Location of bank account

[Diplomatico]

Long time lurker, first post. First, thanks very much to all contributors to this community. The information provided here was a terrific guide that assisted me in obtaining a multiple entry retirement visa in the U.S. with little difficulty.

Regarding opening bank accounts, from what I've read here, geographic location matters....is that correct? By that I mean, if I intend to reside primarily in Chiang Mai, does it matter if I open my account in Bangkok? Or should I wait and open the account in Chiang Mai? I'd like to open a basic checking account, with ATM card, into which I can transfer funds from overseas. Comments here have led me to believe that accounts, even within the same banking chain, may not seamlessly link between geographic locations.

Thanks in advance for your comments and shared experience.

[wayned]

If you intend to live in Chiang Mai, I would wait until you get there to open an account. Although most basic transactions are available country wide via ATM and internet banking, there are some that can only be done at the issuing branch: Ie. something as simple as changing your passport number when you get a new passport. You will not be able to get a "checking" account, only a savings account with ATM and you can set up internet access easily at some banks.

[Diplomatico]

If you intend to live in Chiang Mai, I would wait until you get there to open an account. Although most basic transactions are available country wide via ATM and internet banking, there are some that can only be done at the issuing branch: Ie. something as simple as changing your passport number when you get a new passport. You will not be able to get a "checking" account, only a savings account with ATM and you can set up internet access easily at some banks.

Good info, thanks. The internet banking and the ATM card are my primary concerns....didn't really think I'd be writing too many checks. ;-)

[KittenKong]

You are right that ideally you should open the account near where you want to use it. Otherwise you may have problems when you try to modify things, update things, check things etc. as if you aren't in the same area as where the account is the local branch may not be able to do it. That said, some banks are easier than others.

You dont actually want a checking account at all. You want a savings account with a passbook. You can transfer money into this from abroad and you can use an ATM/Visa card with it for withdrawals and shopping, or pay your regular bills by direct debit, or make internet banking transfers. The only thing you don't have is a chequebook which you probably couldn't use anyway even if you had one (who would accept personal cheques in Thailand?).

Some savings accounts pay more interest than others, and the ones that pay most often have more withdrawal restrictions.

[Diplomatico]

KK, thanks very much, very helpful. Regarding your comment that some banks are easier than others, any suggestions?

Edited November 16, 2013 by Diplomatico

[CharlieH]

Also bare in mind that apart from any changes that need to be made, if you have an account in one area and use an atm in another area you will be charged (depending on bank).

My recommendation would be Kasikorn, excellent services, especially the sms to your phone the moment you balance moves in any direction. Good online services too.The virtual credit card you can switch on and off for online purchases is also handy.

Edited November 16, 2013 by CharlieH

[Diplomatico]

Also bare in mind that apart from any changes that need to be made, if you have an account in one area and use an atm in another area you will be charged (depending on bank).

Wow, that's absurd and great information. I can see I'll be learning quite a bit throughout this transition. Thanks, CharieH.

[AngelsLariat]

Also bare in mind that apart from any changes that need to be made, if you have an account in one area and use an atm in another area you will be charged (depending on bank).

Wow, that's absurd and great information. I can see I'll be learning quite a bit throughout this transition. Thanks, CharieH.

It is absurd but the typical fee on an inter-regional ATM transaction is only about 10 or 15 baht. I ran into that issue because I opened a Kasikornbank account in Koh Samui and then started using it in Chiang Mai. The time that it seemed really absurd was when I withdrew 700K (in the form of a cashiers cheque) at a branch of Kasikornbank in Chiang Mai. That time they nicked me for something like 800 baht as an inter-regional banking fee.

Edited November 16, 2013 by AngelsLariat

[KittenKong]

Regarding your comment that some banks are easier than others, any suggestions?

TMB dont make any charge for ATM use outside your area. As far as I know CIMB dont either.

As for running the account, for convenience sake I really would open it locally to where you will be living. Anything else will probably end up being a PITA one day.

