Bangkok Bank caution about Visa Letter - things have changed

[Ace of Pop]

FYO. If you want Visa on your debit card with BKB ,hard luck it's only on the Credit Card.Union Card that's on mine is as much use as 90 day report


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[keeniau96]

Having tried various banks I find the simplest to use BKK Bank as my primary, receiving transfers from abroad. Also have K-bank account including their "shopping card" which is actually a Visa card account acting as debit card (immediate withdraw from bank) and has actual Visa number with usual date and ID number, perfect for online purchases (Lazada, Alibaba). Top off the K-bank account as needed from my BKK account. K-bank has phone verification of any purchases which I find very good. 

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, Ace of Pop said:

FYO. If you want Visa on your debit card with BKB ,hard luck it's only on the Credit Card.Union Card that's on mine is as much use as 90 day report
 

I still have a Bangkok Bangkok Visa debit card that still works great. Those are still available. You just have to insist that is what your want.

[akampa]

I don`t get why you make so awkward for your selves SCB has my 400k I`m (married )in a saving account which will never be used I get interest (not much) and what ever interest I get it gets taxed I can then get the tax back thru the tax office, at the time of my extension renewal they print out a letter for immigration and I also show the saving book, as regards the credit card I also have to keep an amount as security but can only spend half of the security amount ,if I want to spend a large amount over my limit I just top up the card with the amount I know I`m going to use and then pay  the total after 4 weeks and I get I  1% off the cards bill.

Edited March 24, 2017 by akampa

[phuketrichard]

 I  hold a Thai American express CREDIT card in Thailand ( and have had it since the early 90's)

it is NOT secured or paired with any Thai or US  accounts.

it is a true credit card,  i get monthly bills and it is tied with my thai mileage so i get mileage on my thai airlines account.

What is the purpose of having a credit card that u need put ur limit in the bank??  Obviously they don't trust you   :-)

Might just as well us a free debit card

I also have a scb visa debit card which i use online

Edited March 24, 2017 by phuketrichard

[Ace of Pop]

1 hour ago, ubonjoe said:

I still have a Bangkok Bangkok Visa debit card that still works great. Those are still available. You just have to insist that is what your want.

The "New" Debit does not have Visa in conjunction with fixed acc. I did insist yesterday and it was explained as my post states. 

[Linesy]

The "New" Debit does not have Visa in conjunction with fixed acc. I did insist yesterday and it was explained as my post states. 

I requested and received the visa debit card only last week. They are available with no restrictions as detailed on their website. Unfortunately for yourself ,and others I should add, once informed that "you can not have or not have" you are effectively stuffed as they back themselves into a corner and would rather lose your business than change their answer.

 

 

 

[Ace of Pop]

1 minute ago, Linesy said:

I requested and received the visa debit card only last week. They are available with no restrictions. Unfortunately for yourself ,and others I should add, once informed that "you can not have" you are effectively stuffed as they back themselves into a corner and would rather lose your business than change their answer.

Can i ask what Account Type its connected too.?They said they would give me Visa on my Current acc, but not on Fixed Hi Interest.

[OJAS]

Although I prove my finances for retirement extensions of stay on the basis of Embassy income confirmation letters, I thought that it might be a good idea, to ensure that all bases were covered for my first ever extension application way back in the dim mists of time, to obtain a balance confirmation letter from my local friendly Bangkok Bank branch in Rayong as well. However, my request for such a letter was initially met with blank facial expressions, but, fortunately, I had downloaded a specimen example from here which I had taken with me. A member of staff then proceeded slavishly to type out a letter tailored to my personal situation on the basis of this example.

 

I got the distinct impression that Bangkok Bank's Rayong branch didn't process an awful lot of balance confirmation letters for Immigration purposes, and that they, in effect, reinvented the wheel each time they were asked for such a letter by typing one out from scratch time and time again.  It is therefore reassuring to know that they can now press a few buttons on a computer, whereupon the necessary letter will presumably magically appear on a printer in a fraction of time which it would in all probability have taken for this letter to be produced had it needed to be typed out from scratch locally.

 

In this connection, I am, of course, assuming that (1) Bangkok Bank HQ have informed their Rayong branch of the new automatic facility for producing balance confirmation letters, and that (2) the local branch manager (or whomever received the relevant communication from HQ) has passed on this information to all relevant staff. Unfortunately, I doubt whether I shall ever be able to test out the accuracy of these heroic assumptions since Rayong Immigration made it clear, in the context of my first ever extension application, that a balance confirmation letter was not required in my case, meaning that I have not had to trouble Bangkok Bank's Rayong branch for such letters ever since.

