Are Thai bank accounts safe (put my mind at ease)

[larsjohnsson]

I'm very surprised to hear that. I have used Kasikorn or Thai Farmers bank it's old name for over 20 years. And not one time I have done a withdrawal without they like to see my passport. They also make a copy of it every time

[Pib]

Yea, just like when a Thai walks into the bank they want to see his national ID card...not his drivers license....his national ID card. And for a farang in Thailand our passport serves as the equivalent to a Thai national ID card. I have no doubt other posters may say they have withdrawn money at the counter maybe only with a Thai drivers license or some other form of ID...and that wouldn't surprise me because it is Thailand. But I know with all my banking transactions over the years with my Thai bank (Bangkok Bank), if I didn't have my passport with me I was sh*t out of luck in accomplishing a withdrawal. Now maybe if I visited the same Bangkok Bank branch all the time and the bank personnel knew me maybe they wouldn't require my passport as they felt satisfied in my identity from facial/personal recognition, but I'm guessing.

Edited March 26, 2014 by Pib

[KhunBENQ]

I walked into my bank today to make a significant cash withdrawal. Handed over my bank book and scribbled a signature on a piece of paper, and walked out with a stack of money.

What bank?

They don't know you personally?

I never tried to do any business with my local Bangkok Bank branch without having my passport at hand.

And even though me and my wife are personally known to our prefered clerk, he will always do a copy of my passport.

Should I try myu drivers license?

[Gulfsailor]

It was an SCB branch. I do know quite some faces in there, as I regularly make international transfers, over the years training quite few of the staff how to fill in the forms and what codes to use in their computer system. But at all times I needed my passport.

But this time it was like a completely new crew had started working there. No familiar faces. I just walked up to the counter, handed over my bank book and received nearly 100k in cash. I can't remember the last time I withdrew cash at the counter, and rarely ever use/need my bank book, so it needed updates for something like the past 12 months. That alone should have set off some alarm bells with the counter staff.

As I said. I will have a chat with the bank manager...

[finy]

I can put money into BB without a passport, but can't take it out without one.

[KhunBENQ]

As I said. I will have a chat with the bank manager...

Horrifying story, but I believe it.

I remember one similar story here in the forum.

Thai jog trot!

[arunsakda]

Do not invest anything here you cannot afford to lose.

A tyrant may emerge at anytime saying "Farang Out!" Then we are effed.

My money's are mainly overseas invested in low cost index funds, a Japanese bank holding a foreign exchange account and a safety box of gold coins, and hopefully US social security payments when I qualify.

[Gulfsailor]

As I said. I will have a chat with the bank manager...

Horrifying story, but I believe it.

I remember one similar story here in the forum.

Thai jog trot!

Ok. Today I visited my scb bank branch to enquire why I didn't need to show any ID when withdrawing money from the counter.

The manager explained that it is policy to not check for ID if the bank book is from that branch. They only look at the signature.

I asked them to make a note in their system to always ask for ID when someone wants to withdraw from my account. She said they will check next time. I will check, before ever putting significant funds in the account again.