One other option for Bangkok and CM might be Standard Chartered who I think have branches in both places. They do an esaver account that pays good interest with no fees and it seems to work everywhere. I think the have an ATM card that is free to use at any bank also. They dont have many branches elsewhere though.

You could open an esaver with SC and use that as your main account to receive money from overseas, and just open other regular savings accounts locally wherever you may be and transfer money to those accounts from SC via internet banking. That should work fine. You would need a permanent address for that though as the esaver is not branch operated.

As for opening the actual local accounts, even with a good bank you will find that some branches are helpful to farangs and some just dont want to know. That applies even in places like Pattaya where there are more farangs than you can shake a stick at. Best idea is to try the branches in heavily touristed shopping malls or the tourist centres of town. Anyone from the US may find it increasingly difficult to open accounts here because of that FACTA thing also.

[Diplomatico]

KK, thanks again for the insightful reply.

[SantiSuk]

Best to have a savings account with a good rate of interest (and therefore some restrictions like only 2 withdrawals a month) and then an ordinary account (no interest) with an ATM card attached. Both would typically have passbooks and both would be accessible online. Top up your ordinary account from time to time so you can use it for the usual expenditure ATM withdrawals.

My accounts are with a Bangkok Krungsri bank (because they have 'Krungsri Exclusive' branches in BKK where staff speak English - may have one in CM by now: good service and some perks and higher interest accounts, but you have to have a min of 3 mill or some such). Anyway that's not the point here I guess. Point is that I normally live in Sisaket province and it is slightly inconveniencing and occasionally major inconveniencing to have bank not where you mostly live (so I have a 'family account' with Bangkok Bank locally in Sisaket also.

EG of minor inconvenience - 20 baht charge to use ATM outside Bangkok. Eg of major inconvenience - a bank transfer for a land purchase seemed to cost several thou baht more in fees because I did it in my local Krungsri branch. Eg of no inconvenience - I was able to withdraw 760k baht last week in Krungsri Sisaket last week for a car purchase at the standard 0.1% fee. 760 baht to have 760k baht in your hot hands is not bad value!

I find Krungsri, Kasikorn and Bangkok fine (I've had many accounts in the UK while looking after older members of the family financial affairs and have banked in the States - all banks worldwide screw something up non-standard and annoy you sometime!). Krungsri is the only one I have experience of online in Thailand and I find their online banking simple and effective. I've been happy with the exchange rate on foreign currency (GBP from my UK banks) arriving into both Krungsri and Bangkok Bank.

Best to ask again in CM forum for branches of banks with good English-speaking capability (not just one individual) would be my top tip.

Edited November 17, 2013 by SantiSuk

[AsterixThai]

Open an account for example BKG-BANK Bangkok with internet access.

Arrived at ChiangMai open a new account at BKG-BANK.

You can free transfer.

Keep a minimum of money on the account that you use with ATM

[Qman]

_{Agree with all the above recommendations especially setting up in the area you will live. Best to check their websites for details of fees and visit convenient local branches to get a sense of service and language skills. I have a savings account at Kasikorn and have not had any problems. Wire funds from overseas and it takes 1-2 days for clearing. Note you should always wire funds as US Dollars, UK Sterling, etc. and let the Thai bank do the conversion as the rates are better than if the source bank does the conversion. Also, the Kasikorn ATM card is a debit card and can be used to pay things online.}

[ozyjon]

I use Bangkok Bank, always have and need to transfer the account to where i was living because if you need to withdraw funds from your account outside your branch you will have to pay fees, kee this in mind, and i have never seen a checking account here, do they exist i wonder?

[moradave]

Since you are cominng from the US, and the CIA is tracking foreign money transfers:

http://www.moneynews.com/Economy/CIA-money-transfers-NSA/2013/11/15/id/536880?ns_mail_uid=14623213&ns_mail_job=1546313_11162013&promo_code=159E3-1

you may want to consider getting an account with Bangkok Bank (BB). They have a New York branch that accepts deposits through the US ACH system and then gets the funds converted from dollars and deposited to your Thailand account without a foreign money transfer. You can also set up a direct deposit account with BB for receiving things like Social Security payments that require confirmation that you are still alive before you get access to the money. The direct deposit accounts require special set up and have withdrawal restrictions.

