Bangkok Bank

[NoshowJones]

You can do most Bangkok Bank things via Internet Banking.

I opened mine at the Emporium branch, but anywhere you like. After that I do pretty much everything online.

In the case of rare problems (always my fault) I find them extremely helpful and all staff speak good English.

That's great, I will try the Paragon first. then the Emporium.

[Pib]

As other members have mentioned taking care of certain account issues or problems at other than the branch you opened the account can be problematic.   For some issues you must go to the branch you opened the account at....and if that branch is a   l....o....n.....g  way off then it can be a pain and lots of unneeded travel.    Additionally, you will experience fees when doing certain transfers/ATM withdrawals done outside of your branch's region (I.e., inter region fees).   While a debit card is issued no problem when opening an account, getting internet banking can be more challenging depending on what type of visa/extension you have, whether it's a joint or single account, etc.   Personally, I would recommend you open an account at Bangkok Bank "in your area" if you are staying in Thailand pretty much full time...or at least a branch you can get to within an hour or two when issues/problems arise...and they will.

There is a Bangkok bank about 60 Ks from where I stay, but they don't speak English, I do go to Bangkok several times a year. about the problems you say which will arrive, that's why I want online banking. The Kasikorn Bank where I stay did not refuse me online banking, they just messed me around so much I told them to forget it.

Having internet banking won't prevent the need to sometimes have to go to your branch to resolve problems/issues...some things just require your physical presence at your branch but hopefully that need won't occur often but it will occur.

Sent from my Samsung S4 (GT-I9500)

[phutoie2]

That's true, I have a joint account and tried to get a new passbook. A no can do - must have wife with me. Something to do with both signatures in the new passbook, and remind wife to take ID & Tabian baan. She forgot and staff kindly produced photo copies from previous visits. I just needed passport.

Sent from my i-mobile IQ 2 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Pib]

Don't even have to be a joint account... Even a single account you would still have to visit your branch to get the replacement / new passbook. Some things require a visit to the branch... just no way around it.

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[NoshowJones]

Don't even have to be a joint account... Even a single account you would still have to visit your branch to get the replacement / new passbook. Some things require a visit to the branch... just no way around it.

Sent from my Samsung S4 (GT-I9500)

Mr Pib, I am only wanting to open an account in my name only. I obviously need my passport, but what else? Blue house book?

[Pib]

Don't even have to be a joint account... Even a single account you would still have to visit your branch to get the replacement / new passbook. Some things require a visit to the branch... just no way around it.

Sent from my Samsung S4 (GT-I9500)

Mr Pib, I am only wanting to open an account in my name only. I obviously need my passport, but what else? Blue house book?

Well, its going to vary from bank to bank, branch to branch because it is Thailand, but just your passport and whatever visa or certificate of residence (or blue or yellow book) that satisfies that branch manager.

I'm sure you've seen the posts where some people walk into a branch fresh off the plane with just their passport and the 30 day visa given at the airport and 15 minutes later they have a bank account. Then the other posts where the branch requires a passport and a certificate of residence/long term visa/blue or yellow book/work permit/rent contract/etc...something that shows you are indeed residing in Thailand versus just passing through. And these widely varying posts numerous times comes from locations like Bangkok or Pattaya where farangs are a dime a dozen....where you would think all the banks deal with farangs frequently and would be farang friendly. But it ain't like they blacklist you if they turn you down...just go to the next branch.

Heck, I've got two accounts at the Silom Road Bangkok Bank branch in the headquarters Bangkok Bank building (I live in Bangkok)...you would think most clerks there would know some basic English but that may not be the case as the last account I opened there went pretty uneventful but the person opening the account probably didn't know 5 words of English based on some questions I tried to ask him. But I opened that account with my passbook, retirement extension of stay which only had a few months left on it, and my yellow book (I always take my yellow book along whenever I opening up any new kind of account be it a bank account or whatever account...it seems to make the person opening account more receptive/more comfortable). I've got 4 Bangkok Bank accounts at three different branches in Bangkok and a nearby province...two are in my name only and two joint accounts with the wife....along with the internet banking which I use to pay my monthly utility bills, yearly auto insurance, etc. I've never had a problem opening an account, but your results may vary because It Is Thailand.

Get an account where ever you want...in Bangkok or in some little provincial town...it's just after you get the account opened you will need to physically visit the branch to get certain things done such as getting a replacement passbook, replacement debit card, updating your passbook with a new passport number (all three of these have happened to me), and some other banking issues that may come up. Having internet banking don't negate any of that. As mentioned before it won't be often you need to visit the your branch but it will happen. Say passbook debit card stops working/gets lost or your passbook is lost/damaged/full, as long as you can wait until you can travel to your branch which may be a long way off in Bangkok to resolve the problem then open the account in Bangkok if it makes you feel better that the bank has some fair English capability...I can understand why you feel that way...I too much prefer a branch that you know has some English capability. And don't forget there will be some inter regional fees for some banking transactions if your bank is outside the region you live in.

