Closing Thai (Bangkok) bank accounts from outside Thailand?

[peter37]

 

After living in Thailand for about 10 years, with a visa extended annually on the basis of retirement, I took my annual intended break to visit my family in the UK for two weeks in early March last year. Well, we all know what happened at that time and I have not dared return as yet. My circumstances have changed significantly and although still able-bodied I would much prefer not to have to travel again in these troubled covid times (which could last a very long time) especially in view of my advancing years. I sent an email to Bangkok Bank underlining the extremity of the circumstances and not very optimistically asked if there might be a way of closing my two accounts with them and having the funds transferred to a UK bank account. I do not have the online banking facility.

Unfortunately, there answer was in line with my expectations:

“As mentioned in your email about you would like to close your account, please be informed that customer cannot close the account without coming into the Bank branch in person. And to close the account only can be done at the home branch. Document required are your valid passport and account book.”

 

Does anybody have any positive suggestions or know of any way round this? Or is it, as I suspect, absolutely an unyielding situation?

 

[couchpotato]

1) Do you not have an ATM or debit card, that you can just use in your country, to draw down the account balance (if its a normal savings acct).

2) But if your (presumably 800k) is in a fixed Deposit account (with only a book) then there is no way to close the account remotely. Thai banks are a stickler for these type of regulations.

Edited December 6, 2021 by couchpotato

[blackcab]

As stated, if you have a debit card, you can withdraw the cash at an ATM in your home country.

 

Consider that you don't have to close the account, you just have to withdraw all (or almost all) of the money.

 

If you don't have a debit card or internet banking it will be almost impossible without returning to Thailand.

 

Banks are extremely cautious of fraud, and somebody contacting them from abroad trying to empty a bank account is about as high on their list of things to be worried about as it gets.

[Jimjim1]

Have you called the London branch of BKK bank and spoken to them?

it must be possible if you take all of your details there surely

[Captain Monday]

Give somebody power of attorney

[scubascuba3]

The bank will close the account when the balance gets low enough and the annual fee can't be paid

[peter37]

A lot of good input on this, thank you.

Captain Monday made a good suggestion. Does he or anybody else have experience/knowledge of being able to arrange power of attorney without actually visiting Thailand (which is of course what I am trying to achieve)?

[ianguygil]

You can send me a PM and I will get somebody to give you the options based on your specific circumstances. I will give you my Bank email. Then you contact me that way on an official Bank channel. Then we can help. Thank you

 

Ian