Leaving Thailand for 3 years - How to prep bank account

[chrisdunn]

I will be leaving Thailand shortly and not returning for a few years. I have a bank account with debit card. I want to keep it secure but remain active as I will need to make small transfers online once in a while. My current address and phone number will become obsolete ( I am receiving regular text messages about bank balance/ activity at the moment).

 

Any advice on things to consider? 

 

[BritManToo]

Keep your phone number active.

Continue to use your account via phone app while away.

[scubascuba3]

Ensure app and online account is set up. If phone needs replacing probably best to do before you go, sometimes installing app on a new phone abroad can be a problem

[chrisdunn]

Thank you both.

 

I have bank app on phone and online banking seems to work without the sim. I have never used ais app but will look into it.

 

 

[NoDisplayName]

Check with the bank to confirm the minimum amount to avoid finance charges.

Have enough in the account to cover annual debit card fees.

If you have two accounts with online access, you don't need to use an app.  You can move cash between the accounts to show activity.  You won't need an OPC text code for this.

Otherwise, have transferwise set up so you can occasionally send $50 or so to show activity.

[Kenny Boy]

You can keep the app on your phone if you change to a non Thai sim,as long as you keep the same phone.

If you change your phone you won’t be able to download the app again.

I have recently returned to Thailand after a 3 year stay in the UK and kept the account active using the app.

Obviously the banks texts will cease,which is no great loss.

This is with SCB.

 

[CMBob]

Presuming you can, change the bank alert deal to email.  That's how I get alerts from SCB and Bangkok Bank.

As long as you do some activity every year (transfers or even wire over an amount), I don't see why there would be any issue

keeping the account "active."

[scubascuba3]

2 minutes ago, Kenny Boy said:

You can keep the app on your phone if you change to a non Thai sim,as long as you keep the same phone.

If you change your phone you won’t be able to download the app again.

I have recently returned to Thailand after a 3 year stay in the UK and kept the account active using the app.

Obviously the banks texts will cease,which is no great loss.

This is with SCB.

 

Op should cancel the texts anyway, usually around 200 baht a year, not necessary really especially if out of country

[Caldera]

4 hours ago, chrisdunn said:

My current address and phone number will become obsolete ( I am receiving regular text messages about bank balance/ activity at the moment).

Your address shouldn't matter, but it would definitely be a good idea to keep your phone number alive, which is easy to do even from outside Thailand (been there, done that). Depending on your bank, some transactions may require OTP confirmation etc. Double checking that you have roaming activated before leaving might also be a good idea.

 

As you'll have account activity, you won't risk having your account closed as dormant. 

[david555]

Try to get a new debit card short befor departing as could expier in your absence of Thailand .....example put it in hot washing machine???? ....excuse i forget to take out of shirt pocket ???? So you have a long valid period.....????

[LukKrueng]

1 hour ago, david555 said:

Try to get a new debit card short befor departing as could expier in your absence of Thailand .....example put it in hot washing machine???? ....excuse i forget to take out of shirt pocket ???? So you have a long valid period.....????

Or simply say you forgot the PIN and need a new card...

[david555]

4 minutes ago, LukKrueng said:

Or simply say you forgot the PIN and need a new card...

Are you sure they can not let you put a new pin ...?

My E.U. traditional  bank can even send me a new pin , or if local in home country on bank desk it can be done ....

 

Once even by a special tutorial on phone after i made an appointment with them  to ring me ...., some security questions and then must  go scan a Q.R. in online banking , but that was my Home country online only bank

[Moti24]

6 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Ensure app and online account is set up. If phone needs replacing probably best to do before you go, sometimes installing app on a new phone abroad can be a problem

I had the same problem with my UK bank; couldn't download the updated app.  But I used a VPN, and was able to download successfully.

[scubascuba3]

16 minutes ago, Moti24 said:

I had the same problem with my UK bank; couldn't download the updated app.  But I used a VPN, and was able to download successfully.

