Decrimination Against Farangs By Thais

[MrSquigle]

I just got 1800b interest from Bkk Bank....I spent it today on rechargable batteries for my sons remote control car and a set of walky talkies.

[Jingthing]

If it is indeed true that Bangkok Bank is not discriminating in this way, I back off from my call to boycott. Its only fair.

Next ....

[PadThaiGuy]

U Rrrrr a europlean, if bank give Farlung more interlest, U send extra money back home and Thai people not have.

This is a really nonsense answer. BTW, do you have a work permit? These days you can't do much at a bank without one. Maybe that's why they wouldn't let you have the account.

I just signed up for a similar fixed deposit account at Siam City Bank without any problem, but I had to show my work permit.

I've never had any problem opening an account or getting interest from a bank in Thailand but I have to say the Bangkok Bank (Sukhumvit Soi 12) foreign exchange counter staff were among the rudest people I've met in my life. I stopped going there a decade ago. I suggest you vote with your wallet and take your money to a friendlier bank.

I argee 100%. The wire transfer people at Bangkok Bank, Suk Soi 8, are the rudest people I have met in Thailand.

[jumnien]

Remember you are talking about banks on Suk soi 8 & 12. Go to any bank in the world in a neighborhood devoted to addiction and prostitution and you are bound to have problems. Try a couple miles down the road or even a bit further if you are feeling adventurous!

[dsys]

Have experienced a few things here but not on the same scale as back in the UK. For instance when my wife works in the UK she pays national insurance but is not entitled to a pension. Personally I found the levels of discrimination in the USA to be the worst, closely followed by the UK then Ireland. At least in Thailand they are up front and honest about disrimination rather than hiding it and plastering over the problems with ineffective laws, as in the UK.

As far as the banks go I have had no issues with Bangkok bank, I have found them to be the best of a bad bunch. As a previous poster pointed out it is the employee not the bank. I think I have the account you mentioned in my sole name, not sure though they came to the house and we did the paper work here so did not see the posters in branch.

Discrimination is rife in every country of the world, just back home we are not the ones being discriminated against so we tend not to notice it.

Are you sure about that? I was under the impression that as long as a foreigner put in a minimum number of years, 11? but maybe I am wrong, then they can claim a UK pension when they reach retirement age.

NI contributions will also cover health care needs if she requires them, doctor, hospital etc.

I have a letter from our accountant dated 2002 stating that my wife would not be entitled to a pension.

I went on line to check it, just to make sure and you know what I was mis-informed. You are correct she would have been entitled to the pension. I stand corrected and wish I had chosen a better example.

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/lifeevent/benefits/e...s_abroad.asp#gb

[Patriciachas]

Last week I visited a Bangkok Bank in San Pa Tong, Chiang Mai with my wife, needed to withdraw some money.

While in the bank I saw a wall poster written in Thai advertising some higher interest rates.

Cannot read Thai, so I asked my wife to enquire with the bank lady clerk what it is all about.

My wife spoke to the lady for a while, than my wife replied to me that the lady said, if I deposit 1 million baht for 3 months, 6 months up to one year in a special promotional account, the Bangkok Bank pays more interest.

I said, yes I am interested. My wife said I could talk to the lady because she can speak English.

So I sat down at the table with the lady and told her that I wouldn't mind opening one of these promotional accounts.

The lady's reply to me in her very bad English was:

U Rrrrr a europlean, if bank give Farlung more interlest, U send extra money back home and Thai people not have. So I continued to say, OK, how about a joint account with my wife. The lady said, no, solly, your wife only. I replied in an angry pissed off voice, so why don't you print on the poster in English, these accounts are for Thai people only?

The woman just stared at me with a stupid grin on her face and a security guard was almost splitting his sides with laughter. I was getting more frustrated and at the point of ripping off my clothes, turning into the incredible Hulk and smashing up the place, so decided it was best to leave. I sprung up from the chair and swiftly walked out the bank.

So that was it, final. The curse of the dreaded lurgy was on me.

In the meantime my wife was still in the bank talking with the woman. 10 minutes later she came out of the bank. I said to her, why the <deleted> hel_l was you still talking with that woman. My wife said, that it's not polite to just walk out.

I believe that this is not government policy but a rule made by the manager of that branch.

These people are morons and not a good incentive for those who wish to retire here. I have been banking with the Bangkok Bank for 22 years.

