Thai Bank Efficiency?

[ThaiFelix]

I am really pi.....ed off. I have two bank accounts: Bangkok Bank and Siam Commercial Bank. I have these accounts due to my school employer's choice at the time. I decided to apply for online banking. Mainly to be able to check my statements/balance etc and to do the odd online purchase. So today I went to branches of each in the same shopping centre.

Bangkok Bank: I had to wait 25 minutes with a number before I could put my bum on the seat (ok, normal worldwide). When my number comes up I tell the guy what I want. He wants my debit card, bankbook and passport. Next minute he comes up with up to date balance...I could have done that myself with machine without waiting. Ok misunderstanding. No, I want online account access, I explain again. While continually checking his watch he than proceeds to hand me form after form to complete with a grunt. I actually misread one form and started to put surname in middle name field and then crossed it out after only one letter. He screws this form up and gives me a new one to complete again with a grunt of 'no mistakes'! while he starts to machine count the money in his drawer. I must have filled in 10 forms and then he walks off with his cash drawer without a word, to be replaced by a very lovely lady who takes one look at the forms and goes red faced. She now asks for my work permit which the school insists on keeping. I explain this and she says it's ok. Next she gets on the phone, embarrssed she turns away and covers the mouth-piece so I cant hear her and then hands it to me. A very apologetic voice at the other end explains to me that I have to go to Silom branch (I'm two hours out of town) because thats my account branch.

I dont understand why I can make some online purchases with my card and yet cant check my statements. And this 'jerk' was just stalling me with all the forms so he could cash up and go home. What the f....k. So I go to the Siam Commercial Bank.

Siam Commercial Wank: I explain the same thing to a very 'polite' male teller who takes all my documents and explains he has to talk to the manager. Unbeknownst to him my wife was in the background and clearly heard him complain to the manager 'Why doesnt this lazy farang do it himself on the internet?' then comes back to me and says yes he can do it but it would be a lot easier for me to do it online via ...and this is the punchline...EASY NET!! So I go home after a fruitless two hours of waiting in banks to find the SCB online registration will not accept my passport number and suggests I call the Easy?? Bank help line for a very prompt freindly solution. I call the number and press 9 for English as directed only to get a Thai recorded message I cant understand???? But wait..they have a 'friendly prompt EASY??' chat line I can get support. So I start the chat with my question and get a 'estimated 3 minutes and 27 seconds waiting time for operator'.....I wait 20 minutes and try again....another 20 minutes and try again. Finally, after approx. 1 hour, I get a message that the 'EASY' chat line is now closed and suggests I ring the Easy Bank help line and press 9 for English "$£"£$££$"£$£££ what the f...k But wait!! There is an Easy Bank help line email service.

I wait to see what EASY solutions that will bring if I ever get a reply??

Do these people understand what 'easy' and 'friendly' and 'efficient' means?? Its a massive joke.

Next stop Kasikorn Bank!

Does anyone know how easy (in the real sense, not the Thai way) it is to get a Kasikorn Bank account? (I do have a WP.

Thank you for listening to my frustrations..I had to get it out.

Thaifelix

Edited November 6, 2009 by ThaiFelix

[Lite Beer]

I found the SCB onlne registration really easy.

That was 3 years ago though. Maybe it has changed.

[ThaiRich]

I love Kasikorn Bank. Opened my account on Wednesday. Took my application for online banking home and filled it out, returning it Thursday monring. Friday morning had my password and all set to go. Kasikorn even gave a free ATM sim card which is prepay DTAC free connection for a year. People are friendly and very helpful. When I call the customer care center, the quality of English is EXCELLENT. I'm sold on Kasikorn. Closed my Bangkok Bank account after 3 years couldn't get my visa ATM card to work online.

[peridot]

I also am happy with Kasikorn Bank. It is sometimes hard to find people in the branches with good English skills, but they usually answer my questions and fix my problems. I find the people on their phone help line are truly helpful, friendly, and actually speak English.

I have accounts with TMB also, but have more problems with translation issues there. They are eventually helpful, but they have to ask around the bank for someone who can answer my questions, and the people on the phone don't speak English well all the time.

[Bosse137]

I will tell what happened to me in Bankok bank some months ago;as an info to others.I did fill in all the forms,the bank took copies of my passport and so on.When time past by without hearing from them,I went to the bank and ask them if there were any problems.Yes,the number of my passport did not match up with the one that I had when I opened the account some 15 years ago...Well,I explained to them that after 10 years,in my country,you have to get a new passport,which,if they had checked the copies,would have been clear to them.(Transfered by immigration-stamp).I also showed them the old passport and everything was fine.Some time later,I wanted to connect one more "old" account to "i-banking" and this time I reminded them of what had happened last time,and had them to submit a copy of the old passport.BUT,since TIT,everything was repeted,they had the same problem about my passport number!! Eventually it was sorted out again,after many missunderstandings;among other things they wanted me to fill in a form about having lost my password,which I refused. So,if you folks,who have accounts older than your latest passport;better bring it along and show them!

[Sophon]

I found the SCB onlne registration really easy.

That was 3 years ago though. Maybe it has changed.

I don't think so, I did it a couple of months ago and also found the process very easy. I'm pretty sure that I didn't have to enter my passport number.

Sophon

[ThaiFelix]

I found the SCB onlne registration really easy.

That was 3 years ago though. Maybe it has changed.