Presumably you still had you Thai mobile number? which bank

[LukKrueng]

15 hours ago, david555 said:

Are you sure they can not let you put a new pin ...?

My E.U. traditional  bank can even send me a new pin , or if local in home country on bank desk it can be done ....

 

Once even by a special tutorial on phone after i made an appointment with them  to ring me ...., some security questions and then must  go scan a Q.R. in online banking , but that was my Home country online only bank

Last time I couldn't remember the PIN and was locked out of the account all they could do is reset the count and let me try the PIN again. After several attempts, when it became obvious I won't get it right they said they can only issue a new card to solve the problem

[ThailandRyan]

17 hours ago, CMBob said:

Presuming you can, change the bank alert deal to email.  That's how I get alerts from SCB and Bangkok Bank.

As long as you do some activity every year (transfers or even wire over an amount), I don't see why there would be any issue

keeping the account "active."

I did this with SCB when we moved to the US so the daughter could grow up in the US going to school over there.  What I did with SCB was installed the SCBeasy.com website on my computer, and would log in from there.  Of course I needed an OTP since I only had the app on my cell phone, and since I was in the US I could not get one on the US phone so I called the SCB service center, and they were able to assist. It took providing them with verified ID and such, but in the end I could transfer from one savings account to another and kept the accounts active.  When we would make the trip back once every two years as a family I would use the account while in Thailand.  I would suggest doing this prior to leaving Thailand by going into the bank and getting all of your log in credentials taken care of.  I have since returned to Thailand and left SCB and went to Kasikorn K-Bank, where the phone app is superior and I have had no issues when I travel back and forth to the US.

[ThailandRyan]

24 minutes ago, LukKrueng said:

Last time I couldn't remember the PIN and was locked out of the account all they could do is reset the count and let me try the PIN again. After several attempts, when it became obvious I won't get it right they said they can only issue a new card to solve the problem

This just happened with my K-Bank Debit card, I still had an old unchipped card......

[CMBob]

4 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

I did this with SCB when we moved to the US so the daughter could grow up in the US going to school over there.  What I did with SCB was installed the SCBeasy.com website on my computer, and would log in from there.  Of course I needed an OTP since I only had the app on my cell phone....

Am presuming you mean you just bookmarked the SCB website and logged in from there.  I've never needed an OTP to do that and, come to think of it, don't need one to get into the mobile (android) app either. 

[ThailandRyan]

Just now, CMBob said:

Am presuming you mean you just bookmarked the SCB website and logged in from there.  I've never needed an OTP to do that and, come to think of it, don't need one to get into the mobile (android) app either. 

Yes that is what I meant bookmarked it and set it on my desktop.  I needed an OTP when they updated the system a few years back and the issues I had was why I dropped SCB and went with K-Bank, that and I had to close the accounts as the now ex-wife was on them and could not be removed.

[Photoguy21]

Get international roaming for your number then you can use it anywhere

[brianthainess]

On 8/6/2022 at 2:54 PM, scubascuba3 said:

Op should cancel the texts anyway, usually around 200 baht a year, not necessary really especially if out of country

but keeps the account active.

[Nemises]

41 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

but keeps the account active.

Not with the BKK bank it doesn’t!

 

To keep your account active with the BKK bank your balance must be kept over 2,000b - or one transaction per year if under 2,000b. 

An sms from them does not constitute a transaction. 
 

 

[KonaRain]

2000 baht? No problem and BKK has better app for travel? Aloha Guys

[Moti24]

On 8/6/2022 at 7:04 PM, scubascuba3 said:

Presumably you still had you Thai mobile number? which bank

I use my UK number for dealing with UK banks.  Try TSB: I had no problem downloading and using their app.  

 

The problem is that since Brexit most banks don't want to play now, and are gradually closing accounts without a UK address.  You may be lucky, but they all need a phone number for 2 step security.  

 

 

[HappyExpat57]

Anyone know if you can use the SCB OCR scan app on a phone if you swap out for a US sim card while traveling?