KBank not opening new accounts for non-Asean people unless on A-O (Retirement)?

[ben2talk]

4 hours ago, SteveK said:

Opening a bank account in Thailand was a source of great frustration for me. I know many people on this forum did so years ago and like to say that you can do it on a tourist visa easily because they did so in 1979, but now it's very hard unless you are either working legally or retired.

 

People who aren't retired, work abroad or want an account because they spend a lot of time with their Thai wife will now find it almost impossible to open an account.

 

It's this "money-laundering" paranoia which has come down from China. Combined with the Thai "face saving" thing where they just say mai dai because they don't know the procedure for opening a bank account for a foreigner or are too lazy to find out what they need to do.

That's my take on it. My wife works with banks, so I always take her along and let her manage everything...

 

Funny how people are asking about 'what stupid rules'. The latest was that having lost my bankbook from a Ramkhamheang account I opened some ten years ago I cannot renew the card, so I used the app for a year or two and opened a second account at Megabangna.

 

They cannot manage anything remotely, they expect me to take a day to travel to the Ramkhamheang Branch in person - it's just easier for them to open a new account. Fortunately I'm on a retirement visa, so I wasn't even aware of the problems others are having.

 

Even with my wife's ID card and credit card, when I go to her bank, they require me to put in a phone number registered with the bank in order to get a queue. Laughable - the solution? Just walk in and barge into a desk, then get to skip the queue.

[Sheryl]

2 hours ago, SteveK said:

.....it turned out that there is actually a way to open a bank account for me it's just that it's much easier to say no than to find out the process and undertake 20 minutes of work.

 

So often the case here.

 

Rarely does "mai dai" actually mean something is impossible.

 

More often it means:

 

"I don't know how and am afraid to ask or risk making a mistake"

or

"I don't want to be bothered "

 

Sometimes it even means "I have no idea what it is you are asking for" or "I and don't want to deal with a foreigner"

 

Some people are simply lazy or xenophobic,  but often it is the result of an internal risk calculation that goes like this:

 

- If I do it wrong, I could get in trouble

- If I ask my boss what to do it may annoy him or make me look bad

- If I ask my colleagues I may also lose face

- If I tell the foreigner it can't be done = no adverse consequence

 

 

 

[ukrules]

1 hour ago, DennisE said:

Yep some of the banks except for SCB have their heads up their asses. SCB IS BY FAR THE BEST! But you’re exactly right!!!

It's interesting that SCB seems to have a different set of rules, especially when you know who the major shareholders are.

[KhaoYai]

1 hour ago, DennisE said:

Just ignore the BS from KBank or Bangkok Bank. SCB is the WAY TO GO. Trust me on that one, but I don’t know about all their branches. 

This is absolutely not true. As has been pointed out here and in many other threads on the subject - as a foreigner your ability to open a bank account varies depending on which bank or branch you go to or even the staff member you talk to. Some branches of the same bank will say no whilst at others its not a problem. Some ask for a work permit etc. - some don't. I suspect that some staff members refuse because their understanding of English is not good and they don't want to lose face.

 

SCB point blank refused to open an account for me, Bangkok Bank wanted a work permit. Kasikorn allowed me to open an account on production of proof of address and O Visa. A little while later, talking to another local foreigner, Kasikorn had refused him - even with those documents, same branch!

 

There's no rhyme or reason to it - the only way to get a bank account is to persevere. Go to as many banks/branches as you have to until one says yes.

Edited January 4, 2020 by KhaoYai

[samsensam]

4 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

This is absolutely not true. As has been pointed out here and in many other threads on the subject - as a foreigner your ability to open a bank account varies depending on which bank or branch you go to or even the staff member you talk to. Some branches of the same bank will say no whilst at others its not a problem. Some ask for a work permit etc. - some don't. I suspect that some staff members refuse because their understanding of English is not good and they don't want to lose face.

 

SCB point blank refused to open an account for me, Bangkok Bank wanted a work permit. Kasikorn allowed me to open an account on production of proof of address and O Visa. A little while later, talking to another local foreigner, Kasikorn had refused him - even with those documents, same branch!

 

There's no rhyme or reason to it - the only way to get a bank account is to persevere. Go to as many banks/branches as you have to until one says yes.

