Should I close my Thai bank accounts?

[Liquorice]

2 hours ago, Bday Prang said:

and are the amounts alleged to be outstanding, based on normal prices or the inflated prices that westerners are charged ?  I assume for dramatic shock horror headlines the inflated figures are used .  Which kind of puts a whole different spin on how much they have actually been left out of pocket.  if at all    

 

 

 

 

My experience is that of a government hospital, standard Thai prices, not inflated.

[Captain Monday]

5 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

You have any evidence for that scaremongering nonsense?

You have any evidence banks or financial services in any country are becoming easier to use or more convenient for the average consumer? 　PayPal was so ”secure ”　it was at the risk of becoming absolutely impossible to use. 

 

[Confuscious]

FWIW, a few years ago I wanted to close a bank account which I barely used.
I was told by the girl at the desk that it cost more (fees) to close the bank account than rather take everything out of that account, but leave 100 baht on that account.
So, I followed the advice of the girl and the account is still open.

[Bday Prang]

1 hour ago, Liquorice said:

My experience is that of a government hospital, standard Thai prices, not inflated.

Did you pay or did you do a runner,?  I wasn't actually questioning what prices people were charged , I was more suspicious of what prices they were using to justify their claim that foreigners have cost them millions,  which quite frankly I don't believe  

[richard_smith237]

12 minutes ago, Bday Prang said:

Did you pay or did you do a runner,?  I wasn't actually questioning what prices people were charged , I was more suspicious of what prices they were using to justify their claim that foreigners have cost them millions,  which quite frankly I don't believe  

 

Indeed an easy claim for the medical industry in Thailand to make.... 

 

It is alleged that the Medical Burden of foreigners in Thailand from unpaid bills is 300 Million Baht 

 

In those reports its very rarely if ever mention that 'medical tourism' is about 24 Billion Baht.

 

i.e the medical burden is about 1.25%...       So any claim that foreigners have cost them millions completely overlooks the profits foreigners have brought....  While of course, everyone should pay their bills, the complaint is still very one sided thinking if you ask me. 

 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

33 minutes ago, Confuscious said:

FWIW, a few years ago I wanted to close a bank account which I barely used.
I was told by the girl at the desk that it cost more (fees) to close the bank account than rather take everything out of that account, but leave 100 baht on that account.
So, I followed the advice of the girl and the account is still open.

 

How about a sunset period ???....   After a certain amount of time of inactivity the account becomes 'inactive' and unusable until reactivated (I had this happen years ago to a Kasikorn account when I left for a couple of years).

[BKKKevin]

15 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

How about a sunset period ???....   After a certain amount of time of inactivity the account becomes 'inactive' and unusable until reactivated (I had this happen years ago to a Kasikorn account when I left for a couple of years).

I'm in the same situation... I left during covid and will return in summer... My Kasikorn accounts are unaccessable from  their website... Can you elaborate on what you had to do to reactivate?... Thanks

[richard_smith237]

3 minutes ago, BKKKevin said:

21 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

How about a sunset period ???....   After a certain amount of time of inactivity the account becomes 'inactive' and unusable until reactivated (I had this happen years ago to a Kasikorn account when I left for a couple of years).

I'm in the same situation... I left during covid and will return in summer... My Kasikorn accounts are unaccessable from  their website... Can you elaborate on what you had to do to reactivate?... Thanks

 

Unfortunately I can't...  This was over two decades ago...  the account had hardly anything in it so I just let it stay dormant... 

I later opened another account instead

 

My guess is to reactivate you'd have to visit the Bank with your Passport etc, but I'm not sure if any more hoop jumping than that is required. 

 

From overseas, I'm not sure what you can do other than contact their helpline and find out the next steps.

[fobuff]

I left Thailand (BKK) in 2017 and kept my Bangkok bank account.

 

Very ideal when visiting Thailand to transfer funds into and then use ATM to take money out.

[BenStark]

1 hour ago, BKKKevin said:

I'm in the same situation... I left during covid and will return in summer... My Kasikorn accounts are unaccessable from  their website... Can you elaborate on what you had to do to reactivate?... Thanks

 

 

If there still is money in the account it will be dormant, and you just have to visit the bank on your return.

 

If there was less than 500 baht in the account it will now be empty and deleted, because after the first year they will deduct a small fee every month until it is empty

[CartagenaWarlock]

22 hours ago, Mike Lister said:

don't buy that explanation for one second, it smacks very much of copying the idea that hospitals are owed millions because foreigners don't pay their bills!

