Banks are just frustrating

[crickets]

My wife wanted a new bank card as she had lost it. They wouldnt give it to her as their system said Miss So and So (old name), not Mrs So and So (new last name from marriage and title MRS) . They asked her to come back with the name change document (this is with my 1 year old child as well). They refused that as it had Mrs so and so, they asked her to come back with the marriage cert again. So she came back and they said no. I went in a third time with everything, ID card, Thai passport, House book, marriage cert and name change. They want us to go to the Amphur and get some paper work saying that their was a change of tittle (miss to Mrs.) They showed the computer screen with her old ID card on it, same DOB, same ID card number, same photo but with Miss so and so (her old name) not Mrs. They knew who my wife was, it was obvious but they insisted on the paperwork which would of taken at least two hours. WHY?? Because the manager wanted us to, no reason, no chance of fraud by us, just a document to show the complete obvious. We had the original name change document and marriage certificate. The just wanted proof of Miss to Mrs. You could talk until you are blue in the face, but they just dont get it. Maybe the manager was on a power trip, I dont know. We contacted my wifes friend who works at another branch and she said the manager at any other branch would not have a problem. She didnt have much money in the account to I gave the manager a stern where to go and what i thought about her in front of the other employees. I have gotten my marriage visa, car loan and my wifes visa to Australia with the same paper work, but could not get a bank card. Rant over,

 

[CharlieH]

Wrong forum, moved to Banking

[SteveK]

Yup, I had a Thai bank manager refuse me a withdrawal because my passport had a middle name and the bank account did not, despite them using my passport to open the account. It sometimes feels like they are actively looking for any tiny reason to not assist you sometimes.

[scorecard]

5 minutes ago, pr9spk said:

Yup, I had a Thai bank manager refuse me a withdrawal because my passport had a middle name and the bank account did not, despite them using my passport to open the account. It sometimes feels like they are actively looking for any tiny reason to not assist you sometimes.

A twist, what's possible is the bank manager and none of the bank staff have no idea whatever what middle name means.

 

A few times in 30+ years Iv'e come across this and I explain it as follows:

 

First name - chua tee nueng 

Middle name - chua tee sorng

Surname - namsakoon

 

That seems to turn the lights on, everybody now awake...

 

even understand the staff

[55Jay]

Yeah, remember when we finally did the married paperwork at the Amphur, wife didn't let any grass grow under her shoes.  Set about changing her ID, Driver's License, passport, etc., so that she wouldn't get caught out at an inopportune moment in the future.

[SteveK]

Sometimes, I feel that when you go and do something official in Thailand, either opening a bank account, or sorting your visa or other paperwork, it seems that the official in question has decided long before your backside evenhits the chair whether they are going to help you or not.

 

And being foreign, usually the latter. I know most Thais are not overtly racist, but they do seem to like making your life difficult by being a jobsworth or by using their power to make themselves feel better.

 

Like when I was trying to open a savings account, when I sat down and explained the situation to the bank employee, she started shaking her head and saying "mai dai" a lot. Then she met my wife, who happened to come from the same village, and then like magic she was able to open me an account. Funny that.

 

And there seems to be no consistency between different branches of the same bank, or different immigration offices, where you can be told totally different things depending on who you speak to on the day. But then again this is still considered a developing country so I guess you have to accept niggles like this.

 

Although with the worrying visa changes which could continue in the future, the over-zealous bureaucracy with their fascination with extreme paperwork requirements, and the constantly strengthening baht, I am not worried that people are asking questions about Vietnam etc.

 

What do they do with all this paperwork? There must be skyscrapers somewhere filled with signed and stamped documents which were looked at once and then will never be seen again. I did less paperwork to get my mortgage and buy my house in the UK than I needed to open a super basic savings account here.

Edited February 12, 2019 by pr9spk

[Puchaiyank]

Some Thais...banking, immigration, healthcare...appear to enjoy making a farang's blood boil.  Why you ask...because they can...makes for great conversation at evening dinner.

