Went to our branch of the Bangkok Bank late on yesterday. Brilliant, only three people in front of us and three tellers at the counter.

 

Soon realized two of the tellers are not serving……okay, still not too bad.

 

20 minutes pass and the first guy up is still stood at the counter. Then one of the other tellers gives in and opens up.

 

15 minutes later it is our turn. Just want to deposit some cash into my account.

 

With the wife, as they don’t speak any English, and I am too stupid to learn a fourth language.

 

It is my account, my bank book, my bank card, but because I am with my wife the tellers wants her ID. She makes the wife stand back, remove her mask, then goes and photocopies her ID and makes her sign it back and front, she then stamps it four times.

 

Getting somewhere?

 

We now hand over the cash and she laboriously checks each note under black light, then goes and takes a photocopy of each note, signs each one and stamps each page twice.

 

Getting somewhere?

 

Now she fills in a form and I think I have to sign it….no! The wife has to sign it…..something to do with her ID.

 

Finally I get a form to sign, but have to do it again because I have to print not sign.

 

Getting somewhere?

 

The teller now spends at least three minutes tapping her keyboard and keeps taking info' off my wife’s ID.

 

I am now close to tears.

 

Finally, the teller gives us a load of bits and pieces of paper, which the wife promptly puts in the bin on the way out.

 

Give me strength…..we must have been in there close to an hour.

 

Rant over and feeling much better.

 

Next time, call me.
I take the burden off your shoulders and relieve your off your cash.

ADM? Was the cash in Thai Baht or a foreign currency?

1 minute ago, RafPinto said:

Next time, call me.
I take the burden off your shoulders and relieve your off your cash.

Relax...wife is well ahead of you on that score....

1 minute ago, ColeBOzbourne said:

ADM? Was the cash in Thai Baht or a foreign currency?

Euros......I keep a stash in the boot of the car

4 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

Euros......I keep a stash in the boot of the car

Interesting. Just out of curiosity, what kind of car do you drive?????

Just now, ColeBOzbourne said:

Interesting. Just out of curiosity, what kind of car do you drive?????

5555....

 

We did ponder for a while where to keep it........if we are in a decent hotel we use their safe, otherwise it seemed to be about the safest place!!!!

5 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

Euros......I keep a stash in the boot of the car

Should have kept it there. Few cars stolen here compared to the west.

 

An extreme example of the idiocy of many government and private institutions in this country. We've all been through something similar when getting a statement or changing  phone or electricity accounts. here.  I guess it keeps many people in employment.

Just now, Old Croc said:

I guess it keeps many people in employment.

Yes.....I wondered if that is a major driving force for all the bureaucracy 

3 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

5555....

 

We did ponder for a while where to keep it........if we are in a decent hotel we use their safe, otherwise it seemed to be about the safest place!!!!

Make sure to lock the car:

Greek travellers in Phuket claim 200,000 baht in cash was stolen from their car | Thaiger (thethaiger.com)

1 minute ago, Old Croc said:

Make sure to lock the car:

Greek travellers in Phuket claim 200,000 baht in cash was stolen from their car | Thaiger (thethaiger.com)

Tucked under the spare wheel, which is bolted down underneath a Bose speaker system.........but might just nip out and check it again....555

you probably should have researched which countries have the most, the fastest and the best trained tellers, before moving here... 

Just now, 1FinickyOne said:

you probably should have researched which countries have the most, the fastest and the best trained tellers, before moving here... 

Damn....yes......you are so right....thanks for that.

13 minutes ago, ColeBOzbourne said:

Interesting. Just out of curiosity, what kind of car do you drive?????

Saw him last week at the Head-office of Bangkok Bank.

27 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

Euros......I keep a stash in the boot of the car

That's what I assumed after reading your post.

Still no change in the change procedure.
Same like the 90s.

Bet they wrote down the serial number of each note

Fortunately I don't have the need to change foreign cash anymore.
And if, I would look for a professional money changer.

Bank rates always worse.

