person that on account. They Bank wouldn't allow access to the account to her, they cancelled and siezed her ATM card. Who knows how long before she will have access to that money. In the meantime she has to live somehow.

I saw the chances of my Bank in States stood a veryy good chance of failing. I didn't want to pay $4.50 everythime I accesed me account. So i ahd already started the process of moving my major retiremnt to the Bank of Bangkok in New York. First they sold me an ATM card, when I brought the documents in to make the cahnge with them. They demanded the ATM card back that had not been used. Siezed the card I ahd for whooping two weeks. Never had been used.

I hold told the clerk when she insisted I take the card that I could not have an ATM card on that account, I knew eventually that my Social Security would go into that account as well as my major retirement. She would not listen to waht I said so they got there fee. Never offered to reimburse me. But, this was only one of the problems they fought me all the way. I had done he research before I did this I knew I couldn't have ATM card on the Account nor could my wifes name be on the account. She would not listen so they made their fee and angered in the process. Came time to sign my retirement documents.

The Bangkok Bank in Bangkok got involved in this as I insisted they sign my documents, that is what my retirement will accept. The woman I talked to on the phone she was demanding and arrogant treated me as if I were some drunken farrang. Which of course made me feel all the better.

I fianlly gave up and went to my attorney, what I didn't know he also represented Bangkok Bank in htis area. He made three phone calls. Things almost got back on track, noww he charged for me a cup of coffee for this. I Go back to the bank that afternoon as I had been intsurcted, the bank manager had disappeaered who I was told would assit me. He assigned an account clerk They still refused to sign the documents after the chaos already had rolled down hill.

I don't like abusing busineness people so I didn't want to go back to the Attorney. I knew he would charge me I also know he has to make living like everyone else, and handling this for me was taking away from his billing time. So I contacted the the branch in New york I was assured that Bangkok would contact me and arrange for the documents to be signed.

A week went by no contact contacted New York again, they said they had notified Bangkok. The following day I got a call from a very angry lady in Bangkok wanted to know if

I STILL NEEDED THAt PAPER SiGNED

Lets see I wnr trough just for phone man I simply know haow these people think after seven years here. But I do know if they are wriong you can take them yto task. Which was exactly was prepared to do no mater waht it took. This the third incidnet where thye had failed to provide what I needed. One for immigartion in tha lat week they refuse to do the sameletter they had doen four years. The other my retirement needed a doucument signed that I was still alive. There I I am setting in front of the same manager, passport, drivers license and housebook. He called Bangkok then refused to sign it. i ended up having to have it notorized. Thats is ridicules.

Now I went through all of this to put money in there darn Bank. They have stated that a widow will not have access to your funds upon your death. I beleive it. This of course after reassuring everyone that she would get the money.

With my experience I have resloved my situation, I keep 1K baht in that bank. I withdraw the money a soon a it credited to the accunt. Take to SCB, put in the immigration account. Give my wife the household budget. Disburse the money to wife for account which is the household budget. Any extra money is put into a joint savings account.

My visa is always will be based on monthly income, a long as you have a bank that will write the immigration lette properly you won't have a problem. Thailand is a very harsh place without money I refuse to leave my family in that position upon my death from Bangkok Bank or anyother entity.

Up to now I have kept my mouth shut, I am no one to tell other people how to do their business. Never know maybe I just ticked them off cause I would not kiss thier feet, so be it that's me. But this is now effecting othe people so I ahev told you waht happened and what you do is your business.

This is not a rant problems have already been resolved a month ago, these are just facts as I personally know them.

We gave the phone number of our attorney to the lady I really hope things are resolved for her. If I hear anything else and I won't from my attorney, he treats his clients business confidentially. I will update this.

A joint account may have prevented this unless the deceased had direct deposit through BKK bank. Now not sure of the exact wording, but policy from the US gov dictates that a direct deposit account via BKK bank must be closed in case of the account holders death. From my understanding that's why BKK bank won't issue an ATM to an account associated with direct deposit.

I was able to circumvent this by opening an saving account with ATM and then direct deposit via NY branch. About 4 months later I received a letter from BKK bank informing me that this was not the proper way to establish a direct deposit account with BKK bank and that I would have to cancel my direct deposit or they would close my account.

I agree, But, don't forget immigration wants an account in your name only.

The key is to remember you are not gong to be around to work through the problems. So prepare now. I really don't know if it would be any different then any other bank. So don't leave large amounts cash in single name account. Unless you dont trust you life,Move it when it comes in.

There are two thing when never control when we are born, when and how we die. But both seem to happen very reguarly.

On the direct depoit I was readu as you guys had already explained it to me.

bumper wrote: So don't leave large amounts cash in single name account. Unless you dont trust you wife,Move it when it comes in.

That's good advice bumper. Here is the exact wording from the Bangkok Bank site:

If you use a direct deposit service to receive funds from a US Government Agency, you must appear in person at a Bangkok Bank branch to withdraw the funds.

In compliance with US regulations, Bangkok Bank cannot authorize the withdrawal of funds from your direct deposit account by an appointed representative, or via ATM or any other electronic channel. You must appear in person at a Bangkok Bank branch to withdraw the funds. You can, however, open a normal savings or current account and transfer the funds from your direct deposit account to this account. You may then withdraw your funds as usual via ATM or any other electronic channel.

http://www.bangkokbank.com/Bangkok%20Ba ... posit.aspx

It's a little inconvenient to appear in person every month and if you are traveling extensively you would not have access to the funds until you return to Thailand. Since I rarely travel, this is not a problem for me. I just pop down to the bank at Big C every month on the day of transfer and move the $$$ out. Also remember that if you should die, your last payment has to be returned to Social Security, even if it has been transferred (or already spent), which I have always thought is kind of heartless. So the best plan is not to die.

i solve this easily, i deposit funds in my thai bank, and withdraw them the same and next day. shy of million baht goes thru, but i keep a 200 baht balance. blows immigrations mind. but they sign my visa, that's all that matters.