 

completely agree.

[jackdd]

3 hours ago, DennisE said:

Dude trust me just go to SCB and open an account there

On the SCB website (and also in their terms and conditions document) they clearly state that a foreigner can only open a bank account with them if he has a work permit.

So this is probably the case in most branches. In which specific branch is it possible to open an account without a work permit?

Edited January 4, 2020 by jackdd

[MikeN]

When I opened an account with Krungsri in Ubon a few months ago the first thing they said was "you need a work permit". I politely asked them to check with Head Office (just like i had done earlier) who told them all i needed was a long stay visa of some kind, plus my passport and wife's tabien baan. The branch staff had no idea how to process a foreigner so it was easier to say "no".

 

Now my beef is with my old bank, Bangkok Bank. I was going to just leave my visa money in with them but when i went to update my ATM card for one with a chip they told me to go to Bangkok, even though their website said at ANY branch for free. "You expect me to spend at least 3000 baht to go to Bangkok for a new card?" .....no way. I've transferred the minimum 400k for my visa via ATM, next time I'm in town I will take great pleasure in withdrawing the remaining 450k in cash.

[recom273]

17 hours ago, ukrules said:

This has never been a Bank of Thailand rule - it would prevent anyone from ever retiring here if it was.

Yes, of course it never has been .. I forget where I heard it first, maybe helpline or at a branch, I asked for the sentence number in terms and conditions to be emailed to me .. lol .. no cannot, huh? Why? Surely you must refer to a rule in your database when an existing customer asks for a second account and there is a rule that prevents? 
apparently I could visit the branch and see the terms written down. Probably by scooby-doo on the back of a cornflake box.

 

 

[cyril sneer]

2 year ago I was able to open a KBank account with just a passport and tourist visa, seems a very drastic change

[samsensam]

it seems some people are able to open accounts and deal with banks with no problems, as i could and do, while others seem to have huge problems. i dont want to generalise or be judgemental but could the problem occasionally rest with the attire, attitude, behavior of the foreign customer?

 

i have witnessed a few incidents in banks; one late thirties foreign guy wearing grubby shorts and vest, and with 'thai' style tattoos all over his upper body, was trying to communicate with the bank employee but speaking as if she was a native speaker; he was speaking quickly, using complex sentences and slang, but most of all he was completely oblivious to the fact the bank employee, unsurprisingly, couldn't understand what he was going on about, which just made him more agitated...

 

a second recent incident in my local branch where an older foreigner customer with his thai wife were trying to sort out some problem with his account, unfortunately the foreigner could not speak thai and his wife barely spoke english, as they misunderstood each other and bickered the bank employee looked on in bewilderment...

 

it really doesn't surprise me some foreigners have issues in banks...

 

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

I call BS why would they only do Non imm OA and not non imm B or O ? In the past some banks like SCB would only give to non imm B with WP which makes more sense than only OA. 

[SteveK]

16 hours ago, Sheryl said:

 

So often the case here.

 

Rarely does "mai dai" actually mean something is impossible.

 

More often it means:

 

"I don't know how and am afraid to ask or risk making a mistake"

or

"I don't want to be bothered "

 

Sometimes it even means "I have no idea what it is you are asking for" or "I and don't want to deal with a foreigner"

 

Some people are simply lazy or xenophobic,  but often it is the result of an internal risk calculation that goes like this:

 

- If I do it wrong, I could get in trouble

- If I ask my boss what to do it may annoy him or make me look bad

- If I ask my colleagues I may also lose face

- If I tell the foreigner it can't be done = no adverse consequence

 

 

 

This is one of the best descriptions I have read.

 

Very good explanation, thank you.

[puchooay]

6 minutes ago, SteveK said:

This is one of the best descriptions I have read.

 

Very good explanation, thank you.

Don't you think it would be the same in an English speaking bank? Say a Polish guy with minimal English skills walked into HSBC in UK. Every time he asked a question no one understood him. What would happen? Likely they would try to get him out the door.

