Thai bank accounts: number of digits

[bluesofa]

Does anyone have any detailed information regarding the number of digits in Thai accounts?

I know already that the "standard" is ten digits, usually written in the format: 012-3-45678-9

 

The first three digits will identify the bank and branch, the rest are the account number itself. (I'm guessing the last digit might be a check-digit, but I don't really know)

The entire ten digits are always quoted, even within the branch the account is located at.

 

My question is specifically about a few other banks that have longer account numbers. I've just come across one for the BAAC (Bank for Agriculture & Agricultural Co-operatives) that has twelve digits.

I don't know if that puts it outside of the regular banking system because of this? Although it is listed in my online bank account as being able to transfer to. It's also in a list of "Smart Banks", whatever they are?

 

Maybe there's a move afoot to increase the number of digits of Thai bank accounts? At the moment the first three digits identifying the bank & branch limits it to a thousand branches nationally, which I don't really think is enough?

In the front of the bank passbook, although the account is still listed as ten digits, usually above that it has the branch name and the first three digit code next to it. I've noticed in recent years that three digit branch identifier has an additional digit "0" preceding it, so maybe there's a plan to eventually increase the account length to eleven digits?

 

Any more details anyone has would be welcomed, unless I really am just too sad asking questions like this!

 

[Sophon]

The first three digits only identifies the branch within the bank, it does not identify which bank the account is held with. Accounts in two different banks can (and does) start with the same first three digits. That's why you always have to select which bank you are transferring to, when you make a transfer in e.g. internet banking.

 

Sophon

[bluesofa]

19 minutes ago, Sophon said:

The first three digits only identifies the branch within the bank, it does not identify which bank the account is held with. Accounts in two different banks can (and does) start with the same first three digits. That's why you always have to select which bank you are transferring to, when you make a transfer in e.g. internet banking.

 

Sophon

 

That's interesting. That wasn't the way I read it before, I stand corrected.

For example, are you saying that if SCB, Bangkok Bank and Krungsri all have a branch in the same shopping mall, they will all have the same first three digits (and branch name)?

If so, that must mean there's an agreed structure between all the banks, designating branch names and codes.

 

[Pib]

3 hours ago, bluesofa said:

 

That's interesting. That wasn't the way I read it before, I stand corrected.

For example, are you saying that if SCB, Bangkok Bank and Krungsri all have a branch in the same shopping mall, they will all have the same first three digits (and branch name)?

If so, that must mean there's an agreed structure between all the banks, designating branch names and codes.

 

I doubt it.   I see no reason why two or more banks couldn't have the exact same bank account number simply because they are at different banks.  When funds are transfers between banks a person needs to know the bank name or bank code (like in the U.S. the bank ACH code is called the "routing number" which is unique to that bank)....plus for international transfer each bank has a unique SWIFT code.  Once the funds arrive the bank the account number merely tells that bank which account it is to go in.

 

Plus three digits (as in numbers, no letters included) for the branch code would result in only 999 possible bank branches across Thailand....I guarantee you there are many more branches than 999.    Below Bank of Thailand data chart show over 7000 branches in Thailand.    And just in Bangkok alone there is over 2100 branches.

 

http://www2.bot.or.th/statistics/BOTWEBSTAT.aspx?reportID=802&language=ENG

Edited January 20, 2017 by Pib

[bluesofa]

6 minutes ago, Pib said:

I doubt it.   I see no reason why two or more banks couldn't have the exact same bank account number simply because they are at different banks.  When funds are transfers between banks a person needs to know the bank name or bank code (like in the U.S. the bank ACH code is called the "routing number" which is unique to that bank)....plus for international transfer each bank has a unique SWIFT code.  Once the funds arrive the bank the account number merely tells that bank which account it is to go in.

When you say each bank here has a unique SWIFT code, you do mean per bank, not per branch.

The international transfers go to an international office (not sure if that's the correct official name) of that bank. Then it's transferred to the local branch via the ten digit account number (plus I think they do usually ask for the name of the branch as well) and they have the account name also to confirm it.

[Pib]

Yes, as I stated each "bank" has a unique SWIFT code which direct it to the bank.   Then the bank sends it to the appropriate branch based on the account number.

 

Even when you do a domestic transfer within Thailand you first select the bank (i.e., Bangkok Bank, SCB, Krungsri, Kbank) by name and maybe select a branch name if you know it....then you enter the account number.   By entering the bank name it gets it to the correct bank and then that bank further directs it to the appropriate branch based on account number.