Bangkok Bank Internet Banking

[raro]

Just signed up for internet banking with Bangkok Bank and received my log-in password.

Try to log in and a message shows up that my browser is not supported. I use Firefox.

I call the hotline and learn that "all our customers" use Internet Explorer. Here is one that doesn't.

I just sent a mail to info [at] bangkok [dot] com expressing my concerns and would like to encourage those facing similar problems to do the same.

In my case I have actually spent some effort getting rid of IE and spent the better part of yesterday re-installing the crap.

[monty]

AAh Khun Raro,

You should have thought a little bit further (or should have called me) before spending half a day re-installing IE.

I use a little tidbit (firefox add-on called user agent switching) fooling the Bangkok bank servers into thinking I am using IE, while all the time happily banking using Firefox

Installing this tidbit merely takes 1 minute....

[tigerbeer]

just dont start using Safari. you might freak Bkk Bank out.

come to think of it, most local applications such as local made accounting applications, financial, engineering systems are only made to support Windows. too lazy to get into something called Linux?

[paveet]

I did some IT consultancy over the summer, all the local customers rejected the idea of linux straight off and said, are you mad not using windows? To be totally frank though, I totally love active directory (domain system) in windows networks.

[DavieA]

Just signed up for internet banking with Bangkok Bank and received my log-in password.

Try to log in and a message shows up that my browser is not supported. I use Firefox.

I call the hotline and learn that "all our customers" use Internet Explorer. Here is one that doesn't.

I just sent a mail to info [at] bangkok [dot] com expressing my concerns and would like to encourage those facing similar problems to do the same.

In my case I have actually spent some effort getting rid of IE and spent the better part of yesterday re-installing the crap.

[/quot

HI Raro, you'll find this is a common thing. I bank with ANZ in Australia and do all my banking on the net. I also can not use Firefox for this too, even in OZ. I just use internet explorer when I do my banking.

[stumonster]

as mentioned before - use the IE tab plugin for firefox

just right click on the tab you want to use ( or open a new tab ) and switch to the IE rendering engine - you won't be able to use activeX plugins though , but think of that as a good thing.

[Tywais]

as mentioned before - use the IE tab plugin for firefox

Yep, IE Tab Plugin works perfect and I also use I-banking at Bangkok Bank. Just use IE Tab options to add the bank url and it will automatically use the IE engine whenever you type the URL in.

http://ietab.mozdev.org/

[Thanh-BKK]

Hi

Well at least you GOT Bangkok Bank Internet Banking!!

For me, first appluication at the branch opposite my place. all no problem, any branch can apply. Photocopied my passport, i had to fill in the lengthy paperwork, a half-dozen signatures and off i went with the promise of "an e-mail within 24 hours and a letter within one week".

Two weeks later i received a phone call instead - "Sorry sir, your application no approve because you change passport". Yup, i did change my passport in the last 5 years. So i went to the branch again to "update passport". And was givena firm "NO":, only the branch where i opened the account can do THAT.

So off i went, only a two-hour ride in Bangkok's traffic. Spent close to two hours in the bank with the manager the only person speaking English, brought both old and new passports, had to fill in that long contract again, twp photocopies of visa old and new, photopage old and new, last entry stamp etc... ended up with like 20 signatures this time. Again left there with the promise of an e-mail within 24 hours and a letter "within 10 days".

Three weeks later (!) nothing at all, so i called Bualuang Phone. "Sorry sir, your application no approve because you must change customer type" WHAT???? In a long conversation then was found out (!) that i had the account for more than one year already (oh really??) and hence must change my "customer type" to that of "long term customer". Guess what? That is only possible at the branch where i opened the account. And that sound so very much like BS to me.

I asked for the phone number of that branch and the name of the manager, was even given those details, and called them. After the first 19 people that spoke to me didn't speak enough English to understand what i want i finally got one that understood the name of the manager and put me on hold.

And after over an hour on hold my cellphone battery went dead.

So just HOW did you GET your i-Banking??

Best regards......

Thanh

[Tywais]

So just HOW did you GET your i-Banking??

