Bank account frozen

[mikebike]

1 minute ago, GreasyFingers said:

That is good. It has happened to me in the home country but fortunately they told me they were going to do it, so I transferred the money to another bank. Still not a pleasant experience when you have had the account for ten years.

 

How about the first question of the trouble of opening a new account at your local branch. For me they just did not want to do it.

No problem. I moved from Phuket to a small town in NST in 2013. First thing I did was open an account here (no problems, nice folk... but I had met some of them socially as I was considering moving).

[LosLobo]

I had a Bangkok Bank account in Phuket when I lived there years ago and used it seamlessly ever since moving away.
 

That changed -- I had a new passport and needed a new bank book and debit card. My local branch insisted I go back to Phuket. I called Phuket, they said that was nonsense, phoned my local branch — and suddenly it was no problem.
 

Bangkok Bank accounts are national, not branch-locked. You can use them across Thailand. But many branches still cling to the old “home branch” rule. Technically, any branch should be able to do all transactions, but some staff hide behind red tape rather than take responsibility.
 

My advice: call Head Office first, then Pattaya, and only then go into your Khon Kaen branch. Sometimes pressure from above is the only way to get past branch-level inflexibility.

Bangkok Post - Bangkok Bank tightens account rules for some foreigners

[david555]

2 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Then you don't agree to a condition of the transaction knowing that the tie-up is in effect!

So if you wish to stop the ret ext  you should not be in titled to take your own money and leave .....??   How we go call that ....?

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, Hellfire said:

it is impossible to solve “the problem” in Khon Kaen since my bank account is in Pattaya. 20 hour ride now necessary.

Since when has Pattaya been a "20-hour" ride from Khon Kaen?

[Celsius]

1 hour ago, Hellfire said:

I don’t believe they intend to take our money. This is just another example of bureaucracy doing what it does best: creating unnecessary problems for ordinary people. These dehumanizing systems exist only for their own sake and are, at their core, deeply inhuman structures.

 

I advise everyone to keep at least some of their money in crypto stablecoins like USDT. No police, no bureaucracy, no other inhuman social construct will ever be able to arbitrarily restrict your access to what is rightfully yours.

 

I think i know the reason. Did you do anything related to crypto with your account? Thailand 4.01

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, LespaulAN said:

I don't think even for these money grab banks in Thailand they would just take the money from us.

Obviously the banks do not "just take our money".  What's your reason for referring to banks that have done nothing to deserve the moniker as "money grab banks"?

[ukrules]

9 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Then you don't agree to a condition of the transaction knowing that the tie-up is in effect!

 

Nobody agreed to anything here.

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, Hellfire said:

This is just another example of bureaucracy doing what it does best: creating unnecessary problems for ordinary people. These dehumanizing systems exist only for their own sake and are, at their core, deeply inhuman structures.

That's just a pathetic view.

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, Hellfire said:

1 hour ago, WorriedNoodle said:

Are you going by bicycle?

It is not less than 15 hours ride both ways.

Khon Kaen to Pattaya is less than 600km, what are you talking about?

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, mikebike said:

Who's fault is that? If you are living 1400k from you bank

Exactly, but, the think is, he is not 1400km from his bank"

[Andre0720]

2 hours ago, GammaGlobulin said:

 

KhunLa has been very outspoken, and has advised about the risks involved using agents.

Therefore, there is that.

 

So I am sure that he also indicated that all the benefits of using an Agent outweigh a potential risk involved, that might be involved...

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, Hellfire said:

And they lock my funds for weeks just to get this information from me? Unbelievable!

What is "unbelievable" is that you have let it get to weeks rather than going to the bank and sorting it out. 

[Liverpool Lou]

59 minutes ago, Hellfire said:

I once — naively, indeed — thought that a bank was a place where one could keep their money safely. Perhaps they were, once upon a time. But year after year they have turned into soulless bureaucratic machines, caring nothing about their customers’ basic rights.

 

I will definitely be moving more and more of my money into stablecoins now.And advise it to others too.

In view of your banking 'expertise', who would be daft enough to take your advice?

[Liverpool Lou]

57 minutes ago, GreasyFingers said:

Obviously you have never had an account frozen, Wonder how you would deal with it.

Most people would deal with it by following the banks' rules and avoid the frezing!

[Hellfire]

11 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Khon Kaen to Pattaya is less than 600km, what are you talking about?

Come on , I just returned from the trip. 15 hours non stop (two ways).  18+ hours easily with the stops.

[Hellfire]

2 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

In view of your banking 'expertise', who would be daft enough to take your advice?

Are you bored? Have no time now, sorry

[Liverpool Lou]

53 minutes ago, Hellfire said:

the money wasn’t frozen because of any suspicion of criminal activity. It was simply the result of cold, bureaucratic games.

Funny how you're one of the very few that have been affected by these disastrous "bureaucratic games".

[Liverpool Lou]

50 minutes ago, Hellfire said:

54 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

"In a very bad English..."

How is your Thai language skill living here in Thailand?