This may be true. On the two occasions I spent overnight in a hospital, I could have easily walked out without paying. I even ask the billing clerk what happens if I walk out. She laughed and ignored my questions. 

[CartagenaWarlock]

18 hours ago, Neeranam said:

If you are worried about having to pay tax here, better to keep them open and actually open more so you can send small amounts to each. However, the many foreigners I know who worry about this are worrying over nothing. 

I don't worry about paying taxes because I don't stay more than 6 months in Thailand, but now I have to count days to make sure I don't exceed a day. 

[CartagenaWarlock]

10 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

.e the medical burden is about 1.25%...       So any claim that foreigners have cost them millions completely overlooks the profits foreigners have brought....  While of course, everyone should pay their bills, the complaint is still very one sided thinking if you ask me. 

This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Does it mean every time a company (e.g., Target in the US) reports their yearly loss due to theft, they should also mention their yearly profits? Or, the insurance industry mentions their yearly loss due to false claims; they should also report their yearly profits and revenue.

Edited January 25 by CartagenaWarlock

[CartagenaWarlock]

18 hours ago, Bday Prang said:

They deserve to be treated with contempt, every single one of them

The same way IOs treat foreigners who have traveled 10,000 miles to find a life in a foreign land living like a refugee (year-to-year contract), possibly using 'wify' visas.

[Liverpool Lou]

14 hours ago, Captain Monday said:

19 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

You have any evidence for that scaremongering nonsense?

You have any evidence banks or financial services in any country are becoming easier to use or more convenient for the average consumer? 　

No, but then I do not need to show evidence of something that was not being discussed.  Our comments related to banks in Thailand and you stated that banks will be closing aliens' accounts...

"In the direction authorities are going accounts will likely eventually linked to a record of visa or extension and as soon as that passes Alien held accounts will be frozen".

That is something that you do not have any evidence for and is nothing but scaremongering nonsense.

[Captain Monday]

1 hour ago, Liverpool Lou said:

No, but then I do not need to show evidence of something that was not being discussed.  Our comments related to banks in Thailand and you stated that banks will be closing aliens' accounts...

"In the dIirection authorities are going accounts will likely eventually linked to a record of visa or extension and as soon as that passes Alien held accounts will be frozen".

That is something that u do not have any evidence for and is nothing but scaremongering nonsense.

Another jab from the now obviously fallible Pandit

 

No, I did never say banks would be closing aliens’ accounts.  Anyone who can read can see that. Thank you for simply putting words in my mouth while quoting me accurately. Proving your assault once again vainglorious and hollow. 

 

I suggested the way things are going they would be linked to the aliens visa, extention or permit to stay. Like is the case in other jusirdictions. Fine Lilliputian colleague, the banks in these countries don’t suddenly close your account. They simply send you a friendly email or letter reminding you to update your visa details prior to their expiry so you may continue to use your account without interruption before it is frozen. And why should anyone worry about that?

 

I am not actually required to prove evidence of my so-called ”scaremongering” whilst I offer hypotheses, speculation or infer  future trends in the banking forum now am I ? 

 

Feel free to continue to participate simply attacking small details of what people post without contributing anything useful or interesting.

Edited January 25 by Captain Monday

[Bday Prang]

3 hours ago, CartagenaWarlock said:

The same way IOs treat foreigners who have traveled 10,000 miles to find a life in a foreign land living like a refugee (year-to-year contract), possibly using 'wify' visas.

          You have picked a very inappropriate time to insult the vast majority of members of this forum, The same members who just a day ago you felt the need to seek advice from and the same members  who , with your best interests in mind ,  willingly gave up some of their free time to advise you to the best of their ability. whilst asking nothing in return..  What a sad, ungrateful, bitter and twisted person you are.  

          Perhaps you would now like to take this opportunity to apologise to those members for any offence you may have caused them

           This is not the first time you have replied to somebody's comment with the same belligerent response,  from the relative safety of behind your keyboard ,you obviously have issues, I suggest you seek help

           Your intention cannot have been to insult me personally, as I have told you several times before I do not reside here on the basis of what you refer to a a wify visa ( what ever one of those is) neither do I "live like a refugee on a year to year contract "    Even if I did, do you honestly think I would be upset by the ramblings of such a morally repugnant human being, one who cant even decide for himself whether or not he should close a redundant bank account,  truly pathetic

 

[Bday Prang]

4 hours ago, CartagenaWarlock said:

This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Does it mean every time a company (e.g., Target in the US) reports their yearly loss due to theft, they should also mention their yearly profits? Or, the insurance industry mentions their yearly loss due to false claims; they should also report their yearly profits and revenue.

