KBANK refused to let me withdraw from bank account

[Arkady]

I have always considered Kbank as my preferred Thai bank. Until yesterday they were always sensible and easy to deal with.

 

Yesterday I went into a Kbank branch to make a withdrawal from my company account.  I normally prefer to go to the stand alone branches but because it was after normal banking hours I went to a branch in a Big C which is open till 6.00 pm. The teller spent a long time fiddling around with the computer and then got up and left her seat to go into the small office without explanation, leaving me standing for about 15-20 minutes.  I heard her talking to someone on the phone while she was away from her desk but couldn't hear what she said.  Finally she came back with a colleague and explained that it was impossible for me to make the withdrawal because my savings account book had a condition in the back that two authorized signatories were required. She claimed she had spoken to someone or other who had confirmed this was the case. She had looked up information on the company account and found that there was a Thai director (my wife) in addition to myself and asked me if I knew her.  Then she said I would have to come back with my wife to co-sign the withdrawal or, strangely, I could sign a cheque by myself but I didn 't have the cheque book with me.

 

I told her it was absurd because I have never registered my wife as an authorized signatory for the company account at Kbank, even though she is indeed a director and authorized signatory of the company. So how could they demand that she co-sign with me, if the company has never appointed her a bank signatory?  In addition I pointed out that the back of the savings account book merely has space for two authorized signatories, as indeed has my personal account savings book, but it was ridiculous to interpret this as meaning that every account must have two authorized signatories who have to both sign for everything. She refused to believe that I have been making withdrawals from the account alone for the past 20 years and told me that in order to change the condition I would have to go to the branch where the account was opened.

 

Today I went to a stand alone branch near Big C and made the withdrawal with my sole signature as normal.  I told the teller what had happened yesterday at the Big C branch down the road and she just smiled and said "kha, kha", understandably not wishing to get drawn into a discussion about incompetence at other Kbank branches.

 

I can only think that what happened was a combination of racism, incompetence and stupidity.  It is hard to imagine that anyone would really believe that the space for two authorized signatories at the back of every book means that a company must have two authorized signatories who must both sign for everything. It is also hard to imagine that she would have dared try this stunt on a Thai Chinese businessman trying to access his small business account.

[scubascuba3]

First teller was probably correct, 2nd branch probably not as diligent, just use branches with sleepy staff in future who couldn't care less

[DrJoy]

K Bank too is my preferred bank. 

 

Similar thing happened with my wife, I called the HQ on the spot.

 

After 5 minutes, "mai dai" was changed to "Dai pii"

 

HQ number : 02-2220000

 

"Miss know it all" was left red faced after she had to process our withdrawal.

[hotandsticky]

4 minutes ago, DrJoy said:

K Bank too is my preferred bank. 

 

Similar thing happened with my wife, I called the HQ on the spot.

 

After 5 minutes, "mai dai" was changed to "Dai pii"

 

HQ number : 02-2220000

 

"Miss know it all" was left red faced after she had to process our withdrawal.

 

 

That loss of face will never be forgotten.................................

[kidneyw]

Maybe you should have done it the Thai way.

Hand over a note that says, "Give me 500,000 baht please, or I will shoot you ka."

[BE88]

10 minutes ago, kidneyw said:

Maybe you should have done it the Thai way.

Hand over a note that says, "Give me 500,000 baht please, or I will shoot you ka."

The right way to go to prison LOS for 20 years.

[BE88]

Why are you so stressed about what happened to you and yet you should know the country of LOS.

These things happen daily and it won't be your last experience for sure.

[Celsius]

Your preferred branch knows you. The other does not.

 

This is really nothing to get upset about in Thailand. This is normal everyday situation for many people. Banks in Thailand have million stupid rules you know nothing about.

[Lacessit]

If one goes to a branch that has not seen the depositor before, one is always going to be scrutinized more carefully.

Perhaps the real situation consists of the branch the OP goes to regularly, lets the rules slide.

I have two accounts with Kbank, have never had a problem. But then, I don't have a company or a co-signatory.

[Tom H]

Normal in Thailand.

No ploplem, khaaaa.

[Neeranam]

I'd hazard a guess that the teller was Thai Chinese. 

In my experience, they don't like us naturalized citizens.

This case sounds like pure racism to me. 

I had an issue at KTB, where they didn't believe my Thai ID was real, not helped by a Chinese Thai sitting next to me shouting out that she used to work at the MoI and farang can't become Thai. When I questioned her ethnicity, she said that Chinese can but definitely not farang! 

[billd766]

I have a joint bank account with Kasikorn Bank and I ensured that either can sign.

[talahtnut]

14 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

Wow! So many men posting here, and no one post krap, only Khaaa. You though little men, must like to ridicule women much, right. Does it make you high? How would it be if you guys stop think with the third leg and start using what educated people have named the brain.

I'm sure you are wrong,

I love wimmin, they're like race horses,

beautiful to look at, great fun to ride.

But I wouldn't want one in my home.

[edwardandtubs]

1 hour ago, Arkady said:

she just smiled and said "kha, kha"

That seems to have clarified things to everyone's satisfaction.

[Arkady]

32 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

I'd hazard a guess that the teller was Thai Chinese. 

In my experience, they don't like us naturalized citizens.

This case sounds like pure racism to me. 

