Jump to content

Bangkok Bank


Recommended Posts

As I have just got my Non-Imm "O" visa. I thought I would test fire it and open up a bank account.

My wife and I walked into our branch. I handed over my passport and our marriage certificate.

The young man gave me two applications and said "Sign".

I signed, he filled out the rest, I gave him 25,000, and viola. I have a bank account.

I asked for online banking. He said it's easier to set-up via the ATM.

I walked outside, fired up my new ATM card, and 3 minutes later...online banking.

I recommend Bangkok Bank for basic needs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 100
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted Images

I asked for online banking. He said it's easier to set-up via the ATM.

I walked outside, fired up my new ATM card, and 3 minutes later...online banking.

if their policy hasn't changed in the last few weeks u might soon receive a note to show them your work permit

to continue with iBanking.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Anything is possible in Thailand regarding opening a bank account and getting internet banking on the account (or not being able to), but having a work permit is not the "one requirement" anyone must have to open an account/get internet banking access. There are a variety of other methods/documents that also satisfy Bangkok Bank's minimum requirements to open an account/have internet access. Really not that hard to open an account, especially if you are on a non-immigrant type visa like an O Visa, O/A Visa, Long Term Extension of Stay, etc. Just one such method/document is having a non-immigrant long term visa like the OP has. Also, lots of retirees in Thailand with a Bangkok Bank account and internet access (like me) and don't have a work permit. In fact, working in Thailand on a Retirement O-A Visa/Retirement Extension of Stay is prohibited and therefore a person can't get a work permit on a O-A visa/extension of stay, although a few folks apparently have. Heck, even a person on a tourist visa can open an account.

See this Bangkok Bank web pages for the variety of methods that satisfy the requirements for a bank account and internet banking.

http://www.bangkokbank.com/Bangkok%20Bank/Personal%20Banking/Foreign%20Customers/Pages/Opening%20an%20account%20new.aspx

http://www.bangkokba...es/Default.aspx

Edited by Pib
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wouldn't quite agree with the OP's assessment... I'd instead say BKK Bank has its share of problems, just like most other places around these parts...

Let me give one recent personal example. As an existing BKK Bank account holder with their online banking, I decided after some time that I wanted to change my user ID for online banking... Easy right? Not quite...

When I first setup my account some years back, I was issued by the bank a long number as an initial user ID for online banking. And, I assume like most people, I immediately changed the number to something of a personal ID for me, and had been happily using the same ID I'd chosen until lately, when I decided I wanted to change it... And there began the problems...

Started with the normal thing you might do...went into the settings of their online banking menu...looking for link to change user ID... None to be found.. Link for changing password, but no link for user ID at all... First attempt fails...

Next step...go into my local branch and talk to the staff at the account desk, thinking as is usual with BKK Bank, I'd need to fill out some paper forms along with providing my passport and bank book... First check with a lady officer... she's not sure how to do it... muddles around a bit... and finally passes me to a second, male officer... Second attempt fails...

Next step.. male officer tells me in decent English that I can change the ID myself online in online banking. I assure him I've looked and see no such link... He insists and finally offers to show me on his own PC by logging onto his BKK Bank account while I watch... He does...muddles around in the settings menu...can't of course find any user ID link... So he then gets on the phone... Third attempt fails...

Next step...after some time... and several phone calls to other staff elsewhere in the bank, he finally gets off the phone and asks if I have the original number the bank issued me when I set up online banking... I said yes..I have it at home.. He tells me the only way to access (see) the user ID change link in the settings menu is to log on using not my own online banking ID, but use the number in place of my ID... OK..fair enough, take that advice and go home and try it... Of course, it doesn't work. Fourth attempt fails...

Next step... get on the phone again, this time with BKK Bank's online banking support desk...and reach a female CSR who's obviously clueless... I won't bore everyone with all the details of what she told me..most of which was wrong... But her advice included using the number as the login ID and my bank PIN (instead of the password) to log-in.. Try that and various other things she's suggested... None of them work.. Fifth attempt fails...

By this point, I'm getting more than a bit exasperated... Ask to speak with her supervisor...who turns out to be a decent and apparently knowledgeable sort... After retracing some of the various and failed steps and efforts already recounted above... she finally says...OK... we need to "reset our system" so you can log-in with your original number as log-in ID... Wait a couple minutes...she comes back on the line and presto... log in successfully with the original bank number and my regular password...

Now, throughout the entire process and all the prior staff I'd spoken with, no one had said anything about needing to "reset" their system or done so, until I finally got to this last woman... As best as I can gather from her, once you've chosen your own online banking ID, in order to then go back and use the original bank issued ID number instead, they apparently need to kind of erase your own self selected ID out of the system... And then once you've logged on successfully with the original bank # ID, the link comes up in the settings menu allowing you to once again pick your own online banking ID...

