Future Uncertain for Retiree Bank Accounts in Thailand

[Jeffrey346]

I never carry cash anymore. I use QR to pay for everything. Never been charged a fee from BKK Bank or SCB

[lordgrinz]

5 minutes ago, proton said:

Scanners are a pain in the arse waiting in a check out lane, takes some of them forever, don't even get the phones out until it's all been checked out, sometimes not until the assistant has packed the items away. I never scan anything, always have the cash ready.

 

Takes me a matter of seconds, they may have to wait 10 seconds longer for me to enter a Note though 🤪

[Liverpool Lou]

3 hours ago, smedly said:

peaking of Thai banks and charges, I used a QR payment from Bangkok bank the other day to pay for a 250baht bar bill (just to try it out) well it worked ok but I was charged 15baht for the pleasure

BBL does not charge B15 for QR transactions.

[trainman34014]

6 minutes ago, proton said:

Scanners are a pain in the arse waiting in a check out lane, takes some of them forever, don't even get the phones out until it's all been checked out, sometimes not until the assistant has packed the items away. I never scan anything, always have the cash ready.

Spot on.  There should be seperarte Tills for Scanners and make them queue up behind each other !

[Liverpool Lou]

3 hours ago, gargamon said:

K-bank had never charged me a fee to use qr codes. I abandoned BKK bank a couple of years ago when they stopped allowing counter ATM withdrawals.

BBL have never charged for QR payments, either.  

[gravity101]

1 hour ago, CallumWK said:

You can't make a QR code payment if you weren't registered with promptpay already, and you also can have only 1 promptpay account registration, regardless how many banking app you have on your phone.

 

 

No, you cannot make QR code payments using the PromptPay system in Thailand without registering for a PromptPay account; you need to link your bank account to your phone number or ID card to generate a unique QR code for payments through the PromptPay network. 

Key points about PromptPay QR code payments:

Registration required:

To use PromptPay QR codes, you need to register your bank account with your mobile phone number or ID card through your bank's mobile banking app or other channels. 

Scanning QR codes:

When paying with PromptPay, you scan the merchant's QR code displayed at the store using your mobile banking app. 

Instant transfer:

Once scanned, the payment is instantly deducted from your linked bank account.

Not sure thats true. Sending and receiving are different things. Sending money, ie scanning a QR code requires no registration, receiving requires setup as you describe with a phone number etc.

[Liverpool Lou]

3 hours ago, ravip said:

ou mean to say, that all these Thai people, in their thousands, who we see buying food, fruits, etc at the small roadside vendors are also paying 15baht for each transaction?

 

I've never used QR payment in TH, so I don't know.

That's what he posted but it is false information.   There is no B15 per BBL QR payment.

[ScubaGuy]

2 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

 

I thought that the facial recognition thing came out a while back.

It was supposed to be for old and new accounts but the banks struggled to sort their side of it out.

Depends on the Bank at the moment. I changed my phone this year so needed to visit KrungSri and Bangkok Bank to get my Banking Apps working again. I updated my Bangkok Bank Passport with a signature. KrungSri wanted a photo. Took 5 minites so not a big deal.

 

Also, never been charged a fee by the vendor or PromptPay. The only place I use cash for the last couple of years is at the 7-11 and I understand they are starting to accept PromptPay at some locations. Almost all restaurants, food carts, market vendors, food delivery guys have a QR code.  

[Liverpool Lou]

3 hours ago, lordgrinz said:

I use those QR codes with my SCB account, no fee.

BBL is free also.

[VBF]

2 hours ago, potless said:

Totally agree. My view is that if both the banks and governments want cashless, ultimately, it cannot be good for the individual.

A cynical or in other words REALISTIC view with which I agree!

I use Google wallet or cards in UK when it suits ME but REALLY hope the cash option remains available 

 

Cash in Thailand as I only have UK cards.

By the way, a little but anyone know if Prompt Pay can be funded from a foreign card?