I didn’t say that as a reproach.

Nah, not much.  Why mention it, then?

[Liverpool Lou]

51 minutes ago, Hellfire said:

I truly respect the effort many Thai people make to speak English with us.

Not in the case of your conversation with the bank!

[connda]

6 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

The reason seems to be you went below the 800k requirement before the 4? months were up, so as suggested above put 20k+ in but maybe too late, will unfreeze at a later date, also they may require other info like sim registration

I don't think that Thai Immigration has an arrangement with Thai banks to freeze money in an account used for proving financial thresholds.  More work for the bank and they do get anything out of it.  Take your ID to the bank and talk to one of those nice people at the desks.  Then you'll know.

[riclag]

42 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

What is "unbelievable" is that you have let it get to weeks rather than going to the bank and sorting it out. 

780k screams a flight & hotel to  Pattaya!

[Liverpool Lou]

32 minutes ago, Hellfire said:

44 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Khon Kaen to Pattaya is less than 600km, what are you talking about?

Come on , I just returned from the trip. 15 hours non stop (two ways).  18+ hours easily with the stops.

Which road route is it that takes 15 hours non-stop, Khon Kaen to Pattaya?   Having lived in both places, I can give you a quicker route (than the one that you are exaggerating about for the purpose of dramatising your OP).

[ignis]

4 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Funny how you're one of the very few that have been affected by these disastrous "bureaucratic games".

Could be many more that have not posted on here !! ?

 

I went into a Big Central  and went to Bangkok Bank, cashier called someone, that call the Manager,  so 3rd time repeated what I wanted, all 3 woman say cannot you MUST go to you own branch, the one that opened the account,,,,, many phone call to so say head office, still the answer was go to your Branch

 

The branch I opened the account at is somewhere near the river not to far from Rama 8 bridge  as I remember last time I was there was 2000  Yes 25 year ago. no idea if is still there ?

Anyway called a Thai friend and he drove to the Bank - took 35 mins _ so we had to go all over it again, the answer was still   NO cannot..

 

Why my Bank book says my 1st name then last name  - My Passport small letters Surname  then Christian name..  how thick are those 3 worman hope there just under 3 hours was worth it..  even showing my Thai DL says the same 1st name and last name  was NO cannot   ...  guess that is what is called saving face ?

 

went across the road to Big C Extra, in and out with new passbook under  5 mins 

 

 

   

[scubascuba3]

16 minutes ago, connda said:

I don't think that Thai Immigration has an arrangement with Thai banks to freeze money in an account used for proving financial thresholds.  More work for the bank and they do get anything out of it.  Take your ID to the bank and talk to one of those nice people at the desks.  Then you'll know.

Bangkok Bank only, been discussed for months

[riclag]

Good luck in your quest to get access to your funds OP.

I wouldn't be able to sleep !

Sincerely 

[Digitalbanana]

1 hour ago, Hellfire said:

How comes this bank and this branch do not know that I am on retirement visa?

It's a bank, not an immigration office. The bank does not follow your immigration status.

[Hellfire]

7 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Which road route is it that takes 15 hours non-stop, Khon Kaen to Pattaya?   Having lived in both places, I can give you a quicker route (than the one that you are exaggerating about for the purpose of dramatising your OP).

 

[GammaGlobulin]

51 minutes ago, Andre0720 said:

So I am sure that he also indicated that all the benefits of using an Agent outweigh a potential risk involved, that might be involved...

 

I really do not know...

 

BUT, I certainly wish he might elucidate his thinking, further....

 

Quite an interesting question.

 

[ronnie50]

2 hours ago, Hellfire said:

But this is exact same bank and branch through which I first got the retirement visa and then got an extension for it one year later. They themselves provided me with the documents for visa agency. How comes this bank and this branch do not know that I am on retirement visa? And they lock my funds for weeks just to get this information from me? Unbelievable!

I've tried to read most of this thread. It's Bangkok Bank - yet again. So glad I don't deal with them.

 

But I'm unclear on this issue of converting a 'tourist visa' to a retirement extension. I thought it wasn't possible to convert a tourist visa (or exemption stamp on arrival) directly to a retirement extension. I was advised to first convert my arrival stamp (visa exemption) to an O Visa and then after that converting the O Visa into a retirement extension. Did you go A to C without step B (w/o getting an O Visa for purpose of eventual retirement extension)? Also, when you were preparing for your extension request at Immigration, did you ask the bank for the two letters (one confirming you are the owner of the account, and the other from the manager stating how long the money was there? If so, the bank should already have all this on record. Can you fax them the bio page and extension plus latest arrival stamp? Again Bangkok Bank really s@cks. The KK branch should be able to fax for you (or send by internal email).

[Hellfire]

10 minutes ago, riclag said:

Good luck in your quest to get access to your funds OP.

I wouldn't be able to sleep !

Sincerely 

Since I haven’t engaged in any illegal activities, I don’t see a reason to be overly worried. My main concern is that reopening the account could take a month—or even longer.