Confusing email from SCB. What does it mean?

[DurianManThailand]

The Bank would like to review such notification to be as follows:

To uplift financial transaction security, the Bank has discontinued your waiver of identity verification by using face recognition via SCB EASY App. Please use the following alternative channels as follows:

1. Funds transfer or top up to other person's account or to other bank's account from 50,000 Baht per transaction or each of total 200,000 Baht per day can be made via SCB branch or ATM.
2. Increase funds transfer or top up limit from 50,000 Baht per day, please contact SCB Call Center 02-777-7777.
3. Install SCB EASY App on new device or existing device, please contact SCB Call Center 02-777-7777.

Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. If you have any inquiry, please contact SCB Call Center 02-777-7777.

[Mattd]

It means exactly what it says, SCB removed the waiver for facial recognition that was in place for foreign ban account holders, mine was removed on 16th June (it seems they staggered dates, so others were earlier and other later).

 

As of the date they say, you will no longer be able to make a transaction over over 50,000 THB using SCB Easy.

 

If you have to make such a transaction, you must call them and ask permission, once granted you have one hour to make the transaction, a call has to be made for every single transaction over 50,000 THB.

 

It is possible to transfer funds up to 49,900 THB to the same person, to a maximum of 200,000 THB per day, essentially 4 transactions.

 

Email received from SCB by another customer:

 

Firstly, we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused and for the delay in our response.
Regarding your email, SCB has canceled the facial recognition waiver in order to comply with regulations set by the Bank of Thailand.
At present, our system does not yet support facial recognition for foreign customers. 
Once facial verification becomes available for foreign customers, we will make an official announcement and invite foreign clients to complete identity verification at SCB branch again.

You may continue using the app as usual without visiting an SCB branch for facial recognition, as long as your transfers do not exceed the following limits:
- Up to 50,000 THB per transaction, or
- A total of 200,000 THB in transfers per day

For transactions exceeding these limits, please be advised of the following:
If you require a temporary bypass for facial recognition, you may:
- Contact the SCB Call Center at 02-777-7777 (press 9 for English), provided that you hold an active SCB debit card with PIN verification.
- If you do not have a debit card, please visit your nearest SCB branch with your passport and bank passbook to request the exemption.

Please note: The temporary bypass is valid for one (1) hour and will be automatically canceled thereafter. However, you may request this exemption as often as needed.

Alternatively, you may also complete your transactions through other available channels, such as ATMs, CDMs, VTMs, or by visiting any SCB branch at your convenience.

We sincerely appreciate your trust in SCB to assist you. If you have any further inquiry, please do not hesitate to contact the SCB Customer Service Center via email at customer_service[at]scb.co.th, available 24 hours a day.

"Please take care of your health during this period of frequent weather changes."

Yours sincerely,
SCB Customer Center

[JackGats]

Why does the system not work with foreign faces? This must be because we have weird facial features compared to the Thais.

[Crossy]

Just now, JackGats said:

Why does the system not work with foreign faces? This must be because we have weird facial features compared to the Thais.

 

No idea, it works (reasonably) well for Bangkok Bank.

 

Actually, I believe it's more to do with not being able to handle the various formats of passport numbers.

 

[Mattd]

2 minutes ago, Crossy said:

 

No idea, it works (reasonably) well for Bangkok Bank.

 

Actually, I believe it's more to do with not being able to handle the various formats of passport numbers.

 

From what I understand it is how the banks interpretate the BOT rules, they say that the facial recognition side is something to do with the CHIP system used together with the Thai ID card.

 

BBL etc. seem to have a different take on the rules.

 

To be honest, I don't see why SCB can't ask the account holder to come to the bank with positive photo ID (passport registered to the account) and then take a photo to store in a database, which I imagine is how BBL did it?

[ukrules]

They do facial recognition on my ABA account in Cambodia and it works perfectly well.

Can't you pop down to the local branch and get them to set it up for you like all the Thais?

[Mattd]

4 minutes ago, ukrules said:

They do facial recognition on my ABA account in Cambodia and it works perfectly well.

Can't you pop down to the local branch and get them to set it up for you like all the Thais?

No, this question was asked of SCB and as posted earlier, they say it is to do with the system Thailand uses for their citizens, basically, the facial recognition for a Thai is done through a database connected with the ID card system.

 

Now, why they can't just have a separate database for their foreign customers I've no idea!

[Photoguy21]

Banks do not usually send emails unless it is just general information. This doesn't have much info in it and it is for information. All the same I would check with the bank. If it is not actually from the bank the action of opening it could have undesirable consequences.

[MarkT63]

I got something similar and went in to my SCB branch on Phuket last week to try to sort.

No mention of facial recognition. Bank assistant just said the bank was restricting foreigner transactions to max 50,000 baht per time. Anything more and you would have to call the bank to arrange.

When I said that was not very customer friendly she just shrugged and said new bank policy.

[topt]

3 hours ago, Photoguy21 said:

Banks do not usually send emails unless it is just general information. This doesn't have much info in it and it is for information. All the same I would check with the bank. If it is not actually from the bank the action of opening it could have undesirable consequences.

Another thread already running -

 

[ronnie50]

I guess we can still make a large bill payment (over 50k) in one go? I looked at 'terms and conditions' and it still says up to 2 million.

 

Also to clarify, the 'facial recognition' was for transfering to someone else's bank account (not a bill, etc.), higher than 50k right? Not just to log in to the app? 

[topt]

2 hours ago, ronnie50 said:

I guess we can still make a large bill payment (over 50k) in one go? I looked at 'terms and conditions' and it still says up to 2 million.

