I went to TTB Bank in Jomtein today, I knew it was be going to be shut but I wanted the CTM. It wasn't just shut it was gone. I only go to the bank once a month to pay money in for my Health Insurance. I have had an account for 20 years. Since the takeover by TTB they have shut two TMB banks in Pattaya. One on second road on one on Tai I then thought of all the other banks that have gone.

Soi Buakhao has lost 3. Bangkok Bank, KBank and TMB. The first 2 were always busy when I used them As with a lot of businesses the customer doesn't seem to matter. Yes TTB has a few ATM's but to pay money in you have to find a bank.

Need another 7/11

11 hours ago, roger101 said:

but to pay money in you have to find a bank.

That's a bit 1990s isn't it? Everyone pays from an app these days.

Not everyone.

Internet banking becoming scarce also.

21 hours ago, roger101 said:

As with a lot of businesses the customer doesn't seem to matter.

The banks take that to a whole new level, They treat their customers with utter disdain, But, I think the writings on the wall for them to be honest, Once they have closed down all their branches and have done away with cash, will they even be needed anymore ?

I wonder who will be writing the the letters for immigration in the future?

10 hours ago, Hamus Yaigh said:

That's a bit 1990s isn't it? Everyone pays from an app these days.

Actually no they do not, but besides that, there are other reasons to visit the bank in person other than simply depositing or withdrawing cash. Problems do arise and I for one feel a lot more confident in getting them resolved when I can deal with people face to face ,, I have never been a fan of call centres or helplines

Banks have hundreds of thousands of customers , and the least they can do is maintain a presence in most towns, I know they are not used as much as they used to be, so they could downsize the premises to something more modest, and reduce the number of staff accordingly , But we need to be able to contact them as and when necessary

On 4/11/2026 at 10:22 AM, roger101 said:

Yes TTB has a few ATM's but to pay money in you have to find a bank.

Are you saying that you cannot pay a bill at an ATM? Since when? And why don't you set up monthly automatic payments? It is a waste of time to visit a bank branch monthly to pay an invoice.

2 hours ago, Bday Prang said:

Actually no they do not, but besides that, there are other reasons to visit the bank in person other than simply depositing or withdrawing cash. Problems do arise and I for one feel a lot more confident in getting them resolved when I can deal with people face to face ,, I have never been a fan of call centres or helplines

Banks have hundreds of thousands of customers , and the least they can do is maintain a presence in most towns, I know they are not used as much as they used to be, so they could downsize the premises to something more modest, and reduce the number of staff accordingly , But we need to be able to contact them as and when necessary

This trend is not just in Thailand but everywhere. In my home area in Germany there are bank branches without any staff, just machines. Or just one single person who asks for the purpose of your visit and directs you to one of the machines to do your transactions.

2 hours ago, Bday Prang said:

Actually no they do not, but besides that, there are other reasons to visit the bank in person other than simply depositing or withdrawing cash. Problems do arise and I for one feel a lot more confident in getting them resolved when I can deal with people face to face ,, I have never been a fan of call centres or helplines

Banks have hundreds of thousands of customers , and the least they can do is maintain a presence in most towns, I know they are not used as much as they used to be, so they could downsize the premises to something more modest, and reduce the number of staff accordingly , But we need to be able to contact them as and when necessary

A bank is not a public charity. So what if a bank has hundreds of thousands of customers? They are not all in own town. Operating a branch is an expense and the profits from the people the branch serves, may not cover the expense. That's why branches close. Most of the customers can be served by an ATM or through an online banking application. There are 537 TTB bank branches, 3 of which are in Pattaya.

When Terminal 21 opened all the banks ( at least 6 ) closed in Na Klua Road from Soi Potisan right back to the Dolphin Roundabout.

When the only bank in our town (Siam Commercial) closed down they relocated all their machines (ATM, CDM, passbook update plus installed an additional one; VTM) at the front of a shop across the road from their now closed down branch. Perhaps your bank branch might have done similar? Someone has jokingly mentioned 7/11s. I was well impressed when I saw my Mrs paying her Thai National Insurance Contributions in one. Those girls are amazing. Who knows what else you might be able to pay in a 7/11? Worth asking maybe?