Sorry to hear about your 'difficulties'. Mine was straight forward. I applied a few years ago and at that time had an account with them for 15 years already. Grabbed the form off the Internet and filled it out. Went to my branch (Chiangmai) and presented it with passport and work permit. They photocopied them and put the info in the computer. Took about 30 minutes but had to wait 3 weeks for the number/password to come from Bangkok. Pleasantly easy in my case.

But then again, your question may be rhetorical.

[raro]

No problem to get i-banking either. I opened for my company a brand new saving account and three weeeks later I had i-banking.

I was p1ssed off at first as Bangkok Bank didn't want to give me a current account with cheques (only after 6 months, allegedly a bank of Thailand policy...but read on...) so I opted for internet banking. I tried it out yesterday for the first time and it works very easy and you do your transactions within seconds. Won't even apply for the current account with those cheques anymore.

Now for the fun part:

A buiness partner of mine in Bangkok also applied for a coroporate account with Bankok Bank. He got the current account with the cheques, but has to wait 6 months for the internet banking....a Bank of Thailand policy he was told....

now for the really funny part:

Yesterday, when I tried to make my first transfer i go to the menu, chose new transfer and there is a drop down menu saying chose an account. You cannot just key in an account number. I call the hotline and the clerk jerk tells me that I have to register each and every recipient at a Bangkok Bank banch first. To do so, I have to bring copies of the company documents, sharholder meeting, the entire kaboodle. All BS as it turns out later...read on...

I storm out of my office, drive down to the bank and get me the manager who has zero clue about internet banking. He directs me to some staff. After half an hour of kha....kha.....kha....on the phone she advises me how to do it. Easy! Just find that tiny little Admin button on the top right of the screen...

I highly recommend i-banking, no more cheques to fill in with typos, stamps that you forget, messengers that do not show up, transfers that take two weeks between provinces and last not least my absolute facvourite: no more cheques because the branch is 40 km away in Ban Chang... Life is beautiful!

[Tywais]

Easy! Just find that tiny little Admin button on the top right of the screen...

The procedure definitely has improved. The first time I had to add a payee I had to go to the bank fill out a form(s) and wait two weeks before it is active. About a year ago or less, they started allowing you to generate a payee directly from your account. Saved me a lot of time having to do an ATM transfer to some of the on-line shops I use regularly. Just added them to the list, and seconds later could transfer funds.

I rarely have to go to the bank now. My salary is direct deposited and all my bills are paid on-line now.

Biggest handicap, my wife knows I can do it now.

[TheAceFace]

No problem to get i-banking either. I opened for my company a brand new saving account and three weeeks later I had i-banking.

I was p1ssed off at first as Bangkok Bank didn't want to give me a current account with cheques (only after 6 months, allegedly a bank of Thailand policy...but read on...) so I opted for internet banking. I tried it out yesterday for the first time and it works very easy and you do your transactions within seconds. Won't even apply for the current account with those cheques anymore.

Now for the fun part:

A buiness partner of mine in Bangkok also applied for a coroporate account with Bankok Bank. He got the current account with the cheques, but has to wait 6 months for the internet banking....a Bank of Thailand policy he was told....

now for the really funny part:

Yesterday, when I tried to make my first transfer i go to the menu, chose new transfer and there is a drop down menu saying chose an account. You cannot just key in an account number. I call the hotline and the clerk jerk tells me that I have to register each and every recipient at a Bangkok Bank banch first. To do so, I have to bring copies of the company documents, sharholder meeting, the entire kaboodle. All BS as it turns out later...read on...

I storm out of my office, drive down to the bank and get me the manager who has zero clue about internet banking. He directs me to some staff. After half an hour of kha....kha.....kha....on the phone she advises me how to do it. Easy! Just find that tiny little Admin button on the top right of the screen...

I highly recommend i-banking, no more cheques to fill in with typos, stamps that you forget, messengers that do not show up, transfers that take two weeks between provinces and last not least my absolute facvourite: no more cheques because the branch is 40 km away in Ban Chang... Life is beautiful!

The mobile banking option is good too Raro, you can add accounts with it easy online. Just a one time password is needed. For more info, next time your online with your account send them a mail. The response time is quite good.