[kannot]

if  youre  going to do a load of paperwork why not just change banks then you can tell  somchai manager to shove his bank

[scorecard]

12 hours ago, pr9spk said:

Sometimes, I feel that when you go and do something official in Thailand, either opening a bank account, or sorting your visa or other paperwork, it seems that the official in question has decided long before your backside evenhits the chair whether they are going to help you or not.

 

And being foreign, usually the latter. I know most Thais are not overtly racist, but they do seem to like making your life difficult by being a jobsworth or by using their power to make themselves feel better.

 

Like when I was trying to open a savings account, when I sat down and explained the situation to the bank employee, she started shaking her head and saying "mai dai" a lot. Then she met my wife, who happened to come from the same village, and then like magic she was able to open me an account. Funny that.

 

And there seems to be no consistency between different branches of the same bank, or different immigration offices, where you can be told totally different things depending on who you speak to on the day. But then again this is still considered a developing country so I guess you have to accept niggles like this.

 

Although with the worrying visa changes which could continue in the future, the over-zealous bureaucracy with their fascination with extreme paperwork requirements, and the constantly strengthening baht, I am not worried that people are asking questions about Vietnam etc.

 

What do they do with all this paperwork? There must be skyscrapers somewhere filled with signed and stamped documents which were looked at once and then will never be seen again. I did less paperwork to get my mortgage and buy my house in the UK than I needed to open a super basic savings account here.

 

It's called power.

 

 

[curtklay]

Changing a Thai wife's name from Miss to Mrs is pointless. We went to the Amphur to do it, and they said no, have to go to Bangkok, blah, blah, blah. Then they said there's no problem just leaving everything the way it is. When you're in Thailand, you are Miss. When you're in the US, you are Mrs.

[BigT73]

I had a similar issue and the easiest resolve was to close everything and open new accts.  Any other way was too confusing for them.

[inThailand]

In the old days when a Thai lady got divorced she was not allowed to change her Mrs title back to Miss. It was explained to be, so thai guys new her history. 

 

I think this policy has changed? 

[crickets]

I closed the account and they could keep the three baht they had in it. Opened one in 5 mins down the road.

 

[newnative]

   In one of my past lives I was an efficiency expert.  If any of you have been to the Bangkok Bank branch at Central Festival, you will know that, as a farang, every time you do business with a teller, the teller has to make a copy of your passport.  At this branch, that means getting up from her chair, walking out of the teller area, walking to the front of the bank where the desks and copy machine are, making a copy, walking back to the security door to the teller area, typing in the passcode to get back in to the teller area, re-entering the teller area, and finally--Ta-Da!--giving me my passport copy to sign.  

   Every time I do a transaction I have to bite my tongue. There's a back counter at the teller area, with an electric outlet.  It would be so easy to put a small copier there to handle passport copies.  It would save so much time and it amazes me that none of the staff has said, hey why in the World don't we have a copier back here?   As an aside, I've been banking there for over 8 years, the tellers all know me, but would they allow me to make take money out of my account one time when I forgot my passport?  Big no.

[Letseng]

11 hours ago, Puchaiyank said:

Some Thais...banking, immigration, healthcare...appear to enjoy making a farang's blood boil.  Why you ask...because they can...makes for great conversation at evening dinner.

I was going to redeem my 1card points at Central. It was not possible because the card was registered under my old p.port no. 10 yrs ago. Can I bring my old p.port? 3rd attempt, different staff, points were redeemed. I'm not sure what gets into Thai heads sometimes. Why not simply say: go away, come back another day.

 

[thequietman]

1 hour ago, newnative said:

   In one of my past lives I was an efficiency expert.  If any of you have been to the Bangkok Bank branch at Central Festival, you will know that, as a farang, every time you do business with a teller, the teller has to make a copy of your passport.  At this branch, that means getting up from her chair, walking out of the teller area, walking to the front of the bank where the desks and copy machine are, making a copy, walking back to the security door to the teller area, typing in the passcode to get back in to the teller area, re-entering the teller area, and finally--Ta-Da!--giving me my passport copy to sign.  