22 hours ago, Bday Prang said:

I have never been a fan of call centres or helplines

This is probably why:

There is no greater feat of corporate insincerity than the automated

greeting: "Your call is important to us." Let’s be clear: If your call were

truly important, a human would have answered it. Instead, you’ve been

placed in a digital purgatory.

• The "Dumb" Tier: We will drain your phone credit while a recording

reminds you—fifteen times—that an operator will be with you

"shortly." We use the word "shortly" in the same way geologists use

the word "aeon."

• The "Sadistic" Tier: We will assault your ears with self-

congratulatory advertisements for products you’re currently calling

to complain about, or hold music so distorted it sounds like a dial-up

modem screaming into a pillow.

Eventually, you might reach a human. And because we are "Cheapskate

Inc.," that human will be located in a distant time zone, speaking a dialect

of English that requires a specialized degree in linguistics to decipher. It’s

not "global outsourcing"; it’s our way of saying, "We'd rather you just

hung up.

Considering the rudeness of some bank tellers like often notices in some bank branches in Hua Hin Market Village or Bluport...many will not really miss not having to deal with some grumpy bank teller behind his counter, looking like he is recovering from the hangover of the previous night's SamSong. But what is a real disaster in Thailand (not in Bangkok),. but in Hua Hin it is a nightmare to get smaller notes like 100 THB or 50 THB or change. Some banks get a bit finicky when you walk in just to get smaller denominations for a large amount.

By 2030, ATM's will have mostly disappeared, as will the use of paper currency and coin.

A few months ago, I was riding a bicycle rickshaw in a Thai provincial city that still has them. Even the rickshaw driver was chatting on his mobile. Mobile phones have become ubiquitous, a true extension of life.

People resist change but just go with it, cash isn't king and move to apps

On 4/12/2026 at 7:13 PM, Bday Prang said:

The banks take that to a whole new level, They treat their customers with utter disdain, But, I think the writings on the wall for them to be honest, Once they have closed down all their branches and have done away with cash, will they even be needed anymore ?

I wonder who will be writing the the letters for immigration in the future?

Yes, always have been too many banks and different institutions and some consolidation is to be expected. A lot of things on the change here and not for the better where Expats are concerned.

On 4/12/2026 at 10:28 PM, Patong2021 said:

Are you saying that you cannot pay a bill at an ATM? Since when? And why don't you set up monthly automatic payments? It is a waste of time to visit a bank branch monthly to pay an invoice.

I try to use the ATMs out in front of open bank branches for those times when the machine eats my card. It doesn't happen often, but you're pretty well hooped for a few days when it does. Unless someone at the branch helps you out...

1 hour ago, impulse said:

I try to use the ATMs out in front of open bank branches for those times when the machine eats my card. It doesn't happen often, but you're pretty well hooped for a few days when it does. Unless someone at the branch helps you out...

In 20+ years of using cards, I never once had it happen. I know it can and does happen to people, but usually it is because there is a bank account discrepancy or forgetting to take the card. For situations like loss or damage to my card, I have back up Credit cards. How many times has an ATM absorbed your card? Asking out of curiosity only, not being argumentative. I think it was an issue with the 1st generation machines.

On 4/12/2026 at 7:28 AM, Patong2021 said:

Are you saying that you cannot pay a bill at an ATM? Since when? And why don't you set up monthly automatic payments? It is a waste of time to visit a bank branch monthly to pay an invoice.

I think this means making a CASH DEPOSIT at an ATM.. I do recall making CASH deposits at ATMs now require a verification of ID before the ATM will accept the deposit.

For example, at BBL, you have the choice of a Thai ID card OR inserting your BBL card to complete the ID verification process..

36 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

In 20+ years of using cards, I never once had it happen. I know it can and does happen to people, but usually it is because there is a bank account discrepancy or forgetting to take the card. For situations like loss or damage to my card, I have back up Credit cards. How many times has an ATM absorbed your card? Asking out of curiosity only, not being argumentative. I think it was an issue with the 1st generation machines.