 

Easy solution. You live in Thailand so learn to speak Thai. Stop relying on your partners to do the job. Thai people in general will not question officialdom. I wonder how many expats have failed in opening a bank account because their Thai partner would not question the bank employee? Probably many. Same as the guys that get ripped off at immigration. Wife says to husband " Nice immigration man says 2000 baht and everything OK". Expat is none the wiser so pays up.

 

If you live in Thailand learn the language,the culture and how to handle these kind of situations. That is the way I have been handling things for over 20 years. Never had a problem.

 

 

[ThaiBunny]

Just now, puchooay said:

Don't you think it would be the same in an English speaking bank? Say a Polish guy with minimal English skills walked into HSBC in UK. Every time he asked a question no one understood him. What would happen? Likely they would try to get him out the door.

 

Easy solution. You live in Thailand so learn to speak Thai. Stop relying on your partners to do the job. Thai people in general will not question officialdom. I wonder how many expats have failed in opening a bank account because their Thai partner would not question the bank employee? Probably many. Same as the guys that get ripped off at immigration. Wife says to husband " Nice immigration man says 2000 baht and everything OK". Expat is none the wiser so pays up.

 

If you live in Thailand learn the language,the culture and how to handle these kind of situations. That is the way I have been handling things for over 20 years. Never had a problem.

A very, very old-fashioned - some would say "last millennium" - way of thinking. I visited my Krungsri branch twice in the past six months. On the first occasion the staff - at their initiative - happily used Google Translate on one of their phones to communicate with me. On the second occasion a new lass was sufficiently fluent in English not to need it

[puchooay]

9 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said:

A very, very old-fashioned - some would say "last millennium" - way of thinking. I visited my Krungsri branch twice in the past six months. On the first occasion the staff - at their initiative - happily used Google Translate on one of their phones to communicate with me. On the second occasion a new lass was sufficiently fluent in English not to need it

When I post on here I will only do so when I have had personal experiences to back my comments.

 

I have seen this happen many many time and very recently too. Even to the point that I have been asked by people to assist. 

 

Google is OK for vocabulary translation but terrible for conversation. Many places away from large cities and tourist areas do not have bank staff that speak well in English.

 

As long as 20 years ago and as recently as just a few months ago, my own personal experiences back my comments as being valid.

 

 

[SteveK]

A bank in the UK for example, would never just say "we can't do that" when it's an outright lie, which, let's face it, is what "face-saving" actually is. If the Polish guy spoke zero English they would have access to a telephone translation service, as I did when managing a healthcare business in the UK. We never told outright BS lies to people to get rid of them, we took ownership of the issue and did everything we could do to solve it, after all that's what we were getting paid for.

 

If the Thai workers could just have the balls to say "sorry, I don't know how to do that, but let me find out for you", this problem wouldn't exist. Face-saving is a ridiculous concept which holds the Thais back. Although not just the Thais, China has the same issue with their "mei ban fa" culture as seen in the video below.

 

 

Edited January 5, 2020 by SteveK

[ThaiBunny]

5 minutes ago, puchooay said:

Many places away from large cities and tourist areas do not have bank staff that speak well in English.

You've clearly made a lifestyle choice to live in the sticks and good luck with that. However by telling someone they must do something eg. learn to be fluent in Thai, is only relevant in 2020 if they make the same lifestyle choices you have

[puchooay]

37 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said:

You've clearly made a lifestyle choice to live in the sticks and good luck with that. However by telling someone they must do something eg. learn to be fluent in Thai, is only relevant in 2020 if they make the same lifestyle choices you have

And you are very good at making assumptions.

 

I also gave another example, being at immigration. I could go further. Going shopping at, let's say; BigC, Makro, Thai Watsadu, in the market, computer shop, mechanics or where ever.

 

It never ceases to amaze me how many times I read on social media or hear in a bar or someplace, an expat saying something like " I will have to wait until my wife if free so she can go with me", or " I will let my wife sort it", or " I asked my wife to ask them". 

 

Why do people choose to live in a foreign country only to have to rely on others for day to day requirements?

 

 

Edited January 5, 2020 by puchooay

[stevenl]

18 hours ago, DennisE said:

At SCB you do not need any of that to open an account. I know from doing it. 

Would really depend on the SCB branche you're using. I have good experiences with (originally) Thai Farmers Bank, later Kasikorn, and Krunsri, bad with SCB. Others will have different experiences.