I don't think so, I did it a couple of months ago and also found the process very easy. I'm pretty sure that I didn't have to enter my passport number.

Sophon

Entering your ID ie. your passport and country is one of the first steps in the online registration process. I should know I have tried dozens of times.

[Morden]

So typical! I also wonder about the government 'One Stop' services because I always get bounced from one clerk to another along some long counter. I did ask at the driving test and licence centre and was told that it meant you could take you test there whichever part of Thailand you lived in. A rubbish explanation, I suspect.

Be careful of Kasikorn. They were so keen to sign me up for an account I thought I was going to get a bj. As it happens, I never got around to opening an account. However, I've tried a couple of times to get cash through them from a UK account that was over their THM20,000 ATM limit. On each occasion they told me to go to the ATM. When I repeated the amount and pointed out that it was over the ATM limit, they told me that they would not give more over the counter. Again, on each occasion, I asked why not when other banks would and just got a sullen silent stare in return. I found them to be very unhelpful and unfriendly - not even the usual corporate smile except when I enquired about opening an account.

Perhaps I was unlucky and went to a bad branch but I wouldn't give my custom to a business that was so unhelpful and most definitely wouldn't trust their on line service - assuming that they have one.

The problem seems to be that exaggerated claims regarding a product or service can be made without any effective regulatory control. I don't suppose that there is any deliberate intention to deceive customers. It's more than likely that the bright young things in the advertising agency get carried away with their brief and no-one makes sure that the service standards match the claims. Add to that the reluctance of Thai customers to complain and there you have it.

[Naam]

Thai Bank Efficiency can be compared with the efficiency of a chimpanzee performing open-heart surgery

[wackysleet]

Thai Bank Efficiency can be compared with the efficiency of a chimpanzee performing open-heart surgery

Glad to see your still alive and kicking Naam .

[kurnell]

Try dealing with the morons at UOB bank and you will never complain about any bank ever again.

[mark55]

iv been 8 times to BBK 2ND ROAD PATTAYA TO TRY TO GET MONEY OUT OF THE ACCOUNT,EVERY TIME THAY COME OUT WITH A DIFFRENT FORM TO FILL IN OR ASK ME FOR SOMETHING I NOT BRING WITH ME,THEN I TOLD THEM I WENT CLOSE THE ACCOUNT THAY WENT TO CHARGE ME 650BT, WHEN YOU ASK WOT THE 650BT IS FOR THAY COME OUT WITH A DIFFRENT ANSSER EACH TIME, I NERLY GIVE UP ,TRY ONE MORE TIME MONDAY, SO MY ADVISE TO ALL STAY AWAY FROM BBK,S

[Dontdisturb]

iv been 8 times to BBK 2ND ROAD PATTAYA TO TRY TO GET MONEY OUT OF THE ACCOUNT,EVERY TIME THAY COME OUT WITH A DIFFRENT FORM TO FILL IN OR ASK ME FOR SOMETHING I NOT BRING WITH ME,THEN I TOLD THEM I WENT CLOSE THE ACCOUNT THAY WENT TO CHARGE ME 650BT, WHEN YOU ASK WOT THE 650BT IS FOR THAY COME OUT WITH A DIFFRENT ANSSER EACH TIME, I NERLY GIVE UP ,TRY ONE MORE TIME MONDAY, SO MY ADVISE TO ALL STAY AWAY FROM BBK,S

Did you shout at the counter as you are doing in this forum ?

[ThaiFelix]

Ok problem solved. Well, with the SCB that is.

A tip to anyone trying to get SCB EasyBank set up online. When asked for your passport number dont include the letter b4 the number (if you have one). For example if your p/port no is B1234567...dont enter the letter B.

2nd Tip: Dont ring the helpline outside of working hours coz you will press 9 to hear English but get a Thai message saying its closed (if you understand Thai).

3rd Tip: Dont use the EasyBank Help chat because even though it looks fine on the screen and says sorry for the delay of 3 mins and 27 secs you will sit there till the cows come home or longer. ...The wheels have fallen off....and its broken!

They did politely and promptly answer my email the following morning, apologised for the chat and my problems and suggested I ring the Help line. I thought it was one of those chase your tail tricks but no, the helpline answered and a lovely lady politely guided me through my problem.

Even though I am happy now I think it would have been a good idea for the web page to advise that you dont add the prefix letter on your p/port number, or the chat is down, or that the Helpline is only open when the sun is up!

cheers

[Bosse137]

ThaiFelix: you might have had a hard time with the bank,sorry about that,but you just gave me a very merry time and a good laugh!!Thanks!

[longball53098]

I say many kudos and free beer to you for coming on to explain that SCB has some issues but not what you thought and not nearly as bad as first depicted.

My 4 years of banking with them has shown this. They help on issues that seem impossible to us and as most businesses try to help if we give them the chance. Their web site is very good. Perfect? There is no such thing in web site design.

[Heng]

Efficient, no. Funds safe with them, banking 365 days a year, easy online access, none of this you have to use a check card that expires every 3-4 years instead of a regular atm card that will last for 10-20+ years because we're in bed with Visa/Mastercard,... yes.

[surayu]

Thai Bank Efficiency? is that an oxymoron or what?

[surayu]

Thai Bank Efficiency can be compared with the efficiency of a chimpanzee performing open-heart surgery

I think he wouldn't appreciate to hear that....