Bangkok Bank - Worst bank in the world contestant

[GilesA]

I opened an account with Bangkok Bank in Chiang Mai 3 months ago. They gave me a Union Pay ATM card. I haven't found anyone who accepts it either online (flights etc) or in Thailand stores. I am told I can use it in many places in China! They will not give me a Visa or Mastercard.

 

I moved to Bangkok. Mislaid my ATM card.  and visited a branch in Nana Sukhumvit to cancel it and apply for a new one. As my account is in Chiang Mai they could neither cancel it nor arrange for me to get a new one. They cannot access my account because it is in Chiang Mai.

 

I have had 11 (seriously eleven) attempts at calling them. After managing to guess at what was being said in almost unintelligible pre recorded English I hold each time for 15-40 minutes. Each time when it is forwarded I get a click and it hangs up. I have now run out of phone credit!

 

They do not respond to e-mails

 

Other than getting a flight to Chiang Mai and hoping a local branch might help (but I suspect not)  any suggestions what to do? I will cancel my account of course but in 1 month apply for a new retirement Visa so dont want to loose 4 months of 800,000 on deposit.

 

As a suggestion I would encourage people not to use Bangkok Bank.

 

 

[Halfaboy]

Cancelled my account a couple of months ago. I was happy with them but their atm card sucks.

[scorecard]

Did you try calling their national call center number   02 645 5555  ?

Or, if your in Bangkok, did you try going to their head office on Silom Road?

 

[josephbloggs]

As Scorecard says, call them on 02 645 5555.  I have done it many a time to cancel a lost card, they speak English, then you can get a new card at any branch - Just take your bank book and passport.

 

I also agree that the Union Pay card is useless.

[asiaexpat]

I lost my BBL ATM card recently and called the call center. They spoke excellent english and cancelled the card for me. I did have to go to my branch to get a new card and asked for Visa rather than Union Pay. I got the Rabbit Visa without any problem. Comparing customer service between the 5 banks I have accounts with BBL is best for me.  

[amexpat]

The ATM card is a pain but I've found several stores and offices that accept it.

For the others, I use a BKK credit card. Easy to get. 

I also have online banking with them which might have been useful to OP.

 

Bangkok Bank has been excellent for me. 

[thedemon]

Bangkok Bank fared better than the other major banks in the 1997 financial crisis and so weren't forced to go through the same level of restructuring as the others.

 

Consequently at consumer level, dealing with them is like going back in time. I find their bureaucracy to be on a par with my local Amphur.   

[rak sa_ngop]

I think they still must be using Windows NT from the 90's on their system.They have to input account data into fields on a b/w screen. If they cannot read a bar code (e.g. airline payment) they cannot just input a string of numbers from the bar code, they have to separate the code into fields for input.

[55Jay]

BB was the first bank account I set up after moving here on a Non-O Visa (marriage).  Went through the "Can Not. Need Work Permit" routine, then again "Can Not" for internet banking.

 

Once we got past all that, day to day banking and their iBanking interface has been fine the past 5 or so years.   Edit: Although Union Pay has driven me more toward my Krungsi accounts in the last year.

 

Only reason I hang in there with them is for the ease of transferring money from US banks to here, via their New York Branch.  If it wasn't for that.....

Edited May 25, 2018 by 55Jay