[Linesy]

 

 

Can i ask what Account Type its connected too.?They said they would give me Visa on my Current acc, but not on Fixed Hi Interest.

Standard passbook with ATM Savings account plus online banking. The website should tell what you can have and do with your specific fixed account.  I also thought a fixed account meant no penalty free withdrawals or debits questioning the need for any kind of debit card on that type of account.

 

 

 

 

 

[Gashead]

They have put a hold on your account for 200K, the amount of your guarantee.  The Ledger Balance of your account is 800K but the AVAILABLE balance is 600K.

[bkkcanuck8]

5 hours ago, LannaGuy said:

Yes... but they have done it for 8 years and only this year changed the way they produced the letter and I had NO IDEA which meant, as you point out, that I could have been refused an extension 

 

I am reducing my credit limit to 100,000 and keeping 900,000 in the account but it's annoying to tie up 900,000 

I suspect the bank has been doing it wrong for 8 years.  You cannot (or should) not be able to use 200,000 baht to guarantee two different things at the same time.   Most of my work has been on Banking and Brokerage systems software development, and I am 99% sure our systems would not allow you to double dip on assets for guarantees.  You are basically guaranteeing 800,000 to Immigration in lieu of pension income, and you are guaranteeing 200,000 for your credit card.....  In effect you are locking 1,000,000 for guarantees.  

[notrub]

Ubonjoe posted this link for me to get a certificate of income from the GB embassy. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-obtain-a-pensionincome-letter-for-thai-immigration.  I wrote to them and sent along copies of tax returns and a bank statement showing monthly deposits.  They sent by return of post a letter which seems to be acceptable to Thai Immigration here in Buriram.  Not enough just to extend my retirement visa, however.  They also want to see 65k deposited every month to a Thai bank account.  A new twist and interpretation of what appears on the government immigration information website.  I can manage to do that but it would be good if they could get their rules and requirements clear so a person could jump through the hoops confident of success.  I had a visa refused because the bank wrote that I had 1,500,120 Baht in my account when my bank book showed 1,500,210 as my balance.  You know that I had to get a new letter typed up and missed my ferry because of that.

 

On a happier note, the people who produce the letter about pension income were really helpful and even sent the letter without payment as my card did not clear in their account.  They sent a nice letter asking for payment with the confirmation letter.  What a refreshing change that was.

[HooHaa]

5 hours ago, pieeyed said:

No it is not a debit card. You can use it to purchase anything online worldwide like  normal credit card.

 

you can do that with a debit card.

i do do that with a debit card.  as long as it is visa or mastercard and you have the cash in the account you can buy online.

the only issue i have had is with car rental, and then they usually just lock a chunk of cash until the full bill is paid.

Edited March 24, 2017 by HooHaa

[paul18620]

5 hours ago, LannaGuy said:

Yes... but they have done it for 8 years and only this year changed the way they produced the letter and I had NO IDEA which meant, as you point out, that I could have been refused an extension 

 

I am reducing my credit limit to 100,000 and keeping 900,000 in the account but it's annoying to tie up 900,000 

Maybe the Thai Elite program would be an option for you ,save a lot of issues.

[Jeffrey346]

 Can't you just update the bank book and show the book to immigration. 

[bkkcanuck8]

48 minutes ago, HooHaa said:

 

you can do that with a debit card.

i do do that with a debit card.  as long as it is visa or mastercard and you have the cash in the account you can buy online.

the only issue i have had is with car rental, and then they usually just lock a chunk of cash until the full bill is paid.

You will have less fraud protection typically with debit than with a credit card typically -- and if your debit card is compromised.... they can clean out your account.... then it becomes difficult....  If you are going to hook up a debit card -- you should probably see about having a separate account that you can transfer from the high balance account to the debit card account.  

[bkkcanuck8]

41 minutes ago, paul18620 said:

Maybe the Thai Elite program would be an option for you ,save a lot of issues.

Then he would not be tying up the 800,000.... it would be mostly gone 

 

That said -- for some (especially under 50 years of age) it can be worth the cost.

[Suradit69]

 

7 hours ago, LannaGuy said:

I have been here nearly 10 years and assumed my 800,000, which I never touch, would produce the yearly letter for my retirement visa

Given that some immigration offices expect the bank letter to be dated within a day or two of when you submit your application for an extension of stay (it is not a visa) based on retirement, how quickly is the letter that is produced at the bank's head office in the applicant's hands?

