BudRight

If your account will be unused for awhile, it may be a good idea to cancel the debit card so it doesn't charge you the yearly fee. Then the balance won't deplete and as long as you have at least a few thousand baht in it then it should be okay.

I've lived in Thailand for awhile, but would like head to Cambodia and would like to know:

1. What is the easiest way to get a 1 year visa?

I've read that you can enter on some kind of visa and then extend it for a year if you show a business license. I do own a small business in my country (that is managed by my employee) and have a business license. Will they accept that? Do I need to write a letter saying I am self employed and then stamp it...or something?

2. I would like to open a bank account at the most useful bank, i.e. the one with the most ATMs and the most useful banking app. Any suggestions?

Thanks

Does anyone know which banks offer a "Customer verification document by 'SWIFT Authenticate.'" 

I suppose this means that in principle, an American bank can send a message to a Thai bank via the SWIFT network, verifying that a particular person is a customer of that bank. Whether it's actually possible to get this letter is from somewhere is what I am asking, and if so which US or Thai bank (and hopefully how).

I started to write an explanation of why I need this document but it's a long story and I figure nobody cares.

On 6/3/2022 at 12:54 PM, truthman said:

I should add by the way that it isn't only thai banks that use the fee structure to soak unwitting users. American banks are notorious for their high fees, including non-network ATM fees, and nonbanks are even worse. In the beginning, there were no ATM fees, either on domestic or international transactions, but the banks, like the airlines, soon discovered how easy it is to increase profits by implenting a broad array of fees that can be continually increased. Thus, we see that in a few short years Thai banks have increased international ATM fees from 150 baht to 220 baht.

I remember that the Thai ATM fees started at 80 baht, but it was like 15 or 16 years ago so I'm not totally sure. 

14 hours ago, bbko said:

Maybe he flys in with a chunk of cash, converts it to Thai currency then deposits it.  Not a hard thing to do.

It's not difficult, but I'm still not sure why people do this. There are fees hidden in the exchange rate.

I use online Banking to pay for Lazada and the QR code system to pay for plane tickets. For things in Thailand like that it's better to do that way then mess around with the ATM card.

I do use the Bangkok Bank ATM card for GrabPay and that works fine without an phone call each time. I think they sent a code to my phone number registered with Bangkok Bank when I set it up. Now the ap just dings me when I use it. And I use it about 15 times a week.

4 hours ago, CraigInBangkok said:

 Kasikorn atms charging me 10/20 bht for a withdrawal if I am out of bkk ... Its really not the 10/20bht but that is just a <deleted> take if you ask me

Use the mobile banking app to do a cardless withdrawal and there is no provincial ATM fee.

2 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

A lot (most?) street food vendors I see do not accept "transfer" or have a QR code to scan for payment.

 

Bricks and motor shop's on the other hand.

I get really infuratiated when some <deleted> whips out his phone to make payment because it takes them for ever to unlock the phone.... then scroll through the menu a few times to find woaht ever app they use..... then wave the phone around over a printed QR code... finally it works.

 

Really if one is goIng to use thIs payment method HAVE YA <deleted> PHONE UNLOCKED AND THE APP OPEN READY TO USE................YOU STUPID <deleted>.

Not all street vendors have a QR code hanging there but if you ask if you can "own" then they will produce a slip of paper with an account number to do a transfer. 

I try to have my phone ready rock and roll when I do this, but my Thai bank's app is poorly optimized and runs slowly even on my decent phone.

It would be nice if it was as quick as using WeChat pay in China.
 

1 hour ago, Ralf001 said:

Cannot see street food vendors willingly sign up to digital payments as that will expose them to the tax man.... Cash on the other hand.

 

I don't think it is laziness at all.

 

 

A lot (most?) vendors I see accept "transfer" or have a QR code to scan for payment. I was down South for most of last year without my ATM card (having lost it) and got along fine using only the banking app to pay for things or sometimes getting cash when I could do cardless withdrawal from my bank's ATM.

7 hours ago, Baron Samedi said:

It shows that Thailand is more expensive than the most expensive developed nation on earth when it comes to ATMs ????

 

Utter scam ! Period.

One of the ways people justify a rip off in Thailand is they say "it's the same in every country!" but it never is.

I don't know why they bother defending the rip offs. You can be generally happy, respect Thai people and enjoy your life but that doesn't mean you have to be willfully oblivious when you are taken advantage of. 

13 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Is it a scam if banks want a little money for the service they provide?

Imagine there would be no ATMs or similar services in Thailand, how much would you be willing to pay to get your money without flying back home?

 

There were still loads of ATMs back before there was such a charge. It started in 2005 to 2007 or so. Before then there was no charge for foreign cards.

20 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Account

Setting

Contacts

Delete

The menus on my line ap aren't structured that way. Are you using the android version or something?

Well, I messed up and while setting up Rabbit Pay I "verified" my phone number in the Line app. On my previous Line account, this meant that it would delete my conversation history when I swapped phones or SIMs. I had it associated with my Apple ID and so I was able to switch phones and SIMs without a problem, but I've had this stupid app delete my information several times in the past and I would like to avoid that so......how do I delete my phone number from the App? When I Google a solution it tells me to go to tap on options that do not exist.

6 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

What bad experiences have you, personally, had with HSBC that makes you say that they are completely useless?    None?

Mostly I have just heard 100% negative comments about them (and never a single positive comment). That's what I mean by "seem."

I had a credit card with them briefly. Their website was primitive, but the card worked okay. I used it a few times, paid it off, and cut it up.  A few years later they sent me a letter saying they'd canceled it. That was that.

The dollar is strengthening on expectations of a tighter money supply from the US Federal Reserve.

Sorry if this is off topic but I have never heard a single positive thing about HSBC. They seem completely useless. Why does anyone bank with them?

14 hours ago, PremiumLane said:

I use Kasikorn, and the mobile app doesn't need OTP, just thumbprint login and then a pin code 

I think it depends on how you have your settings.

If you use a foreign card, as long as you decline "dynamic currency conversion" your withdrawl will be in Thai baht and converted by Visa or Mastercard or Unionpay or whoever. 

If you use a Thai bank card, there is no conversion and I don't think there's an extra fee. Just maybe one if your account is in Bangkok since the airport is in Samut Prakan.

4 hours ago, Jenkins9039 said:

Covered here, can confirm it's happening.

 

https://home.kpmg/us/en/home/insights/2021/11/tnf-thailand-aeoi-actions-by-financial-institutions-expected-beginning-2022.html

And what makes you think everyone going to be scrutinizing your bank records? It's a uselessly large amount of information. 

it's like thinking president Biden knows what you had for breakfast because the NSA could figure it out. 

4 hours ago, Jenkins9039 said:

Covered here, can confirm it's happening.

 

https://home.kpmg/us/en/home/insights/2021/11/tnf-thailand-aeoi-actions-by-financial-institutions-expected-beginning-2022.html

It looks pretty thin. Broken links, things not ratified. CITI bank are also an American bank.

I find a lot of Thai people say "you" in Thai when referring to me and it seems rude and irritating. It's also confusing because อยู่ is a very common word. I've asked people not to do this and have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about. Might as well tell them I'm a space alien from planet Terberium. 

I think you could transfer it between your accounts with Bangkok Bank BuaLuang Mobile Banking if you have that set up. If you don't, then I have no idea.

The bank will charge you the yearly fee for your debit card, so ~300x2=600 baht

After one year with no activity they will charge you 50 baht per month so 50x12=600 baht.

So your balance should be 8800 baht.