mallen

Nan Laew.    Strange. In the CIP I received there are only 8 pages.  No pages 9 and 10 and no where on the other 8 is there any mention of closing the account. The only mention of closing the account is in their e-mail threat to close the account if I do not send all the relevant docs.

Also I did not receive any "Guide to completing the CIP" that they refer to in the CIP.

I have also received letters from the bank demanding various documentation by a certain date, which due to the slow mail system has already passed. I have advised the bank numerous times that standard post to Thailand is at least a month, (if it gets here at all) and any important mail should be sent registered. They have never taken any notice and continue to send mail by standard post. Seems from my experience that the NMO/RBS personal accounts management is totally incompetent and have a very arrogant attitude with absolutely no conception or care for customer service.

It makes a mockery of the platitudes they express to customer service in their booklet "Our commitment to you."

(Can be downloaded from their website). I have attached it so you can have a laugh.

I suspect that they actually do not want personal accounts unless they have large amounts going in, and instead of simply being honest they just hassle their customers until the customer closes the account. 

Our Commitment to You.pdf

Hi gents.  Thanks for the replies.

Crossy. No problem with you deleting my e-address. I'm new to the forum and like most men had not read the instructions.

tutsiwarrior. Agree with your considered opinion of NatWest.

Dick Dastardly. Welcome you to contact me by PM. Not sure how that works but will figure it out.

Kitten Kong. After I had sent a certified true copy of my passport by a local Licensed Thai Notary ( He is also a Thai registered Lawyer and Barrister to the Pattaya provincial court since 1982) the bank rejected it as it was from a "high risk jurisdiction."

In the forms the bank sent to me demanding this information they had put (in the very small print) that a Notary Public is acceptable except from a high risk jurisdiction. They do not give any list of countries or guidelines as to what is a high risk jurisdiction. In my naivety after working in 20 countries my opinion of a high risk jurisdiction would be countries like Syria,Iraq, Pakistan/Afghanistan,Columbia,Venezuela etc. 

All this hassle is from the Isle of Man office. I requested them to contact the Jersey branch where my account is.

In 2010 I had the same hoops to jump through to please them and finally received confirmation that they accepted the certified true copy of my passport from the British Honorary Consul in Jomtein (which is closed now).

My passport which Jersey confirmed as acceptable is valid until 2020. The Isle of Man office did contact and received the previous confirmation from Jersey but still rejected as it was a "poor copy" (it was in pristine condition when I sent it to Jersey) and the certified true copy (to please them) had to be within a year of their demand for identity confirmation.

After sending the above (politely) to the Isle of Man office they responded by saying they have forwarded it to the complaints department.

All this pedantic bureaucratic nonsense from the bank that advertises itself as the "bank that listens to it's customers."

Listens, maybe. Takes any notice ?  NO. 

If you have an account with NatWest Offshore, or any other UK bank, that is giving you grief by unreasonable demands for identity confirmation please contact me at <email removed per forum rules please use PM system>

NatWest bank is refusing to accept the certified true copy of my passport which was certified as a true copy by a licensed Thai Notary Public.

As we in Pattaya no longer have an Honorary Consul to certify true copies they are demanding that I go to the British consulate in Bangkok to get a certified true copy of my passport or they will freeze my account.

So much for the customer disservice department of the bank that profess to "listern to our customers to give them a better customer experience."

Thanks for the info guys. Will check them out.

I have a few 1/72 plastic aircraft models I brought back from the UK with a view to filling in a few hours. Built one up but the painting by normal brush is very poor looking so want to get into airbrushing. Might be able to do other things with airbrushing as well after a practise.

Cheers,

Mel.

Does anyone know a shop selling airbrush/mini compressors in the Pattaya area ? Need an airbrush for model painting. That's hobby models not female. Pity.

Sparebox2

I like your comments.

Guys, can you not see that sparebox2 is deliberately "winding you up."

Keeping it coming Sparebox. Very entertaining.

Have you tried asking the Thai consulate or the UK chamber of commerce ?

