Had read recently that some Bangkok Bank branches were requiring customers with 800K in account for immigration sign letters promising not to withdraw funds for four months after receiving a guarantee letter for extension of stay.

 

Is this still ongoing, and which branches?

 

I'm under the impression this was, so far, Jomtien/Pattaya only.

Check out this thread..,

https://aseannow.com/topic/1368850-alert-bangkok-bank-new-rule-money-seasoning/

Thanks for the link.

 

Seems this is only a requirement for accounts that have NOT been fully funded 4 months prior to the statement.  Should not apply if 800K sits in the account all year.

 

 

We're moving to a new and exciting province, and switching from BKK Bank to Kbank.  Will be depositing 800K in KBank fixed account a few weeks after getting the extension, which will be a few weeks before the extension begins.  Bkk Bank account will be closed after Kbank opened, so 800K will be in an account at all times, with KBank covering the entire year of the extension for next year's renewal.

 

By the way, moving funds between accounts at KBank outside of province can get expensive.  Moved 800K by bank transfer to KBank savings (cannot add fixed accounts to KBank app).  Cost to withdraw from savings is .12% of the balance, cost to deposit into fixed is .10% of the balance, so about 1750 baht to move between my own KBank accounts.

24 minutes ago, NoDisplayName said:

Seems this is only a requirement for accounts that have NOT been fully funded 4 months prior to the statement.

There are mixed reports on that

Some (most) suggest that if funds already in the account then the 4 months then bogus statement from BBL is irrelevant and not required.

I have a PM that was not his experience.

In any event just be careful of the change of banks.

Do not let BBL keep your bank book if you indeed close the account.

You will need docs from both banks for next extension. 

 

33 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Do not let BBL keep your bank book if you indeed close the account.

You will need docs from both banks for next extension.....so two weeks before the extension begins.

 

Will I?  And by docs do you mean bank letters/statements for both accounts?  If just bank book, I could leave 200 baht in the BKK fixed account.

 

The new Kbank account will cover the entire extension, fully funded from two weeks after extension application done 30 days prior to current extension expiry.

2 hours ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

Will I?  And by docs do you mean bank letters/statements for both accounts?  If just bank book, I could leave 200 baht in the BKK fixed account.

 

The new Kbank account will cover the entire extension, fully funded from two weeks after extension application done 30 days prior to current extension expiry.

Next year, you'll need to be able to show you met this year's requirements.  Which means you have to show that you had 800,000 in the bank for 3 months after you received the extension, and it never dropped below 400,000 at any point.

The safest way to ensure you don't run into any problems with immigration is to not touch the money you used for your extension at all for at least 3 months.  Leave the 800k at Bangkok Bank.  Then after 3 months have passed, you transfer 400k to your new KBank account.  Give that a few days to settle.  Then transfer then other 400k over.  This ensures you can show the 800k untouched and undisturbed for 3 months, in the interim you had TWO accounts which were both at 400k concurrently for a few days, and then you had another account back at 800k ready for the next extension.

As mentioned you'll need to be able to show all of the account information for the old account (Bangkok Bank) AND the new account (Kbank) at the following extension.  But then moving forward you can use only the KBank account.

1 hour ago, BrandonJT said:

Next year, you'll need to be able to show you met this year's requirements.  Which means you have to show that you had 800,000 in the bank for 3 months after you received the extension, and it never dropped below 400,000 at any point.

 

The 800K will go into KBank a couple weeks before withdrawing the 800K from Bkk Bank.  So two weeks overlap with 1,600,000 in two accounts.  Balance will never be below 800K at any time.

 

Was planning to deposit into KBank after getting the extension, two weeks before the one-year extension begins.  Was hoping that would be enough for immigration, not that I'd have to show the BKK Bank deposit going back to applying for the extension.

 

Will be using the 800K withdrawn for house construction.....would rather not have to let it sit longer than necessary.  Could withdraw once KBank is deposited, or perhaps after the next extension begins.

