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

[Max69xl]

3 hours 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.

 

 

It's no problem to get a Certificate of Residence at your local immigration office. It's free at some offices,and from 300 to 500 at others. 

[KhaoYai]

8 hours ago, puchooay said:

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.

Whilst I agree with you in general - as in, I consider it my duty to learn the language of a country in which I choose to live, for various reasons, it can take many years to become proficient in that language and people are likely to need a bank account fairly quickly.

 

However, I don't think the problems opening a bank account have much to do with whether you can speak Thai or not, I think it has more to do with a lack of training. The banks have criteria that must be met before an account can be opened for a foreigner and I doubt any of them actually require a potential customer to have a work permit ect. etc. The problem is that staff don't appear to know what those criteria are and have no idea how to deal with a foreigner wishing to open an account. In this regard, I consider the fault lies with the banks themselves in not training their staff properly. This is of course, on top of the loss of face thing - where staff may be scared to try and talk to an English speaker for example.

 

You also need to consider people who are posted to Thailand by their employer. They may be in the country for a relatively short time and therefore unlikely to either have time to learn the language or even wish to but they are still likely to need a bank account.

 

We live in an increasingly global world where the movement of people either permanently or temporarily is common place - the use of the international language has never been required more. I don't think its unreasonable for every bank branch to have at least one staff member who is proficient in English.

[noticojaru]

On 1/4/2020 at 3:04 AM, silver sea said:

because later this year (August),all Thai banks will be reducing their liability to clients, were the company to go bust, to 1,000,000 baht per account holder (not account).

 

what liability? where did you get the info? what's "the company"?

[noticojaru]

1 hour ago, KhaoYai said:

This is of course, on top of the loss of face thing - where staff may be scared to try and talk to an English speaker for example.

- do you understand what I asked?

- yes

- what did I ask?

[silence...]

 

????

 

[NanLaew]

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

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.

Close all existing accounts, pocket the millions and strut out with that famous falang loo-mahk swagger without knowing if an account can be opened anywhere else?

 

Yes, sound advice indeed.

[NanLaew]

3 hours ago, Max69xl said:

It's no problem to get a Certificate of Residence at your local immigration office. It's free at some offices,and from 300 to 500 at others. 

...and doesn't exist according to a few more.

[NanLaew]

4 hours ago, cyril sneer said:

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

It is if the Polish man has made the effort to learn and speak a little English first.

[puchooay]

5 hours ago, cyril sneer said:

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

One can only gloat if one feels they have achieved something great. Something they feel is beyond others capability.

 

I don't think living somewhere, learning the language and culture and generally fitting in is as such. 

 

Maybe you do and that is the problem you have with understanding what I say and being civil. Maybe. Just saying.

 

 

Edited January 5, 2020 by puchooay

[Max69xl]

9 hours ago, noticojaru said:

what liability? where did you get the info? what's "the company"?

He means the bank guarantee if the bank go bust. I think it's 1,000 000 per account, not per holder. I might be wrong, though. 

[Beggar]

8 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

He means the bank guarantee if the bank go bust. I think it's 1,000 000 per account, not per holder. I might be wrong, though. 

It is per bank - the financial institution. That means one amount for all your accounts at all branches of the same bank. And it is only for accounts that are in Thai Baht - so not for accounts in foreign currencies. 

 

 

Edited January 6, 2020 by Beggar

[Max69xl]

9 hours ago, NanLaew said:

It is if the Polish man has made the effort to learn and speak a little English first.

Well, Poland is a member of EU and so is the UK (so far). It's easier for a Polish person living in the UK to open an account than a foreigner living in Thailand. 

[Max69xl]

4 minutes ago, Beggar said:

It is per bank - the financial institution. That means one amount for all your accounts at all branches of the same bank. 

You're correct. Check this out:

"From August 11, 2019 Thai Baht Deposits are protected under the Deposit Protection Agency Act up to a maximum of 5 million baht per one depositor per financial institution until August 10, 2020."