Thought about Bangkok Bank possibly putting a freeze on our joint savings account in case I slipped off to the "Happy Hunting Grounds" so opened a new individual account at SCB for the wife. Tested it and the wife was able to get a "cash advance" from our stateside account to her SCB account with no problem on her own although we got hit with small fees at both ends. Funds were available immediately. This should enable her to have some money to live on until further details with the money are ironed out. Thanks to papaguido for the cash advance tip, btw.

Bumper, are you still on a marriage visa? Last month when I extended my retirement visa, Mr Happy wasn't even interested in the bank letter I brought in or our savings book (joint account) with copies. He looked at the embassy letter and was satisfied with the numbers that came up on his calculator which exceeded the 800K requirement and shoved all of the bank-related documents back across the table. Hoping that this modus operandi is permanent at NK Immigration. Maybe this would be a less stressful way of dealing with it all?

The Bank I use here is the same as the banks I use in the US. My wife is the named beneficiary on all of my bank accounts both here and US. In the US if I wish to name someone other than my wife I have to get her to sign an agreement form. A friend of mine died and it took about 2 months for his wife to gain access to the BKK bank funds. Having my SS and Pension DD in US banks works very well, and allows me to transfer funds to Thailand when and how I choose, very simple.

No I still have a single visa never changed it. In case my beauty gets tired of my silliness. I still have a visa.

I think it's short term you really have to worry about, in the long term they will get the money. But the wife is going to be faced with a lot. Gotta put the worn out carcas somewhere.

This is less stops then I used to do using the ATM card and now less expensive as well. You can get the funds from any Bangkok bank if your on a in country trip. My working account and the immigration account is in SCB, with easy access. BKBK let me down once on the visa letter once not going to happen again.

Immigration gets the required monthly amounts that is all they need. They won't let you make interest even if it's low that's nuts with 800K involved but Hey I am a poor boy

I dont want to comp,lian about Bangkok Bank just reminder to us, that things are very different here. So you can be prepared

"They won't let you make interest even if it's low that's nuts with 800K involved but Hey I am a poor boy"


last year total interest Thailand (wife and me) a tad over $250, not much but hey beer for a year.

No bank is going to automatically let one person have access to another person's sole account/funds in the event of death, whether they be friend, wife, husband, parent or child. They will require proper legal formalities to be carried out first, to determine who is entitled to the monies.

In the UK, Probate is normally required where other than small amounts are involved and there is a Will, or Letters of Administration if there is no will. There is an exception in the event of small balances (IN THE UK) whereby the beneficiaries make a statutory declaration that he/she/they are entitled to the proceeds of the account.

The most expedient solution would be to have an account in joint names, though agreed here that complicates visa extensions.

I don't know exactly what the procedure is in Thailand, though would guess that various legal formalities would have to be completed first, maybe with the help of a lawyer, and relevant documents submitted to the bank, before any distribution of the proceeds could take place.

A thought that occurred to me here, though strictly speaking it wouldn't be legal, - that was to leave the ATM card accessible, and lodge the PIN somewhere secure but accessible to one's partner in the event of death, and they then proceed to draw out the balance via ATM, without notifying the bank of the death of their partner.

My understanding of the predicament by bumper:
The girl's husband had a sole-owner retirement account.
He had an ATM card.
She had the PIN and the ATM card.
She didn't need to tell the bank anything.
She could have sucked out the cash over time and put it into another account.

This has been done by several widows in the past......and likewise, several widows have made the critical mistake of informing the bank of the demise of their husband.

If you have an ATM card, it really doesn't matter who's name is on the account. It matters who has the ATM card and the PIN.

Yes, the simple answer is two accounts transfer the money and keep all the gods happy. Or don't get a direct deposit account. It's interesting Social Security does give you other avenues then picking up the money personally. the fact is sometimes people do get bed ridden for lenghty times and can't physically do that. The Bank I don't know but is a question worth asking. The bank I dealt with I know the answer will be no. But my family will have enough cash available to ride it out.

If there was Social Security going into that account they would have stopped account, until everything is resolved. Your right if she went to the bank and gave them notice that was not a good move. If she had asked I'm sure that is eatckly what she would have been told. But, if yuo leave your wife in a postion that she lnows very little about, you can expecct them to make mistakes. This is not the first time this has happened. People have been refused access to accounts before. Thuis is the first time they siezed an ATM card, Which tells Socaial Security was a not of the picture since you can't get an ATM card for an account like that. There is no need to take immigration on. Do the monthly route and you don't have to mainatin a large balance.

$250.00 is lot of riding.

Some how this seems to have gotten side tracked probably the way I wrote it, that would be pretty normal. The entire point is do what you need to do to cover your family. Whatever you choose is up to you. Legal or not this things can take a considerable length of time to resolve. In the meantime your family has to live. Take care of these things now.

If you have an ATM card, it really doesn't matter who's name is on the account. It matters who has the ATM card and the PIN.

and 2 years in jail for each incident of fraud............

An interesting twist to this story. Now they lady will be allowed to go inside the Bank and obtain funds from the account. She can not have an ATM card.

Reason if she dies her family will keep using the ATM card.

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