Hello

 

I left Thailand in March 2018 with an active Kasikorn "normal" bank account.

 

When we will be back to Thailand after 18 months, will the account still be open and usable?

 

Thanks

Usually if there's no activity for one year, which means there haven't been any transactions, they will designate it as an inactive account and freeze it. They will send you a letter confirming this. To make it active again you have to go to the bank. I had an account a while back that was inactive but I couldn't even activate it again through the online banking app by trying to make a transaction. I had to go to the branch with my bank book and passport.

after a year, my bank started deducting 50 per month..until zero...there was only a few hundred in it...account was reusable, though...lost about 400 thb i recall...maybe my biggest banking error here in years..but then it was tough to get online banking on a TV

Yes, it depends if there was a balance or not.

 

Banks charge the annual fee here. If the account reached zero then it is most likely closed.

I had a Bangkok bank account for 6 years, 2016 left Thailand for a 2 year stint in Australia, thanks Centrelink, returned last year expected the atm card to be canned, and a visit to the bank.. but no problem card worked fine

All you need to do is go on the Internet.I didn’t use my account for 5 years.All was good

IT depands on the amount you leave in the account. if it more than the min, amount

than there is no fee, and the account will be active even if you come back after 20 years.

Just out of interest.... why not ask Kasikorn bank ?  But, I wouldn't mention that you went to France with your wife. That could be the deal breaker.

15 minutes ago, malt25 said:

Just out of interest.... why not ask Kasikorn bank ?  But, I wouldn't mention that you went to France with your wife. That could be the deal breaker.

Why's that?

7 minutes ago, scorecard said:

Why's that?

Scorecard, mate, buddy !  After 17,000 posts you are asking. thought by now you would have been able to work it out.

1. Kasikorn might have slightly better info on the subject than here.

2. Sarcasm. Sorry, it's part of my DNA, I can't help. Why mention that you went to France with your wife ? What relevance to the question ? 

1 minute ago, malt25 said:

Scorecard, mate, buddy !  After 17,000 posts you are asking. thought by now you would have been able to work it out.

1. Kasikorn might have slightly better info on the subject than here.

2. Sarcasm. Sorry, it's part of my DNA, I can't help. Why mention that you went to France with your wife ? What relevance to the question ? 

Sarcasm doesn't work well unless it's obvious, yours wasn't.

 

Your reply was just irrelevant and untrue not sarcastic 

after an account is inactive for a year and has less than 2,000 baht balance they will start deducting 50 baht/month until the balance is zero.  I had such an account and later decided to see if I could use it again.  They said no problem.

How stupid not to close it 

See below from Kbank website....and once reaching zero balance due to the monthly maintenance fee drawing the balance down to zero then the account will be closed.  This is the typical policy at all/most Thai banks. 

 

The key is if you know you are not going to be accessing the account for an extended period like over one year....that is, "user-initiated" activity such as a deposit, withdrawal, or transfer...is to leave at least Bt2K in the account.   And don't forget to take into account fees such as an annual debit card fee, monthly SMS fee, etc., that may draw down the account to below Bt2K.  Those are "bank-initiated" account activity like periodic interest payments which do not count as "user-initiated" activity.

You have Thai wife and You post a question on ThaiVisa. 

23 minutes ago, SoonOh said:

You have Thai wife and You post a question on ThaiVisa. 

I sure do a lot. 

 

You think a Thai wife is all knowing about Thai things?   

 

Are you all knowing about your home country (or Thailand) things...like banking policies?

3 hours ago, rwill said:

after an account is inactive for a year and has less than 2,000 baht balance they will start deducting 50 baht/month until the balance is zero.  I had such an account and later decided to see if I could use it again.  They said no problem.

correct, I had the same.

4 hours ago, malt25 said:

Just out of interest.... why not ask Kasikorn bank ?  But, I wouldn't mention that you went to France with your wife. That could be the deal breaker.

Deal breaker? What do you mean?

57 minutes ago, SoonOh said:

You have Thai wife and You post a question on ThaiVisa. 

My Thai Wife never worked in Kasikorn Bank and rules can change. Also, even some employee doesn't know the rules. Usually, it takes 10 women to care for my problems every time.

OP... when you return, you will simply need to front up at your bank branch and make a transaction there.

 

i recently received this letter from Siam bank, on a very old account ( not used for multiple years), so assume they have added more rules, thus the letter at this point in time.... regardless, it’s only an issue if you don’t return to sort out in person at your branch

 

That said... if you have a card for k bank, try and use it wherever you are, that will tell you if the account is dormant. If a transaction is allowed, sweet... do it again in 9 months.... if not, well, question answered.

 

 

5 hours ago, Pib said:

See below from Kbank website....and once reaching zero balance due to the monthly maintenance fee drawing the balance down to zero then the account will be closed.  This is the typical policy at all/most Thai banks. 

 

The key is if you know you are not going to be accessing the account for an extended period like over one year....that is, "user-initiated" activity such as a deposit, withdrawal, or transfer...is to leave at least Bt2K in the account.   And don't forget to take into account fees such as an annual debit card fee, monthly SMS fee, etc., that may draw down the account to below Bt2K.  Those are "bank-initiated" account activity like periodic interest payments which do not count as "user-initiated" activity.

YOUR BEST answer to your question

 

Close the "topik" 

Say goodbye to your wife 

Enjoy happy and free life 

In 2 years time you never went online to your account ?…. amazing some people's behavior ...not surprised that Thai banks are sometimes reluctant to open accounts for any foreigner 

23 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

Sarcasm doesn't work well unless it's obvious, yours wasn't.

 

Your reply was just irrelevant and untrue not sarcastic 

It was pretty obvious to me !  To each his own,