I would be interested to know if anyone else has experienced discrimination from Thais in Thailand because you are a Farang?

You sound as though you need a lesson or two in manners.I bet her very bad English is better than your best Thai i sugest you go back to the good old place you came from UK.A few anger management lessons also required.

Nothing wrong with his manners I would have given her the same treatment or worse!

nice little boy

[KireB]

Well, after all this is THAIland and it's citizens can do whatever they feel right to do!

We do not have to come here, nobody pressures us to put our money in THEIR Banks!

Nobody forces us to spend our money here!

Swollow the Biz-Kid or get out a here...!

simple as that - my advise - if it's not good enough, it's not good enough!

Havent' seen yet thai-skinheads chasing any farangs down Suk yet.....yelling nationalistic slogans and clubbing their victim to death!

What a brilliant response from our take it or leave it brigade.

Sometimes it's not that simple is it? The minute I stop complaining about things here, is the minute I'll leave this country.

I know that critical thinking is hard, it even might require a bunch of braincells!

[endure]

I have fixed rate accounts as a resident here and with the Bangkok bank in London,

Have the BB in London started running accounts? Whenever I've dealt with them they've always told me that they are an administration unit only and cannot open accounts in London.

[distortedlink]

My bank story is just an example of one kind of discrimination against a farang by a Thai.

I would be interested to know if anyone else has experienced discrimination from Thais in Thailand because you are a Farang? in whatever situation, doesnt have to be a bank.

[lukey1979]

I was about to buy a plot of land for the misses last year, she'd seen a nice patch and the asking price was 100 thousand baht. I went with her to check it out and on exiting my car the lady owner screamed out ''130 thousand baht!'' not even a Hello or Welcome, Seeing the large farang obviously brought upon her dollar fever. Needless to say we refused it I was pretty pissed about it, if she had lowered the asking price to 100 baht i would have turned it down through principle.

[singa-traz]

My bank story is just an example of one kind of discrimination against a farang by a Thai.

I would be interested to know if anyone else has experienced discrimination from Thais in Thailand because you are a Farang? in whatever situation, doesnt have to be a bank.

I have many stories of discrimination against Thai ... by Thai ... in favor of Farangs.

In my line of business (IT Consulting), I had in many occasion witness our Thai customers praised recommendations made from Farangs ... even if those exact same recommendations were previously made by Thai staffs.

I'm not sure how I would react if this was happening to me ...

[torrenova]

I have fixed rate accounts as a resident here and with the Bangkok bank in London,

Have the BB in London started running accounts? Whenever I've dealt with them they've always told me that they are an administration unit only and cannot open accounts in London.

Well I emailed them about 2 weeks ago and they stated that they were not in the business of opening accounts or even acting as a transaction bank.

Perhaps they did, perhaps they just act as an agent. Maybe they don't even know.

It would be interesting to know where the UK based employees of the Bangkok Bank actually do their banking !

[xyborg]

<br />That is the Bangkok Bank.<br />That is disgusting. And some people claim there is no xenophobia here!<br />All we can do is encourage people NOT to do business with <b>BANGKOK BANK</b>.<br /><br />I love the one about sending the money back home. That is rich. You live in Thailand; why wouldn't you spend it in Thailand, as if it is any of their business what you do with YOUR money.<br /><br />Next ...<br />

<br /><br /><br />

This is just the dumb Thai way and not aimed entirely at farangs half the time. I can give you another example against Thais, I walk into a car hire shop and ask to hire a car, no problem "mr farang" I give them the deposit and take the car, 1 week later my wife (legally married not a ceremony) walks into the same shop, they recognise her she is alone she has the same credit card as me in her name , she asks to rent the same car................................. "cannot" says dumb assistant????? why because she does not have a job! The fact that she shows them 1 million + baht in her bank book and she owns 4 condos which she runs a s a business and shows them her business cards etc is irrelevant they want her to be an "office worker" so the company can guarantee she will return the car etc etc etc. Talk about dumb, they sure are, so to sum up it's just there crazy dumb pre conceived ideas ie Farang have money can have car, poor Issan wife no job is no good.

We now rent from a Farang run company who advertise on the forums here http://www.expatmotors.co.th/ excellent service no dumb questions about poor Isaan wife.

Each bank nranch also does not have to follow company policy they can say yes or no to anything as in kasikorn bank they let me open an account no problem but in SCB "cannot" no wonder it s so easy to get customers in Thailand with attitudes like this.