I had an issue at KTB, where they didn't believe my Thai ID was real, not helped by a Chinese Thai sitting next to me shouting out that she used to work at the MoI and farang can't become Thai. When I questioned her ethnicity, she said that Chinese can but definitely not farang! 

I didn't mention that I was Thai in the post, as it shouldn't have made a difference but it is possible that the teller was suspicious of my Thai ID card, even though it is registered as my ID document in the account and she ran it through the ID card reader.  For sure the teller was Thai Chinese. Thai banks hire almost exclusively Thai Chinese, particularly in Bangkok.

[Arkady]

1 hour ago, Celsius said:

Your preferred branch knows you. The other does not.

 

This is really nothing to get upset about in Thailand. This is normal everyday situation for many people. Banks in Thailand have million stupid rules you know nothing about.

I have a personal account at the Big C branch but I am not a regular there or at the branch where I successfully made the withdrawal. I have had UK banks asking questions like do you know any of the staff at this branch who could verify your identity when trying to cash cheques in the old days but in Thailand they usually seem to just play by the rules.  I once withdraw nearly a million in cash as a foreigner at a branch where no one knew me for a property deal and no one batted an eyelid. As long as they cover themselves with signed copies of your ID, they usually seem happy.

[digbeth]

if it's two signature either both present or either is sufficient, it would be printed/written on the bank book along within the system, plus under UV light, the other signature would show

 

It the text has been there all along that both signature is required, your regular branch has been lax and letting you withdraw 

[Gottfrid]

1 hour ago, talahtnut said:

I'm sure you are wrong,

I love wimmin, they're like race horses,

beautiful to look at, great fun to ride.

But I wouldn't want one in my home.

I real man has spoken, right? I am pretty sure no one wants to stay longer, than until you payed them for their services.

[KhaoNiaw]

1 hour ago, Arkady said:

For sure the teller was Thai Chinese. Thai banks hire almost exclusively Thai Chinese, particularly in Bangkok.

Several of the tellers are from Isan at my local Kasikorn branch in Bangkok (and not Chinese Isanites). 

[Arkady]

1 hour ago, digbeth said:

if it's two signature either both present or either is sufficient, it would be printed/written on the bank book along within the system, plus under UV light, the other signature would show

 

It the text has been there all along that both signature is required, your regular branch has been lax and letting you withdraw 

That is what I thought too. The wife's signature can't possibly show up there under UV because she is not an authorized signatory for the bank and was not with me when I got the new bank book for the company.  The teller acknowledged that I was a sole signatory for the account in the computer and said I could sign a cash cheque by myself. But she was pointing to the legend "2 authorized signatories" printed in the back of the book, as if this was a special condition for my company account, rather than a boiler plate blank.  In the end she was ignoring what I was saying and just burbling nonsense like "Mister you tomollow go to own Kbank branch" in pijin English like a complete retard, despite the fact she could see I am a Thai citizen and I was speaking to her in Thai that was obviously a lot better than her English. 

 

I had to go back to Big C today after and was tempted to go and tell her I had successfully made the withdrawal at another branch but not knowing if she was on duty and the difficulty of getting to talk to her without appearing rude while she was serving customers put  me off.  It is a pity because she will never learn, if no one points ever points out her mistakes and her colleagues at the branch seemed as clueless as she was. I assume they put the worst new recruits to work at shopping mall branches because no one wants to work the later hours. 

 

 

[it is what it is]

 

i use k bank and find them pretty good and helpful, though english speaking staff can be few and far between, next time just give HO a call, they have english speaking staff available and can efficiently iron out any issues.

[lkn]

1 hour ago, Arkady said:

in pijin English like a complete retard […] and was tempted to go and tell her […] It is a pity because she will never learn, if no one points ever points out her mistakes

You sound like a real mature guy…

[StayinThailand2much]

5 hours ago, Arkady said:

I can only think that what happened was a combination of racism, incompetence and stupidity.

K-Bank employees at mall or smaller branches don't always seem to be very competent. Best to ask calling the head office then.

Edited December 23, 2022 by StayinThailand2much

[1FinickyOne]

I was sending money to my wife and at the end of the transaction, the teller asked me for 'permission' - I told her I never needed permission in the past and was sending money - nobody needs permission to send money...

 

we finally figured it out - 'commission - not permission' as there was a fee to send the money. 

[Tom H]

14 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

Wow! So many men posting here, and no one post krap, only Khaaa. You though little men, must like to ridicule women much, right. Does it make you high? How would it be if you guys stop think with the third leg and start using what educated people have named the brain.

Kha.

[steven100]

15 hours ago, Arkady said:

combination of racism, incompetence and stupidity

welcome to Thailand .... 

[persimmon]

Reminds me of when I went to change some money at the local KTB branch . It seemed to take all afternoon , what with waiting half an hour to get to the counter , then every note had to be carefully examined ( several were rejected for very minor blemishes ) then photocopied and the copies signed by me . Wow , what a rigmarole . Never again !

[chuang]

I wonder how was RACISM involved....you being paranoid....HELP

[Rimmer]

A troll post has been removed also an empty multiquote

 

7. Do not quote more than three multiple nested quotes. Only quote the person you are replying to, and only quote the relevant section that you are discussing.

[talahtnut]

15 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

I real man has spoken, right? I am pretty sure no one wants to stay longer, than until you payed them for their services.

And those that don't want to go,

I kick 'em down the road smartly.