Passport stupidity

[J Town]

2 minutes ago, Aforek said:

I have not noticed, I must say that I am the only farang here , staff always helping with smile ( but I smile myself and I speak Thai )

The OP said that he has not his old passport, I don't know why, but for me, we should never get rid of the old(s ) passport(s ) 

Same with driver's licenses. I'm on my 3rd 5-year and have all the old ones just in case.

[Pravda]

10 minutes ago, Aforek said:

I have not noticed, I must say that I am the only farang here , staff always helping with smile ( but I smile myself and I speak Thai )

The OP said that he has not his old passeport, I don't know why, but for me, we should never get rid of the old(s ) passeport(s ) 

 

Some governments don't give you a choice and just take the old passport. Anyway, if the old passport is invalid, how is this a valid proof for the bank? I actually do have my old passport, but it is back in Canada.

 

I am not quite sure what visa transfer and letter from embassy everyone is mentioning. I got none of that. 

[Sydebolle]

Withdraw or transfer the funds remaining onto a new bank account nearer to you. Everything else would require common sense on the other end which is quite clearly completely absent! 
If you cannot do it in one transaction or day, then just move it in daily portions. Some banks allow quite a high daily limit, SCB has its ceiling at THB 2 million within the SCB network and THB 200'000 to third party banks - per day that is. 

[Joinaman]

47 minutes ago, MJKT2014 said:

That's a load of guff. All banks need you to go to the branch you have the account to make changes like passport update or signature updates. The op needs to make the journey or open a new account nearby.

yes, but why ?Everything is now done on computers. They can upload your account details, your statements, etc, in seconds, in any branch, so why the need to go possible halfway across the country for no reason .

Stupidity and jobsworth at its finest 

had the same problem with her indoors telephone. Kept getting bills for an old phone she had canceled long time ago, kept getting told, had to go to branch where she buy/open it. After asking why, when i could see all the details on his computer, i gave up, told him to stick it where the sun don't shine and walked out. never heard anything since . But wouldn't advise this at a bank, lol

[J Town]

3 minutes ago, Joinaman said:

yes, but why ?Everything is now done on computers. They can upload your account details, your statements, etc, in seconds, in any branch, so why the need to go possible halfway across the country for no reason .

Stupidity and jobsworth at its finest 

had the same problem with her indoors telephone. Kept getting bills for an old phone she had canceled long time ago, kept getting told, had to go to branch where she buy/open it. After asking why, when i could see all the details on his computer, i gave up, told him to stick it where the sun don't shine and walked out. never heard anything since . But wouldn't advise this at a bank, lol

T.I.T.S.

[toolpush]

1 hour ago, Toany said:

SCB is an anti Farang bank.  During the pandemic some branches were banning Farangs.  They enjoy making things difficult for their Farang customers.

Agree 100%. There is a branch on the ground floor of my condo who refused to let me open an account. Same old BS about work permits and such. I let my Thai coins accumulate until I have a 2 quart jar full. I then go to that branch and have them exchange them for banknotes. I do not separate or count the coins beforehand. The teller has to do all that while I stand there with a smug smile on my face. My little bit of payback.....

[ignis]

Went to 'Trendy Building' picked up my New Passport in December, walked around the corner went to Terminal 21, both Bangkok Bank [2 account] and SCB Bank [2 account] and changed the passport number info...  lots of forms to sign but easy

 

Got no end of problems  10 years ago........  Last time I went to my own Bangkok Bank branch [opened the account in] was 2002

[tomazbodner]

Bangkok Bank asked me to go to my home branch... took a day off to get it done... When at that branch, the very friendly staff asked me why didn't I just go to the HQ which is next to my office...

 

So it's either branch where you originally opened the account or the HQ for BKK Bank at least, and others might be the same.

[AAArdvark]

It is a shame that Thai bank branches are treated almost like separate companies.

I am currently in the Philippines and it is even worse.  The banks are the same way but so are phone carriers.  You have to pay anytime you call a different carrier's number. Most businesses have multiple phone numbers.  One for each carrier. 

[Na Fan]

Most of what is said here is not true at all.

 

It depends on whether the clerk you're dealing with is properly trained or not.

 

Yes, your "home branch" has your old passport details on file. But NO, you do not need to go there to change it, even if you do not have the details anymore yourself.

 

Done it about 2 months ago , with my SCB credit card that also still had my old passport on file, and needed to be updated.

 

The clerk called the home branch and requested a copy of the original passport-copy they had on file. That, combined with a copy of your new passport is enough for them to file the paperwork for the head office in Bangkok to make the change.

 

Took 2 days for the docs to arrive at the local office, she phoned me to come and sign. Done.

 

Ask for another clerk, or if all else fails, ring their call center, explain to them what you need and have them explain it to the clerk (just pass them the phone).

 

 

[john terry1001]

55 minutes ago, Pravda said:

I actually do have my old passport, but it is back in Canada.

So your Government didn't keep your passport then. Get somebody in Canada to photocopy it and email it to to you. Job done.

[willi2006]

17 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

If you had your stamps transferred at immigration when you got the new passport your old passport number will be on the first visa page of your new passport. There should be big stamp that has the info on it.