[Chaaang]

On 1/3/2020 at 1:55 PM, EricTh said:

Not a big deal, just go to the other banks like Bangkok Bank. Bangkok Bank always welcome foreigners.

 

 

Bangkok bank always welcome foreigners? Pff... Arrived to Bangkok two years ago on marriage visa. Went to 10+ BB branches and... heard only "we open accounts only for retirement visa holders, or people with work permit".

Had blue book, yellow book, pink ID card, children birth certificates, wife's ID copy, passports.. The answer was "NO". And no one cares that you need a bank account to extend your visa.

The only bank that agreed to open an account for me was KBank (The Mall Bangkapi branch) and still, almost had to beg them to open an account for me since was running out of time with visa extension.

[Max69xl]

11 minutes ago, Chaaang said:

Bangkok bank always welcome foreigners? Pff... Arrived to Bangkok two years ago on marriage visa. Went to 10+ BB branches and... heard only "we open accounts only for retirement visa holders, or people with work permit".

Had blue book, yellow book, pink ID card, children birth certificates, wife's ID copy, passports.. The answer was "NO". And no one cares that you need a bank account to extend your visa.

The only bank that agreed to open an account for me was KBank (The Mall Bangkapi branch) and still, almost had to beg them to open an account for me since was running out of time with visa extension.

I agree with EricTh, I think it's easy to open an account at Bangkok Bank. Normally, when not having a wp, a Certificate of Residence from the local immigration office is all you need,or a certificate/letter from your embassy/consulate. 

[silver sea]

13 hours ago, Max69xl said:

It's no problem to get a Certificate of Residence at your local immigration office. It's free at some offices,and from 300 to 500 at others. 

Hello Max69xl

 

We have already had this conversation! ????
 

See your post #50 on page 4 of this thread:

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1141521-kbank-not-opening-new-accounts-for-non-asean-people-unless-on-a-o-retirement/page/4/#comments

and my reply post 81 on page 6:
https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1141521-kbank-not-opening-new-accounts-for-non-asean-people-unless-on-a-o-retirement/page/6/#comments

 

To repeat: I was using the basement of the shopping mall at Bluport in HuaHin where all the banks have their offices. There is a small Immigration office there too, but it does not issue certificates of residence.
 

To get one, you have to go to the main Immigration office, which from Bluport is a round trip of 30 kms. You are there for about 2,5 hours and you have to pay them 500 baht.

 

I know this because I had recently obtained a new 5 year motorbike licence, which also required a certificate of residence. 
 

Why go through all that ‘rigmarole’ and pay 500 baht as well, when I can just ask another bank a few doors from Bangkok Bank? Which is whyI I went to Krungsri Bank. They do not require a certificate of residence so the 500 I saved I used to open my account.

Edited January 6, 2020 by silver sea

[SteveK]

1 hour ago, Chaaang said:

Bangkok bank always welcome foreigners? Pff... Arrived to Bangkok two years ago on marriage visa. Went to 10+ BB branches and... heard only "we open accounts only for retirement visa holders, or people with work permit".

Had blue book, yellow book, pink ID card, children birth certificates, wife's ID copy, passports.. The answer was "NO". And no one cares that you need a bank account to extend your visa.

The only bank that agreed to open an account for me was KBank (The Mall Bangkapi branch) and still, almost had to beg them to open an account for me since was running out of time with visa extension.

Exactly my experience. Zero help from any Bangkok Bank staff in either Bangkok or Ubon. Got the simple "mai dai" every time. Cue someone posting about how they opened an account with little more than a passport but failing to mention that they did it many years ago.

[NanLaew]

2 hours ago, Max69xl said:

Well, Poland is a member of EU and so is the UK (so far). It's easier for a Polish person living in the UK to open an account than a foreigner living in Thailand. 

Are you suggesting that Thailand should petition to join the EU?

 

Or Thailand should embrace Polish as the lingua franca?

 

Or what exactly?

[NanLaew]

8 minutes ago, SteveK said:

Exactly my experience. Zero help from any Bangkok Bank staff in either Bangkok or Ubon. Got the simple "mai dai" every time. Cue someone posting about how they opened an account with little more than a passport but failing to mention that they did it many years ago.