All in all, the process from start to finish took some hours of my time and all the various contacts listed above... When I pointed out to the lady supervisor in the end that most other banks I've dealt with make it easy to change user IDs online once the user has verified their identity by successfully logging onto online banking (usually it's just a link to choose similar to BKK Bank's link for changing passwords), I got silence as a response... No comment from the bank folks about that...

All I can say is... changing an online banking ID shouldn't take the better part of a day, multiple phone calls and a visit to the local branch... And people really ought to change their online banking IDs periodically just as a security measure... But apparently, that's all lost on BKK Bank...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12drinkmore.

re ... Thailand offers the absolute opposite end of the scale to the UK banks, with their pisspoor service, arrogant attitude and restrictions.

is that right ?

i walked into a bankok bank branch in chiang mai a month ago.

i put four ( one very old from 2004 and ALL with internet access ) ) savings account passbooks on the ladys desk .. a 5 year thai drivers licence and my pasport and said i want the same same with you

she looked through all four passbooks balances twice.

and whithout a word ... started typing

20 minits later i was a bankok bank customer and internet access to my new account was up and running in a week : )

i agree with you ... all thai banks are awfull : (

enjoy pic ... dave2

ps ... ive had 4 years of yearly visas based on the 800 odd thousand in the bank every year route in case anyone is wondering ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wouldn't quite agree with the OP's assessment... I'd instead say BKK Bank has its share of problems, just like most other places around these parts...

Let me give one recent personal example. As an existing BKK Bank account holder with their online banking, I decided after some time that I wanted to change my user ID for online banking... Easy right? Not quite...

When I first setup my account some years back, I was issued by the bank a long number as an initial user ID for online banking. And, I assume like most people, I immediately changed the number to something of a personal ID for me, and had been happily using the same ID I'd chosen until lately, when I decided I wanted to change it... And there began the problems...

Started with the normal thing you might do...went into the settings of their online banking menu...looking for link to change user ID... None to be found.. Link for changing password, but no link for user ID at all... First attempt fails...

Next step...go into my local branch and talk to the staff at the account desk, thinking as is usual with BKK Bank, I'd need to fill out some paper forms along with providing my passport and bank book... First check with a lady officer... she's not sure how to do it... muddles around a bit... and finally passes me to a second, male officer... Second attempt fails...

Next step.. male officer tells me in decent English that I can change the ID myself online in online banking. I assure him I've looked and see no such link... He insists and finally offers to show me on his own PC by logging onto his BKK Bank account while I watch... He does...muddles around in the settings menu...can't of course find any user ID link... So he then gets on the phone... Third attempt fails...

Next step...after some time... and several phone calls to other staff elsewhere in the bank, he finally gets off the phone and asks if I have the original number the bank issued me when I set up online banking... I said yes..I have it at home.. He tells me the only way to access (see) the user ID change link in the settings menu is to log on using not my own online banking ID, but use the number in place of my ID... OK..fair enough, take that advice and go home and try it... Of course, it doesn't work. Fourth attempt fails...

Next step... get on the phone again, this time with BKK Bank's online banking support desk...and reach a female CSR who's obviously clueless... I won't bore everyone with all the details of what she told me..most of which was wrong... But her advice included using the number as the login ID and my bank PIN (instead of the password) to log-in.. Try that and various other things she's suggested... None of them work.. Fifth attempt fails...

By this point, I'm getting more than a bit exasperated... Ask to speak with her supervisor...who turns out to be a decent and apparently knowledgeable sort... After retracing some of the various and failed steps and efforts already recounted above... she finally says...OK... we need to "reset our system" so you can log-in with your original number as log-in ID... Wait a couple minutes...she comes back on the line and presto... log in successfully with the original bank number and my regular password...

Now, throughout the entire process and all the prior staff I'd spoken with, no one had said anything about needing to "reset" their system or done so, until I finally got to this last woman... As best as I can gather from her, once you've chosen your own online banking ID, in order to then go back and use the original bank issued ID number instead, they apparently need to kind of erase your own self selected ID out of the system... And then once you've logged on successfully with the original bank # ID, the link comes up in the settings menu allowing you to once again pick your own online banking ID...

All in all, the process from start to finish took some hours of my time and all the various contacts listed above... When I pointed out to the lady supervisor in the end that most other banks I've dealt with make it easy to change user IDs online once the user has verified their identity by successfully logging onto online banking (usually it's just a link to choose similar to BKK Bank's link for changing passwords), I got silence as a response... No comment from the bank folks about that...