On the contrary your reply is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard, No company publishes their yearly loss due to theft ,   Companies do however  publish a yearly   financial report,, which  would of course mention any  profits and losses incurred during the trading period  , it would be an obligation to their shareholders to do so , and any losses incurred would be taken into account when calculating their pre tax profits   

[CartagenaWarlock]

2 hours ago, Bday Prang said:

No company publishes their yearly loss due to theft , 

BS. It's not a SEC requirement, but they do publish (or give press reports from time to time) about their losses due to theft. 
Target said in May that theft was cutting into its bottom line, and it expected related losses could be $500 million US more than last year, when losses from theft were estimated to be anywhere from $700 million to $800 million. So that means losses could top $1.2 billion this fiscal year.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/target-stores-theft-1.6979493#:~:text=Target said in May that,%241.2 billion this fiscal year.
 

[CartagenaWarlock]

2 hours ago, Bday Prang said:

You have picked a very inappropriate time to insult the vast majority of members of this forum,

When ever I see "contempt," derogatory remarks towards Thais, Chinese, and Indians (favorites of this forum), I will remind the members their position in the society they live in after fleeing 10,000 miles from their home country for a better life and possibly a woman also.

[Mike Lister]

Please show respect to fellow posters, thanks.

[Bday Prang]

2 hours ago, CartagenaWarlock said:

BS. It's not a SEC requirement, but they do publish (or give press reports from time to time) about their losses due to theft. 
Target said in May that theft was cutting into its bottom line, and it expected related losses could be $500 million US more than last year, when losses from theft were estimated to be anywhere from $700 million to $800 million. So that means losses could top $1.2 billion this fiscal year.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/target-stores-theft-1.6979493#:~:text=Target said in May that,%241.2 billion this fiscal year.
 

With respect.... you have  disrespected   &  insulted the majority of A.N. members,   so out of respect for those who have helped you    you should issue a grovelling unreserved apology,  Perhaps you should start another thread for that very purpose?  Go on I dare you 

[Rimmer]

Some personal attacks and replies have been removed

[UKresonant]

Best keep accounts open if you can, I would leave approx. 4000 baht in each Thai Baht savings account + any fees for an active ATM etc, just top it up with a 1000baht every year. (Apart from FCD accounts where the typical minimum to avoid disintegration fees may be  $1000 equivalent (+ATM card fees). Avoid the "do you have a work permit?" questions if you need them in future.

[UKresonant]

22 hours ago, BKKKevin said:

I'm in the same situation... I left during covid and will return in summer... My Kasikorn accounts are unaccessable from  their website... Can you elaborate on what you had to do to reactivate?... Thanks

If you left more than say 3000 baht in the account(s) when you left, send a 1000 baht to the account using one of the "free" Fx services to make a transaction on the account. Go into a main branch to get a new ATM card as soon as your back. (think ahead if they ask for a Thai address (no proof needed probably)

 

If you just left a couple of hundred baht, the account likely may be toast.

[CartagenaWarlock]

10 hours ago, UKresonant said:

Best keep accounts open if you can, I would leave approx. 4000 baht in each Thai Baht savings account + any fees for an active ATM etc, just top it up with a 1000baht every year. (Apart from FCD accounts where the typical minimum to avoid disintegration fees may be  $1000 equivalent (+ATM card fees). Avoid the "do you have a work permit?" questions if you need them in future.

I keep sending 100 baht every month to my Krungsri account. 

[CartagenaWarlock]

12 hours ago, Bday Prang said:

With respect.... you have  disrespected   &  insulted the majority of A.N. members,   so out of respect for those who have helped you    you should issue a grovelling unreserved apology,  Perhaps you should start another thread for that very purpose?  Go on I dare you 

I don't agree. I may have reminded a few members of their place in society that allowed them to live a life of comfort after fleeing 10,000 miles from their home lands and then posting derogatory comments about Thailand, Chinese, or Indians in this forum. 

[Bday Prang]

2 hours ago, CartagenaWarlock said:

I don't agree. I may have reminded a few members of their place in society that allowed them to live a life of comfort after fleeing 10,000 miles from their home lands and then posting derogatory comments about Thailand, Chinese, or Indians in this forum. 

well perhaps you would like to show me where I have ever posted unjustified comments on this forum about either of the 3 groups you feel so protective towards. And I very much doubt anybody on this forum has "fled" from their homeland