[Sakeopete]

TBH I have found reverse discrimination at SCB in Aranyaprathet, whenever my wife and I go in they very friendly we never have to cue as we get all our banking done at a desk. After 6 years with them I have no complaints at all.

I do agree with posters that its more about incompetence than regulations or laws. If you were ever to deal with Aranyaprathet's Immigration staff you would know, its sad when I have to show them their own Thai Government website so they can get an update on visa rules. Keep in ming if you ever read classifieds in Thailand qualifications never seem as important as age, sex and appearance. Many government and institutions hire through family connections so competence is often lacking due to little or no skills being required.

[xyborg]

<br />I tried to make a money transfer, and they gave me some bullshit excuse that i cant, I even had my passport, or the fee's were to high! Bangkok bank sucks, I only have a little bit in there to survive, anyone know a good bank to invest in while livining in thailand?<br />

<br /><br /><br />

Its all down to each branch manager, I have found Kasikorn bank Seacon square manager very good but SCB manager thick a s a plank even when asking to open an account with 1 million baht. SCB customer services said w e could open an account but the manger said w e could'nt even though w e told him the custoeer services said we could. Ohhhhhhh maybe big loss of face later when we showed him our "new kasikorn" account a hundered yards from his branch.

[xyborg]

<br />TBH I have found reverse discrimination at SCB in Aranyaprathet, whenever my wife and I go in they very friendly we never have to cue as we get all our banking done at a desk. After 6 years with them I have no complaints at all.<br /><br />I do agree with posters that its more about incompetence than regulations or laws. If you were ever to deal with Aranyaprathet's Immigration staff you would know, its sad when I have to show them their own Thai Government website so they can get an update on visa rules. Keep in ming if you ever read classifieds in Thailand qualifications never seem as important as age, sex and appearance. Many government and institutions hire through family connections so competence is often lacking due to little or no skills being required.<br />

<br /><br /><br />

Sad but true!!

[HobbsTheFerociousTiger]

Ok I think I can cut this discussion short.

To the original poster, two things:

1. If Thailand was just like the West then there would be no discrimination. The banking sector would not be the murky mess it is currenlty. There would be little corruption, foreigners would be able to own land, and, once married and living in Thailand for x years they could even vote. Thailand would be just like the West, things will be safer, there will be little drunk driving, true equal justice for all, etc.

And you know what: It'll probably happen too, in a couple decades!!

Question though is, if Thailand is truly like the West is today, would you still want to live here?

2. Discrimination against foreigners... Second question to the OP: Suppose I could magically turn you into a Thai. Tomorrow you will wake up not as John the Farang but as Somchai the Thai.

Would you go for that?

If so, carry on. If not, then this is the end of the discussion.

Count your blessings..

[thomo]

I replied in an angry pissed off voice, so why don't you print on the poster in English, these accounts are for Thai people only?

LOL. Yeah, coz I'm sure she was also the graphic designer who designed the poster, and the operations manager who gave the information for it. I tell ya, I'd feel pretty stupid getting angry at someone who does 3 full time jobs because they forgot to translate the terms and conditions into a foreign language. Wonder if she gets 3 pay checks.

I was getting more frustrated and at the point of ripping off my clothes, turning into the incredible Hulk and smashing up the place,

Yup, looks like you sure know how to act like a Thai. Letting your anger show is a SURE way of getting things done how you want them.

Edited December 27, 2007 by thomo

[Naam]

Discrimination Against Farangs By Thais, LIKE TO HEAR YOUR EXPERIENCES

i am continously discriminated by Thais. experienced it the first time when i visited Thailand and now as i am living here it goes on and on and on.

whenever i like something in a shop and would like to have it Thais will ask for money.

[buddhafly]

i dont like discrimination either, for the record.

but as far as a thai bank having a poster written in thai only, hey its their country and the national language.

does your bank back home in the west print their bank posters in thai? doubt it...

living in a foriegn country, you are going to face obstacles almost every day. it might be worth learning to deal with them more calmly. it'll make your stay here a lot more enjoyable.

[ukjackthai]

Hah! Classic anti-falangism there!

But, in comparism to this scenario, my father (and my Thai mum) steps into their local branch dressed smartly, suit's and all, and immediately a member of customer services dashes over to them and they get served without having to wait behind the queue of Thais.

I'd love to see the prevailing protest and riots if England were to set up a high interest rate account for UK nationals only.