[longball53098]

I have 3 accounts at SCB,,,,,,,,all available via online EasyNet Banking,,,,,,,,,,,my wife has 2 savings and 1 loan account at KTB accessable via online banking,,,,,,,,,,she also has 1 savings account at Bangkok Bank also accessable via online banking,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I do all of our banking and rent paying and wire transfers and transfers between SCB accounts and KTB and BKK Bank.

I have been using the system over a year and it works well,,,,,,,,,,,,,I can add and delete payees and accounts as needed,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,we just recently opened the 3rd savings account at SCB and had a small issue getting it activated online but problem solved,,,,,,,,,,,,,I am very happy with SCB and their service,,,,,,,,,,,,yes BKK Bank was the old style get the application form, print out, fill in and take to bank and wait for a pin number,,,,,,,,,but still no problems,,,,,,,,,,,,SCB and KTB allow online registration on your PC if you have an account and a bank card,,,,,,,,with pin.

The banking here online is pretty good for me,,,,,,,,,,,no complaints,,,,,

[nikster]

Look would you trust a bank that can't even get their fricken website work for Firefox with keeping your log-in data secure?

The normal and modern way to do this - if doing it at all - would be to display a little popup _once_ that says "please use IE for optimal experience [OK]" and let you be on your happy Firefox-way.

That's why I never signed up for internet banking. These guys are incompetent, no way I am going to expose my bank account to their web servers.

Some day, may be a few years out, professional web design will come to Thailand, and when it happens I will sign up.

Never had a problem with Firefox or even - gasp! - Safari on my U.S. bank or my German bank's online banking systems.

[Guest Bellini]

I would never trust e-banking that can be used on Internet Explorer only. It is not so much a question of IE or Firefox, but a question of compliance with standard HTML code. If a site works only in IE , not in Firefox, it means that some proprietary stuff has been used in coding and it is this that can make a site unsafe.

[nikster]

I would never trust e-banking that can be used on Internet Explorer only. It is not so much a question of IE or Firefox, but a question of compliance with standard HTML code. If a site works only in IE , not in Firefox, it means that some proprietary stuff has been used in coding and it is this that can make a site unsafe.

exactly.

i trust bkk bank with my money because, you know, it's a bank. but i don't trust whoever managed this website so incompetently to actually implement all the needed security in a way that it's actually secure. security is hard to do at the best of times and if somebody can't even figure out how to support multiple browsers i just don't trust them to do it. or rather - i know they won't do it properly.

apologies for the bad analogy, but if a guy can't build a wall I won't hire him to build my house.

[Tywais]

if somebody can't even figure out how to support multiple browsers

I seriously doubt that is the case. They are most likely using Microsoft Server software and staying compliant with it.

[Niloc]

I am using Firefox with Linux (ubuntu). Can anyone suggest a way of using Bangkok Bank Internet Banking as I have to switch operating systems just to get to my bank, and I do not like IE anyway!!

[jayenram]

Went to my branch (Chiangmai) and presented it with passport and work permit. They photocopied them and put the info in the computer. Took about 30 minutes but had to wait 3 weeks for the number/password to come from Bangkok. Pleasantly easy in my case.

But then again, your question may be rhetorical.

That's the key, Tiswas. I could not obtain access to Bangkok Bank's internet banking because I didn't have a w*rk permit.

No problem with Kasikorn or Siam Commercial (I'm told).

[jayenram]

I would never trust e-banking that can be used on Internet Explorer only. It is not so much a question of IE or Firefox, but a question of compliance with standard HTML code. If a site works only in IE , not in Firefox, it means that some proprietary stuff has been used in coding and it is this that can make a site unsafe.

I initially used Microsoft Publisher (a mistake, I now know) to build my websites. Firefox (which I use) and Netscape have no problems with the sites but Microsoft I.E. appears confused with it.

PS. I have since gained a little more experience and have rewritten the sites using Kompozer (plus some direct HTML editing).

[higgy88]

I am using Firefox with Linux (ubuntu). Can anyone suggest a way of using Bangkok Bank Internet Banking as I have to switch operating systems just to get to my bank, and I do not like IE anyway!!