 

Don't they usually expect a photo copy of a statement or passbook updated on the same day the letter is issued and showing the same balance as stated in the letter? In the O/P's case wouldn't there be a difference of Baht 200,000 between the two?

[GreasyFingers]

57 minutes ago, HooHaa said:

you can do that with a debit card.

i do do that with a debit card.  as long as it is visa or mastercard and you have the cash in the account you can buy online

A creditcard has other benefits including travel insurance when air tickets are purchased with it. I have a CC with Krungsri and while there is the withholding amount the insurance does work. I had to make a claim because of a long delayed Air Asia flight so missing another domestic flight. The insurance covered the cost of the new ticket. So CC's are handy.

[CMBob]

7 hours ago, LannaGuy said:

you misunderstand - i never, ever touch the 800,000 and the 200,000 is a guarantee only but NOW is not counted towards the 800,000

 

As others have noted, the only amount that'll count toward the 800,000 is the amount you can immediately get your hands on (withdraw).....which, in your case, is only 600,000 as you've pledged the other 200,000.  Not anything new at all (and, if they counted that pledged 200,000 in the prior years toward the 800k, they previously made a mistake).

[alant]

3 to 4 years ago I had a similar event with Bangkok bank, not that the letter was an automated one but suddenly they said I could not use the 800,000 in terms of the letter for immigration.

Totally stupid in my mind so I cancelled the credit card and closed the account plus my day to day account. While doing this a senior member of staff said "no that was not the case and of course they will do the letter". 

too late.

 

What a nonsense it is that the fact it is a guarantee to your credit card you cannot use it. it is your money deposited in a Thai bank, you have not defaulted so there is no reason.

After all you dont have to wait until a car loan is paid off until you use the car do you?

[hawker9000]

What part of CREDIT card don't thais understand?  If they're fencing off some portion of an existing cash asset, then  they're NOT extending "credit".

 

Yeap.  TIT alright.

[boonchu]

at Bangkok bank if you don't have a work visa they require a fixed deposit as a guarantee, this fixed account is "on hold" and you cannot withdraw from it or even change it to a promotional fixed account with out permission from head office. usually the guarantee amount is the same as the credit card limit. I keep a fixed 800k bt a/c which is not touched, a fixed 200kbt  a/c for the credit card guarantee and also a living money a/c so if immigration asks for evidence of money in, money out , I just show this living money a/c, never been a problem.  

[LannaGuy]

3 hours ago, bkkcanuck8 said:

I suspect the bank has been doing it wrong for 8 years.  You cannot (or should) not be able to use 200,000 baht to guarantee two different things at the same time.   Most of my work has been on Banking and Brokerage systems software development, and I am 99% sure our systems would not allow you to double dip on assets for guarantees.  You are basically guaranteeing 800,000 to Immigration in lieu of pension income, and you are guaranteeing 200,000 for your credit card.....  In effect you are locking 1,000,000 for guarantees.  

probably but I was more pointing out to members to CHECK because they could have a problem

 

now I KNOW that it is, in effect, 'doubling up' I will reduce my guarantee to 100,000 and keep 900,000 in the account

[allane]

57 minutes ago, hawker9000 said:

What part of CREDIT card don't thais understand?  If they're fencing off some portion of an existing cash asset, then  they're NOT extending "credit".

 

Yeap.  TIT alright.

My point exactly. Even if the promotional material, or the card itself, refers to it as a "credit card", it isn't. 

[12DrinkMore]

FWIW I have the minimum of 20,000 in the BBL credit card "guarantee account".

 

For larger purchases it is possible to "pre-pay" the card via internet banking to increase the limit on the card to 20,000 plus the "pre-payment".

 

 

 

 

[ubonjoe]

20 minutes ago, allane said:

My point exactly. Even if the promotional material, or the card itself, refers to it as a "credit card", it isn't. 

Think of it as a line of credit based upon the money in the bank. Banks in most countries do that and also issue secured credit cards. 

[NoshowJones]

9 hours ago, colinchaffers said:

Get yourself a Kasikorn or CITI credit card they don't hold money as a guarantee

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Don't trust any bank, particularly Bangkok Bank, they are all out to skin you as much as they possibly can, it is called Capitalism.

[NoshowJones]

9 hours ago, daveAustin said:

As an aside, I was always under the impression that - unless you can show other monies or have a job to support yourself - that money should be drawn down for living expenses month-by-month and then topped up ready for extension time. By not spending from it, it might suggest that you are getting money from somewhere else (such as working).

 

As another aside, it would be nice for Thailand to get into line regards all this and not have to continually show money.

Post of the month this one.