Best bet in the OP's case is to act real smooth. "Ok, then, I would like to transfer every last baht to another Thai bank that does not discriminate against foreigners’. Are you aware of one?"

"When in Rome, do as the Romans do"

[PeaceBlondie]

It would be absurd and senseless to print out in 28 languages, "We don't want your money!"

[siamamerican]

Have experienced a few things here but not on the same scale as back in the UK. For instance when my wife works in the UK she pays national insurance but is not entitled to a pension. Personally I found the levels of discrimination in the USA to be the worst, closely followed by the UK then Ireland. At least in Thailand they are up front and honest about disrimination rather than hiding it and plastering over the problems with ineffective laws, as in the UK.

As far as the banks go I have had no issues with Bangkok bank, I have found them to be the best of a bad bunch. As a previous poster pointed out it is the employee not the bank. I think I have the account you mentioned in my sole name, not sure though they came to the house and we did the paper work here so did not see the posters in branch.

Discrimination is rife in every country of the world, just back home we are not the ones being discriminated against so we tend not to notice it.

In the US your Thai wife receives 50% of your social security benefits. She just needs to a citizen. She would receive benefits as non-citizen, but they would be taxed at higher levels.

Discrimination does exist in the US, but not to the extent of developing countries. Just because it is more accepted and in the open in developing countries doesn't make it more acceptable.

[Furbie]

Last week I visited a Bangkok Bank in San Pa Tong, Chiang Mai with my wife, needed to withdraw some money.

While in the bank I saw a wall poster written in Thai advertising some higher interest rates.

Cannot read Thai, so I asked my wife to enquire with the bank lady clerk what it is all about.

My wife spoke to the lady for a while, than my wife replied to me that the lady said, if I deposit 1 million baht for 3 months, 6 months up to one year in a special promotional account, the Bangkok Bank pays more interest.

I said, yes I am interested. My wife said I could talk to the lady because she can speak English.

So I sat down at the table with the lady and told her that I wouldn't mind opening one of these promotional accounts.

The lady's reply to me in her very bad English was:

U Rrrrr a europlean, if bank give Farlung more interlest, U send extra money back home and Thai people not have. So I continued to say, OK, how about a joint account with my wife. The lady said, no, solly, your wife only. I replied in an angry pissed off voice, so why don't you print on the poster in English, these accounts are for Thai people only?

The woman just stared at me with a stupid grin on her face and a security guard was almost splitting his sides with laughter. I was getting more frustrated and at the point of ripping off my clothes, turning into the incredible Hulk and smashing up the place, so decided it was best to leave. I sprung up from the chair and swiftly walked out the bank.

So that was it, final. The curse of the dreaded lurgy was on me.

In the meantime my wife was still in the bank talking with the woman. 10 minutes later she came out of the bank. I said to her, why the &lt;deleted&gt; hel_l was you still talking with that woman. My wife said, that it's not polite to just walk out.

I believe that this is not government policy but a rule made by the manager of that branch.

These people are morons and not a good incentive for those who wish to retire here. I have been banking with the Bangkok Bank for 22 years.

I would be interested to know if anyone else has experienced discrimination from Thais in Thailand because you are a Farang?

Clearly not much of a banker if she can't understand the basics of banking - take depsoits, lend the money at a higher rate of interest. Thai people can borrow the money, bank makes profit, economy and Thai people benefit. You should have countered that it was her who did not want to help Thai people because you would now move your money to Hong Kong.

As others have said - this is an issue that relates to individual staff and management at a bank. According to my last bank branch (this was after I moved), I can not apply for a credit card (I wanted a second one); when I showed them my first credit card issued by their bank, they still said I could not apply - farrang can not (which is amusing as I was speaking Thai, but the responses came in Thinglish). I have now transfered back to my old branch, even though it is further away.

[thomo]

Thailand.

management

[stiggy]

I run a Business here for a long time now and have plenty of money moving via my Thai account.

( The hard part is keeping it there)

All legal all taxes paid etc etc.

I spent nearly 3 months getting messed around by the bank when applying for a DEBIT card .

Eventually a Thai friend of mine who is assistant manager of another branch of the same bank, rang on my behalf.

His answer when I pushed for the absolute truth ......

Your Farang and he wants you to walk to ATM to withdraw money the convenience of debit card is for Thais only.

