Banks

[w94005m]

I am at a loss as to what to do. Despite deciding to go with a Visa Agent to ease getting a new Retirement Visa from my latest 30 day visa-exempt extended due to July 31st amnesty, as I am very vulnerable to COVID-19, due to a number of high risk existing conditions and desperately need to minimize having to leave my apartment on medical advice, I am getting nowhere.

 

The most pressing problem is not having the bankbook due to my dog destroying it in America several years ago. Since opening the account, I'd spent all my time in Lao, USA or UK, only a few days here and there in Thailand, when I would make the odd ATM withdrawal.

 

I had tried to open an extra new account in March with Bangkok Bank Jomtien to avoid having to go to Buriram, where the original account was, but they refused because since opening I'd had to renew my passport as the original was full. Still don't understand that. By the time I got a SWIFT message from my bank confirming my passport number (UK Embassy were useless), the lockdown was in effect, so I decided it was best to move 800,000 Baht over to the old account from US via Transferwise. Despite the virus crisis, Bangkok Bank refused to give me internet access despite even domestic  travel being banned and the banks shut.

 

Now with my money well seasoned, Bangkok Bank had told that they would give me internet access with a new account where I could transfer my money. However, they are now refusing due to the fact that I am a dual national and the original account was opened on my US passport (I've now had the expired passport sent to me) and my latest visa is on my UK passport.

 

So that takes me back to the situation that I desperately wanted to avoid with my high risk situation, as endorsed by medical certificates from my doctor's practice, of  probably having to go to Buriram from Jomtien by renting a car.

 

So 2 questions:

1 - Despite my dog destroying the original passbook in front of me, they are saying that a police report is needed. What or earth do I ask the police to do? Please note the criminal offence as committed by my dog according to Thai law of destroying my book and please place an address warrant out for him and give me a report on that, so I can take it to my bank? Also, the Buriram branch had no-one who spoke even limited English. My thai gf at the time did all the talking.

 

2 - Any other suggestions for solutions that would avoid me going to Buriram? Ony asking, as the Agent is not giving me any other suggestions.

 

Many Thanks.

 

 

[BritTim]

My sympathies on your tribulations. Bureaucracy in third world countries can sometimes be extremely frustrating.

1. Banks are inflexible on this, but do not despair. The police can issue you with a lost bank book report. I once went through this myself when a bank book was accidentally seriously damaged. It is an easy process. Just go to any police station, and explain the situation. They know what to do. You may need to pay a small fee to expedite the process.
2. You seem to have gone the agent route which does simplify matters. Change your agent if they cannot navigate you through these kinds of roadblocks. There are plenty of excellent agents in Pattaya.

 

[w94005m]

10 minutes ago, BritTim said:

My sympathies on your tribulations. Bureaucracy in third world countries can sometimes be extremely frustrating.

1. Banks are inflexible on this, but do not despair. The police can issue you with a lost bank book report. I once went through this myself when a bank book was accidentally seriously damaged. It is an easy process. Just go to any police station, and explain the situation. They know what to do. You may need to pay a small fee to expedite the process.
2. You seem to have gone the agent route which does simplify matters. Change your agent if they cannot navigate you through these kinds of roadblocks. There are plenty of excellent agents in Pattaya.

 

Excellent - that's great to know with the police. Really appreciate that Tim.

 

I've gone onto my second agent already after getting nothing from KeyVisa despite offering payment up front. Seems like I need to think about trying someone else again. I did just see mythaivisa getting some good press.

[w94005m]

Now additionally I am told, that despite government visa amnesty and doctor's instructions that I need to stay isolated, Bangkok Bank are insisting that to open new account, which I need to help resolve this problem, I need letter from immigration saying my visa automatically extended to July 31st. I have asked the visa agent that I had contacted if they can assist with this, but they have never heard of this and are not helping. Can anyone suggest a good visa agent, who they think might actually be able to do something to help?

 

Also, does anyone think that if I went to a different Bangkok Bank branch, they would be more accomodating?

 

Many Thanks.

 

[w94005m]

43 minutes ago, w94005m said:

Now additionally I am told, that despite government visa amnesty and doctor's instructions that I need to stay isolated, Bangkok Bank are insisting that to open new account, which I need to help resolve this problem, I need letter from immigration saying my visa automatically extended to July 31st. I have asked the visa agent that I had contacted if they can assist with this, but they have never heard of this and are not helping. Can anyone suggest a good visa agent, who they think might actually be able to do something to help?

 

Also, does anyone think that if I went to a different Bangkok Bank branch, they would be more accomodating?

 

Many Thanks.