 

15 hours ago, bbi1 said:

Is this problem only with SCB or with Kasikorn too, or you can go to any branch with KBank to update your passport number?

Three different bank employees required my old passport and sent me to the branch where I opened the account. The fourth knew about the stamp from immigration, didn't require my old passport and didn't send me to the opening branch. It was the person not the bank.

Edited June 26, 2020 by willi2006
typo

[rwill]

2 hours ago, Toany said:

SCB is an anti Farang bank.  During the pandemic some branches were banning Farangs.  They enjoy making things difficult for their Farang customers.

When the lockdown first started I had to go to the bank(SCB)  and they had a sign on the door 'No Farang allowed'  But the manager saw me outside talking to the security guard and told him to let me in.

[cnx355]

I am really careful to make passport updates to all my bank accounts here in Thailand. I even have one in another province and I visit during the year.

I am on my third passport here . Every time I visit the branches and request passport update.

Bangkok Bank have the most paperwork and even if they do change the information on the computer, they have to send all the forms and photocopies to Bangkok.

 

Kasikorn Bank  and Krungsri Bank do not have much paperwork ( no copies for the  Bangkok Main Office  ) and everything is done by computer.

 

Unfortunately I think visiting each branches is the best way not to have problems. And it is important to have a branch were you live even if you keep you main bank account in another province.  I never closed older account when I moved to different area as it is so difficult to open new account now.  I use those account to   save money for insurance payment or for travel saving. When I visit the branches to change passport informations I also bring my older passport in case they ask me. They never did.

Have a good day to all !

 

 

[Aforek]

E

1 hour ago, Pravda said:

 

Some governments don't give you a choice and just take the old passport. Anyway, if the old passport is invalid, how is this a valid proof for the bank? I actually do have my old passport, but it is back in Canada.

 

I am not quite sure what visa transfer and letter from embassy everyone is mentioning. I got none of that. 

The old passport is invalid, yes, but it still has it's number, if the bank wants to see it , it's what they need

there is no passport number on the transfer stamp, neither on the letter bank ( at least SCB ) 

I changed my passport 7 years ago in my embassy in BKK, and the woman cut a little bit the corner of the old passport and gave it back to me ; I have it with me, it can be useful 

[YT3k72Em]

3 hours ago, Straight8 said:

FWIW, Kasikorn are the same.

 

Was asked to go to the branch I opened the account at because passport number has changed.

I had the opposite experience. Recently updated passport number at a different branch of Kbank that I opened the account.

 

Something to watch out for though... if you have credit card or investment funds etc. with them, make sure it gets changed on each system, make sure you tell them, don't rely on them doing it!  Otherwise they'll just update your bank account, then you will find that things stop working online due to "passport mismatch".

 

 

[CM Dad]

Close your account and withdraw all funds then open a new one at a different bank.  I have had no problems dealing with both Krungsi and Kasikorn for the past thirty years using four different passports.

[Caldera]

18 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

If you had your stamps transferred at immigration when you got the new passport your old passport number will be on the first visa page of your new passport. There should be big stamp that has the info on it.

That's what I used with another bank to convince them that they don't need to see my old passport. Worth a shot.

 

[Saltire]

Useful post as I am expecting a new UK passport in a week or 2 (with one more 600 km round trip to pick it up).

 

So far I now know I need to go to the imigration office, then my bank (Krung Thai) and then the DLT office.

 

Are there any other places I need to go to advise of a new passport number?

[Scouse123]

18 hours ago, kwonitoy said:

Go to the bank, withdraw all your money.

Open up a new account with new card and deposit your money.

 

I had the same happen to me, SCB. didn't keep my passport info updated and they wanted to see one from 15 years ago.

I did the above on the advice of the manager at the bank

 

 

I have an SCB account that I don't use that much as bank of choice is KTB.

 

However, they changed my passport requirement, after a load of messing around, to my permanent Thai pink card number.

 

My better half explained that my passport will change, We don't have UK ID cards, so they used my pink Thai card.

[Jane Dough]

Same thing happened to me....except I just gave them my new PP number.

 

They tried to charge me and I called the manager to say I had been a customer since 1985. 

 

They waived it and wai-ed.

 

Rooster

[Surasak]

Had a slight problem with KTB regarding old passport. Wanted the NEXT app on my phone but it wouldn't accept. Went to the branch and the young lady said 'Wrong passport number, one moment'. Did something on her computer asked for my phone. When she returned the phone a minute later she said, 'Is ok now, thank you'. So much depends on the person you see.  

[khunPer]

20 hours ago, Pravda said:

Don't have the old passport. What am I supposed to do? 

You were supposed to change the passport number everywhere you registered with a passport, when you changed to a new passport; i.e. bankbooks, driver's license, various loyalty cards (like Central One) etc.

 

Often it is enough to come with you new passport and bankbook(s) in the home branch and ask them to change – I've done that without any problems, I'm also SCB customer, but it's a couple of years ago now, so rules might have changed – eventually bringing a copy of the old passport's name & number-page; or, as UbonJoe says, show the visa-transfer stamp, if you have one. If your driver's license has the old passport number, you could probably use that as proof; it had been accepted for me by SCB when I didn't bring my passport, which I don't walk around with in a pocket (the police in the area I live recommend not to walk around with one's passport).