1 hour ago, NoDisplayName said:

Was planning to deposit into KBank after getting the extension, two weeks before the one-year extension begins.  Was hoping that would be enough for immigration, not that I'd have to show the BKK Bank deposit going back to applying for the extension.

The 3 month after requirement is from when the extension stamp is issued, not from when it starts.

To show continuation of meeting the requirements using just the Kbank next year, you'd need to deposit the 800K in the Kbank account two weeks before you submit the extension application, then once the extension is granted, use that 800K from Bangkok bank for your house project.

1 hour ago, NoDisplayName said:

Will be using the 800K withdrawn for house construction.....would rather not have to let it sit longer than necessary.  Could withdraw once KBank is deposited, or perhaps after the next extension begins.

Your plan of having overlap of two accounts with 800k in both will work. 

The method BrandonJT outlined is best way to do a swap of banks. 

 

However repeat you will need to show both accounts. 

That means both bank books and to be safe obtain two bank letters and 2 bank statements. 

Thanks...........I may find some other option, but will assume need to provide BBank and Kbank docs next extension.  Won't be able to get KBank deposited 2 weeks prior to extension application.

 

Not that much of an inconvenience if the local BBank branch will provide the letter and statement for an account out of province.  Maybe leave 2000 in the fixed account to ensure it stays active.

 

We'll ask for office specific instructions when we drop by immigration for the initial TM-30 after we get our house number.

6 hours ago, NoDisplayName said:

Seems this is only a requirement for accounts that have NOT been fully funded 4 months prior to the statement.  Should not apply if 800K sits in the account all year.

Correct, I also keep the funds in the account throughout the year, so not affected by this new requirement, however things took a turn on Friday ...................

 

The Roi Et branch of Bangkok bank phoned me Friday and asked if I could visit the branch with all my documents, such as passport, proof of address, if married proof of marriage and any other ID I may have. My wife initially thought it was a scammer calling and urged me to hang up, but she wasn't requesting any information in relation to my account.
It was only July when I updated all information at the branch, and they took photocopies, so the obvious question was why?

Rather than perhaps the answer you may have expected, such as "I'm sorry Sir, but we need you to visit the branch to ensure we have all the current updated information", what she said was "you have until the end of the month to comply, or we will close your account".

I asked what happened to all the copies they recently took and that they also they have a 12 year history of my account transactions they can check.
It's obvious they haven't even bothered to check my account, or she wouldn't have inquired about my marital position, as my wife is a co signature to both accounts and holds a debit card for the Savings account. When I requested her name, she hung up.

 

I rang the Bangkok bank helpline, and they were able to confirm it was indeed a genuine call from one of their operatives from the Bangkok bank branch in Roi Et, but were unable to answer any further questions, stating it was out of their hands and up to the individual branches.
At least the chap I spoke to was polite and apologetic.

To state I'm pissed at their attitude is an understatement, and I intend to contact their head office on Monday regarding the matter.

 

The wife and her two sons have also been contacted by the Government Savings bank re their accounts and asked to call in branch to check their details are up-to-date.
I believe the same is also happening in Vietnam.

10 minutes ago, NoDisplayName said:

Not that much of an inconvenience if the local BBank branch will provide the letter and statement for an account out of province.  Maybe leave 2000 in the fixed account to ensure it stays active.

You can obtain a statement and letter from any branch in any Province.
The 12 month statement has to be order 5 days beforehand.

3 hours ago, Liquorice said:

You can obtain a statement and letter from any branch in any Province.
The 12 month statement has to be order 5 days beforehand.

 

If they can do statement, letter and tax withholding certificate for a closed account, that would be just super.

12 minutes ago, NoDisplayName said:

 

If they can do statement, letter and tax withholding certificate for a closed account, that would be just super.

Previously I used two accounts (same bank) a FD a/c and a Savings a/c.

Half way through the extension I closed the FD a/c.

I had no problem obtaining the bank letter nor any issue with the Bank Statements. 

 

There was an issue in that I let the teller take my closed Bank Book. 

Had a hell of a time at CW immigration. 

Ended up with the senior io at annual extension desk. 

So keep the bank book if you cancel it.