[johng]

22 hours ago, Max69xl said:

The OP's info is wrong. From early 2019 it's not officially possible to open an account for a foreigner even with a wp or retirement visa

If that is the case  then why do they even have the information /website in English   surely it should just be Thai as only Thais can open an account ?

[yogi100]

On 1/3/2020 at 2:32 PM, Peter Denis said:

Every branch-office of a thai bank can change/amend/ignore head-office rules and follow their own course (similar like the local IOs that can bend the overall IO regulations).

So if your local branch refuses to open an account for you, a customer for over 13 years!, you should politely demand (request is too soft a word) to speak to the local bank manager.

And if also he/she is unwilling to open an account for you, you should - on the spot - close all your existing accounts there and leave with the money, telling them you will find a more customer-friendly bank that will do business with you.

It's well possible that another KBank branch nearby will not turn you down, and otherwise a Bangkok Bank branch will for sure be happy to welcome you as customer.  

Surely if he's been with them for 13 years he's already got an account with them?

 

"I was in KBank today (Cha-am) trying to open an account, I'm 47 and married to a Thai. I've been with KBank for about 13 years overall."

 

[Momofarang]

On 1/4/2020 at 10:27 AM, recom273 said:

BKK bank are the worst, they need a document from the embassy.
 

https://www.bangkokbank.com/en/Personal/Save-And-Invest/Save/Savings-Account

My wife, who is a customer, made my recommendation letter. Worked fine.

 

Also, why do you mention a "document from the embassy" exclusively, when there is a wire range of options?☹️

[recom273]

2 hours ago, SOUTHERNSTAR said:

I call BS why would they only do Non imm OA and not non imm B or O ? In the past some banks like SCB would only give to non imm B with WP which makes more sense than only OA. 

This thread has been well and truly derailed - official line from Kasikorn is that only holders of retirement extension and holders of WP can open a second account, for sure, if you aren’t too bothered about the bank you can ride around all day until you get an account somewhere, but you would expect non-o holders who have an long standing account to be able to open a second account linked to their account. Officially not possible. 

 

TiTVF

Edited January 5, 2020 by recom273

[recom273]

1 minute ago, Momofarang said:

My wife, who is a customer, made my recommendation letter. Worked fine.

 

Also, why do you mention a "document from the embassy" exclusively, when there is a wire range of options?☹️

If you wanted an answer, sorry. I should have elaborated.

 

When I visited every BBK branch in my city, Hat Yai, without my wife, dressed in a shirt and suit trousers, speaking pretty darn good Thai, after living in the city for 10 years, every Bangkok Bank manager asked for a letter from the embassy. They were most apologetic and referred to their local manager who maintained that the only way was to get a letter from the embassy, or hold a WP.
 

No doubt, as you have noticed it’s the top of the list and the local manager probably read this on the website and I failed at the first hurdle. 

[Momofarang]

On 1/4/2020 at 10:26 AM, sfokevin said:

So basically one must have proof of health insurance to open a bank account?... 

Was wondering if this was another sign of things to come regarding visas... 

Reckon your tongue in cheek comment has some pertinence.

[Rimmer]

A couple of off topic posts removed

[silver sea]

4 hours ago, puchooay said:

Don't you think it would be the same in an English speaking bank? Say a Polish guy with minimal English skills walked into HSBC in UK. Every time he asked a question no one understood him. What would happen? Likely they would try to get him out the door.

 

Easy solution. You live in Thailand so learn to speak Thai. Stop relying on your partners to do the job. Thai people in general will not question officialdom. I wonder how many expats have failed in opening a bank account because their Thai partner would not question the bank employee? Probably many. Same as the guys that get ripped off at immigration. Wife says to husband " Nice immigration man says 2000 baht and everything OK". Expat is none the wiser so pays up.

 

If you live in Thailand learn the language,the culture and how to handle these kind of situations. That is the way I have been handling things for over 20 years. Never had a problem.

 

 

If you have been in Thailand for 20 years, then you have lost touch with England, and indeed the way HSBC works. 
 

