I was thinking of opening up a bank account at UOB bank and transfer my monthly pension there from the nanny state.

Do you have an account with them at the moment (or in the past)? How do you rate their service? What about their website? Any issues?

many thanks

Its a Singapore based bank and thus probably safer to have funds with them than the thai banks

I used to bank with Bank of Asia which got taken over by ABN, who then sold out, and eventually ended up as UOB

I closed the account a few years back as the service and products weren't very good.

In the last few years it has improved a lot, to the extent I'd consider opening an account with them. I was going to open HSBC but when they pulled out of mass retail, this made UOB even more attractive - just never really got round to it as I also want the Singapore side too. Part of the improvement is down to the problems the US, Europe and UK have had and still have with their banking. This created a great opportunity for banks like Stan Chart and UOB to take market share regionally.

They are a good solid Singaporean Bank with regional ambitions. They enjoy a hybrid status of local bank subsidiary, and foreign bank parent. Similar to Stan Chart in status. The attraction for me is a solid bank, with reasonable size network in BKK and solid Singapore well regulated parent where you could park money offshore too. They have good links too the fund management side to as UOB bought out ING funds here.

As a stand alone bank some of the Thai Thai ones are better in my view if your only concern is Thailand. But if you want a regional bank + offshore + reasonable local presence it's worth a look. With HSBC gone it's harder to find that balance. I'd expect them also to become more and more useful for someone in other ASEAN countries too.

Cheers

Fletch

I used to bank with Bank of Asia which got taken over by ABN, who then sold out, and eventually ended up as UOB

I closed the account a few years back as the service and products weren't very good.

In the last few years it has improved a lot, to the extent I'd consider opening an account with them. I was going to open HSBC but when they pulled out of mass retail, this made UOB even more attractive - just never really got round to it as I also want the Singapore side too. Part of the improvement is down to the problems the US, Europe and UK have had and still have with their banking. This created a great opportunity for banks like Stan Chart and UOB to take market share regionally.

They are a good solid Singaporean Bank with regional ambitions. They enjoy a hybrid status of local bank subsidiary, and foreign bank parent. Similar to Stan Chart in status. The attraction for me is a solid bank, with reasonable size network in BKK and solid Singapore well regulated parent where you could park money offshore too. They have good links too the fund management side to as UOB bought out ING funds here.

As a stand alone bank some of the Thai Thai ones are better in my view if your only concern is Thailand. But if you want a regional bank + offshore + reasonable local presence it's worth a look. With HSBC gone it's harder to find that balance. I'd expect them also to become more and more useful for someone in other ASEAN countries too.

Cheers

Fletch

can't fault them. My old HSBC relationship manager moved there and service is great.

I had an account with UOB, and became very frustrated with their poor service and stupid rules. For some reason they could not set up internet banking, despite several attempts. We also have a home loan through UOB and for some reason I could not pay the home load directly from my bank account. I was required to go into the bank and pay cash.

My main accounts have been with Siam Commercial Bank and I have been happy with them. I also opened a new account with Kasikorn, and they are good too.