 

Also to clarify, the 'facial recognition' was for transfering to someone else's bank account (not a bill, etc.), higher than 50k right? Not just to log in to the app? 

Personally I think you are clutching at straws. 

If you want to make any payment of more than 50k baht via the SCB Easy app you will need to ring their helpline and arrange it as mentioned earlier in the thread.

 

[zz4096]

5 hours ago, Mattd said:

No, this question was asked of SCB and as posted earlier, they say it is to do with the system Thailand uses for their citizens, basically, the facial recognition for a Thai is done through a database connected with the ID card system.

 

Now, why they can't just have a separate database for their foreign customers I've no idea!

 

Most likely because it would cost more and why they do that for the dirty foreigners who don't shower? 🤣

[Soondae]

I went to SCB after receiving said message and was told they are still trying to figure out how to handle the facial recognition issue with foreigners. And I was told same as others have mentioned that I can make multiple transactions of 49,XXX per day or call to clear a large transaction. A shame as I preferred to use SCB for my swift transfers and large payments due to the better exchange rates they offered.

 

On a similar note, I needed to visit the Kashikorn local branch on Friday (was inquiring about a debit card issue I had) and was asked for my bank book, passport and Debit card, the agent processed an update to my account adding facial ID (photo taken with her tablet), gave me an updated bank book and told me from now on I will need to use facial ID as a second security measure when making large transfers. So K bank figured out how to do it, also it seems BBL has as well, I will visit them on Monday to sort this out with BBL.

 

SCB is behind on this issue, I'm sure they will figure it out soon.

[VBF]

1 hour ago, Soondae said:

<snip>

 

SCB is behind on this issue, I'm sure they will figure it out soon.

Pardon the pun, but I wouldn't bank on it.

They will only do something (IMO) if they start to lose valuable customers ie those with millions on deposit.

[DFPhuket]

I also received an email and a text message, but mine said: 

 

"Your waiver of verification by face recognition has been cancelled. Please bring your ID card and mobile phone registered with the Bank, and contact the Bank's branch or channel prescribed by the Bank to take a photo of your face to be used for verification by face recognition for making transaction pursuant to conditions prescribed by the Bank in the next time."

 

So I dutifully went to the SBC branch in Phuket, waited 40 minutes to speak with someone, showed them the email, and it resulted in a lot of people talking back and forth in Thai. Someone called the bank help line and handed me the phone and the person apologized that face recognition for foreigners wasn't available. I testily asked, "So why did you send me an email and tell me to do it?" The person apologized again and told me I received that email in error.

 

Duh. 
 

[chilly07]

Bear in mind facial recognition is hit and miss and v unreliable.I have never been able to work BB's facial recognition since installed by my branch for many years. 'take off face coverings' includes glasses makes it impossible to follow subsequent instructions

[CallumWK]

On 6/19/2025 at 2:32 PM, Mattd said:

they say it is to do with the system Thailand uses for their citizens, basically, the facial recognition for a Thai is done through a database connected with the ID card system.

 

If that was true then other Thai banks would also not be able to implement it, though several Thai banks have it for foreigners.

[RocketDog]

While I understand all the frustration and irritation of folks on this thread it's important to keep three things in mind:

1. This applies only to the mobile app.

2. Many Thai people are being scammed into transferring large amounts to external bank accounts, those unknown to your bank

3. Mobile apps with or without facial recognition invite funds theft if the phone is lost or the owner being hostage. 

 

In view of this it's clear (to me) that the banks are not doing this to irritate or discriminate against non-thai folks. These are guard rails to minimize problems for the banks and their customers as the internet becomes a more dangerous playground daily.

 

As one reply tried to say:

Stop clutching your pearls over a minor inconveniece.

 

Personally I have never had nor ever will have any app that can access my assets directly on my phone. It is simply not worth the risk to me for the minor convenience it offers.

 

Society is paying in manifold ways from poor nutrition to  environmental damage to risky banking all for the sake of 'convenience'. As if saving scant minutes here or there will grace them with the time to finally conquer the universe as they planned.

 

Nobody puts their seat belt or helmet on on just before they have an accident. Putting it on as soon as you enter the car is tolerable to you or it's not.

 

[boloaf]

2 hours ago, chilly07 said:

Bear in mind facial recognition is hit and miss and v unreliable.I have never been able to work BB's facial recognition since installed by my branch for many years. 'take off face coverings' includes glasses makes it impossible to follow subsequent instructions

Same here. Take off glasses look at fone. Message pops up, put on glasses; quickly read message, take off glasses blink slowly three times. Put on glasses, read message, take of glasses smile showing teeth. Put on glasses to see if I've been successful. Took me about a dozen goes the other day to increase my transaction limit with BBL.

[sikishrory]

On 6/19/2025 at 2:32 PM, Mattd said:

No, this question was asked of SCB and as posted earlier, they say it is to do with the system Thailand uses for their citizens, basically, the facial recognition for a Thai is done through a database connected with the ID card system.

 

Now, why they can't just have a separate database for their foreign customers I've no idea!

Everyone has their photo taken on entry to Thailand. You'd reckon there might be something in that. If they bothered. 

[brewsterbudgen]

1 hour ago, boloaf said:

Same here. Take off glasses look at fone. Message pops up, put on glasses; quickly read message, take off glasses blink slowly three times. Put on glasses, read message, take of glasses smile showing teeth. Put on glasses to see if I've been successful. Took me about a dozen goes the other day to increase my transaction limit with BBL.

Yes, it is tedious, especially for glasses wearers.  That said, each time I've had to use it (to my 6-monthly rent) it has worked eventually!