Naturally I moved banks to SCB who to date have been quite good

[PhilHarries]

does your bank back home in the west print their bank posters in thai? doubt it...

living in a foriegn country, you are going to face obstacles almost every day. it might be worth learning to deal with them more calmly. it'll make your stay here a lot more enjoyable.

Correct #1, but then English is the international language of business and if these banks want to do business it's as well they start to embrace a bit of internationalism. Now whether that extends to each and every document the bank has is a moot point and, as has been pointed out, for services only available to Thai nationals it is probably unreasonable to expect translations to be available.

Correct #2, it's a tough life being an expat but the good times outweigh the bad. If they don't you are either in the wrong place or are doing something wrong.

Either way it has been clearly established that this was a misconception by an employee of the bank and not the bank's policy. That that "misconception" may have been intentional and discriminatory will never be known as it equally could be due to the person in question being nervous dealing with a farang.

The OP definately needs to chill out if he is to survive in Thailand. An angry man is angry once more but with himself once reason has returned.

[Losangels]

The substandard banking services we receive here in Thailand is due to lack of international competition. Once the banking industry opens up to foreign competition, the level of service will improve though at the expense of a few (many) Thai banks going out of business

[meadish_sweetball]

My guess is most of us have been in situations where we feel we are being discriminated against, since selective pricing for services is fairly common.

I will usually explain calmly why I think this is wrong, and then vote with my feet if possible. I also try not to ruminate on these experiences, as ruminating never seems to improve my situation or state of mind.

Instead I like to remember the several times where I have been positively discriminated - singled out for special positive attention, which also happens every now and then.

[IMA_FARANG]

Last week I visited a Bangkok Bank in San Pa Tong, Chiang Mai with my wife, needed to withdraw some money.

While in the bank I saw a wall poster written in Thai advertising some higher interest rates.

Cannot read Thai, so I asked my wife to enquire with the bank lady clerk what it is all about.

My wife spoke to the lady for a while, than my wife replied to me that the lady said, if I deposit 1 million baht for 3 months, 6 months up to one year in a special promotional account, the Bangkok Bank pays more interest.

I said, yes I am interested. My wife said I could talk to the lady because she can speak English.

So I sat down at the table with the lady and told her that I wouldn't mind opening one of these promotional accounts.

The lady's reply to me in her very bad English was:

U Rrrrr a europlean, if bank give Farlung more interlest, U send extra money back home and Thai people not have. So I continued to say, OK, how about a joint account with my wife. The lady said, no, solly, your wife only. I replied in an angry pissed off voice, so why don't you print on the poster in English, these accounts are for Thai people only?

The woman just stared at me with a stupid grin on her face and a security guard was almost splitting his sides with laughter. I was getting more frustrated and at the point of ripping off my clothes, turning into the incredible Hulk and smashing up the place, so decided it was best to leave. I sprung up from the chair and swiftly walked out the bank.

So that was it, final. The curse of the dreaded lurgy was on me.

In the meantime my wife was still in the bank talking with the woman. 10 minutes later she came out of the bank. I said to her, why the &lt;deleted&gt; hel_l was you still talking with that woman. My wife said, that it's not polite to just walk out.

I believe that this is not government policy but a rule made by the manager of that branch.

These people are morons and not a good incentive for those who wish to retire here. I have been banking with the Bangkok Bank for 22 years.

I would be interested to know if anyone else has experienced discrimination from Thais in Thailand because you are a Farang?

1. At least she was honest about why you didn't get the better interest rates. Often times I get only the grin and smile routine with no explanation of why it isn't possible.

2. Think about it, the country is called THAI land not (Something Else) land. If an investment is in Thai government bonds or such instruments, and pays a high return in interest, the purpose is to benefit the Thai government and the Thai people who invest. Yes, I know it's silly not to allow foriegners to invest into such a scheme providing the benefit of the money earned stays in Thailand. Maybe someday, that will be accepted as logical by the Thai government. I hope so.

3. Answer honestly, how much tax have you paid on income you earned in Thailand? How much have you actually contributed to the Thai economy that wasn't also a direct benefit to yourself and your family?

4. I know it is difficult and seems unfair, but you (and I) have to learn that we are a foriegner residing in another country. Yes, I've seen discrimination against me as a Farang in Thailand. I've also seen it the other way, when my Thai partner was discriminated against outside of Thailand.

5. In my almost 30 years in Thailand, I've found that with time and over the long run most problems between Farangs and their Thai aquintences can be worked out.