K bank logic?

[proton]

Went into K bank today to pay 5438 baht into Mrs account with the book. Need passport, asking why they need to see passport, which I did not have on me, and was told it's important. Asking why it was important and just got the blank look, obviously no idea. On the way out thought round it up to 5500 and pay it into the ATM machines outside, no ID needed. Why do they insist on it over the counter but not at a machine?

[StayinThailand2much]

Such passport checks when paying into accounts are random, only at some branches, heaven knows why.

[scubascuba3]

They are just following orders, they aren't paid to think

[foreverlomsak]

Could be just excessive zeal in applying "money laundering rules", which I think will become more prevalent and intrusive.

Also 3 weeks back I tried and failed to deposit money into each of my children's accounts, had my passport with me, but couldn't as I didn't have them with me.

[bkk6060]

Bangkok bank asks for mine all the time for what seems simple transactions.  

[jaywalker2]

Carry a picture of your phone. They'll accept that usually.

[proton]

19 minutes ago, jaywalker2 said:

Carry a picture of your phone. They'll accept that usually.

But they can't photocopy that and get you to sign it ????

[OneMoreFarang]

@proton You ask: "K bank logic?"

 

Why do you expect that there is any logic?

Don't expect logic in Thailand and life is so much easier. 

[VinnieK]

52 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

They are just following orders, they aren't paid to think

They are terrified of being disciplined by the manager.

Explains the insane bureaucracy we have to endure.

 

 

 

 

[connda]

36 minutes ago, foreverlomsak said:

Could be just excessive zeal in applying "money laundering rules", which I think will become more prevalent and intrusive.

Also 3 weeks back I tried and failed to deposit money into each of my children's accounts, had my passport with me, but couldn't as I didn't have them with me.

I try to interact as little as possible with employees of Thai banking institutions. 
Most of what I do can be done online easily.  Thai online banking is superior to my own home country imho.
However, the face-to-face experience dealing with bank employees in my home country is about 1000% better than Thailand. 
Each system has its pros and cons. 

[jaywalker2]

5 hours ago, proton said:

But they can't photocopy that and get you to sign it ????

But they have your deposit slip. The passport is usually just for identification purposes. 

 

Under the government's new money laundering rules, banks are supposed to verify the identity of depositors (or so I was told). The government also planned to have people making deposits at ATM's sign in with their ATM card but temporarily shelved that idea after protests from businesses.

 

On the other hand, it could also be that the banks are taking avantage of this situation to dissuade customers from using the tellers.

[Caldera]

It's 2023, just use your app to transfer money like most people nowadays. 

[proton]

Just now, Caldera said:

It's 2023, just use your app to transfer money like most people nowadays. 

That does not work, Krungsri took 2 hours in Sept to get it working. Since then got a new phone and it does not work when the app is transfered to the new phone, needs setting up again. Have to go in when have plenty of time.

[Stocky]

12 hours ago, proton said:

That does not work, Krungsri took 2 hours in Sept to get it working. Since then got a new phone and it does not work when the app is transfered to the new phone, needs setting up again. Have to go in when have plenty of time.

I transferred my Krungsri KMA app to the new phone without issue; though I'd only changed the phone, not the SIM and number.

[racyrick]

If you think that makes no sense, they ask me every time for my passport when I am making a credit card payment!! What the hell?????? Thailand!!!!!!

[proton]

1 hour ago, Stocky said:

I transferred my Krungsri KMA app to the new phone without issue; though I'd only changed the phone, not the SIM and number.

Mine is the same number, will give it another go

[Mason45]

Hi all, I have several Thai bank accounts and I use KBANK for my auto debits. It never carries large amounts due to security reasons. Anyway I was renting a holiday property and when I decided I wasn't going to renew my contract, I went to the original bank to cancel the power and water auto debits. It took me 8 visits to 3 different KBANK branches before they got it right. My wife did all the talking so they can't say there was a language break down. Cheers.

[liddelljohn]

try going into a bank in Uk , most branches have been closed  Thailand  has some weird systems but plenty of banks you can go in a speak to people ..

[lkn]

On 1/31/2023 at 3:19 PM, proton said:

Why do they insist on it over the counter but not at a machine?

Maybe because the ATM has a camera and records you doing the deposit? So if later the account is flagged as having a lot of suspicious cash deposits, they have video footage from ATM deposits, and copy of passport from “at the counter” deposits, i.e. they have enough information for both types of deposits to investigate further.

 

It’s probably some AML regulation introduced after the invention of the ATM, therefore it is stricter inside the bank, but deemed “good enough” for ATMs, and probably there is a limit on how much you can deposit via the ATM, but not via the counter.

[proton]

14 minutes ago, lkn said:

Maybe because the ATM has a camera and records you doing the deposit? So if later the account is flagged as having a lot of suspicious cash deposits, they have video footage from ATM deposits, and copy of passport from “at the counter” deposits, i.e. they have enough information for both types of deposits to investigate further.

 

It’s probably some AML regulation introduced after the invention of the ATM, therefore it is stricter inside the bank, but deemed “good enough” for ATMs, and probably there is a limit on how much you can deposit via the ATM, but not via the counter.

But every branch has numerous cameras inside and trained on the counters, also you could deposit amounts over and over into the ATM if you wanted to.

[lkn]

47 minutes ago, proton said:

But every branch has numerous cameras inside and trained on the counters, also you could deposit amounts over and over into the ATM if you wanted to.

The cameras inside the branch are not ideal, as they are not synchronized to individual transactions, nor placed to give good headshots of the depositor.

 

That said, AML regulation tend to have a “belt and suspenders” approach, while still not being overly effective: I am sure some regulators pushed for having bank ATMs require a passport or ID card scan for each deposit, but pushback from the banking industry got this limited to “only counter deposits” on the grounds that it would just be too expensive to retrofit all ATMs to have this requirement, so they probably settled on storing the per transaction footage for some amount of time.

 

I have been subjected to a bunch of this AML/KYC stuff, it often seems like a waste of time and with possible ways to circumvent it (if I was actually a criminal), but then at the same time, each time there is a scandal about money laundering or similar, the banks are blamed for having turned a blind eye and even more procedures are introduced to avoid a repeat.