   Every time I do a transaction I have to bite my tongue. There's a back counter at the teller area, with an electric outlet.  It would be so easy to put a small copier there to handle passport copies.  It would save so much time and it amazes me that none of the staff has said, hey why in the World don't we have a copier back here?   As an aside, I've been banking there for over 8 years, the tellers all know me, but would they allow me to make take money out of my account one time when I forgot my passport?  Big no.

However ........ if wife walks in with your passport and says you said that it's OK for her to take money from your account, then ......... ?????? seems it no plobrem! Go Figure. ????

[StevieAus]

I think to be fair the people to blame are not the staff in the local branch but the people who write the policies,

We visit our local branch regularly often a few times a week as we have a business.

The staff know us well and I have had discussions about the vast amounts of paperwork and the procedures they follow.

They have told us that they have no discretion but to follow the procedures and face dismissal if found out breaching them.

I accepted years ago that it’s no good trying to compare things here with your own country and getting upset.

All it does is raise your blood pressure, go with the flow, it’s easier

[dotpoom]

"They wouldnt give it to her as their system said Miss So and So (old name), not Mrs So and So (new last name from marriage and title MRS) . They asked her to come back with the name change document (this is with my 1 year old child as well). They refused that as it had Mrs so and so,"..???

[Lacessit]

1 hour ago, newnative said:

   In one of my past lives I was an efficiency expert.  If any of you have been to the Bangkok Bank branch at Central Festival, you will know that, as a farang, every time you do business with a teller, the teller has to make a copy of your passport.  At this branch, that means getting up from her chair, walking out of the teller area, walking to the front of the bank where the desks and copy machine are, making a copy, walking back to the security door to the teller area, typing in the passcode to get back in to the teller area, re-entering the teller area, and finally--Ta-Da!--giving me my passport copy to sign.  

   Every time I do a transaction I have to bite my tongue. There's a back counter at the teller area, with an electric outlet.  It would be so easy to put a small copier there to handle passport copies.  It would save so much time and it amazes me that none of the staff has said, hey why in the World don't we have a copier back here?   As an aside, I've been banking there for over 8 years, the tellers all know me, but would they allow me to make take money out of my account one time when I forgot my passport?  Big no.

Practices differ between banks. Bangkok Bank want a copy. Kasikorn just want to see the passport, no copy taken.

However, Bangkok Bank also attaches an FTT code to any funds from overseas. Kasikorn doesn't. I can see why as an efficiency expert you would get frustrated. Jai yenn yenn.

[inThailand]

3 hours ago, crickets said:

I closed the account and they could keep the three baht they had in it. Opened one in 5 mins down the road.

 

They are laughing all the way to the bank. Ooh they are at the bank. 

[Rod the Sod]

21 hours ago, pr9spk said:

Sometimes, I feel that when you go and do something official in Thailand, either opening a bank account, or sorting your visa or other paperwork, it seems that the official in question has decided long before your backside evenhits the chair whether they are going to help you or not.

 

And being foreign, usually the latter. I know most Thais are not overtly racist, but they do seem to like making your life difficult by being a jobsworth or by using their power to make themselves feel better.

 

Like when I was trying to open a savings account, when I sat down and explained the situation to the bank employee, she started shaking her head and saying "mai dai" a lot. Then she met my wife, who happened to come from the same village, and then like magic she was able to open me an account. Funny that.

 

And there seems to be no consistency between different branches of the same bank, or different immigration offices, where you can be told totally different things depending on who you speak to on the day. But then again this is still considered a developing country so I guess you have to accept niggles like this.

 

Although with the worrying visa changes which could continue in the future, the over-zealous bureaucracy with their fascination with extreme paperwork requirements, and the constantly strengthening baht, I am not worried that people are asking questions about Vietnam etc.

 

What do they do with all this paperwork? There must be skyscrapers somewhere filled with signed and stamped documents which were looked at once and then will never be seen again. I did less paperwork to get my mortgage and buy my house in the UK than I needed to open a super basic savings account here.