[gamb00ler]

3 hours ago, gargamon said:

K-bank had never charged me a fee to use qr codes. I abandoned BKK bank a couple of years ago when they stopped allowing counter ATM withdrawals.

BKK bank didn't stop the counter "cash advances" at all branches.  My local stand alone branch will do them, but the local Big C mall branch won't.  I tried an advance about a week ago.  The bank ran my US debit card through the machine but my US bank declined it.  There had been zero activity on my debit card for 2 years and the bank's fraud protection blocked the transaction.  I verified that the blocked transaction was for the amount I requested.  I've since sorted that out and I will be back to redo it in the next couple of days.

[Liverpool Lou]

3 hours ago, ravip said:

3 hours ago, lordgrinz said:

I use those QR codes with my SCB account, no fee.

 

3 hours ago, Upnotover said:

No, they are not.  And nor do I.

I thought as much.

But, why was the OP charged 15 Bhat for a 250 Bhat transaction?

He wasn't charged anything by BBL for his QR payment.

[smedly]

3 minutes ago, daejung said:

I use QR payment with Bangkok Bank application everything and am never charged any fee

yeah I'm beginning to to think I was wrong and 15baht was for an atm withdrawal I made several days earlier even though it showed up when I made the QR payment, maybe just showing recent transactions, like said - first time i had ever used it, justed testing it out - cheers

[Liverpool Lou]

2 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

6 hours ago, webfact said:

New regulations slated for April 2025 will require biometric authentication, like facial recognition, for opening accounts.

 

I thought that the facial recognition thing came out a while back.

That was for certain levels of transfer using the phone app, not for opening new accounts.

[Hummin]

4 hours ago, gargamon said:

I've got a different take on this. It's the greedy banks who are losing out on all the money they could make if everyone had to use their foreign ATM cards with a 10k limit and a 250 baht penalty each time. They lobby the government to change the rules so people can't open an account and use wise, etc to bring in money where they get nothing. Damn the retirees, we don't care. We want money.

So not all about money laundry, international restrictions and regulations, war on terror, illegal companies and crypto exchange without being taxed? 

 

Thai banks to operate internationally need to comply to international rules and regulations 

[Liverpool Lou]

2 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

 

I thought that the facial recognition thing came out a while back.

It was supposed to be for old and new accounts but the banks struggled to sort their side of it out.

The banks that required it sorted it out successfully, certainly BBL, KTB, Krungsri, UOB and Kasikorn did.

[spidermike007]

One thing that really never gets discussed much here is that the Thai government simply does not want us here. They tolerate us, but they don't not see any benefit to us, they do not acknowledge the fact that we bring in two to five times as much money per month as the average Thai person earns, and they do not consider us to be a plus for their nation, on any level.

 

So one does have to wonder if things will change in the future. 

[Liverpool Lou]

2 hours ago, ronnie50 said:

I seem to recall the banks had no facility to do the face recognition for foreigners (because they could only enter Thai ID numbers, not passports into their facial recognition system). Maybe they worked it out. Dunno.

BBL. Krungsri, UOB and KTB have the facility.

[wensiensheng]

2 hours ago, Robert_Smith said:

What about when transferring some money to a local brass??

 

Best regards,

Bob.

Maybe he doesn’t use prostitutes. Not everybody does

[daejung]

4 hours ago, gargamon said:

They lobby the government to change the rules so people can't open an account and use wise

If it happened, I would bring cash as before and deposit it once changed into bahts.

I will never make any transfer to Bangkok Bank without using wise. Their rate if exchange is very bad and they charge fees. 

 

As for daily expenses I would use my Wise Visa card instead of my Bangkok Bank debit card

[lordgrinz]

1 minute ago, spidermike007 said:

One thing that really never gets discussed much here is that the Thai government simply does not want us here. They tolerate us, but they don't not see any benefit to us, they do not acknowledge the fact that we bring in two to five times as much money per month as the average Thai person earns, and they do not consider us to be a plus for their nation, on any level.

