It seems Bangkok Bank are still making rules with the intent to drive customers away? I usually send money to my sister-in-law from my pension every month. She banks with BKK bank. They are poor and for both of us it is a struggle as my UK pension is not very large, my government are very mean to the elderly in spite of us paying in our entire lives.

Apparently BKK bank are getting selective with customers because apart from their draconian rule locking my 400,000 for 4 months (I'm 80, what happens if I get sick?) they have now imposed a minimum balance of 2000 baht.

Now, this doesn't affect me but it does affect my SIL as to her, like many poor people, 2000 baht is big money. So it seems BKK Bank are using these rules to drive away small account holders and also those of us with slightly more funds. I am still angry at their blackmail before Christmas, "either accept a 4 month freeze on your 400,000 or we won't give you the letter for immigration" they said. My wife says stay with them as I use Kasikorn for all day to day banking but I would like to close my BKK account and open one with, say, Siam Commercial or one of the others. My wife insists BKK are safer, but with these arbitrary rules ignoring customers rights and opinions I am not so sure.

What do you guys think?

For SIL we are telling her to close the BKK account and open with Kasikorn as UK direct transfers with WISE usually take seconds (not today though - 2 hours!) but BKK bank can take up to 3 days so they have no advantages anymore.

If your sister-in-law can't afford to leave 2,000 in her acct, then better for her to open an account at SCB or another bank that doesn't have a minimum balance requirement.

As for your situation, Kasikorn would be a a great bank to use for your yearly extensions. I used them when I was on yearly extensions.

As far as I know, the ฿2000.- balance rule applies to E-Savings accounts, which aren't the same as Savings accounts. The balance for Savings accounts required is ฿500.-. I went under that and received notice of the fact and was told to replenish, no penalties. Bangkok Bank recently let me know that I was limited to withdrawing the maximum sum of two million Baht in one day, which was nice of them.

Do we know ANYONE that has an E-Savings account?