All I can say is... changing an online banking ID shouldn't take the better part of a day, multiple phone calls and a visit to the local branch... And people really ought to change their online banking IDs periodically just as a security measure... But apparently, that's all lost on BKK Bank...

JFC,

Sounds like an experience I once had with Bank of America. Now I know the User ID change appears to be a corrupted profile setting preventing you from making the change when you wanted to change it a couple years ago as described in your post. But your post (along with another Chang Beer) made me brave enough to attempt a change of my Bangkok Bank User ID.

I had wanted to do this for a long time, knew it supposedly could be done online, but I just didn't want to chance goofing up my online banking access...but I guess the combination of your post and the one additional Chang Beer made me brave enough tonight. Did the change a few minutes ago...no problem....did three logon's with the new User ID...worked fine...tried the old User ID once....it rejected. Appears I'm good to go with my new User ID.

Thanks for your post and Chang Beer.;)

Cheers,

Pib

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Asked me for a Work Permit.

I asked them how all the tourists have bank account with them and just got a smile.

All depends on the branch. In Bangkok I had to show my work permit when i opened a bank account. I opened an account in Surin with Bangkok Bank a few months ago and they only asked for my passport. Maybe check around, you might have better luck with a branch inside Big C, carefoure etc outside of Bangkok.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had wanted to do this for a long time, knew it supposedly could be done online, but I just didn't want to chance goofing up my online banking access...but I guess the combination of your post and the one additional Chang Beer made me brave enough tonight. Did the change a few minutes ago...no problem....did three logon's with the new User ID...worked fine...tried the old User ID once....it rejected. Appears I'm good to go with my new User ID.

Bangkok Bank is regularly improving their systems/services. Perhaps these changes were made after JFC's problem as it is pretty clear on the site now how to make the change.

post-566-0-38715300-1295070737_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bangkok Bank, under its own rules, has various options for how farang can qualify for account opening....

See their information at this link:

http://www.bangkokbank.com/Bangkok%20Bank/Personal%20Banking/Foreign%20Customers/Pages/Opening%20an%20account%20new.aspx#11

That said, as mentioned above, actual practices at Thai bank branches do tend to vary quite substantially. No's at one branch can easily be Yes's at a different branch of the same bank, with exactly the same applicant qualifications... That's just the way it is here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No Tywais...the episode I recounted all occurred yesterday...

The image you posted below and showing the change ID link probably is for the following reason...

What I was told by the BKK Bank staff is IF the person holding the account never changes from the original bank issued ID # for their log-ins, then the change ID link appears in your online banking profile.

But once an account holder has picked their own self selected login ID, the change option disappears.... That's what the BKK Bank staff finally coughed up...

And indeed, once I again yesterday selected my own new log-in ID after they reset everything, the changer user ID link once again disappeared from the My Settings menu...

The reason for setting up their system that way, I can't begin to fathom.

I had wanted to do this for a long time, knew it supposedly could be done online, but I just didn't want to chance goofing up my online banking access...but I guess the combination of your post and the one additional Chang Beer made me brave enough tonight. Did the change a few minutes ago...no problem....did three logon's with the new User ID...worked fine...tried the old User ID once....it rejected. Appears I'm good to go with my new User ID.

Bangkok Bank is regularly improving their systems/services. Perhaps these changes were made after JFC's problem as it is pretty clear on the site now how to make the change.

post-566-0-38715300-1295070737_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

JFC,

Yeap, you are right. Changed my User ID last night and the wife changed her's this morning...change went without problem. But now the link for changing the User ID is no longer available for eiher of us. It was there last night/this morning, but disappeared after we made the User ID changes.

Cheers,

Pib

Edited by Pib
Link to comment
Share on other sites

What I was told by the BKK Bank staff is IF the person holding the account never changes from the original bank issued ID # for their log-ins, then the change ID link appears in your online banking profile.

Guess that is what the 'reset' was for. Perhaps it's a security feature. ;) Thanks for the clarification.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for re-confirming my experience, Pib... I knew I wasn't dreaming!!! B)

That said, the point of my original post was two-fold:

1. To point out that, like a lot of other large businesses here, BKK Bank seems to have its share of line-level staff who really don't know their own jobs and have the knowledge necessary to do them properly... And I'm not singling out BKK Bank for that, although my anecdote was spurred by the experience with them. IMHO, they really ought to know what they're doing more, and not put their customers through that kind of ridiculous ordeal.