Checking accounts do exist with BB but you do not want one. No one takes personal checks in Thailand. Checks are used primarily for business to business payments.

Edited November 17, 2013 by moradave

[thaibook]

I have found Kasikorn helpful.

I had an account in BKK and wanted to deposit money in CM. I ended up opening a second account in CM to avoid the transfer fees. I confirm that there are fees in depositing or withdrawing money in one location to/from an account in another. Back in BKK I wished to open a trading account. They linked it to the CM account as my main funds were there without any problem. Whenever I email with questions I get a reply same or next day. This is the branch by Old Siam, which is not a major tourist area. On the internet I have equal access to both accounts - but I have not tried transferring funds from one to the other.

[wayned]

I live in the sticks and have personal accounts with Bangkok Bank and Government Savings Bank. I also have joint accounts with my wife at Bangkok Bank, SCB and Krung Thai. I did not have any problem opening any of then at the local branches. I have ATMs with all accounts and Internet Banking with Bangkok Bank and SCB.

As said, there are out of area service charges if you do not use the local ATM and they also charge service charges if you withdraw or deposit funds at another Branch. Bangkok Bank charges 20 baht + 1 baht/thousand for either deposits or withdraws. I do not know the other bank's fees.

I have my SSA retirement payments directly deposited into my personal Bangkok Bank account. It is the only Bank in Thailand authorized to receive direct deposits from the SSA. The funds are deposited on the 3rd of each month through their branch in NY. They deduct $5 in New York and another 200 baht on this end for service. The funds are usually available to be withdrawn, only in person at any branch, the same day after the conversion to baht is completed.

[marioc]

If you intend to live in Chiang Mai, I would wait until you get there to open an account. Although most basic transactions are available country wide via ATM and internet banking, there are some that can only be done at the issuing branch: Ie. something as simple as changing your passport number when you get a new passport. You will not be able to get a "checking" account, only a savings account with ATM and you can set up internet access easily at some banks.

Good info, thanks. The internet banking and the ATM card are my primary concerns....didn't really think I'd be writing too many checks. ;-)

....and remember that to close the account you have to go to the bank branch personally....

[falang07]

 

Also bare in mind that apart from any changes that need to be made, if you have an account in one area and use an atm in another area you will be charged (depending on bank).

Wow, that's absurd and great information. I can see I'll be learning quite a bit throughout this transition. Thanks, CharieH.

 

Not so absurd if you compare with the prices in Europe. In here, you can withdraw from any ATM (even different bank) and in case you stay in the same province, it is free. ATM cash management is quite costly so be glad it is free or very cheap, in case of inter-provincional withdrawal.

[Bagwan]

Also bare in mind that apart from any changes that need to be made, if you have an account in one area and use an atm in another area you will be charged (depending on bank).

Wow, that's absurd and great information. I can see I'll be learning quite a bit throughout this transition. Thanks, CharieH.

It is absurd but the typical fee on an inter-regional ATM transaction is only about 10 or 15 baht. I ran into that issue because I opened a Kasikornbank account in Koh Samui and then started using it in Chiang Mai. The time that it seemed really absurd was when I withdrew 700K (in the form of a cashiers cheque) at a branch of Kasikornbank in Chiang Mai. That time they nicked me for something like 800 baht as an inter-regional banking fee.

What makes the inter regional fee so absurd is that all bank accounts are held at the bank's Head Office. I believe that banks share the same dedicated line to servers in BKK that filter out data directing it to the addressee bank.

On more than one occasion the KTB line from Lomsak to BKK was down, and all the ATM's belonging to other banks were also non functional. I had to leg it to Petchabun to get hold of some dosh.