About 10 years ago (thus largely irrelevant), I was changing £10,000 cash into Baht at BB's main branch in Pattaya. While waiting for the sequential employee counting of the bills, I asked the girl if I could open an account. She asked her supervisor working that adjacent desk who, without looking up, asked what visa I had. At that time it was a visa-exempt entry and when advised a such, the supervisor said, "Mai dai." Then the supervisor, again without looking up asked how much I was exchanging and when told it was around 700,000 baht's worth, she looked over, smiled effusively and said, "Dai... dai!"

[SteveK]

2 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

About 10 years ago (thus largely irrelevant), I was changing £10,000 cash into Baht at BB's main branch in Pattaya. While waiting for the sequential employee counting of the bills, I asked the girl if I could open an account. She asked her supervisor working that adjacent desk who, without looking up, asked what visa I had. At that time it was a visa-exempt entry and when advised a such, the supervisor said, "Mai dai." Then the supervisor, again without looking up asked how much I was exchanging and when told it was around 700,000 baht's worth, she looked over, smiled effusively and said, "Dai... dai!"

Yup, they can certainly open an account for you if they want to, as my experience has proved. Most of the time I think they just can't be bothered.

[SteveK]

With regards to learning Thai. It is very easy to criticise others that have failed to achieve the same level as you. Learning a new language comes easily to some, borderline impossible to others and depends on many things. Having access to a proper teacher, learning materials, and being immersed in  the language makes a huge difference. I've met people who've been here 20+ years and still can't say sawasdee khrap properly. But then I have met people who've been here no more than 2 years and are capable of holding a decent conversation. Everyone's different.

 

Not very helpful gloating about how your Thai is so good because many people will struggle with a tonal language. Maybe it would be more helpful to offer some guidance about how you managed to learn fluent Thai to people on the forum?

[EricTh]

4 hours ago, Chaaang said:

Bangkok bank always welcome foreigners? Pff... Arrived to Bangkok two years ago on marriage visa. Went to 10+ BB branches and... heard only "we open accounts only for retirement visa holders, or people with work permit".

Had blue book, yellow book, pink ID card, children birth certificates, wife's ID copy, passports.. The answer was "NO". And no one cares that you need a bank account to extend your visa.

The only bank that agreed to open an account for me was KBank (The Mall Bangkapi branch) and still, almost had to beg them to open an account for me since was running out of time with visa extension.

 

I've never heard of this. You had a marriage visa and they still won't let you open one?

 

Many years back as in 5 to 7 years ago, Bangkok Bank was the only bank who opened an account for me based on my tourist visa alone. Other banks won't even open an account for me because I was a tourist then.

 

Recently, Bangkok Bank require a Certificate of Residence which you can get from immigration for free. You should have no problem getting that with your marriage visa.

Edited January 6, 2020 by EricTh

[SteveK]

10 minutes ago, EricTh said:

I've never heard of this. You had a marriage visa and they still won't let you open one?

I am on marriage visa. Many, many branches refused to open an account for me and offered no help to me at all. And I am talking recently, not 5+ years ago when things were markedly different.

Edited January 6, 2020 by SteveK

[Max69xl]

2 minutes ago, SteveK said:

I am on marriage visa. Many, many branches refused to open an account for me and offered no help to me at all. And I am talking recently, not 5+ years ago when things were markedly different.

Did you provide a Certificate of Residence from Immigration? I have never heard of a Bangkok Bank branch denying a foreigner a savings account using that Certificate. 

[Max69xl]

15 minutes ago, EricTh said:

 

I've never heard of this. You had a marriage visa and they still won't let you open one?

 

Many years back as in 5 to 7 years ago, Bangkok Bank was the only bank who opened an account for me based on my tourist visa alone. Other banks won't even open an account for me because I was a tourist then.

 

Recently, Bangkok Bank require a Certificate of Residence which you can get from immigration for free. You should have no problem getting that with your marriage visa.

