Foreign friendly Bank Hua Hin

[laphanphon]

Even though I'm considering Kasikorn in the future, I do prefer foreign banks. Thanachart, UOB and CIMB, besides better service, especially Krung Thep, where main accounts were opened, I find the locals don't tend to use as much.

Not sure if it's the 'Thai for Thai' mentality, or just leary of foreign banks, but I find there are usually few to no customers when I need to go in, aside from paydays, as opposed to long queues at the Thai banks, most times. I'm not the most patient person.

[T.O.M.]

Even though I'm considering Kasikorn in the future, I do prefer foreign banks. Thanachart, UOB and CIMB, besides better service, especially Krung Thep, where main accounts were opened, I find the locals don't tend to use as much.

Not sure if it's the 'Thai for Thai' mentality, or just leary of foreign banks, but I find there are usually few to no customers when I need to go in, aside from paydays, as opposed to long queues at the Thai banks, most times. I'm not the most patient person.

That is the spirit...Why make life simple,if you can make it complicated...
When in Rome do as the Romans.
Thanachart is a THAI bank....Nova Scotia is a major but not a majority shareholder.
UOB has 150 branches nationwide....Kasikorn has 1120...
As for CIMB (Thailand)...it it probably the second worst managed bank in Thailand...Only the Islamic Bank is doing slightly worse.
You complained in another post about the banking fees...You are aware that electronic transfers within the country....no matter the amount...is free..

[T.I.G.R.]

I wouldn't normally make a recommendation but since this is a small thread and newcomers may read it here goes. We have been here twelve years. My wife (Thai), in particular, uses different banks for different things......not sure exactly why. Some of it depends on location of the branches if there are other people/relatives using a certain bank for a certain reason. We've used the yellow, purple, green, blue....all at various times. I know most of the names but it's easier for me to think of them by color. We started with Kasikorn (green) and they were pretty good but lots of paperwork and pretty busy always. I've ended up with Bangkok Bank for our more important personal banking because of their Branch in New York mainly (I'm from the U.S.). I've been able to transfer money back and forth from California with ease because all the Thai stuff will go through New York, where they have only Thai bank presence I know of in the U.S. (unfortunately due to U.S. regulation changes they are changing to be strictly a Business Bank soon and my life of ease may go back to being complicated. To be determined. Hope this helps anyone looking for a bank.

[T.I.G.R.]

OMG..... I forgot the worst thing and all Thai banks seem to do it. You have to be careful about where, exactly, you open your account. Many times we have run into situations where we need to do something and find that if we aren't at our local branch it gets quite complicated. Somethings, like updating your permanent info, can only be done at the branch you opened your account. I can't be specific because it always seems to be something stupidly easy since they all use computer systems now but an example: Last month I got a new passport. We have a rental in Hua Hin and live now in Cha Am. A neighbor of ours in Hua Hin takes care of the renters/rental for us so we opened an account at the yellow bank in Market Village and gave her an ATM card for the account. She can only use the ATM card, and I have to do everything else. I got a new passport....never gave a thought to having to update all our bank accounts with the new number, but turns out that was the case....... We withdraw money from the rental account on occasion and do it by going to the bank in Cha Am.....no problem. Went to make a withdrawl last week and ended up having to go all the way to Market Village to change the Passport on their records, I couldn't change it at our Cha Am branch which would have taken about five minutes!.....then a few days later our friend needed a new ATM card and she couldn't do it without me having to go all the way to Market Village for the second time in a week! Sorry to be long winded but hope you get the idea.....that's Thailand! Some times easy, sometimes not.

[T.O.M.]

^^
Clearly differs from bank to bank.
Changed passport 7 years ago...never changed any information in the bank....and so far so good...they accept my "new" passport as ID, despite my accounts being opened with another passport number.

[caller]

Thank you for replying. If it is a Visa Debit card with chip you have got it is most likely possible to use it everywhere. What kind of documentation did you need to provide for the Bank when opening the account?
hahuahin

Yes, visa with chip.

I can't honestly recall what I took when I opened an account at Hua Hin (Bluport). And the bank already knew of me as I have had an account in Korat for a good few years.

But obviously my passport and I'm sure I would have taken my house docs as well.

[laphanphon]

Thanachart is a THAI bank....Nova Scotia is a major but not a majority shareholder.

......I stated 49 %, if that, and that's a minority

UOB has 150 branches nationwide....Kasikorn has 1120...
As for CIMB (Thailand)...it it probably the second worst managed bank in Thailand...Only the Islamic Bank is doing slightly worse.

.....from experience, having accounts in both / UOB & CIMB, they were excellent

You complained in another post about the banking fees...You are aware that electronic transfers within the country....no matter the amount...is free..

....wasn't asking or commenting about in country transfers, and yes, I know they are free

I consider myself quite experienced with Thai banking, but thank you for your opinion.

[HHTel]

I wouldn't normally make a recommendation but since this is a small thread and newcomers may read it here goes. We have been here twelve years. My wife (Thai), in particular, uses different banks for different things......not sure exactly why. Some of it depends on location of the branches if there are other people/relatives using a certain bank for a certain reason. We've used the yellow, purple, green, blue....all at various times. I know most of the names but it's easier for me to think of them by color. We started with Kasikorn (green) and they were pretty good but lots of paperwork and pretty busy always. I've ended up with Bangkok Bank for our more important personal banking because of their Branch in New York mainly (I'm from the U.S.). I've been able to transfer money back and forth from California with ease because all the Thai stuff will go through New York, where they have only Thai bank presence I know of in the U.S. (unfortunately due to U.S. regulation changes they are changing to be strictly a Business Bank soon and my life of ease may go back to being complicated. To be determined. Hope this helps anyone looking for a bank.

The Bangkok Bank in London has always been a Commercial bank. However, they do accept pension payments which are automatically transferred to your Bangkok Bank account in Thailand. You do however have to tell them that it's for pension payments otherwise they won't deal with you.

[laphanphon]

@ T.I.G.R
If it's you SS being transferred over, than SS will now direct deposit in any Thai bank, so no need to go through NY via BKK Bank any more.

BUT.....only in IAT format.

[Hahuahin]

Thank you all for the replies. Will try to get an new account before New Year. Will try at Kasikorn first and then Siam Commercial. I don't know but I believe Certificate of residence is a minimum in addition to passport!?
hahuahin

[handdrummer]

Certificate of residence


Do you have to own a house to get that or is it just a piece that the Govt. can sell to you?


What is IAT format. I've been doing a wire transfer (that's all they offer) from Citibank US to Citibank Thailand.

[Hahuahin]

Certificate of residence


Do you have to own a house to get that or is it just a piece that the Govt. can sell to you?


What is IAT format. I've been doing a wire transfer (that's all they offer) from Citibank US to Citibank Thailand.

Certificate of residence is to prove your address only and should be free but some offices are known to charge for it anyway.
Isn't IAT "Inter Account transfer" but sure some other forum members who are more familiar with that kind of money transfers can answer that better than I.

[handdrummer]

Certificate of residence is to prove your address only and should be free but some offices are known to charge for it anyway.


That's another one of those Thai anomalies; I have to prove my residence to get a proof of residence so that I can prove my residence.