I've had it happen twice, both in Bangkok, both post Covid. In each case, the machine just froze up and I had no indication that there was a problem with the cards themselves. Not tragic, for sure because I have backup accounts and I still carry a few thousand USD in hard currency because I'm a luddite. Otherwise, I'd have been SOL as a tourist when it happened on a weekend, because K-Banks are closed until Monday...

Obviously, it was different when I lived in BKK.

Edit: On an aside, I also try to make sure I'm cashed up with THB before the weekend. Just in case...

On 4/11/2026 at 9:22 PM, roger101 said:

I went to TTB Bank in Jomtein today, I knew it was be going to be shut but I wanted the CTM. It wasn't just shut it was gone. I only go to the bank once a month to pay money in for my Health Insurance. I have had an account for 20 years. Since the takeover by TTB they have shut two TMB banks in Pattaya. One on second road on one on Tai I then thought of all the other banks that have gone.

Soi Buakhao has lost 3. Bangkok Bank, KBank and TMB. The first 2 were always busy when I used them As with a lot of businesses the customer doesn't seem to matter. Yes TTB has a few ATM's but to pay money in you have to find a bank.

My wife has a TMB account. I tried to get one at multiple branches in Chiang Mai, but was told I wasn't the correct ethnicity.

5 minutes ago, connda said:

My wife has a TMB account. I tried to get one at multiple branches in Chiang Mai, but was told I wasn't the correct ethnicity.

7 years ago TMB merged with Thanachart bank. I'd had a TMB account for over 30 years and it got merged into TTB. Its the only bank I really ever used and the one that holds my retirement funds. Nary a problem in all those years.

37 minutes ago, marin said:

7 years ago TMB merged with Thanachart bank. I'd had a TMB account for over 30 years and it got merged into TTB. Its the only bank I really ever used and the one that holds my retirement funds. Nary a problem in all those years.

The moral of that story is for foreigners not to close any existing bank accounts you may have in Thailand. Because you may not be able to open a new one under whatever the new rules are (or may be next year).

I'm grandfathered in at K-Bank from when I worked in Thailand. I'm pretty sure I couldn't open a new account there as a tourist...

On 4/11/2026 at 9:22 PM, roger101 said:

I went to TTB Bank in Jomtein today, I knew it was be going to be shut but I wanted the CTM. It wasn't just shut it was gone. I only go to the bank once a month to pay money in for my Health Insurance. I have had an account for 20 years. Since the takeover by TTB they have shut two TMB banks in Pattaya. One on second road on one on Tai I then thought of all the other banks that have gone.

Soi Buakhao has lost 3. Bangkok Bank, KBank and TMB. The first 2 were always busy when I used them As with a lot of businesses the customer doesn't seem to matter. Yes TTB has a few ATM's but to pay money in you have to find a bank.

I've never enjoyed using the banks in Thailand, but over this past year or two they've risen up my hate list to be on a par with immigration and the DLT.

On 4/12/2026 at 8:38 AM, Hamus Yaigh said:

That's a bit 1990s isn't it? Everyone pays from an app these days.

Really?

You know everyone eh?

Silly, wide sweeping comment.🙃🙃

8 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

People resist change but just go with it, cash isn't king and move to apps

Cash will be king every time there is an outage.

6 hours ago, impulse said:

I try to use the ATMs out in front of open bank branches for those times when the machine eats my card. It doesn't happen often, but you're pretty well hooped for a few days when it does. Unless someone at the branch helps you out...

"A few days" happened to me once, went into a branch of my Kbank, they gave me a new card there and then, same hour

On 4/12/2026 at 8:38 AM, Hamus Yaigh said:

That's a bit 1990s isn't it? Everyone pays from an app these days.

Not me.

On 4/12/2026 at 7:13 PM, Bday Prang said:

The banks take that to a whole new level, They treat their customers with utter disdain, But, I think the writings on the wall for them to be honest, Once they have closed down all their branches and have done away with cash, will they even be needed anymore ?

I wonder who will be writing the the letters for immigration in the future?

I have to disagree with all branches. I have dealt with kasikorn at futurepark and have always been treated well.