Be happy that they took your wife as a proxy.

Don't think what would have happened if they did it with your passport. More copies, more signatures, call central office ...

6 minutes ago, RafPinto said:

Saw him last week at the Head-office of Bangkok Bank.

5555....got the colour spot on

Care for a little episode from the 90s?

A German mate went with his wife to Bangkok Bank with Deutsch Mark (DM) traveller checks.

After a lengthy procedure he went out and was surprised about the remarkable amount of Thai Baht he got.

But joy didn't last long.

Soon after stepping on the road they ran after him.

Sir sir! We changed US Dollar rate but boss found that this is Deutsch Mark

4 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

That's what I assumed after reading your post.

Still no change in the change procedure.
Same like the 90s.

Bet they wrote down the serial number of each note

Fortunately I don't have the need to change foreign cash anymore.
And if, I would look for a professional money changer.

Bank rates always worse.

Be happy that they took your wife as a proxy.

Don't think what happened that they do it with your passport.

Yes.......... the stash was mainly for us to use in BKK. Changing enough each week for weekly expenses with the money changers.......no money changers near home.....'lucky' to have a bank.

2 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

Care for a little episode from the 90s?

A German mate went with his wife to Bangkok Bank with Deutsch Mark (DM) traveller checks.

After a lengthy procedure he went out and was surprised about the remarkable amount of Thai Baht he got.

But joy didn't last long.

Soon after stepping on the road they ran after him.

Sir sir! We changed US Dollar rate but boss found that this is Deutsch Mark

So close.....555

44 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

Give me strength…..we must have been in there close to an hour.

 

Did you have to draw a map to your home....or pose for a photo pointing at the banknotes?

 

 

1 minute ago, Hayduke said:

 

Did you have to draw a map to your home?

 

 

Haven't been there for ages.........been living in a hotel for almost six months now.......but not one good enough to have a safe!!!

I went to pay 20,000 THB into each bank account for my 2 children. They asked for ID, so I offered my Thai Pink card, not acceptable must be a passport for a foreigner.

Different bank I withdrew 100,000 THB over the counter from my account with them, offered the passport not wanted, didn't even check my signature.

Next time - don't take the wife. ????

Imagine you are into ladyboys and walk towards the teller and introduce "him" as your partner.

1 minute ago, Farmerslife said:

Next time - don't take the wife. ????

Exactly......what on earth was that all about? She was only stood next to me???

11 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

Exactly......what on earth was that all about? She was only stood next to me???

An extra person to go after if you were handing out dodgy notes and fled the country I guess.

6 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

Exactly......what on earth was that all about? She was only stood next to me???

I always find that if the wife is present they talk over you. It is as if you are not present or incapable of forming thoughts of your own.  

That said I never take my wife to the bank. The less she knows about my finances, the less tempted she is to spend. ???? 

41 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

And if, I would look for a professional money changer.

Bank rates always worse.

Agree. I usually change large amounts at Visnu, then walk across the street and deposit into the bank ADM.

52 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

Yes.....I wondered if that is a major driving force for all the bureaucracy 

Now .......... here's what you do.

 

At some point, you are going to need to make a Thai baht withdrawal.

 

Find the same official and make the withdrawal with her. When she takes multiple copies of your ID (which she will) start to take photographs with your smart phone of all the notes that she gives you, one by one. (take your time)

Get her to confirm that every note is in fact real (just ask her every single time) and then ask for her ID so that you may photograph that as well.

 

See how she f%&*@ing likes it!  ????

Just now, hughrection said:

Now .......... here's what you do.

 

At some point, you are going to need to make a Thai baht withdrawal.

 

Find the same official and make the withdrawal with her. When she takes multiple copies of your ID (which she will) start to take photographs with your smart phone of all the notes that she gives you, one by one. (take your time)

Get her to confirm that every note is in fact real (just ask her every single time) and then ask for her ID so that you may photograph that as well.

 

See how she f%&*@ing likes it!  ????

Like it.