Went into CW this morning to apply for my Visa extension based on marriage and in support of that, although money has been in my Bangkok Bank account just under 3 months and by the time I need to go back for the stamp will be well over 3 months there is no issue with immigration. However, it appears that by asking confirmation letter as usual from Bangkok Bank and paying not the usual fee as in previous years, (earlier this year in March  the fee was only 100 baht but today it was 200 baht)  they blithely informed me that my account would be locked until April to maintain the 400,000 baht balance. Indeed my on line app now shows only an available balance over the 400,000. 

 

They gave me some garbage story that this was in case I had borrowed the money and as soon as I got their letter I would pay it back although my account has been at or close to the 400,000 for over 10 years. It goes beyond saying I am very very angry at the injustice of this but the bank just smugly ignored my complaint, I either agreed or no letter and thanks for the 200 baht fee! So I was effectively held to ransom over my visa extension by the bank.  Had I known this ahead of time I would not have got the letter just provided proof via bank books and photocopies showing the balance.  Like others, during the year I often need to use that money as my safety net, always bringing the balance back to 'season' the money in time for the Immigration appointment. 

 

I want to close the account as I have a Kasikorn account as well, indeed I now use Kasikorn to receive my pension money because where Bangkok bank take their time, hours or days, Kasikorn transfers take seconds only from the UK via Wise. So I intend to see if Kasikorn have the same rules and if not I will close my Bangkok Bank account - always assuming they actually allow me to do that with their 4 month account lock of my 400,000. 

 

The poor sod at the next window was told they are locking his money for 6 months - where the hell do these people get off? 

 

So a heads up people  - once your money is in the bank it seems it may no longer be yours, at least for a time. 

 

Meanwhile, do I have to get a bank letter or is it sufficient to show my bank book balance with photo-copies to satisfy CW Immigration? 

10 minutes ago, cliveshep said:

So a heads up people  - once your money is in the bank it seems it may no longer be yours, at least for a time. 

This has been reported on  before  earlier this year  due to  'rouge' bank staff  in Pattaya  being caught out  so now the customers suffer.

 

I would advise moving your money to another bank as soon as they unfreeze it..maybe keep a token amount in there just to have the option to use it if desperate...very desperate !!

 

Kasikorn has non of these shenanigans..yet !!!

 

I think you do always need to provide  the bank letter  if you are doing the 400,000 + baht in the bank method   but maybe CW is different I don't use them.

It is hard to understand BBL's logic:

The money in your account is your money. 

If you ask for a bank statement letter they should provide it for the fee just like all the banks do.

It is not BBL business to lock your money up for a period of time.

If Immigration has any concerns on the amount in one's bank account as shown in the bank statement letter, it is Immigration's prerogative to ask/question. It is not BBLs business to get involved in one's Immigration matters.

Surely what BBL is doing is wrong. Is it even legal?

Some body (legal, embassy, whatever) needs to pick the ball up for all expats suffering at the hands of BBL, and challenge the right of BBL to act in the way they are doing. I was hoping the American lawyer guy on YouTube or one of the Pattaya newspapers might pick up the ball.

 

SCB has none of this nonsense.

My wife phoned Kasikorn Bank where I have an account as well, it seems they do not have the same requirement yet but expect to sometime next year. 

1 minute ago, cliveshep said:

My wife phoned Kasikorn Bank where I have an account as well, it seems they do not have the same requirement yet but expect to sometime next year. 

Yes it's Bangkok Bank only, as reported on here and facebook months ago

Do I HAVE to have a letter from my bank proving my 400,000? I ask because Bangkok Bank have locked my 400,000 baht until 

April after I paid 200 baht (a100% increase since March) for a letter for my Marriage Visa extension this morning. The money is already almost 3 months, well over the 2 month requirement. This pisses me off big time and if my bank book and online statements are sufficient then sod them in future. 

 

I use the CW (Chang Wattana) Immigration in the Government complex there. 

I went into CW on Tuesday to transfer my visa stamps into my new passport.  I did not have my bank books with me, the immigration lady told me to do the following and come back on Wednesday:

 

Copy old and new passport.

Copy pages 8, 21, 23, 25.