 

So one does have to wonder if things will change in the future. 

 

They look at us as ATM's, nothing more. Thailand has no future, the Dinosaurs still rule the Kingdom, they like it that way.

[newbee2022]

3 hours ago, smedly said:

option for cash these charges are going to go up because you will simply have no alternative,

Have s deal with your bank: flat rate or certain number of transactions for free

[CecilM]

Bangkok Bank just informed me that foreigners may only have ONE account per person.

So until the gov't steps in (like forcing banks to be responsible for scammers' accounts) things will continue to be convoluted for foreigners who have a legitimate reason for an account. 

[Liverpool Lou]

2 hours ago, Old Croc said:

With this new documentation the bank relented and allowed me an account, albeit restricted in amounts transferred because I'm over 75 and not to be trusted with my own money.

Can you explain what that means please, what age-related transfer limits were imposed and which bank?    Are you referring to facial ID being needed for transfers in excess of B50k?

[gargamon]

24 minutes ago, Seeall said:

Well you are fine then with your bank forever and they will never put it up or change anything will they

If they do I'll do the same as I did for BKK bank and abandon them. There's always another way anyway. Lately I've been using a US credit card with no foreign transaction fee for most purchases. Then there's the Schwab ATM card also with no foreign transaction fee and they pay the ATM fee.

[spidermike007]

2 minutes ago, lordgrinz said:

 

They look at us as ATM's, nothing more. Thailand has no future, the Dinosaurs still rule the Kingdom, they like it that way.

I agree with the first half of your sentiment, but the latter half I believe will change.

 

I do believe that the youth will eventually kick out the dinosaurs, they are not needed, they are not required, they bring absolutely nothing to the table, they are obnoxious, they are arrogant, they are ignorant, and they are all empty suits.

 

Perhaps the time has come for them to move on, they can spend their billions overseas in exile. Just wait and see. 

[AAArdvark]

3 hours ago, smedly said:

speaking of Thai banks and charges, I used a QR payment from Bangkok bank the other day to pay for a 250baht bar bill (just to try it out) well it worked ok but I was charged 15baht for the pleasure, Thai people think cashless is something to brag about, they may need to think again if banks are going to charge like this for every transaction and it might be 15baht now  (which IMO should be free)  but when you have no option for cash these charges are going to go up because you will simply have no alternative, the banks really will have you by the $$$$$.  I am personally 100% against cashless - there is only one winner  and it ain't us. 

I have recently moved to Cambodia. I never pay with cash. Even for a single beer, typically $1. Every place, including street vendors, have a QR. Always free. 

[lordgrinz]

Just now, spidermike007 said:

I agree with the first half of your sentiment, but the latter half I believe will change.

 

I do believe that the youth will eventually kick out the dinosaurs, they are not needed, they are not required, they bring absolutely nothing to the table, they are obnoxious, they are arrogant, they are ignorant, and they are all empty suits.

 

Perhaps the time has come for them to move on, they can spend their billions overseas in exile. Just wait and see. 

 

It will happen, slowly, more than likely long after everyone here on AN has passed on to the afterlife.

[Liverpool Lou]

2 hours ago, Moonlover said:

AI Overview

 

Key points about QR code payments in Thailand:

 

No transaction fees:

Most banks in Thailand, including Krungthai Bank, Bangkok Bank, and Siam Commercial Bank, do not charge a fee for using QR code payments.

 

Cross-border payments:

You can also use QR codes to make cross-border payments to other ASEAN countries without incurring additional fees.

 

So what are you banging on about @smedly in your (off topic) post?

He was posting a fabricated situation in order to have yet another Thai-bash.  As you stated, there are no charges for QR transactions.

[daejung]

3 hours ago, smedly said:

really ?

 

I don't know enough about it to conclude who charged 15baht, I always leave a 20baht tip, need to look further into it, food for thought

Check the confirmation receipt issued by Bangkok Bank Application. It is saved on your phone.

 

Fee, if any, is mentioned at the bottom left.