If you are going to open it in Bangkok you might want to consider opening it at the Bangkok Bank Silom Road branch in the HQ Bangkok Bank building since they are use to dealings with farangs and since the headquarters is there in the building starting on the 2nd floor upwards that may be helpful for some unique banking transactions. If the branch needs to call HQ, then they are just calling upstairs in most cases or you can just go upstairs. The Bangkok Bank branch on the first floor in the Chaeng Wattana/Bangkok Immigration Building is also farang friendly/has a couple of folks who know English. Good luck.

[NoshowJones]

Don't even have to be a joint account... Even a single account you would still have to visit your branch to get the replacement / new passbook. Some things require a visit to the branch... just no way around it.

Sent from my Samsung S4 (GT-I9500)

Mr Pib, I am only wanting to open an account in my name only. I obviously need my passport, but what else? Blue house book?

Well, its going to vary from bank to bank, branch to branch because it is Thailand, but just your passport and whatever visa or certificate of residence (or blue or yellow book) that satisfies that branch manager.

I'm sure you've seen the posts where some people walk into a branch fresh off the plane with just their passport and the 30 day visa given at the airport and 15 minutes later they have a bank account. Then the other posts where the branch requires a passport and a certificate of residence/long term visa/blue or yellow book/work permit/rent contract/etc...something that shows you are indeed residing in Thailand versus just passing through. And these widely varying posts numerous times comes from locations like Bangkok or Pattaya where farangs are a dime a dozen....where you would think all the banks deal with farangs frequently and would be farang friendly. But it ain't like they blacklist you if they turn you down...just go to the next branch.

Heck, I've got two accounts at the Silom Road Bangkok Bank branch in the headquarters Bangkok Bank building (I live in Bangkok)...you would think most clerks there would know some basic English but that may not be the case as the last account I opened there went pretty uneventful but the person opening the account probably didn't know 5 words of English based on some questions I tried to ask him. But I opened that account with my passbook, retirement extension of stay which only had a few months left on it, and my yellow book (I always take my yellow book along whenever I opening up any new kind of account be it a bank account or whatever account...it seems to make the person opening account more receptive/more comfortable). I've got 4 Bangkok Bank accounts at three different branches in Bangkok and a nearby province...two are in my name only and two joint accounts with the wife....along with the internet banking which I use to pay my monthly utility bills, yearly auto insurance, etc. I've never had a problem opening an account, but your results may vary because It Is Thailand.

Get an account where ever you want...in Bangkok or in some little provincial town...it's just after you get the account opened you will need to physically visit the branch to get certain things done such as getting a replacement passbook, replacement debit card, updating your passbook with a new passport number (all three of these have happened to me), and some other banking issues that may come up. Having internet banking don't negate any of that. As mentioned before it won't be often you need to visit the your branch but it will happen. Say passbook debit card stops working/gets lost or your passbook is lost/damaged/full, as long as you can wait until you can travel to your branch which may be a long way off in Bangkok to resolve the problem then open the account in Bangkok if it makes you feel better that the bank has some fair English capability...I can understand why you feel that way...I too much prefer a branch that you know has some English capability. And don't forget there will be some inter regional fees for some banking transactions if your bank is outside the region you live in.

If you are going to open it in Bangkok you might want to consider opening it at the Bangkok Bank Silom Road branch in the HQ Bangkok Bank building since they are use to dealings with farangs and since the headquarters is there in the building starting on the 2nd floor upwards that may be helpful for some unique banking transactions. If the branch needs to call HQ, then they are just calling upstairs in most cases or you can just go upstairs. The Bangkok Bank branch on the first floor in the Chaeng Wattana/Bangkok Immigration Building is also farang friendly/has a couple of folks who know English. Good luck.

Thanks Mr Pib, that's a great help. I will take the wifes blue book also.

[4evermaat]

Open the acct in paragon. Take the laptop (and mobile internet) with you and activate the internet banking while you are nearby. Do not leave bangkok until you confirm acct, atm card, and internet banking work 100%. Edit: this takes at most a day if the sms to activate internet banking is delayed until the next day.

When you return to home province, attempt to open a new account in that province. Mention your previous acct info. Once that acct is open, then you fill out a form to "Add an account to internet banking". In 5 biz days, 2nd acct will be added.

When there is a will, there is a way.

Edit: bangkok bank gives you 5 free transfers to another bangkok bank account in another region/province in a calendar/statement month free. Afterwards you pay standard fee, which is usually 10 baht per 10k or so.

