Forgetful old man or alleged theft by bank staff - case causes much comment in Thailand

[webfact]

Forgetful old man or alleged theft by bank staff - case causes much comment in Thailand

 

Picture: Amarin TV

 

A Facebook post ended up being featured on national Thai TV after an elderly man went to deposit what he said was 50,000 baht at a bank. 

 

The teller counter the money and 50,000 was credited to his bank book during the visit to the branch just after opening at 8.30 am. 

 

But at 6pm the bank called to say it was only 40,000 baht. The old man didn't want trouble and thought he might have made a mistake so he acquiesced to having his account changed to say he had deposited 40,000 baht. 

 

However, his daughter Prao, 42, was convinced he had deposited 50,000. The money was 47,000 baht from the sale of a buffalo and three thousand more earnt in the course of their business. Her dad had never made a mistake before or had a problem with the bank, she told Amarin TV. 

 

Picture: Amarin TV

 

She demanded to see CCTV footage that she claimed showed suspicious actions on behalf of the teller. She went on Facebook. 

 

Then the bank contacted her to ask her to remove her post saying it had been seen by lots of people. They agreed their employee had "made a mistake".

 

Prao is not letting the matter rest and has filed a report with the police. They are claiming that perhaps the teller tried to con her aged father out of money. 

 

At the very least they want an apology and have stated they will not be going to that bank again.

 

Kapook did not name the bank in their story but the Facebook post indicated it was the BAAC in Phimai. 

 

Source: Kapook

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-01-09

Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking Thailand news and visa info

[rkidlad]

9 minutes ago, webfact said:

Then the bank contacted her to ask her to remove her post saying it had been seen by lots of people. They agreed their employee had "made a mistake".

Don't they normally stick the notes in the counting machines so yourself and the teller can see the amount for yourselves? Shouldn't this be standard procedure when depositing money person to person? 

 

Counting 40k from 50k is quite the mistake. Honest mistake or not (it wasn't a mistake) the teller should be fired for being a complete <deleted> idiot. 

Edited January 9, 2020 by rkidlad

[ezzra]

Rubbish, the bank is trying to cheat an old man out of his money, what says in the deposit slip is what he should be credit with, and let the bank eat the shortfall it wouldn't hurt a bit with all the billions in profits they rake in every year...

[bluesofa]

17 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

Don't they normally stick the notes in the counting machines so yourself and the teller can see the amount for yourselves? Shouldn't this be standard procedure when depositing money person to person? 

{snipped}

The counting machines are foolproof - they blindly count the number of notes placed in the slot.

 

This concerns receiving cash:

I once went to change some Euros into Baht my wife came back from holiday with. The 1,000 Baht notes were placed in the machine. While they were being counted the teller showed me the display.

 

When I got home, my wife counted the notes to double check. Good job she did. In the middle of the bundle of 1,000 Baht notes was one 500 Baht note.

We rushed to the bank and explained. The teller concerned had her counter closed and all her transactions audited. Within half an hour we left the bank with the missing 500 Baht.

 

I don't know if it was a genuine mistake or an attempt by the cashier to cheat. Beware and check the notes manually before leaving the counter.

[ianezy0]

Too many stories of crooked tellers in Thailand. For once CCTV is useful

[Chazar]

50 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

Don't they normally stick the notes in the counting machines so yourself and the teller can see the amount for yourselves? Shouldn't this be standard procedure when depositing money person to person? 

 

Counting 40k from 50k is quite the mistake. Honest mistake or not (it wasn't a mistake) the teller should be fired for being a complete <deleted> idiot. 

But as  ever  the complete   opposite  will  happen and promotion to manager  awaits

[Happy Grumpy]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

the bank contacted her to ask her to remove her post saying it had been seen by lots of people. They agreed their employee had "made a mistake".

Sickening people where there's money and/or face involved.

[Michael Norman]

Never ever leave the cashier until you are done counting your money, whether a deposit, withdrawal, or exchange. If I make a deposit I will count out my deposit then watch the teller count my deposit. If I make a withdrawal I will count my withdrawal after the teller has counted my withdrawal and had the counter to count my withdrawal and I do the same when I exchange currency. If you do not count your money during your bank business you are asking for trouble. And as far as the bank wanting the man's daughter to remove her post, she should agree that she would after they either deposit the 10,000 bahts or give her father the 10,000 bahts.

[petermik]

Thai banks do not cheat...end of story...a mistake by the old gentleman............

[RichardColeman]

My guess is that the two Tellers ran out of fingers and toes

[CNXexpat]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The old man didn't want trouble

Thanks Buddha he has a smarter daughter.

 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

They agreed their employee had "made a mistake".

Mistake, well, the wrong word.

 

I always let them update my bank book after I paid money on my bank account and check it. No discussions later.

[Scouse123]

A hell of a mistake to make confusing 40K with 50K and a bit difficult to believe.

 

Why I wonder, did they try to single out this elderly man whose account, they say, they made the error on? bearing in mind how many transactions that cashier dealt with in the course of a business day!