Get a letter from the bank.

1 year statement.

Update bank books. 

 

I have been using 2 bank books since 2009 for my retirement extensions, no problems until Wednesday, the representative spoke in to her phone and the following was translated into English.

(sorry, don't know how to rotate it).

 

Basically, she wanted me to move money from my Fixed Account into my Savings Account to meet the 800,000, and then the account(s) would be locked.  The bank lady told me to go ahead and see the immigration lady as to whether this needed to be done before she would issue me with the Bank Letter and the immigration lady flat out said no.

 

The bank lady said it was the bank's policy.  I think the bank lady is/was scaremongering.

 

We'll see in middle February when it will be time to renew my Retirement Extension.

38 minutes ago, cliveshep said:

Do I HAVE to have a letter from my bank proving my 400,000?

The letter you are referring to is "Bank Letter" 

The is required for every extension. 

It shows the owner of the account and balance at time of issue. 

 

Seasoning the funds for 2 months prior to application is done by obtaining Bank Statement (3 months) or photocopies of bank book. 

 

The freezing of the account for 4 months is not an immigration thing. 

It's BBL specific and Rogue requirement by that bank. 

Other banks are not doing this. 

 

Here is sample of bank letter. 

 

Merging this topic with your other topic in the Thai Visas forum.

Rotated for easy reading....

17 hours ago, Bredbury Blue said:

Surely what BBL is doing is wrong. Is it even legal?

My understanding is that the money in bank method requires that such money should be available to be withdrawn at any time.

Clearly for those few months this is not the case. 

This should be a concern for immigration police, however, immigration are possibly not aware that this money has been made "unavailable".

I think BBL thinks it is helping the account holder to by ensuring funds are ready for the immigration requirement but, for example,

what if those funds are suddenly required for an unexpected medical emergency?

Has something like this (money blocked for 4 months) happened to anyone living outside of Bangkok or Pattaya?

2 minutes ago, Jedimaster said:

Has something like this (money blocked for 4 months) happened to anyone living outside of Bangkok or Pattaya?

Yep, me in Chiang Mai.

I have done some research and it seems that the "official" Bangkok Bank policy is that the account holder must have the required amount money (400,000 or 800,000 baht) in the account for at least 4 months prior asking for the letter.

If the condition is not met, then the bank asks for blocking the funds for 4 months.

Why the bank would impose more stringent requirements than the immigration is not clear...

1 hour ago, Muhendis said:

My understanding is that the money in bank method requires that such money should be available to be withdrawn at any time.

Clearly for those few months this is not the case. 

This should be a concern for immigration police, however, immigration are possibly not aware that this money has been made "unavailable".

I think BBL thinks it is helping the account holder to by ensuring funds are ready for the immigration requirement but, for example,

what if those funds are suddenly required for an unexpected medical emergency?

Not to mention the entire production is all show.  There are still agents who use Bangkok Bank in other provinces that are not Pattaya.  A bank letter does not require the funds to be frozen.  The bank letter is typed up by bank staff using a form letter and fill in the blank.  The freezing of the funds is simply a bank policy.  So the properly motivated bank staff will still do things like they have always been done.  So they are basically just punishing all of their account holders to make it seem like they're doing something because they caught with their hands in the cookie jar.  But they haven't actually fixed anything.

 The poster said he contemplated applying for an extension without a bank letter. In point of fact without an accompanying bank letter applications will not be accepted by immigration.

 

20 hours ago, metisdead said:

I went into CW on Tuesday to transfer my visa stamps into my new passport.  I did not have my bank books with me, the immigration lady told me to do the following and come back on Wednesday:

 

Copy old and new passport.

Copy pages 8, 21, 23, 25.

Get a letter from the bank.

1 year statement.

Update bank books. 

 

I have been using 2 bank books since 2009 for my retirement extensions, no problems until Wednesday, the representative spoke in to her phone and the following was translated into English.

(sorry, don't know how to rotate it).

 

Basically, she wanted me to move money from my Fixed Account into my Savings Account to meet the 800,000, and then the account(s) would be locked.  The bank lady told me to go ahead and see the immigration lady as to whether this needed to be done before she would issue me with the Bank Letter and the immigration lady flat out said no.