"Second best time to plant a tree is today" sent from note2 TV app

Edited October 5, 2013 by 4evermaat

[Pib]

Open the acct in paragon. Take the laptop (and mobile internet) with you and activate the internet banking while you are nearby. Do not leave bangkok until you confirm acct, atm card, and internet banking work 100%. Edit: this takes at most a day if the sms to activate internet banking is delayed until the next day. When you return to home province, attempt to open a new account in that province. Mention your previous acct info. Once that acct is open, then you fill out a form to "Add an account to internet banking". In 5 biz days, 2nd acct will be added. When there is a will, there is a way. Edit: bangkok bank gives you 5 free transfers to another bangkok bank account in another region/province in a calendar/statement month free. Afterwards you pay standard fee, which is usually 10 baht per 10k or so. "Second best time to plant a tree is today" sent from note2 TV app

Once you have internet banking you can also add any new account online. Go to the internet banking menu where you can add an account, enter the account and passbook info requested, you get a One Time Password sent via SMS, enter the OTP, and the account is added. You can add accounts which are in your name only or joint accounts. I do this periodically as I roll over matured fixed accounts which are in my name only....that is, the matured account is closed and a new one is opened.

Also, I can't be sure/can't remember for sure, but I may have also did this about six months ago when opening another joint account with the wife...can't really remember if I added it online or it automatically happened when opening the account. But I do remember for sure when opening the new joint account we also designated it as the "primary account"....I'm assuming that means the branch you have that account with is the one which takes some key responsibilities if you have some internet banking problems...or at least that what I understood from the Bangkok Bank rep opening the account. Yes, you still call the Bangkok Bank call center to work certain internet banking problems, but I guess in their system only one of your accounts is designated as the primary account for some reason.

Edited October 5, 2013 by Pib

[4evermaat]

Once you have internet banking you can also add any new account online. Go to the internet banking menu where you can add an account, enter the account and passbook info requested, you get a One Time Password sent via SMS, enter the OTP, and the account is added. You can add accounts which are in your name only or joint accounts. I do this periodically as I roll over matured fixed accounts which are in my name only....that is, the matured account is closed and a new one is opened.

.......

I think when I did this 2 years ago, it wasn't available so easily. I still had to go into a branch and get it added. They initially had a problem just giving me internet banking. But once it was discovered that I already had internet banking with a previous account and I just wanted to "add" the new account, then it was all good (popped up on the 6th day from submitting the request).

I remember doing it even more recently with kasikorn bank. The first account was easy at the ATM. But the second account I initiated the process online, but had to mail in or take the signed paperwork with a signed copy of passport to a branch and wait 5 business days.

Edited October 5, 2013 by 4evermaat

[poohy]

Hi

I have a BKK bank account based in Samsen BKK, absolutely no problems for 13 years ,apart from when rolling over fixed accounts this can only be done at the account holding branch which does entail some inconvenience although to be fair they do phone me up to remind me

I now have a local BKK bank in Phrachuap which I use for day to day banking linked by internet to my main accounts.To be fair the local bank is not overly foreigner friendly and I get the impression they would rather me keep the account's in BKK and not have to deal with me. The last visit was painful and I was only changing some left over UK cash from a recent trip back to THB we had all sorts of manuals out to confirm what a10 pound note looked like!

That aside it works well for me.

[djhotsox]

Bangkok bank is generally much harder for foreigners to get internetbanking then Kasikorn!

You will need at least a 1 year extension on your visa, or a workpermit.

And make sure they register the account as "resident". If not you will not be able to activate internet banking!

Also make sure you register your account in the same province as where you live/use the account, or you will pay extra "inter province" fees on every deposit or withdrawal!

Sorry but that is rubbish, all you need to ask for is a B1st account to get internet Banking

Also no bank charges you to withdraw money from your own account, I think you are confusing that with transfers to other accounts

Not true, on both your remarks.

If you withdraw funds from an ATM (the way most people draw cash on their accounts I would guess) in a different province then where your account is opened, you WILL be charged a fee.

Go to :http://www.bangkokbank.com/BANGKOKBANK/WEBSERVICES/HELPCENTER/Pages/FeeTable.aspx

scroll down to ATM services and you'll see

• Inter-region Bangkok Bank ATM cash withdrawal 15Bt per transaction

Bangkok Bank has strict rule as to who it allows internet banking. People on a tourist visa will NOT get internet banking, eventhough they will get a be1st ATM card.

Trying to use that card online or at an ATM to activate your iBanking will result in an error (unsuficient information).

If you for example have a 1 year extension, or maybe simply a non immigrant visa, it will be registered slightly different in their computer and then you WILL be able to register for iBanking.

Look here:

http://www.bangkokbank.com/BangkokBank/PersonalBanking/SpecialServices/ForeignCustomers/Pages/Openinganaccountnew.aspx

If you have a work permit, are a permanent resident, or hold a long-stay visa, you can apply for a wider range of services such as a cheque account, internet banking and online international funds transfer services.

Confirmed by personal experience.

And I can second that....