Edited November 17, 2013 by Bagwan

[Pib]

Best to open your account(s) where you live as some banking issues can only be handled/fixed by the branch you opened the account at and there can be certain fees on Thailand inter-regional transactions/ATM use.

[Dimpys Dad]

I live in the sticks and have personal accounts with Bangkok Bank and Government Savings Bank. I also have joint accounts with my wife at Bangkok Bank, SCB and Krung Thai. I did not have any problem opening any of then at the local branches. I have ATMs with all accounts and Internet Banking with Bangkok Bank and SCB.

As said, there are out of area service charges if you do not use the local ATM and they also charge service charges if you withdraw or deposit funds at another Branch. Bangkok Bank charges 20 baht + 1 baht/thousand for either deposits or withdraws. I do not know the other bank's fees.

I have my SSA retirement payments directly deposited into my personal Bangkok Bank account. It is the only Bank in Thailand authorized to receive direct deposits from the SSA. The funds are deposited on the 3rd of each month through their branch in NY. They deduct $5 in New York and another 200 baht on this end for service. The funds are usually available to be withdrawn, only in person at any branch, the same day after the conversion to baht is completed.

When I set up my SSA payments last year, I was told by my SS office back home that I couldn't direct deposit into Thai Bank (foreign bank). I understand from your post that you are having your payments deposited into your Bangkok Bank account. I also have a Bangkok Bank account and would like to have that option also.

Did I get a lazy representative who didn't want to deal with foreign deposits? What should I do to have this corrected?

Thanks in advance to a reply.

[AngelsLariat]

I live in the sticks and have personal accounts with Bangkok Bank and Government Savings Bank. I also have joint accounts with my wife at Bangkok Bank, SCB and Krung Thai. I did not have any problem opening any of then at the local branches. I have ATMs with all accounts and Internet Banking with Bangkok Bank and SCB.

As said, there are out of area service charges if you do not use the local ATM and they also charge service charges if you withdraw or deposit funds at another Branch. Bangkok Bank charges 20 baht + 1 baht/thousand for either deposits or withdraws. I do not know the other bank's fees.

I have my SSA retirement payments directly deposited into my personal Bangkok Bank account. It is the only Bank in Thailand authorized to receive direct deposits from the SSA. The funds are deposited on the 3rd of each month through their branch in NY. They deduct $5 in New York and another 200 baht on this end for service. The funds are usually available to be withdrawn, only in person at any branch, the same day after the conversion to baht is completed.

When I set up my SSA payments last year, I was told by my SS office back home that I couldn't direct deposit into Thai Bank (foreign bank). I understand from your post that you are having your payments deposited into your Bangkok Bank account. I also have a Bangkok Bank account and would like to have that option also.

Did I get a lazy representative who didn't want to deal with foreign deposits? What should I do to have this corrected?

Thanks in advance to a reply.

It's possible that "by the book" they aren't supposed to do it, but there's a branch of Bangkok Bank in New York that will accept deposits by ACH transfer. To the sender, that would look just the same as a domestic bank transfer. Once Bangkok Bank's NY branch gets the money, they automatically convert it to Thai Baht and deposit into your Bangkok Bank account in Thailand.

But in the worst case (that SSA won't send the money directly to Bangkok Bank), all that you have to do is maintain one US bank account that allows you to initiate ACH transfers online, have SSA send your money to that US account, and then transfer the money yourself by ACH to Bangkok Bank when needed.

Edited November 17, 2013 by AngelsLariat

[Langsuan Man]

I live in the sticks and have personal accounts with Bangkok Bank and Government Savings Bank. I also have joint accounts with my wife at Bangkok Bank, SCB and Krung Thai. I did not have any problem opening any of then at the local branches. I have ATMs with all accounts and Internet Banking with Bangkok Bank and SCB.

As said, there are out of area service charges if you do not use the local ATM and they also charge service charges if you withdraw or deposit funds at another Branch. Bangkok Bank charges 20 baht + 1 baht/thousand for either deposits or withdraws. I do not know the other bank's fees.