2. To point out the bank's process for its customers to change their user IDs, which makes it unusually difficult for reasons that I can't imagine... Generally, you WANT people to change their user IDs periodically as a security measure. Same with passwords... So why does BKK Bank make it easy to change your own password online, but almost impossible to change your user ID...unless you somehow are given divine knowledge of BKK Bank's obscure procedure for accomplishing that... I've never encountered any other bank that had, IMHO, such a silly and counterproductive restriction.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Did a google and here's at least one US Bank, called Eastern Bank, based in Boston that only allows one User ID change also. Note Q&A #4 at their following web page: https://www.easternbank.com/site/customerservice/Pages/online_banking_faq.aspx#q4

Question/Answer #4 Quote:

4. How do I change my User ID, password, or email address?

You can change your User ID, password or email address by clicking on the corresponding link under the Customer Service tab. Please note that HomeConnect only allows for one user ID change, so this link may not be available to you if you have previously changed your user ID.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bangkok Bank Q&A on the User ID change: http://www.bangkokbank.com/Online%20Banking/For%20Personal/iBanking/FAQ/Pages/User%20ID.aspx

1) What do I have to do if I want to change my User ID?

Three simple steps:

  • Click on "Preferences", then click on "Change User ID" on the sub-menu.
  • Type in the New User ID of your choice.
  • Click on "Confirm" to confirm your New User ID.

Note: If you have already changed your User ID for the first time, please contact a Bualuang Phone Customer Service Representative on 1333 or 0-2645-5555 when you need to change your User ID again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks again for the added info, Pib...

Of course, although I hadn't seen that FAQ, I did exactly do what it directed on my own, which was to call the bank via telephone and tell them exactly what I wanted to do.

And then that led to the long and tortured series of conversations and erroneous advice by various bank staff...before finally getting to the correct answer 5 steps later...

The reason I ran into the problem I did was exactly because various bank stuff didn't know what THEY needed to do at their end (reset their system or, in other words, basically erase my prior self selected ID) in order to allow me to log-in using the original bank issued numeric login...

Unless they know to do that, which a whole handful of them obviously did not, you could try logging in with the original numeric ID till kingdom come and you'd never get anywhere. Unfortunately, their FAQ does nothing to explain that.

I must say, I was pretty amused to watch the male bank officer in the branch insisting to me he could change his ID online once he signed on...and then standing over his shoulder as he signed on, went to the settings menu...and then searched in vain for the "Change User ID" link that obviously was not there... A small bright spot in an otherwise dreary experience.

Bangkok Bank Q&A on the User ID change: http://www.bangkokba.../User%20ID.aspx

1) What do I have to do if I want to change my User ID?

Three simple steps:

  • Click on "Preferences", then click on "Change User ID" on the sub-menu.
  • Type in the New User ID of your choice.
  • Click on "Confirm" to confirm your New User ID.

Note: If you have already changed your User ID for the first time, please contact a Bualuang Phone Customer Service Representative on 1333 or 0-2645-5555 when you need to change your User ID again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeap, I've experienced all to often in Thailand staff in company XYZ and/or govt offices who seemed to be clueless about certain things they should know about, even when you provide a printout of their own web page that explains what needs to be done. And even when there is no communications disconnect going on, because the staff speaks pretty good English. But eventually those clueless staff bump into another staff member--usually a supervisor--who knows how to easily and quickly solve the problem. But unfortunately it can sometimes take hours, days, numerous attempt for the clueless staff member to find the staff member with a clue. I'll be the first to admit it has happened to me in the States also, but not at the high rate I have experienced in Thailand. It probably all boils down to company training and senior staff hoarding knowledge for job security & promotion purposes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ditto Ditto Ditto... That's been exactly my experience here as well...

Same thing happens at times in the U.S., of course, but in my experience, not nearly at the same elevated level as cluelessness occurs here.

I always have the same experience with the various iterations of True... The CSRs who answer the phone often are at a loss, and it usually takes elevating the issue to a supervisor in order to get resolution...even for relatively routine stuff.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12drinkmore.

re ... Thailand offers the absolute opposite end of the scale to the UK banks, with their pisspoor service, arrogant attitude and restrictions.

is that right ?

i walked into a bankok bank branch in chiang mai a month ago.

i put four ( one very old from 2004 and ALL with internet access ) ) savings account passbooks on the ladys desk .. a 5 year thai drivers licence and my pasport and said i want the same same with you

she looked through all four passbooks balances twice.

and whithout a word ... started typing

20 minits later i was a bankok bank customer and internet access to my new account was up and running in a week : )

i agree with you ... all thai banks are awfull : (

enjoy pic ... dave2

ps ... ive had 4 years of yearly visas based on the 800 odd thousand in the bank every year route in case anyone is wondering ?