Ah well, since you ask, I went to BB today to open a new account (I have others there as well). I wanted a credit card and a new Time Deposit (security for the CC). I signed probably 40 times in all. The Bank Girl and I both laughed at all the paperwork and she explained they have a huge storage place near DM airport. If the police or Bank need a file, they have to ask for the relevant box to be sent to the branch and the staff need to search the box for the right paper and then reverse the process. I mentioned a paperless office and she laughed even louder. You need your sense of humour here in the LOS

[Ks45672]

12 hours ago, newnative said:

   In one of my past lives I was an efficiency expert.  If any of you have been to the Bangkok Bank branch at Central Festival, you will know that, as a farang, every time you do business with a teller, the teller has to make a copy of your passport.  At this branch, that means getting up from her chair, walking out of the teller area, walking to the front of the bank where the desks and copy machine are, making a copy, walking back to the security door to the teller area, typing in the passcode to get back in to the teller area, re-entering the teller area, and finally--Ta-Da!--giving me my passport copy to sign.  

   Every time I do a transaction I have to bite my tongue. There's a back counter at the teller area, with an electric outlet.  It would be so easy to put a small copier there to handle passport copies.  It would save so much time and it amazes me that none of the staff has said, hey why in the World don't we have a copier back here?   As an aside, I've been banking there for over 8 years, the tellers all know me, but would they allow me to make take money out of my account one time when I forgot my passport?  Big no.

They get paid to work there all day long so making things fast or efficient for you is the least of their concerns 

[Jaggg88]

On 2/12/2019 at 9:53 PM, Puchaiyank said:

Some Thais...banking, immigration, healthcare...appear to enjoy making a farang's blood boil.  Why you ask...because they can...makes for great conversation at evening dinner.

Probably the only time in their life when they can hold sway (power) over a rich farang and they intend to make you sure you know who has the power.

[Sticky Wicket]

I tend to use the word 'draining' a lot living in Thailand. 

I try and keep away from power hungry people and bureaucrats as much as possible. 

I can't deal with irrational & illogical people.

[theoldgit]

I think to be fair the people to blame are not the staff in the local branch but the people who write the policies,

We visit our local branch regularly often a few times a week as we have a business.

The staff know us well and I have had discussions about the vast amounts of paperwork and the procedures they follow.

They have told us that they have no discretion but to follow the procedures and face dismissal if found out breaching them.

Maybe sometimes, but not always, local staff often seem to make the rules up as they go along.

Last year I sold a property and after deciding not to buy again for the time being I thought I would deposit the proceeds, not an insignificant sum, in a joint account with my wife, I thought it would be easy to open the account at a branch of Kasikorn where we both had accounts.

Armed with my passport and her ID Card off we trotted to our bank for what we thought would be a straight forward procedure, not so.

First of all I was told I needed a work permit, telling them I’d been retired for twelve years and reminding them we already had accounts there caused the teller to scurry away and come back with the new requirement that I needed a letter of recommendation from my Embassy, my question that what would that letter have to say drew a blank stare.

I asked, politely, to speak to a manager and another employee who advised us that it was a new requirement from the Bank of Thailand.

Suspecting it wasn’t we thought we’d check with Kasikorn’s HQ, they confirmed in writing that there was no such new rule and that if we went back to our branch and faced the same hurdles we should ask them the call the HQ and they’d be put right.

I quite fancied doing this but my wife wasn’t as keen as doing so, so we went to Silom, where our account was opened in a matter of minutes.

Now wishing to transfer the house sale proceeds to this new account we went into a branch of the bank where our lawyer had opened an account and deposited the proceeds and asked to close the account and transfer to our new Kasikorn account, “no cannot, you need to go to where the account was opened”, which was up country.

OK can I transfer all but 10 Baht to the KK account, no cannot.

OK can I withdraw all but 10 Baht in cash, yes no problem, they proceeded to stuff a few million Baht into large envelopes and instructed their security guard to escort us to the Kasikorn bank next door where the cash was duly deposited without question or hint of surprise.

[Suradit69]

On 2/12/2019 at 10:16 PM, scorecard said:

none of the bank staff have no idea whatever what middle name means.

Well if none of the bank staff have no idea, then there should be no problem.