I have my SSA retirement payments directly deposited into my personal Bangkok Bank account. It is the only Bank in Thailand authorized to receive direct deposits from the SSA. The funds are deposited on the 3rd of each month through their branch in NY. They deduct $5 in New York and another 200 baht on this end for service. The funds are usually available to be withdrawn, only in person at any branch, the same day after the conversion to baht is completed.

When I set up my SSA payments last year, I was told by my SS office back home that I couldn't direct deposit into Thai Bank (foreign bank). I understand from your post that you are having your payments deposited into your Bangkok Bank account. I also have a Bangkok Bank account and would like to have that option also.

Did I get a lazy representative who didn't want to deal with foreign deposits? What should I do to have this corrected?

Thanks in advance to a reply.

No, you did not run into a lazy rep, just one that did not know about Bangkok Bank's New York clearing house

Go to the Bangkok Bank web site and get their US Routing number and then just have Social Security direct deposit your Social Security Checks there. You would use your Bangkok Bank account number as your bank account number and as far as Social Security is concerned the funds are going to a US Bank account due to the US routing number of Bangkok Banks New York branch. Once the deposit hits Bangkok Bank in New York a few days later the funds will be be converted into Thai Baht (here) and deposited in your Bangkok Bank account in Thailand

see:

http://www.bangkokbank.com/BangkokBank/PersonalBanking/DailyBanking/TransferingFunds/TransferringIntoThailand/ReceivingFundsfromUSA/Pages/ReceivingFundsfromUSA.aspx

[Mrjlh]

Very simple. You must establish a Thai Bangkok Bank account "first". Then you can have your money deposited into the Bangkok Bank account using the Bangkok Bank, New York "Routing Number" plus your Thai BB account number. When you sign up also ask for on-line banking with BB IBanking. Makes it really easy to transfer and manage you money from anywhere. Another tidbit, most US credit cards will allow for you to make credit card payments from foreign bank accounts without fees. Merely add the bank information to your CC account. Check into that. If you move, you do not need to cancel the bank account, simply open a new one in you new location and keep the old open until you decide you really don't need it. But you will need to be there in person to cancel. BB now allows for 5 out district transfers a month for free. And BB seems to be more foreigner friendly too. Hope that clarifies the process.

[Pib]

I live in the sticks and have personal accounts with Bangkok Bank and Government Savings Bank. I also have joint accounts with my wife at Bangkok Bank, SCB and Krung Thai. I did not have any problem opening any of then at the local branches. I have ATMs with all accounts and Internet Banking with Bangkok Bank and SCB.

As said, there are out of area service charges if you do not use the local ATM and they also charge service charges if you withdraw or deposit funds at another Branch. Bangkok Bank charges 20 baht + 1 baht/thousand for either deposits or withdraws. I do not know the other bank's fees.

I have my SSA retirement payments directly deposited into my personal Bangkok Bank account. It is the only Bank in Thailand authorized to receive direct deposits from the SSA. The funds are deposited on the 3rd of each month through their branch in NY. They deduct $5 in New York and another 200 baht on this end for service. The funds are usually available to be withdrawn, only in person at any branch, the same day after the conversion to baht is completed.

When I set up my SSA payments last year, I was told by my SS office back home that I couldn't direct deposit into Thai Bank (foreign bank). I understand from your post that you are having your payments deposited into your Bangkok Bank account. I also have a Bangkok Bank account and would like to have that option also.

Did I get a lazy representative who didn't want to deal with foreign deposits? What should I do to have this corrected?

Thanks in advance to a reply.

Just go to your Bangkok Bank branch and open a Direct Deposit account with them...once you got the account number just provide the account number along with the Bangkok Bank "New York branch" ACH routing number and you are done...absolutely no different than sending the money to any other domestic bank in the U.S. Expect the SSA rep was thinking in broad terms of they won't usually direct deposit to a foreign bank/country unless they are on the SSA International Direct Deposit (IDD) program...which Thailand is not on....however, but, since Bangkok Bank has its New York branch operation all you need to do is use the Bangkok Bank NY address, their routing number, and your local/in-Thailand Bangkok Bank branch. Been many posts on Thai visa about social security retirees doing this...also military retirees.