I am also using Firefox with Ubuntu. Although I do not have a BKK Bank internet account (yet) to test it out, I am very interested in knowing if the ¨user agent switcher¨ Firefox plug in that Monty talked about in post #2 would work in fooling the BKK bank web site into believing that I was using IE.

[Tywais]

I initially used Microsoft Publisher (a mistake, I now know) to build my websites. Firefox (which I use) and Netscape have no problems with the sites but Microsoft I.E. appears confused with it.

Glad you mended your ways. Using Publisher or Word for web page generation introduces a large amount of MS code tags. I tried it before and then imported the resulting page into DreamWeaver to see what was there. Interesting that DreamWeaver has an option to filter out Microsoft specific code tags. Running the filter reduces the code between 30-60% and more compliant.

[worldtraveler5]

Even worse if you use Mac and there is no IE to run on it at all!!!

I actually had to install Parallels Desktop on my Mac just so that I could access Bangkok Banking iBanking. There is just no reason for that nonesense!

[Guest Bellini]

...They are most likely using Microsoft Server software and staying compliant with it.

I know little to nothing about writing web pages but I believe a good web author will write a web site to be compliant with HTML, respectively W3C, and then add code as necessary to make it readable also in the non-standard Microsoft Internet Explorer browser. This way, the site will be readable with all web browsers and also with IE.

I initially used Microsoft Publisher (a mistake, I now know) to build my websites. Firefox (which I use) and Netscape have no problems with the sites but Microsoft I.E. appears confused with it...

That's a great laugh and shows how wrong Microsoft is.

[Thanh-BKK]

Went to my branch (Chiangmai) and presented it with passport and work permit. They photocopied them and put the info in the computer. Took about 30 minutes but had to wait 3 weeks for the number/password to come from Bangkok. Pleasantly easy in my case.

But then again, your question may be rhetorical.

That's the key, Tiswas. I could not obtain access to Bangkok Bank's internet banking because I didn't have a w*rk permit.

No problem with Kasikorn or Siam Commercial (I'm told).

Hello

That *could* be my case too - i also don't have a WP, however that bank manager explicitly told me it is NOT needed - only to open an account, and since i have the account already, it won't be a problem (back when i opened that account no WP was required to open it).

Then why they don't tell me "sorry you need a work permit" instead of giving me this BS with "must update passport" and then "must change customer type".... i still haven't gotten time to go there again but already wonder, after "changing customer type" what will follow? "Must sing Mambo Nr.5 on a dark and stormy night in front of bank"??

Best regards.....

Thanh

[kelv23]

Even worse if you use Mac and there is no IE to run on it at all!!!

I actually had to install Parallels Desktop on my Mac just so that I could access Bangkok Banking iBanking. There is just no reason for that nonesense!

Get either Firefox or Camino. Both have user agent switching which will fool the site into thinking you are using IE

Personally I use Camino

Camino

To get the user agent go here

Pimp My Camino

The D/L right at the top of the page

Kasikornbanks net bankings far better

[jayenram]

Then why they don't tell me "sorry you need a work permit" instead of giving me this BS with "must update passport" and then "must change customer type".... i still haven't gotten time to go there again but already wonder, after "changing customer type" what will follow? "Must sing Mambo Nr.5 on a dark and stormy night in front of bank"??

Best regards.....

Thanh

I was told that at a branch office (I originally opened the account on a 30 day exemption stamp). When I went to the "head office", they said I couldn't change my customer type because I didn't have a w*rk permit.

[raro]

I am also using Firefox with Ubuntu. Although I do not have a BKK Bank internet account (yet) to test it out, I am very interested in knowing if the ¨user agent switcher¨ Firefox plug in that Monty talked about in post #2 would work in fooling the BKK bank web site into believing that I was using IE.

yes it does and it was as easy as Monty said!

[Niloc]

Raro, my understanding of User Agent Switching is that you actually fire up IE from within Firefox. This demands that you are using windows (both Firefox and IE run under Windows) but if you are using FF in Linux, like I am, you can't get Internet Explorer to run!!

If you do figure it out, please post the answer here!!

Colin

[Tywais]

Raro, my understanding of User Agent Switching is that you actually fire up IE from within Firefox.

That is correct. It is running the IE engine and FF is just the interface at that point.