I bank with HSBC, and I was in England last August. I went into my local branch in town, because I needed help setting up the new logging on system with their app. I was assigned a young account manager, who turned out to be Romanian. She spoke good English and probably several other languages as well.

 

HSBC, at local branch level at least, is very customer friendly. If a Polish guy with little English entered the bank they would probably have a Polish speaker on the staff. They certainly wouldn’t try to get him out the door, but would do everything they could to help him, including, setting up a phone link with a Polish speaker at another branch.

 

England is multi racial and multicultural now. You wouldn’t recognise the place if you have been away for 20 years.

 

In Thailand, things are very much as Sheryl describes in her well written post above. I don’t speak Thai and I dress in shorts and T shirt, but I have learnt that smiling, being polite and patient takes you a long long way. I am non threatening and relaxed and this helps to relax them and even to ask their colleagues for help. Sometimes I have to keep repeating the same things but that’s ok, because I am never in a hurry; I just keep smiling.

 

Sometimes it is a non starter, because for instance Bangkok Bank would not allow me to open an account without a certificate of residence. That’s ok, no problem. I went to KBank, which has different rules, and opened one there instead.

 

 

Edited January 5, 2020 by silver sea

[cyril sneer]

4 hours ago, puchooay said:

Don't you think it would be the same in an English speaking bank? Say a Polish guy with minimal English skills walked into HSBC in UK. Every time he asked a question no one understood him. What would happen? Likely they would try to get him out the door.

 

Easy solution. You live in Thailand so learn to speak Thai. Stop relying on your partners to do the job. Thai people in general will not question officialdom. I wonder how many expats have failed in opening a bank account because their Thai partner would not question the bank employee? Probably many. Same as the guys that get ripped off at immigration. Wife says to husband " Nice immigration man says 2000 baht and everything OK". Expat is none the wiser so pays up.

 

If you live in Thailand learn the language,the culture and how to handle these kind of situations. That is the way I have been handling things for over 20 years. Never had a problem.

 

 

how is life back in UK? bit early to start drinking

[puchooay]

36 minutes ago, silver sea said:

If you have been in Thailand for 20 years, then you have lost touch with England, and indeed the way HSBC works. 
 

I bank with HSBC, and I was in England last August. I went into my local branch in town, because I needed help setting up the new logging on system with their app. I was assigned a young account manager, who turned out to be Romanian. She spoke good English and probably several other languages as well.

 

HSBC, at local branch level at least, is very customer friendly. If a Polish guy with little English entered the bank they would probably have a Polish speaker on the staff. They certainly wouldn’t try to get him out the door, but would do everything they could to help him, including, setting up a phone link with a Polish speaker at another branch.

 

England is multi racial and multicultural now. You wouldn’t recognise the place if you have been away for 20 years.

 

In Thailand, things are very much as Sheryl describes in her well written post above. I don’t speak Thai and I dress in shorts and T shirt, but I have learnt that smiling, being polite and patient takes you a long long way. I am non threatening and relaxed and this helps to relax them and even to ask their colleagues for help. Sometimes I have to keep repeating the same things but that’s ok, because I am never in a hurry; I just keep smiling.

 

Sometimes it is a non starter, because for instance Bangkok Bank would not allow me to open an account without a certificate of residence. That’s ok, no problem. I went to KBank, which has different rules, and opened one there instead.

 

 

HSBC was just an example. I wasn't saying that is how it is exactly.

 

I have been back in the UK for a couple of months and have seen instances of people with poor English skills not getting a level of customer service that they would get if they were good speakers. Just saying. If you have a good knowledge of the language spoken where you live, things will be easier for you.

 

BTW. I had no problems recognising the place. Looks just the same. Sure, the population is more diverse but the place????? Just the same as before.

 

20 minutes ago, cyril sneer said:

how is life back in UK? bit early to start drinking

5555. Not been drinking. Thanks.

 

 

Edited January 5, 2020 by puchooay

[cyril sneer]

1 hour ago, puchooay said:

5555. Not been drinking. Thanks.

ok then stop gloating about how long you lived in thailand and how you learned the language, it's all you seem to do on here

 

a Polish man needing help at a UK bank in some s***hole town or city is no comparison to a tourist/expat needing help in Thailand