Hi Dave2,

Sorry, my post was ambiguous.

The "pisspoor service, arrogant attitude and restrictions" comment referred to the UK banks.

I have always found the Thai banks extremely helpful and easy to deal with, right at the other end of the scale from the UK banks.

Thai banksthumbsup.gifthumbsup.gif

UK banks jerk.gifjerk.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12drinkmore.

re ... The "pisspoor service, arrogant attitude and restrictions" comment referred to the UK banks

ahh im with you now ... a simple mistake

no harm done ... dave2 : )

ps ... i know what you mean ... ive lost the use of a new nat west card 3 years ago coz to register it as usable it has to be used for the first time in england !

difficult coz ive been here over 5 years

all my other new atm / credit cards have been no problem to register from here ... nat west ... gggrrrrr .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting as i have had a bkk account for 3 years now. For me internet banking is set up with a user name emailed and a password sent via thai mail system. I have never received my password via the mail. I have also visited 3 different branches to have my password resent via mail. None seemed to know about opening a online account via ATM. Although Kasikorn does use the atm to setup online accounts. Also the bkk bank i opened my account with requires a 1 year visa for online banking a tourist is ok without online banking.........

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Generally, you WANT people to change their user IDs periodically as a security measure.

JFC, I'm scratching my head on that one..... Why would that be more secure than, say, just changing your pin every month vice changing it every odd month, and your user ID every even month......? I guess somehow, maybe, that keeps the bad guys off balance somewhat more....? Or, somehow by changing them both at the same time, this builds in some meaningful additional security -- which I can't quite fathom.

Anyway, if I'm missing something, please advise. I never even changed the original ID issued by BB -- just, of course, the pin. I figure the worst that can happen is, if someone gains access, that they can send money from our single accounts, to our joint account, to our utility account, then back. A new definition for circle jerk. (They can't, supposedly, open a new third part account without access to our cell phone..).

You may just have been the first customer with BB to want to change your user ID more than once... Not exactly high on their training syllabus -- nor maybe even in it. Accounts for the shrugs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12drinkmore.

re ... Thailand offers the absolute opposite end of the scale to the UK banks, with their pisspoor service, arrogant attitude and restrictions.

is that right ?

i walked into a bankok bank branch in chiang mai a month ago.

i put four ( one very old from 2004 and ALL with internet access ) ) savings account passbooks on the ladys desk .. a 5 year thai drivers licence and my pasport and said i want the same same with you

she looked through all four passbooks balances twice.

and whithout a word ... started typing

20 minits later i was a bankok bank customer and internet access to my new account was up and running in a week : )

i agree with you ... all thai banks are awfull : (

enjoy pic ... dave2

ps ... ive had 4 years of yearly visas based on the 800 odd thousand in the bank every year route in case anyone is wondering ?

Another point, I have a USA private pension from a company I worked for, however they would only pay the pension into a bank in the states, Bangkok Bank has a branch in New York city albeit for commercial transactions ony, went into their head office branch in BKK and within 20 minutes they had arranged for my pension to be accepted in New York and immediatly be transferred to my local branch here, that is what I call service.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

if their policy hasn't changed in the last few weeks u might soon receive a note to show them your work permit<br />to continue with iBanking.

Opened one years ago with a type O visa

Never had a problem since nor a request for a work permit

As to the difficulty to change user ID online...I see it as a benefit.

I would not want a compromised account easily changed...just in case.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jim, nice to see you're playing the role of apologist for BKK Bank... <_<

But, as to the matter at hand, the reason for changing one's user ID in banking is the same as for changing the password..just taking an extra measure of security....

Why does the bank make it easy to change passwords, but not so for user IDs... It makes no sense.

I have U.S. banks that require all their online banking customers to periodically change their user IDs and passwords, and in some cases, you can't even go back to prior ones unless they're more than 4 or 5 versions back...

You may just have been the first customer with BB to want to change your user ID more than once... Not exactly high on their training syllabus -- nor maybe even in it. Accounts for the shrugs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

...For me internet banking is set up with a user name emailed and a password sent via thai mail system. I have never received my password via the mail...

...None seemed to know about opening a online account via ATM...

This is exactly the same thing that happened to me. I received my user name but never received the password. I waited for months until I eventually just lost interest.

I never heard anything about opening a online account via ATM. Maybe I should try that. Does anyone know how it's done?

I could probably go back to the bank and repeat the entire process but it will probably take months again, with no guarantee that it will ever work.

I've had a Bangkok Bank account for about 12 years and apart from this online banking fiasco I've been quite happy with they're service.

Edited by TimTang
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.











×
×
  • Create New...