 

Also, if I have no other option than to drive to Buriram to get a new bankbook, will they automatically print it with the entries for this year, so that Immigration can see that the balance has remained above 800,000 Baht? With their extremely limited English at this branch, I know that if I ask that, they are not going to understand my English.

[OJAS]

2 hours ago, w94005m said:

Also, if I have no other option than to drive to Buriram to get a new bankbook, will they automatically print it with the entries for this year, so that Immigration can see that the balance has remained above 800,000 Baht? With their extremely limited English at this branch, I know that if I ask that, they are not going to understand my English.

Might be worth your while first checking with Bangkok Bank's Pattaya branch whether they could issue a new passbook for your existing account registered in Buriram. Certainly my experience has been that I have been able to obtain with no difficulty new passbooks at Bangkok Bank branches other than the one at which my account with them is registered. However, since you will have no existing passbook to present to them they may well require evidence that you do, in fact, have an account registered in Buriram - for which maybe a recent ATM receipt might do the trick???

 

And, assuming that the Pattaya branch are willing to provide you with a replacement passbook, you will then need to ensure that they print out into it all transactions on your account dating back to at least your 800k transfer from the USA via TransferWise (probably won't be possible for you to do this yourself by sticking it into an updating machine).

Edited June 19, 2020 by OJAS

[w94005m]

3 minutes ago, OJAS said:

Might be worth your while first checking with Bangkok Bank's Pattaya branch whether they could issue a new passbook for your existing account registered in Buriram. Certainly my experience has been that I have been able to obtain new passbooks at Bangkok Bank branches other than the one at which my account with them is registered. However, since you will have no existing passbook to present to them they may well require evidence that you do, in fact, have an account registered in Buriram - for which maybe a recent ATM receipt might do the trick???

 

And, assuming that the Pattaya branch are willing to provide you with a replacement passbook, you will then need to ensure that they print out into it all transactions on your account dating back to at least your 800k transfer from the USA via TransferWise.

Many Thanks for the reply. Sadly, I tried that first in March and again several times in June. They will not do that and insist I have to go to Buriram, despite the 1,000,000 Baht in the account and numerous transactions. Most countries would be fine with a valid ATM card, but of course this is Thailand. I was in Lao for 3 years and never had any bank issues there. Well outside of foolishly trying to use my Bangkok bank ATM care there. The only card I had that wouldn't work. US, UK cards - no problem and when I went to Bangkok Bank in Vientiane, they told me no, sorry we are not Bangkok Bank. That is Thailand, we are Lao. We do not work with them!

 

They have been utterly useless, wouldn't open me a new account in March as the original passport from opening the account 6 years ago had expired and now they've changed their mind and aren't worried about that (after I got my expired passport sent to me), but won't open it for another reason as noted above. And that's with them knowing, I simply want to put a fresh 1,000,000+ in there from my US bank account! I've seen other threads describing them as "anal retentive" and my experience doesn't rate them that highly ????

[DaRoadrunner]

22 hours ago, w94005m said:

1 - Despite my dog destroying the original passbook in front of me, they are saying that a police report is needed. 

You can easily make a Police report and the BiB will give you a receipt no matter how daft the reason.

 

How you get the dog out of jail is not my problem.

 

[kingofthemountain]

37 minutes ago, w94005m said:

Many Thanks for the reply. Sadly, I tried that first in March and again several times in June. They will not do that and insist I have to go to Buriram, despite the 1,000,000 Baht in the account and numerous transactions. Most countries would be fine with a valid ATM card, but of course this is Thailand. I was in Lao for 3 years and never had any bank issues there. Well outside of foolishly trying to use my Bangkok bank ATM care there. The only card I had that wouldn't work. US, UK cards - no problem and when I went to Bangkok Bank in Vientiane, they told me no, sorry we are not Bangkok Bank. That is Thailand, we are Lao. We do not work with them!

 

They have been utterly useless, wouldn't open me a new account in March as the original passport from opening the account 6 years ago had expired and now they've changed their mind and aren't worried about that (after I got my expired passport sent to me), but won't open it for another reason as noted above. And that's with them knowing, I simply want to put a fresh 1,000,000+ in there from my US bank account! I've seen other threads describing them as "anal retentive" and my experience doesn't rate them that highly ????

Reading your post and yours multiples problems with Bangkok bank i recomand you to

open another bank account, for example in Kasikorn in Central festival (You write you are in Jomtiem) they are ''farang friendly'' and have been always helpfull for me.

I can not say the same thing with Bangkok Bank and SCB, my experience with these two banks at Central festival branch have been a disaster.