Say for a typical pension up to $2000/mo, as that $2000 leaves the govt pension agency to Bangkok Bank NY branch as it flows through the NY branch a $5 fee will be sliced off, $1995 arrives your local/in-Thailand branch, they then convert to baht using their TT Buying Rate, they then apply a 0.25% (Bt200 min, Bt500 max) fee which would be 200 baht (say $6.45 using an exchange rate of 31 baht/USD), and the remaining amount is posted to your account. These two fees are not applied because they are govt pensions, they are applied for any incoming ACH electronic funds transfers. So, total fees out of the $2000 was approx $11.45...pretty cheap compared to SWIFT transfers.

Now, you can use the NY branch routing number with your "regular Bangkok Bank Savings Account number" also vs the special Direct Deposit Account number but what may happen is Bangkok Bank will key-in on the reoccurring U.S. govt pension coming to your regular savings account and block it until you come in and open a Direct Deposit account for the pension to flow to. This happened to me years back with my military retiree pension when I first got to Thailand and was determining how I wanted to send over periodic day-to-day living money. I gave the military pension folks (DFAS) the Bangkok Bank NY routing number and my local account number and the pension flowed fine for a few months, then one month it didn't show up on time...instead I got a letter in the mail from Bangkok Bank saying they had received the monthly payment but would not post it to my account and would need to send it back to DFAS if I didn't come in and setup a Direct Deposit account for the pension to flow to monthly....all part of compliance with a U.S. law. So, I set the Direct Deposit account up, gave DFAS the new account number (you still use the NY branch routing number), and the pension payment continued fine....but I later stopped sending my pension to my Bangkok Bank account as I shifted to using no foreign transaction fee debit cards and a standard ACH funds transfer as/if needed. But even though I got caught by Bangkok Bank I've seen other posts where expats in Thailand have their U.S. govt pensions following to their standard Bangkok Bank savings account. Easy enough for Bangkok Bank to identify such U.S. govt pensions payments such as social security or military pensions due to the coding in the transfers, but I guess some folks are just getting lucky.

Here's a few Bangkok Bank links on the subject for your info. Link 1. Link 2

Edit: P.S. Although Bangkok Bank may have you sign some U.S. type forms which they would mail to the govt retirement agency for you, we'll go ahead and sign them to make the bank happy but tell them you will contact the govt agency with the new account number to get the money flowing. This is what I did with my military pension. Why wait for snail mail to go from Thailand to the U.S. to get the new account info to the SSA...all the SSA cares about is getting a "routing number, account number, and maybe a bank address...use the NY branch address because that is what is loaded in the ACH bank routing number database....not some Thailand address for your particular branch. But even after you contact SSA to give them the info...say same day you get your new Direct Deposit account number....even if Bangkok Bank does mail the docs off when they show up at the SSA they just see the correct banking info is already entered probably due to the pensioner contacting them before the mail arrived.

Edited November 17, 2013 by Pib

[menorah]

I've had good experience of Kasikorn, Krung Thai & Bangkok Bank. Currently I use Bangkok Bank with online banking. I have a standard saving account with pass book and a couple of debit cards.

I schedule regular weekly payments to my ex wife via a third party account, which I also set up online in a matter of moments.

Most of the banks here allow easy facility to authorise the maximum daily withdrawal and the maximum payment in a single transaction. These authorisations can be changed at your leisure.

Receiving SWIFT payments to my Thai bank from UK are also very easy and normally arrive within 3 days of the UK fund request. To date I've never sent money in the opposite direction.....I'm uncertain whether any foreigner EVER has ! : )

Yes, there are charges for ATM or pass book withdrawals if the transaction is made Out of Province, but within my own district of the province I've never paid any fee. Some but not all non Bangkok Bank ATM also charge a fee.