Try the Internet. "Thailand Banks" on google will give you all the banks and their web address etc.

I have a Baht and a Sterling account with SCB in Thailand. I opened them here in Thailand. Took about one hour max,to do all the paperwork.

I transfer sterling on-line from my UK bank to sterling account in Thailand. Almost immediately funds are available in Thai sterling account to transfer to Baht account. By having Sterling account it reduces transfer charges UK to Baht and I can then choose best time (exchange rate) to change to Baht.

ALT

mallen

Mallen..the OP is trying to open an account from the UK, not in Thailand..

Sigh. Yes Scoutpeel. Thanks for that comment.I knew I should of elaborated more on my post. My fault.

I did get that kscotland wanted to open a Thai account from the UK. That is why I advised in my first paragraph some avenue's to pursue for information. i.e. Asking directly to Thai banks via the Internet if he could open an account from the UK. Also as kscotland said in his first post he has a business then also the UK chamber of commerce maybe able to help.

The reason I put my experience of opening a bank account here in Thailand was to show that it is an easy and quick process. Reading yours and Strickens posts they gave the impression that it was difficult with loads of paperwork to do. That was not my experience. Very easy actually.

So if kscotland finds it impossible to open an account in Thailand from the UK he could consider the option of waiting until he comes to Thailand and then opening an account here.

Hope that is more illuminating.

ALT

Mallen.

Have you tried asking the Thai consulate or the UK chamber of commerce ?

Try the Internet. "Thailand Banks" on google will give you all the banks and their web address etc.

I have a Baht and a Sterling account with SCB in Thailand. I opened them here in Thailand. Took about one hour max,to do all the paperwork.

I transfer sterling on-line from my UK bank to sterling account in Thailand. Almost immediately funds are available in Thai sterling account to transfer to Baht account. By having Sterling account it reduces transfer charges UK to Baht and I can then choose best time (exchange rate) to change to Baht.

ALT

mallen

Thank you for the replies. Very helpful.

Does anyone have the translation of Burdock into Thai ?

I have searched dictionaries and asked many Thai people (including showing a photo of the Burdock root),but nobody seems to know what it is. I want it for a Chinese herbal remedy that was given to me by someone living in Singapore, so I'm sure it grows in this region.

Thanks for any help.

It might be selfish to hope other countries economies recover before Thailands and the Bhat loses value against other curriences, but, it would be one of the best things that could happen to the Thai economy.

Viz :- Thai exports would be cheaper = more demand for Thai products and more employment.

Cheaper holidays for overseas visitors = more visitors to Thailand.

I do not understand why the Thai government does not de-value the Bhat.

Can anybody explain why the Bhat is not being de-valued ?

Thanks

Mallen

Anybody have advice on best performing ISP in the Pattaya/Jomtein areas ?

I'm using TOT in Jomtein. Rubbish. Always slow 24/7. Constant disconnections.

Very displeased with (service) and want to switch.

Thanks.

Mel.

4 days

Great news Big man. 4days is a milestone date. The worst bit is the first few days. It varies from person to person. You sound from your post's to be a remarkably strong minded person. I think you will prove to be stronger than alcohol. No mean feat because alcohol is strong!!

Keep sending in your progress report. We are all routing for you !

Good idea to find another interest as well. Personally I like scuba diving and have started to play (well strangle anyway) the saxaphone. So go find something friend. Lots of luck

And to any members reading this on-going story, how about spending five minutes on a blog to support livinginexile. You never know, you could need some support one day.

I have been working in the Kingdom for almost one year on a company sponsored work permit.

I am to be de-mobilized from the project on the 20 th of April. So the company will cancel the work permit.

I would like to stay here on a retirement visa.

I 60 years old, and can easily transfer the 800,000 baht into my local SCB account.

Q. Do I have to leave Thailand to apply for a Retirement visa ?

i.e. Can I do it in-country prior to the expiry of my work permit so saving the hassle of going back to

the UK.

Any advice much appreciated.

Mel.