Extension Of Non-o

[costas]

Hi all,

yesterday i went to extend my stay based on marriage, and got my second 'under consideration' month.

No problems thus far, BUT :

Bangkok bank decided to freeze my account (used for this extension) till the visa is approved...

Is this common practise? They require a letter from immigration to prove that i used the paper they gave me (the immigration have not heard of it either.....)...

To my response that if i have a stamp in my passport its cause i did use your paper, i received a smile.....

To my question, since i have a visa for supporting my Thai wife how am i suppose to support her if i can not use the money in my account, i received another....

has anybody experienced something like this?

cheers

costas

[huski]

Hi all,

yesterday i went to extend my stay based on marriage, and got my second 'under consideration' month.

No problems thus far, BUT :

Bangkok bank decided to freeze my account (used for this extension) till the visa is approved...

Is this common practise? They require a letter from immigration to prove that i used the paper they gave me (the immigration have not heard of it either.....)...

To my response that if i have a stamp in my passport its cause i did use your paper, i received a smile.....

To my question, since i have a visa for supporting my Thai wife how am i suppose to support her if i can not use the money in my account, i received another....

has anybody experienced something like this?

cheers

costas

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

you need to check your account status using your atm card or with the branch manager. my experience with bangkok bank is they only freeze your account for one day . this is even if a second 'under consideration' stamp is given.

[lopburi3]

They have various formats to use for different situations so expect that was the instructions on the format card they used. I have been told account would be frozen if wanted it to read at the end of current business day so they would write the letter for the previous day/date. Have never heard of freeze until extension approved (40 days later) but sounds like a money maker for the bank branch. If you in Bangkok I would go to main office for the letter as see if that result is better.

[astral]

I have never heard of an account being frozen in this way.

What are you supposed to live on for 40 days.

Is the whole account frozen, or have they just blocked yout ATM card accidentally?

Ask to see the Manager, and kick up a stink.

Time to change banks!!

[Indo-Siam]

This sounds like the work of a Bank Head Office - did you use the main head office on Silom Road?

For everyone reading - never, NEVER use a bank head office in Thailand. They are the only ones that very strictly follow the rules.

For example, they will enforce the rule that says a company cannot have a current account (checking account) until it has first had a passbook account for six months.

A friend of mine here told me the ultimate story - about ten years back, he was on the staff of a major project consortium here - and to hande subcontractor payments, they were required by the master contract to establish a local payment fund of US $50 million. This was in the days of 26 baht to the dollar - so 1.3 billion Thai baht. So - they incorporated a holding company, and my friend was assigned to go open the corporate account - I think he had a bank draft for something like 20 million baht to start up the account - and then wire in the additional 1.3 billion baht. And then start dispersing money to subcontractors and suppliers.

So - he goes to bank Head Office - I think he said it was Krung Thai bank, but I'm not sure - and tried to open a current account. They told him he first had to open a passbook savings account for six months. He asked to see the manager - same story. He tried to explain "Lady, I am about to GIVE your bank 1.3 BILLION baht, which your bank can hold INTEREST FREE in a checking account, while we slowly draw it down - and you are trying to get me to put that 1.3 BILLION BAHT into an interest-bearing savings account, where your bank will have to pay out daily interest larger than your boss's monthly salary - don't you think that this situation calls for some common sense?" He was wasting his time. They were inflexible. "The rules say...." He walked out, went to another bank, and got his current account.

What a country! All bankers in Thailand should be hauled out behind the back of the building and shot.

Cheers!

Steve

Indo-Siam

[costas]

cheers all,

the account is in Loei branch, so no bigshots are involved...

the local branch was totally ignorant of the situation, took 2 hours to find out why i cannot use my card...(did not try to go over the counter, as i was more interested in restoring the card...)

after that,

the bank was absoluitely certain (spoke with Bkk, i suppose, 3 times) that a letter from immigration is required....Luckily we have good relations with immigrations and got them to speak directly, thus releasing the account on the word only of the immigration, but with a severe warning 'DONT DO IT AGAIN" sort of thing, and bring the letter first thing monday..........when enquired they said that they had too many cases of farangs taking the money out as soon as the letter was given and thus they try to 'protect ' their interests.....

had to go to hospital and tried to pay 10k with the card only to find that i couldn't....luckily thee wife had her card with her......

anyways, i suppose TiT...another piece of paper to dig out once a year.....

as for changing bank, i would wholehartedly, but since now i am unemployed, and the chieftains in the town' various banks say i need a WP to open one, i guess i am stuck....

cheers

costas

[bdenner]

I have an account with Thai Farmer Bank (Kasikornbank) with an internet access. Wouldn't it be nice just to stroll into the Immigration Dept (mine is in Nong Khai) get onto one of their computers and put up your account for all to see, in near real time. That should convice them of my worth and spending habits.

Come on Thailand it's the 21st century.