 

Unfortunately since your 800 000 bahts for your visa are ''seasonned'' on the Bangkok bank account  in Buriram, you should probably do the travel to Issan to get the letter for immigration.

Then i recomand you to ''close'' your useless account in Buriram (Just transfer all your money in your new Kasikorn bank account in Pattaya.let's 0 on your bank account and it's considered automaticaly closed by the bank)

 

And yes the police report for the lost of the bank book is normal for all banks in Thailand

it's an easy formality just go to the police station and report the lost, then go to the bank with the police form

 

Also and despite the doctors advice given to you to not go outside

actualy Thailand in general and especially Pattaya are covid19 virus free

there is no new case reported since more than 1 month, so you can go

outside here without any risk about it.

Good luck

Edited June 19, 2020 by kingofthemountain

[w94005m]

16 minutes ago, kingofthemountain said:

Reading your post and yours multiples problems with Bangkok bank i recomand you to

open another bank account, for example in Kasikorn in Central festival (You write you are in Jomtiem) they are ''farang friendly'' and have been always helpfull for me.

I can not say the same thing with Bangkok Bank and SCB, my experience with these two banks at Central festival branch have been a disaster.

 

Unfortunately since your 800 000 bahts for your visa are ''seasonned'' on the Bangkok bank account  in Buriram, you should probably do the travel to Issan to get the letter for immigration.

Then i recomand you to ''close'' your useless account in Buriram (Just transfer all your money in your new Kasikorn bank account in Pattaya.let's 0 on your bank account and it's considered automaticaly closed by the bank)

 

And yes the police report for the lost of the bank book is normal for all banks in Thailand

it's an easy formality just go to the police station and report the lost, then go to the bank with the police form

 

Also and despite the doctors advice given to you to not go outside

actualy Thailand in general and especially Pattaya are covid19 virus free

there is no new case reported since more than 1 month, so you can go

outside here without any risk about it.

Good luck

My original intention had been to come here in March, open a new account with BB,  move my money over from US to new account, then travel around for a couple of months outside of Thailand. and return get the Visa done. Sadly, COVID-19 rather put a spanner in the works and in a rather more serious way for me healthwise than most

 

I seriously doubt that Pattaya and other areas of Thailand are indeed virus free with the limited testing that is being done, but sadly I am getting resigned to the fact that I am indeed going to have to gamble and go to Buriram. It's just that the way things are going, I'm worried that a new bankbook won't have sufficient transactions in it.

 

Can anyone who has had to get a new book, let me know how many transactions they will put in the new bankbook?

 

And yes, certainly as soon as this is set and the virus situation is safe, I will be closing everything with Bangkok Bank, who are just an utter nightmare, but sadly for now, I have to work with them ???? I will move Kasikorn to the top of my list for future business.

 

Thanks for your thoughts and  recommendation.

[OJAS]

17 hours ago, w94005m said:

Many Thanks for the reply. Sadly, I tried that first in March and again several times in June. They will not do that and insist I have to go to Buriram, despite the 1,000,000 Baht in the account and numerous transactions. Most countries would be fine with a valid ATM card, but of course this is Thailand. I was in Lao for 3 years and never had any bank issues there. Well outside of foolishly trying to use my Bangkok bank ATM care there. The only card I had that wouldn't work. US, UK cards - no problem and when I went to Bangkok Bank in Vientiane, they told me no, sorry we are not Bangkok Bank. That is Thailand, we are Lao. We do not work with them!

 

They have been utterly useless, wouldn't open me a new account in March as the original passport from opening the account 6 years ago had expired and now they've changed their mind and aren't worried about that (after I got my expired passport sent to me), but won't open it for another reason as noted above. And that's with them knowing, I simply want to put a fresh 1,000,000+ in there from my US bank account! I've seen other threads describing them as "anal retentive" and my experience doesn't rate them that highly ????

Don't know which particular Bangkok Bank branch has been giving you all this grief, but a Google search of "Bangkok Bank branches Pattaya" throws up 3 in that area. Assuming that this includes the branch you've been dealing with, it might be worth trying 1 (or, if necessary, both) of the other 2.

 

Failing that, I suggest that you take your custom to another bank which does not derive any psychopathic gleeful thrill from causing you the maximum bureaucratic inconvenience and hassle possible.

 

[ubonjoe]

18 hours ago, OJAS said:

Might be worth your while first checking with Bangkok Bank's Pattaya branch whether they could issue a new passbook for your existing account registered in Buriram.

Getting a new bank book can only be done in the province where you account is at when it has been lost. It can be done at any branch in that province.