[Sydebolle]

Had the same issue 20+ years ago in a bank branch on Rajdamri. Paid in 50'000 to my account which I got 20 minutes before and the receipt referred to 40'000 only. This I realized on the way out, away from the counter. 
Made a big stink at that time as 10'000 was a fortune then for me but had no chance. They told me that they would recount after closing hours, never heard from them again. Wanted to file a police report but the latter laughed only. 

Lesson learnt is to count the money in front of the teller, having no other money, valets etc. on the counter and let the transaction be finished by you rechecking the receipt they give you.

In my case happened only once but was painful and never ever used that bank again (as if they would care, I know)! 

[ukrules]

In my experience they make you look at the counting machine as it counts each 100k bundle.

 

This is for both deposits and withdrawals - if they don't do this then they're up to no good

[Grumpy John]

Always haVe the machine count the money twice.  Do once,  Turn the money around and do it again.  Leave nothing to chance.

Edited January 9, 2020 by Grumpy John
Smeling

[sammieuk1]

The old man made a mistake the fortune teller said????

[bluesofa]

16 minutes ago, Grumpy John said:

Always haVe the machine count the money twice.  Do once,  Turn the money around and do it again.  Leave nothing to chance.

Apart from having an 'erroneous' note in the middle - see my post  #4.

 

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Then the bank contacted her to ask her to remove her post saying it had been seen by lots of people. They agreed their employee had "made a mistake".

Theft is not a mistake when made inside an institution like a bank... it's a criminal act!

[cardinalblue]

The teller thief saw a vulnerable customer....

 

She should be fired...not an apology 

 

my biggest gripe about Thailand is lack of accountability leads to zero Positive behavioral change....

 

punishment produces accountability 

 

 

[steven100]

the world turning into scum ....    simply that   !

[katana]

Wonder if the bank teller wasn't also previously employed by the Election Commission of Thailand as a vote counter during last year's Thai elections.

Edited January 9, 2020 by katana

[DrTuner]

If you need to deposit cash, which is risky business anyway, tell the teller before handing out the money how much it is and demand the slip amount matches. Also, tell them to sign with blood and swear on their dead buffalo.

 

Or use electronic transfers. The tellers are just one tiny step up from the HomePro drones. 

[yokat]

No later than yesterday my gf (thai) had the cashier at a coffee shop (tong hua in BTS thonglor) try to pull a "you gave 500, right ?" on her. They know what they're doing, my gf said that the cashier tried to engage in small talk and was unusually talkative.

Why do they do that ? because if they successfully pull that off even one time a day they more than double their salary. When they get caught they just say "oh sorry, mistake" and wait for the next one. 10k is too obvious though.

[Beggar]

3 minutes ago, yokat said:

No later than yesterday my gf (thai) had the cashier at a coffee shop (tong hua in BTS thonglor) try to pull a "you gave 500, right ?" on her. They know what they're doing, my gf said that the cashier tried to engage in small talk and was unusually talkative.

Why do they do that ? because if they successfully pull that off even one time a day they more than double their salary. When they get caught they just say "oh sorry, mistake" and wait for the next one. 10k is too obvious though.

They tried this 2 times already with me in a convenience store. I gave them 1000 and got the change for 500. Since this time I avoid to pay at such places with big notes. And if it is not possible because I don't have small notes I show the note in direction of a camera and say "I give you 1000". But some cashiers say automatically "You gave me 1000".

[NancyL]

21 hours ago, bluesofa said:

Apart from having an 'erroneous' note in the middle - see my post  #4.

 

Thai currency has different sizes for the different denominations, so when you turn the bundle around and count it again in the machine, you'll get a different answer if a note of a different denomination is in the middle of the bundle.

[Smithson]

I went to the bank just before closing on Wed and deposited B8,500. I was given a receipt, but didn't check the bank book. The following day my staff noticed the money hadn't been deposited. She phoned the bank, they checked and found the money, saying the teller had forgotten to deposit it.

 

So where was the money at this stage with the bank or with the teller? I thought they checked to see money squared up at the end of every day. What would of happened if we hadn't called or if I'd lost the receipt?

[bluesofa]

1 hour ago, NancyL said:

Thai currency has different sizes for the different denominations, so when you turn the bundle around and count it again in the machine, you'll get a different answer if a note of a different denomination is in the middle of the bundle.

That's interesting.

I really can't remember if the bundle was turned around or not.

This is the first time I've read that it can differentiate different sizes notes, therefore presumably indicate an error?

If that's so, why didn't it spot it on the first count - why does the bundle need turning around to be able to see a different size note?

[DrTuner]

1 hour ago, NancyL said:

Thai currency has different sizes for the different denominations, so when you turn the bundle around and count it again in the machine, you'll get a different answer if a note of a different denomination is in the middle of the bundle.

Long time ago wife had a 100baht mixed with 1000's. The counting machine stopped and required manual intervention to remove the 100.