 

In SCB – and probably other banks also – you should now be able to walk into any branch and have it done, but that might be a problem without the old passport, or accepted proof the old passport number.

 

If they will not accept to change the passport number and give you a new ATM, then just withdraw the funds and open a new account – you cannot close the old account without the passport, but it will be closed anyway after a while due to inactivity.

 

For driver's license and loyalty cards it has been enough just to show the new passport.

 

If you have more than one bank account, make sure the number is changed on all. SCB says that they can do it the computer system, but if you for example has a shared account (with partner or wife or?); or business account; or fund book account; you will need it to be done each account.

Just for information: Bangkok Bank works little different, here the passport number registration is for each bankbook, and you need to change bankbook to a new, when changing passport number.

[Arkady]

SCB is a real pain. After I got Thai nationality they refused to change my account from farang passport to Thai ID card. They don't seem to have any rules or procedures for things like this. They just phone up someone at head office who gives an opinion off the top of his head - usually "no", if it is something he has no clue about and is to lazy to find out.

 

It was not my main account and I only used to pay off my SCB credit card. So I just waited. After two years I went back into the same branch and the guy said, no problem sir, it will just take a few minutes and we'll issue you a new book with your name in Thai as a Thai customer.  He was as good as his word and didn't call anyone in head office.

 

KBANK I find the easiest. Changing to Thai ID number took less than 3 minutes with the girl just putting my ID card into her smart card read which recorded the changes automatically. No need to change the book because you didn't change your name. The next book will have a Thai name.  I was astonished after torture sessions I had been subjected to at KBANK and BBL.  Thai banks are very different from each other.

[flinc2020]

19 hours ago, J Town said:

I was in a similar situation. My signature had changed over 10 years and they would no longer accept it. I HAD to go to the originating branch to correct it. They are rather pedantic on these matters, and sadly you will most likely have to make the 300 km trip.

Could be worse. Try losing your Chinese debit card in China. I had an account with Bank of China in Zhejiang province (near Shanghai). My employer moved me to South West China (Guangdong Province) A week after I got there my bag was stolen and my wallet was in it.  In China you can ONLY report your card stolen IN THE PROVINCE WHERE IT WAS ISSUED. Even the branches of my bank in Guangdong could do nothing. That meant flying back to Zhejiang to report the card stolen, wait 7 days then go back and apply for a new card (which would have a different account number so mean changing my account details with my employer, accounts I regularly paid etc.). In the end I transferred everything out of the original account into my WeChat wallet then just went to a local branch and opened a new account. Still had to notify everyone of the new account number but I saved myself a 2500 km round trip, air fares and hotel fees for 7 days. Shame Line doesn't have a similar option to the WeChat wallet.

[recom273]

2 hours ago, YT3k72Em said:

I had the opposite experience. Recently updated passport number at a different branch of Kbank that I opened the account.

 

Something to watch out for though... if you have credit card or investment funds etc. with them, make sure it gets changed on each system, make sure you tell them, don't rely on them doing it!  Otherwise they'll just update your bank account, then you will find that things stop working online due to "passport mismatch".

 

 

Yes, Kasikorn are quite good when it comes to accepting new passports and updating the system. 
 

I bet everyone who has been here for a few years has a story - I had a BBK account pre internet banking and smart phones. I lost my card in Hat Yai, and they wanted me to fly 1000km+ and visit my branch to get a new card. Errr .. how? A free flight? I was totally stuck, in the work permit limbo, I couldn’t open a new account, couldn’t transfer or close the account because my book was in Bangkok. Eventually I returned to Bangkok to the bank, showed them the police report, but .. this police report is 9 months old .. Can you go to the local police station and make another .. at the police station on Rama 9 “so, you want to make a report for a card you lost 9 months prior in Hat Yai?” 

[ronaldo0]

Had to get a new card from scb recently as wouldn’t work in atm. I went in and despite me being the only customer in the bank it took a hour to give me a new card !! Country has some of the worst banks and systems I have ever seen. Blows my mind how they function and when I have a problem with a uk bank and call and sort it in a few minutes over the phone it blows my wife’s mind !

[Max69xl]

On 6/25/2020 at 4:03 PM, Pravda said:

 

I'd have to travel 300km

When living in Thailand long term,you never throw away your old passports. Either open a new account if you meet the requirements or call the branch where you opened the account in the first place or call the banks head office hotline and ask them what to do. If you are able to open a new account you just transfer the money from your old account and cancel it if you want. You have the money in the same bank and immigration won't argue about different accounts. 

[Lacessit]

Had no problem updating my passport number with Bangkok Bank and Kasikorn. But then, I had both passports to show them.

Yet another thread where the OP blames someone else for their own lack of nous.

[Skeptic7]

I'd change banks. SCB is strict. They didn't want my money and wouldn't open an account for me 20 years ago. Bangkok Bank no prob. Took my money with a smile. When got my last PP, was able to change info at a different branch, similar to a previous poster.