[lopburi3]

17 hours ago, w94005m said:

I seriously doubt that Pattaya and other areas of Thailand are indeed virus free with the limited testing that is being done,

20% should be hospitalized with or without general

testing - there has not been any such need for 25 days for other than those arriving from other countries.  Thailand could not be much safer than it is currently.  It will defiantly be less safe in the future as border restrictions ease.  Now is likely the safest window.  

17 hours ago, w94005m said:

Can anyone who has had to get a new book, let me know how many transactions they will put in the new bankbook?

Normally it is just current balance but they might be able to get 3 months if no updates had been done (but not sure if can be done on new passbook - my experience is on old book that had not been updated for 5 months).  They can also provide up to a six month statement of account showing all translations for a small fee (one year cost me 200 baht but that only available with few days wait as has to be done at Hqs).  

[OJAS]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

Getting a new bank book can only be done in the province where you account is at when it has been lost. It can be done at any branch in that province.

@w94005m - so it looks like a trip to Buriram for you, then. The following thread originated by someone who had a rather more positive experience than yours in opening a second Bangkok Bank account in Pattaya might also be worth a read:-

 

 

[w94005m]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

Getting a new bank book can only be done in the province where you account is at when it has been lost. It can be done at any branch in that province.

Many Thanks. That's great to know it could be at any branch in the province :-)

 

[w94005m]

46 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

20% should be hospitalized with or without general

testing - there has not been any such need for 25 days for other than those arriving from other countries.  Thailand could not be much safer than it is currently.  It will defiantly be less safe in the future as border restrictions ease.  Now is likely the safest window.  

Normally it is just current balance but they might be able to get 3 months if no updates had been done (but not sure if can be done on new passbook - my experience is on old book that had not been updated for 5 months).  They can also provide up to a six month statement of account showing all translations for a small fee (one year cost me 200 baht but that only available with few days wait as has to be done at Hqs).  

Many Thanks. I was afraid that a new bankbook would only show the latest balance, which doesn't help me at all with showing the balance over the last 60 days.

 

I will check out the hq statement option on Monday with the bank, but I assume that this being Thailand, they will only send that to home branch :-(

[lopburi3]

2 minutes ago, w94005m said:

I will check out the hq statement option on Monday with the bank, but I assume that this being Thailand, they will only send that to home branch ????

AFAIK any branch can print out six months of statements for you - more than that has to be HQS and expect any bank branch could order.  But do not know if restricted to bank province as with issue of passbooks.

[ubonjoe]

7 minutes ago, w94005m said:

I will check out the hq statement option on Monday with the bank, but I assume that this being Thailand, they will only send that to home branch ????

A six month statement you can get while wait should be enough and that can be done at any branch. Same for a one year statement that can be requested and received after about a week at any branch also (I have done it).

[w94005m]

23 minutes ago, OJAS said:

@w94005m - so it looks like a trip to Buriram for you, then. The following thread originated by someone who had a rather more positive experience than yours in opening a second Bangkok Bank account in Pattaya might also be worth a read:-

 

 

Sadly, my experience has been the polar opposite. I did know that different branches arbitarily work completely differently and in a pre-covid world, I would just have kept trying, till I found a branch that was vaguely decent. Especially seeing as I made clear at the branch that I would set up a wire transfer to the new account for 900,000 Baht there and then to the new account, as well as an immediate cash deposit.

 

[w94005m]

11 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

A six month statement you can get while wait should be enough and that can be done at any branch. Same for a one year statement that can be requested and received after about a week at any branch also (I have done it).

Awesome!

[w94005m]

2 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Getting a new bank book can only be done in the province where you account is at when it has been lost. It can be done at any branch in that province.

Bangkok Bank call center just told me again, that I can only get a replacement bank book at the branch I opened the account at and another branch is no good.

 

They said that is because only that branch can check my signature.

 

Maybe in 50 years time they will have realized that there are electronic photographs that can have a copy of that.

 

They may also realize that electronic copies are very useful should the branch get burnt down and their precious paper is destroyed, but in their case, I seriously doubt it 

 

 

[Mulambana]

 

9 hours ago, OJAS said:

so it looks like a trip to Buriram for you, then. The following thread originated by someone who had a rather more positive experience than yours in opening a second Bangkok Bank account in Pattaya might also be worth a read:-

I had a Bangkok bank account in Bangkok (branch Sukumvit soi 10 but it is called Lumphini branch I think) for a long time, opened around 2008/2009. I moved to Jomtian in 2018 and went to second road Jomtian BB branch and told them that I want to open another account with a new master card. They took my old book, pulled up my information on their computer and opened a second account with a new ATM card. Total time 15 minutes, and 45 minutes wait time ????