Regarding money in the bank for 'retirement visa' purposes, I keep mine in a fixed rate savings account, which pays something like 3.25% variable, depending on the rate at the time of opening. Interest is subject to tax but it's lower than in UK and I'm not reliant on the interest as cost of living income.

It's also possible to link your fix rate saving account to online banking but to date I've not done so.

One last point, it's useful if your issuing bank has a branch near Thai Immigration so you can easily make up your pass book on the day you apply for your annual visa renewal. However, letters from the bank relating to funds having been held in deposit for a minimum 3 months are usually only accepted from your issuing bank and need be requested the week before.

I say usually because I was able to persuade Bangkok bank in Nakonsawan to issue me a letter of confirmation on the day, even though my 'home' bank was 120km distant.

There are many different experiences to be had with the banking fraternity in Thailand....much the same as back home, however, with good manners and a little patience to bank staff, most services transact smoothly.

[KevinB]

The issue is that he wants to transfer money into his account in Thailand - in that case the best alternative is to use one of the banks that has the best - incoming Forex clearing system. The secondary issue is where he ends up living - all he needs to check then is how many ATM facilities and sub-branches (because sometime he may need branch services not available on an ATM) there are of the bank he selected because of the first decision.

I use Bangkok Bank - which after 7 years experience is excellent fast and reliable especially, as an earlier poster reports, you use the information they provide on corresponding banks. I have accounts in the channel Islands, in the UK and on the continent in different banks and have used GBP, USD and Euro transfers over the years with never a hiccup or falter. excellent service - a bloody sight better than I've got over the year from my main bank - commonly marketed as "The World Bank" (big joke but a worthy subject for a separate posting). Now if my memory serves me correct last time I was in CM there are not that many Bangkok Bank branches (SCB seemed to predominate) but in the up-country area I visit regularly - Chaing Rai there has been a steady increase in facilities. The advantage is that all incoming forex transfers to Bangkok Bank are handled centrally and the account system automatically credits the account where ever it is in country.

Other advantages - a print out of my BB Saving Book is always accepted by Immigration as proof of sufficient funds especially if (as I usually do) it is up-dated the day before - this service is usually available at multi ATM facilities of the bank.

The debit card they issue works everywhere I've used it - service stations and supermarkets etc.

After a couple of years I was offered a credit card and only took up the offer recently and have found that to be universally accepted both here in Thailand and regionally where I often travel on business - have occasionally had my international Visa refused because of the facility being unable to contact the main server.

By the way since switching to a big forex transfer into by BB account and then using my ThB cash card I've saved a small fortune in bank fees and Visa charges - plus in check earlier this year I get a much better rate on the incoming forex from BB than my International credit card company gives me when they convert ThB charges into deduction of my GBP account overseas. I'm winning all the way to the bank - now-a-days.

So CM members give the guy an up-date on facilities in your neck of the woods - for my part the incoming forex side of Bangkok Bank is very hard to beat.

[KevinB]

Having now read through some of the earlier posts - it looks like Bangkok Bank comes out a clear front runner all the OP needs now is for some local CM members to up-date him on the number of Bangkok Bank branches and ATM outlets in the fair second City.

I didn't mention it but I've also found that the BB Internet banking system is absolutely fabulous and easily at world standard (certainly on a par with the On-line banking service I get from The World's Bank in the Channel Isles). Excellent to use during a family crisis while I'm working out the country - transfer to another BB account is basically instant.

I've also learnt something from the posts and will be back in Bangkok Bank setting up a separate higher interest account into which I'll put my Immigration requirement funds (I'm not resident full-time yet so the tax issue is not critical). I also like the suggestion of keeping minimal amount in the account against which the ATMs draws - I have been offered two accounts as well as joint accounts with my partner before by BB but have not taken them up.

[Pib]

Additionally, the detail of banking information on the Bangkok Bank website, in English and Thai, is far ahead of other Thai bank websites.