A Cautionary Thai Banking Tale

[cyberfarang]

On a similar tack, and again with Bangkok Bank, a friend, whilst living in Koh Chang, opened a 3year fixed deposit account. It maturred last week. Now living in Surin province, he went into the local Bangkok Bank, where he has a savings account and asked to withdraw his matured fixed deposit money.

NO WAY. The ONLY solution was for him to travel all the way to koh Chang, and close the account and withdraw the money.

TIT (THIS IS THAILAND!!!)

Never had a problem with the Bangkok Bank.

I have fixed accounts and a savings account with them. At the same time I opened an online account for the savings with the fixed accounts attached to it. I am able to transfer the funds from my fixed to savings at any time online and use my Bangkok Bank debit card to make withdrawals anywhere.

[Jeffkp]

It seems to me the moral is: after a long tiring day, be very careful when handling cash, etc. The only time I have left my card in an ATM was after arriving on a 22 hour flight to CM. I was dizzy with jet lag and had a cold!

[pittsdaulga]

As a Canadian, the requirements here in Thailand are not much different here than there, except for the requirement for a police report. Imagine how much fraud would be going on if anyone could walk into any branch anywhere and say that he had lost his bank card, passbook etc. if it makes you feel any better the requirements are the same for Thai's and foreigners.

What type of fraud would accure? If one were to have lost their bank card (debit or credit card) and went to the bank, they would still need to provide a valid form of ID to make any withdrawal or transaction.

[allane]

Ever heard of fake ID cards and passports ?

[Jay1]

I guard my bank book even more so than my bank cards. On several occasions I have managed to withdrawn relatively large amounts of cash using my book without having to show my passport

[malcoml]

I also had a strange situation with BB.

I had not used my account for 12 months so they suspended it. Went to a central Bangkok branch and they informed me they could make it go live if I made a deposit. Deposit of 100k made...

They then told me I would need a new card and I asked for Internet banking. They then seemed to go through the process until they noticed that my passport number had changed as I had renewed my passport.

They could no longer help me to even withdraw money I had just put in.

To cut a long story short I had to make my way back to the branch I originally opened the account in and it was lucky the same manager was there and lucky he remembered me.

[Absolut]

How did ya lose all that stuff ya on the piss??

Did ya ever get all your stuff back the suspense is killing me...

good luck

You have to wait until Monday, that was pretty clear.

[Chao Lao Beach]

TMB is the only Thai bank that banks nationally.

Next time, best not to leave all your cards in one wallet.

Well done for digging yourself out.

Great to know.

So with TMB can you sort out stuff at any branch and avoid inter branch comminisions ?

[chiang mai]

TMB is the only Thai bank that banks nationally.

Next time, best not to leave all your cards in one wallet.

Well done for digging yourself out.

"TMB is the only Thai bank that banks nationally".

Are you suggesting that TMB is not part of the the Thai provinical banking system, good luck with that if you are!

[Seligne2]

Here is the end of this tale:

At 13:00 on Monday, 19 Oct, I received a package from the person(s) at DMK who found my wallet. Inside the package (which cost 42 baht to post) was my wallet. All the credit cards, debit cards, drivers licenses, bank books were intact. My accounts (I was still able to bank online) showed no untoward activities.

What was missing from the wallet was the cash in foreign currencies that I had stashed there. As stated earlier, that amounted to <USD100.

It was a hassle communicating in Thai with the good Samaritan. I would add to my list of lessons learned that in the future I will

a. periodically photocopy the contents of wallets

b. ensure that every wallet, suitcase, backpack, etc., include a card with my name, address, etc. I think that the 80/20 rule applies: 80% of persons finding another person's wallet will go to great lengths to see that it is returned intact. That certainly is my policy.

Thanks to those of you who had constructive comments such as dividing up bank cards and keeping them in two different places. Also the comment about having two bank accounts was a great idea.

[bazza40]

One bank book on term deposit, one bank book with funds for living expenses. One Australian credit card/ debit card, one Australian Redicard which works at ATM's only. All stashed separately so if one is lost, there are alternative sources of funds while it's being sorted out. Hasn't happened yet.

There seems to be a similar effect with items such as cars and boats. The people who jump straight in and roar off are usually the ones waiting for roadside assistance or the water police after they've broken down or start sinking. It's the fussbudgets who check everything that never seem to get into trouble.

[fletchsmile]

I really don't understand why you waited to next day to go into a branch, and you might want to rethink for next time:

Banks these days have call centres or 24 hour helpline for such problems. These are national BTW and not local

Look on the back of most ATM/debit/credit cards and there's a helpline number to contact if you have a problem or your card is lost or stolen. You might want to memorize it or write it down.

If you've ever skim read the T&C on receiving your cards they will tell you to report card thefts or losses immediately

A quick internet search on any bank and you can also find the contact number you want. There's FAQs including what to do in such events.

If you have a mobile phone, many banks have apps these days with all sorts of info on them. My TMB one is great, lists the addresses and telephone numbers of all branches, even links into google maps and no doubt has emergency numbers too.

For BKK bank the number you wanted was 1333:

http://www.bangkokbank.com/BangkokBank/PersonalBanking/DailyBanking/Be1stVisaDebitCard/Pages/ATMBualuangFAQ.aspx

Call your bank first for help and advice.

I am with Bangkok Bank, and every single time I have sent an e-mail asking about something, I have had no reply.

Every time I have sent an e-mail to my UK bank, they have never failed to reply. Go figure.

In Thailand, with the exception of my relationship managers where I have a personal email address for them, I wouldn't normally bother with email when it comes to customer enquiries - and that's not unique to banks here either

[Thailand J]

I fail to see how banks in this country run at all !!

My wife has lost both our scb bank books but we still have the cards. We went to the scb branch where i opened the account not more than 3 months ago ( its a quiet branch) to get a new book. I had the cards ,passport and several other forms of i.d. No new book until i gave them the police report !! Now i know why there is so much crime in this country , the police are too busy signing useless bits of paper for banks!!

I dont think the book would have been off any use to anyone as i cant withdraw money unless i have my passport with me in the bank.

Oh and does anyone know where this building the size of canada is that holds all these papers everyone signs anytime they do anything??

It's next to the building they hold all the pictures you have submitted to the immigration office

[puukao]

Lucky they didn't do the 'ol...."I have you wallet and will mail it to you." You don't freeze your bank accounts, they bought themselves more time, and POOF....your money is drained. lucky.

so this cost you $100 and some headache and maybe a little more........not bad for LOSmiles

i have the AMEX Black Card, no limit......i can get on jet or hire a limo with the code words, "mao mao laeow."