 

Edited June 20, 2020 by Mulambana

[kingofthemountain]

1 hour ago, Mulambana said:

 

I had a Bangkok bank account in Bangkok (branch Sukumvit soi 10 but it is called Lumphini branch I think) for a long time, opened around 2008/2009. I moved to Jomtian in 2018 and went to second road Jomtian BB branch and told them that I want to open another account with a new master card. They took my old book, pulled up my information on their computer and opened a second account with a new ATM card. Total time 15 minutes, and 45 minutes wait time ????

 

I am sure you are proud to share your experience but your post don't help in any way

the OP and the problems he is facing

in 2008\2009 you could open a bank account in most of the banks

in Pattaya or Bangkok even if you was a tourist and your adress was

an hotel visit card.

I am sure you are well aware that a lot of things have changed since and

everything is a ''little bit more difficult'' now. particularly with the banks.

Edited June 20, 2020 by kingofthemountain

[Mulambana]

8 hours ago, kingofthemountain said:

I am sure you are proud to share your experience but your post don't help in any way

the OP and the problems he is facing

in 2008\2009 you could open a bank account in most of the banks

in Pattaya or Bangkok even if you was a tourist and your adress was

an hotel visit card.

I am sure you are well aware that a lot of things have changed since and

everything is a ''little bit more difficult'' now. particularly with the banks.

Either you did not read my post or did not comprehend it. I want to say that in 2018 when I opened a second account (in Jomtian), I did not have to supply anything except my passport/new lease contract and they pulled all my information from my old account (opened around 2008) and gave me a new account and a new ATM card for the account. Also, I forgot to mention that I opened another account just before Covid-19 lockdown in Krungsri bank (Central Pattaya) with a passport only. They even did not ask for address verification. 

Edited June 20, 2020 by Mulambana

[w94005m]

4 hours ago, Mulambana said:

Either you did not read my post or did not comprehend it. I want to say that in 2018 when I opened a second account (in Jomtian), I did not have to supply anything except my passport/new lease contract and they pulled all my information from my old account (opened around 2008) and gave me a new account and a new ATM card for the account. Also, I forgot to mention that I opened another account just before Covid-19 lockdown in Krungsri bank (Central Pattaya) with a passport only. They even did not ask for address verification. 

The opposite of my experience, when during these covid days, one would hope for more accommodation rather than the other extreme.

 

I was nothing other than polite and should have been allowed to open the account in March. I had all the required information and a desire to move a large sum of money in. It was a wrong, arbitary decision.

 

it feels like a personal vendetta at the moment by Thailand against me, as Thai Customs are also refusing to release my vital diabetic CGM Sensors, but the visa and consequential bank problem is the only discussion issue here.

[billd766]

On 6/18/2020 at 7:12 PM, BritTim said:

My sympathies on your tribulations. Bureaucracy in third world countries can sometimes be extremely frustrating.

1. Banks are inflexible on this, but do not despair. The police can issue you with a lost bank book report. I once went through this myself when a bank book was accidentally seriously damaged. It is an easy process. Just go to any police station, and explain the situation. They know what to do. You may need to pay a small fee to expedite the process.
2. You seem to have gone the agent route which does simplify matters. Change your agent if they cannot navigate you through these kinds of roadblocks. There are plenty of excellent agents in Pattaya.

 

Normally a lost item report from the police cost me about 20 baht.

[w94005m]

 

50 minutes ago, billd766 said:

Normally a lost item report from the police cost me about 20 baht.

Thanks. I was going to go to the one in Jomtien. Do they need anything other than my passport, bank name and account number? Home branch details?

[billd766]

8 minutes ago, w94005m said:

 

Thanks. I was going to go to the one in Jomtien. Do they need anything other than my passport, bank name and account number? Home branch details?

TBH I can't remember as I had lost my wallet with a few baht, bank debit cards, driving licences, some store cards. My bankbook was safe at home as was my passport.

 

I scan all my stuff nowadays and take print outs of the missing stuff to the police station.

 

Take any information that you have, the more the merrier.

[BritTim]

8 hours ago, w94005m said:

Thanks. I was going to go to the one in Jomtien. Do they need anything other than my passport, bank name and account number? Home branch details?

That should be quite ample.

[w94005m]

On 6/21/2020 at 1:07 PM, w94005m said:

 

Thanks. I was going to go to the one in Jomtien. Do they need anything other than my passport, bank name and account number? Home branch details?

Needed all the above, including home branch and phone number.

 

Got this from the police station at Pattaya end of Jomtien Beach. Cost me 100B