Getting A Safety Deposit Box In Bangkok

[CrossBones]

I am looking for a safety deposit box. Id prefer to get one at Kasikorn but i cant find a major branch which has any vacant boxes

I tried HSBC in silom but i have to open a cash account and hold at least 500,000 baht (at 0.6% interest) to get a box!

Ideally I want a box at a major branch since im not living in Thailand and worry of complication if a branch closes down or moves - where will my box go!!

I would like to hear of anyone who has recently opened a safety deposit box at a fairly large branch (with proper vault) recently.

Kasikorn only charge about 600 baht a year for a box... but price isnt really the issue id be prepared to pay 3000 a year or so for peace of mind

Thanks!!

[CrossBones]

I could go outside of bangkok, or to Pattaya if i can easily get a box in a large well established branch

Thanks

[phetaroi]

There used to be a very large safety deposit box facilty -- not bank related -- in Charn Issara Tower on Rama IV Road. I used it several different years, but that was a while ago. You might check it out.

[CrossBones]

Thanks Ill check that out... any other ideas? How about Pattaya maybe i will try there

[CrossBones]

Thanks Ill check that out... any other ideas? How about Pattaya maybe i will try there

All the bank branches seem to want you to open a bank account with at least 500,000 cash before you can apply for a safety box

This is strange, any ideas?

[astral]

The last time I checked, Pattaya and close areas did not have any boxes to offer.

Buy your own safe.

A safe measuring a cubic metre outside, takes 4 strong guys to carry it, even with the door off,

so not much danger of it walking off on its own.

It will pay for itself in 3-4 years.

No need to go to the bank.

[ManilaLover]

The last time I checked, Pattaya and close areas did not have any boxes to offer.

Buy your own safe.

A safe measuring a cubic metre outside, takes 4 strong guys to carry it, even with the door off,

so not much danger of it walking off on its own.

It will pay for itself in 3-4 years.

No need to go to the bank.

I have no experience with large quantities of black money, but personally I would prefer to have a fireproof safebox installed in my house. There are plenty of ways to do it the secure way. I don't trust the banks either.

[Fatfrank]

I opened up a Safety Deposit box in UOB at Amarin Plaza approximately 4 months ago. Initially they wanted me to open up a savings account with them at 150K, convinced them down to 50K.

At that time they also had a few safety deposit boxes open at the UOB branch at Asoke.

They're all out of the big boxes though, only the small ones left

Good luck

[SoftWater]

I opened up a Safety Deposit box in UOB at Amarin Plaza approximately 4 months ago. Initially they wanted me to open up a savings account with them at 150K, convinced them down to 50K.

At that time they also had a few safety deposit boxes open at the UOB branch at Asoke.

They're all out of the big boxes though, only the small ones left

Good luck

The problem with safes is that someone can force you - or anyone else who has the key/code - to open it under the threat of harm to yourself or your loved ones. While we've all seen enough movies to know this is also possible with a safety deposit box, its far more difficult. The other disadvantage is that having a big fat safe in your house only advertises the fact that you've got something of value.

Are safety deposit boxes really so rare in this country? I find that hard to believe. Surely someone must offer them?

[Tanaka]

I opened up a Safety Deposit box in UOB at Amarin Plaza approximately 4 months ago. Initially they wanted me to open up a savings account with them at 150K, convinced them down to 50K.

At that time they also had a few safety deposit boxes open at the UOB branch at Asoke.

They're all out of the big boxes though, only the small ones left

Good luck

The problem with safes is that someone can force you - or anyone else who has the key/code - to open it under the threat of harm to yourself or your loved ones. While we've all seen enough movies to know this is also possible with a safety deposit box, its far more difficult. The other disadvantage is that having a big fat safe in your house only advertises the fact that you've got something of value.

Are safety deposit boxes really so rare in this country? I find that hard to believe. Surely someone must offer them?

Availability is not the major problem, I think. I have a box with Bangkok Bank but was told when I got it that they are reluctant to give boxes to foreigners. Apparently there have been cases when a foreigner has been out of Thailand and not paid the annual fee for his box for a long time. And the bank cannot confiscate the box.

[A_Traveller]

The un-paid fee is a bit odd, since the fee is usually deducted by the bank, even, I believe, from a savings account, so that would mean the account had a very low balance. The reality is that most branches are not built [literally] for this, and the few that have been are quickly absorbed by the existing client base. I do think there's a bias against foreign [not just falang] usage though.

Regards

[SoftWater]

SCB appear to offer them to foreigners.

This should link to the English language page on their site:

http://www.scb.co.th/en/pnb/pnb_otr_csl.shtml

[thanks to David Houston over on the Thai Lang forum for this. You can also find out how to say it in Thai here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Bank-safety-...ox-t353806.html ]