Everyone with for example a rental contract/yellow house book should be able to get a Certificate of Residence from immigration. It has nothing to do with marital status. 

[SteveK]

36 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

Did you provide a Certificate of Residence from Immigration? I have never heard of a Bangkok Bank branch denying a foreigner a savings account using that Certificate. 

Nope. They asked for a work permit. I don't work so it was instant "mai dai". I have a yellow tabien baan, international driving license and 1 year marriage extension - still no.

 

If I used some kind of spy camera to prove it I could go into 10 Bangkok Bank branches and you guys could guess how many would be willing to open an account for me. I know the answer already because I have done it.

Edited January 6, 2020 by SteveK

[userabcd]

1 hour ago, SteveK said:

Nope. They asked for a work permit. I don't work so it was instant "mai dai". I have a yellow tabien baan, international driving license and 1 year marriage extension - still no.

 

If I used some kind of spy camera to prove it I could go into 10 Bangkok Bank branches and you guys could guess how many would be willing to open an account for me. I know the answer already because I have done it

Deleted

Edited January 6, 2020 by userabcd

[puchooay]

3 hours ago, SteveK said:

With regards to learning Thai. It is very easy to criticise others that have failed to achieve the same level as you. Learning a new language comes easily to some, borderline impossible to others and depends on many things. Having access to a proper teacher, learning materials, and being immersed in  the language makes a huge difference. I've met people who've been here 20+ years and still can't say sawasdee khrap properly. But then I have met people who've been here no more than 2 years and are capable of holding a decent conversation. Everyone's different.

 

Not very helpful gloating about how your Thai is so good because many people will struggle with a tonal language. Maybe it would be more helpful to offer some guidance about how you managed to learn fluent Thai to people on the forum?

Firstly, I didn't gloat. As I pointed out to another poster, in order to gloat I would have to had achieved something that is beyond the realms of some. I don't believe that what I have achieved is so.

 

Secondly, I said nothing about being fluent. I merely pointed out that my knowledge of Thai language is good enough that I don't have to rely on someone else when ever I need to go somewhere, do something or speak to someone.

 

I am happy to share my experiences of learning Thai. This should be of particular interest to you as you have said many times that you live in the sticks and thus should be easy for to to do. Well, I learned to speak Thai exactly the same way that anyone learns to speak their own native language as they are growing up. I listened to people, I tried to speak to people, I watched people when communicating and I remembered what I had seen, heard and spoken. I immersed myself in the language and tried to avoid English as much as I could. A lot easier 20 years ago, I admit, as English was rarely spoken anywhere near where I live. 

 

Immersion is, and has been proven by many linguistics and language professors, as the easiest, best and most efficient way to learn a language. 

 

With regards to learning to read and write, I was teaching English at a primary school when I saw a Thai teacher teaching a class of K2 kids that Thai alphabet with the first stage of vowels. Such as "Gor-a = Ga", "Kor-a = Ka". I politely asked if it would be OK for me to sit at the back of the class and observe. She agreed and invited me back next time. An invitation that I accepted.

 

I guess it took about a year to get up to speed. It really is not that difficult and if one can learn to read Thai, in my opinion easier than a non native trying to learn to read English, then grasping tones and earning new vocabulary becomes easier as one can study alone with books and dictionaries (when I learnt the internet in the area was in it's infancy and access to such was near on impossible).

 

Hope this helps.

 

 

[youreavinalaff]

I've just noticed that the title of this topic says "non ASEAN" yet all posts refer to the difference between Thais and Non Thais.

 

Can anyone elaborate?

[userabcd]

3 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

I've just noticed that the title of this topic says "non ASEAN" yet all posts refer to the difference between Thais and Non Thais.

 

Can anyone elaborate?

There are Thais, Aseans and the rest of us are Aliens.

[youreavinalaff]

1 minute ago, userabcd said:

There are Thais, Aseans and the rest of us are Aliens.

I think you have  mis understood. What I mean is, can those whose nationality is that of an ASEAN country open a bank account? Many posters on here have specified "only Thais can open an account"