 

The bank lady said it was the bank's policy.  I think the bank lady is/was scaremongering.

 

We'll see in middle February when it will be time to renew my Retirement Extension.

 

From having read your photo of the translation, the bank lady is intent on transferring your money from your Savings into a Fixed Deposit account and not vice-versa. This sounds to me like a trick that the bank's employees are using to get employee perks from the bank for increasing fixed deposit accounts for the profit of the bank. These employees have a number of tricks that they use on customers, especially when it comes to selling insurance policies before opening an account for a farang or making it mandatory to buy a policy before allowing a farang to have a safety deposit box. They also make it sound mandatory to purchase the higher cost ATM cards and never tell you that there are cheaper alternatives. And if you ask to see a manager, they are conveniently never in the office. 

3 minutes ago, fittobethaied said:

 

From having read your photo of the translation, the bank lady is intent on transferring your money from your Savings into a Fixed Deposit account and not vice-versa. This sounds to me like a trick that the bank's employees are using to get employee perks from the bank for increasing fixed deposit accounts for the profit of the bank. These employees have a number of tricks that they use on customers, especially when it comes to selling insurance policies before opening an account for a farang or making it mandatory to buy a policy before allowing a farang to have a safety deposit box. They also make it sound mandatory to purchase the higher cost ATM cards and never tell you that there are cheaper alternatives. And if you ask to see a manager, they are conveniently never in the office. 

They don't transfer money anywhere. It's still in your account.

Your ledger balance and available just show 400k difference .

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Yep, me in Chiang Mai.

Ditto in Khon Kaen.  Now I have 'switched' to the monthly income method, whereby over 65K is transferred from overseas into my Krungsri Account.  I plan to visit the local Immigration Office in 4 months and check that this will be OK for my next annual renewal. Assuming it is, then I will be transferring all my money from Bangkok Bank to Krungsri bank. 

 

I think that Bangkok Bank are going to have a lot of money transferred out of their bank to other banks over the next 3-6 months as Expats all migrate to other banks. Perhaps they care about that exit of money, and perhaps they dont care - either way they do not care about Expats living in Thailand.

 

All Expats should take their 'hint' - take your money out of Bangkok Bank (when you can) and transfer to another bank.  Hopefully the others will not also do what Bangkok Bank have done. If they do, then yet another reason for Expats to leave Thailand and live elsewhere. 

23 hours ago, cliveshep said:

(earlier this year in March  the fee was only 100 baht but today it was 200 baht) 

Would normally in Bangkok Bank be 100 baht for the letter plus100 baht for the bank's printed statement; i.e. total 200 baht.

6 hours ago, Jedimaster said:

I have done some research and it seems that the "official" Bangkok Bank policy is that the account holder must have the required amount money (400,000 or 800,000 baht) in the account for at least 4 months prior asking for the letter.

If the condition is not met, then the bank asks for blocking the funds for 4 months.

Why the bank would impose more stringent requirements than the immigration is not clear...

Bangkok Bank! What they were doing official at BB Pattaya branch Sukhumvit near Pattaya Klang the small branch across from Num Chai  appliance for a long time before May when the branch was raided and bank officials were arrested. Even prior one of my branches very small even before opening outside a line of Chinese mainland national with a ThaI agent opening new bank accounts. A number of times doing business non fluent but understand the language a bit look like Thai myself hear conversations that those openings were in fact not living here then there were many that fit profile of Chinese Triads. These accounts were being opened with the bank reps getting a very hefty fee of course under the table. Many better Chinese tourist afraid of what happened to Billionaire Jack Ma, with the communist party wanted these bank accounts to park or language their money out of China.

 

So when the raid happened it dragged everyone into the net BB shouldn't be surprised like leaders of this country can't seem to solve a simple problem so they cast a wide net make up rules as they go along.

 

After the raid those who were using agents who didn't have funds who open BB accounts already so the 800 could be shuttle in and out using their phone application what basically stopped in Pattaya. Those who have been using this method and agent got a big shock and scared agent suggested opening another bank account at Krungthai, their new connection many were shuttle to a Bangkok Branch in Bangkok to obtain the letter. I overheard one agent tell the client who has already money in bank but still use agent go bank to bank ask for letter but not for Immigration but using letter to verify personal business with U.S.Embassy.

 

During this time I was just starting to obtain extension for my cousin and we had just opened a new account 2 months prior with intent to use agent and their funds now we couldn't instead I had his family wire 800,000 into his account it wasn't seasoned but had no problem allowing the 800,000 locked for 4 months we got the letter took it to agent paid the full service amount so they could pay Immigration to overlook money not being season.

 

My personal concerns I've been using BB for over 20 years have several accounts the main one for immigration in which I do my extension myself has a few million never touch same book over 20 years amount still listed on page one.

Come January when I walk in ask for letter they pull the lock bull<deleted> which I have no problem I will but when I apply going to ask official I want to move money after 4 months to new bank will I have a problem.

 

Thanks for listening.

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

They don't transfer money anywhere. It's still in your account.

Your ledger balance and available just show 400k difference .

My BB branch is in CM and I had the 4 month rule explained to me when I requested the paperwork for my first extension (retirement) last week. No intention of touching the money but my balance and available balance still both show over 800k. Will see if that changes over the next few weeks

58 minutes ago, Greenwich Boy said:

My BB branch is in CM and I had the 4 month rule explained to me when I requested the paperwork for my first extension (retirement) last week. No intention of touching the money but my balance and available balance still both show over 800k. Will see if that changes over the next few weeks

Afraid I was a bit rude and told both ladies to shut their mouths as I didn't want to hear their nonsense.

Had so much trouble with Bangkok Bank in September.

Too much to spread out.

I emptied and closed my fixed deposit and moved most of the money to Kasikorn and a newly opened Krungsri account.

Didn't close the savings account but left only a fourth of previous deposits.

Learned the lesson.

Bangkok Bank run run...

Even have some cash in the safe.

And, if all this isn't bad enough, there is a possibility that they may soon be seeking to add insult to injury by attempting to ram their ponderously slow and cumbersome app down our throats - with said app requiring us to perform the hokey-cokey with our facial muscles for nonsensical face scanning purposes, as well as having our mug shot taken against a background which has the potential of being considered both too dark and too light at the same time for this purpose!  Would definitely be curtains for me as far as my account with Bangkok Bank was concerned when and if they were unilaterally to force their lousy app on me in place of internet banking, much against my will.

 

On 12/18/2025 at 3:10 PM, Bredbury Blue said:

If Immigration has any concerns on the amount in one's bank account as shown in the bank statement letter, it is Immigration's prerogative to ask/question. It is not BBLs business to get involved in one's Immigration matters.

Nothing to do with Immigration. Bangkok Bank are very concerned about the bank's regulator taking further action against them. The regulator is the Bank of Thailand. Bangkok Bank is prioritising its own interests over those of customers.

 

Have you read any stories about money laundering recently? This is the issue. When person A handles money for person B and that money is the proceeds of any crime that constitutes money laundering. That is the problem.

 

Bangkok Bank have come up with a very clunky solution to this issue which they themselves brought about by bending the regulator's rules. This clunky solution will greatly inconvenience genuine customers wanting to access their own money.

Bangkok Bank is notorious for unfair and abusive practices. Avoid them like the plague. They are like a mafia bank. 

17 hours ago, thailand49 said:

same book over 20 years

 

That means you have never changed your passport in 20 years?

Because new passport means new book.

I went to the bank few days ago to let them know I have a new passport and they gave me a new book.

With a mountain of paper to sign.

12 minutes ago, pub2022 said:

 

That means you have never changed your passport in 20 years?

Because new passport means new book.

I went to the bank few days ago to let them know I have a new passport and they gave me a new book.

With a mountain of paper to sign.

..... and me!

14 minutes ago, pub2022 said:

 

That means you have never changed your passport in 20 years?

Because new passport means new book.

I went to the bank few days ago to let them know I have a new passport and they gave me a new book.

With a mountain of paper to sign.

Again it must be your bank/branch policy.

I have changed my passport several times, always updated my information at the bank, and have never been issued a new bankbook.

Only this year I received new bankbook, since my first one was full after 12 years. Kasikorn bank