Thread: Bloody, BLOODY Bangkok Bank

OK, I want to have a rant, OK? But it DOES impact others here too and I could do with some suggestions.

So, in May last year or thereabouts,. I opened an account with the Bangkok Bank way out in the sticks of Pathum Thani on the strength of a letter from my then employer that I worked for them and was going to get a work permit, honest.

Then I moved closer into town and better jobs and forgot all about it and all was hunky-dory – for a while. About 9 months ago I lost my ATM card so called the customer service line to report it, who told me to go to my nearest branch to get a replacement.

Fine – although it did take about 40 minutes and at least 12 copies of everything they could think of, including my passport, all of which I had to laboriously sign individually. No problems, 300 baht for a new card and an aching wrist later, I had a new card.

Bugger me, about 3 weeks later, in a rush behind some brain-dead Thai who was sending money to Uncle Somchai in Loei or somewhere, and which took about 10 minutes and many glances at a dog-eared piece of paper and aborted attempts later, in fury I left my card in the ATM and had to get yet another replacement card.

Again, no problem, apart from the numerous signings and ponderous paperwork, yet again, within 30 minutes I had a replacement card soon enough.

Then, about May or June this year I decided I wanted Internet banking. I went to my local branch again, filled in a zillion pieces of paper, signed every one of them and was assured that after a week they’d write to me with my PIN and password. Great. I should have known better …

After about 5 or 6 weeks, being busy meantime, I then remembered about my application and went to the local branch (Ngam Wong Wan) After about 20 minutes of searching and mutterings, I was told that they couldn’t process the paperwork at that branch and I would have to go back 30 kms to Pathum Thani where I’d made the original application! Twats.

Arseholes – I protested and asked why it had taken them 6 weeks NOT to tell me that, but of course, I already knew the answer. None of the brain-dead jobsworths had the balls to admit they’d fucked up.

So, about three weeks later, I had to visit Pathum with the g/f to see her sister, so I went into the originating branch and made the application there, explaining the background to a girl who spoke pretty good English and with many apologies from her about the previous cock-up. Yet again I was assured that I would receive a letter with my PIN and password within a week, but of course, it never came.

Hah! Three weeks later, I visited my dentist in Pathum (dirt cheap and excellent) and went to my bank at the same time (opposite the dentist). I asked about the application from some woman in her late forties/early fifties (I have come to realise, the worst type).

‘What application?’ she said, or words to that effect. (Her English was just about OK) I made her search for it, but it was nowhere to be found, of course.

Then there was the usual refrain ‘Sollee, sollee for problem, prease appry new’ it went, the old story. ‘Never mind sollee, sollee, just get it sorted and find the fucker’, I said, again words to the effect of, but said in Thai, much to her surprise and concern.

Of course, she couldn’t so having told her I’d wasted a 60 km round trip and was mighty pissed off at her and Bangkok Bank, off I slunk, seething at the constant lies.

That was all very well until today. I was in Carrefour buying some stuff and hassled by the cashier refusing to take my BBL card, (I’d stood in the cash only queue by mistake and was also weighed down with four bags) and I'd mistakenly put the card in the wrong section of my wallet. I'd had my mind on other things such as moving house tomorrow ...

I paid in cash, and then to replenish my wallet walked 20 feet to the Bangkok Bank ATM but the card was missing. It was stuck behind the door pass-card for my apartment but I didn’t see it. As the bank was open I told the girls there (Carrefour Ratthanathibet) who called Customer Service to cancel the card.

Bugger me, 30 seconds AFTER cancelling the card, it fell out of my wallet! I tried to get the cancellation cancelled, as it were, but they couldn’t – fair enough. Never mind, I thought, I’ll just go home, get my passport and bank book and get a replacement card for 300 baht from the Mall as I’d done twice before.

Hah – I reckoned without She With The Big Hair Who Thought She Was In Charge. I always find these the worst – 45-50 year old somethings who think they are important.

‘You no have work permit’ she said as she looked at my passport. ‘And?’ I said. ‘You didn’t seem to worry when I opened the account elsewhere without one AND your branch has issued 2 replacement cards from here without a qualm, so what’s the problem?'.

She was insistent. I hiked up the snotty, angry farang quotient a notch and insisted on speaking to what passes for what they are pleased to call Customer Service. That was sabotaged as she spoke to them first and put her two penn‘orth in before me so I made her ring off and give me the phone.

I called them this time and the person on the other end was quite sympathetic until I stupidly gave the phone to The Bitch who smirked at me as she then lied through her teeth and told me they couldn’t give me a replacement card as they had run out!!

Er, like FUCK OFF!! If you’d already run out, why not tell me to start with and not give me all that shit about work permits etc? Then I realised why I had been shunted off to a side office – it was while they emptied the drawer which they later showed me as empty of blank cards.

Realising what they’d done I made The Bitch make my bank book up to date. Then I wrote out a withdrawal slip for all of it and watched their faces as I handed it in at the counter and took it all out, apart from the last 89 baht 61 satang (the odd number at the end of the balance).

There was a fair old bit in there so it was wonderful to watch their faces contort into that awful vacant half-smile as they realised they’d been fucked over and it was even better to tell them I was off to Siam Commercial Bank over the way (where I had a pre-existing account). Better still was to announce in Thai to all the customers there just what I was dong and why.

However, the best is till to come – going to their head office to explain precisely why they are a piece of shit to whomever speaks any form of English.

OK, rant over and thanks for bearing with me. Now then, does anyone else have any suggestions to a decent bank – I’ve heard that Kasikorn are particularly foreigner-friendly as are sometimes Krung Thai and Bank of Ayutthaya.

Any suggestions, anyone?

PS and if you think this is bad, just be thankful I haven't started on True Internet/TV/Phone yet ...! AND the brain-deads at Homeworks.

bangkok banks are dicks.

i lost my card once when living in songkhla. they insisted i had to go to the bangkok branch to arrange a new one...



i closed the account.

Originally Posted by Mr. Hales

bangkok banks are dicks.

i lost my card once when living in songkhla. they insisted i had to go to the bangkok branch to arrange a new one...



i closed the account.

Well done. I can't believe how dopey Thais can be.

I decided to leave the last few baht in the account just so it would cost them money to administer it. My childish little protest, but it feels good!

Also, I move house today and there's a small branch of Bangkok Bank in the Lotus nearby. I was hoping that someone there may have some sense and give me a replacement card, because it has a VISA facility which is quite convenient.

Originally Posted by LoveBucket

replacement cards are 50 baht at krung thai. i've never had a problem with them

Yes, I thought of them. A former student works in a fairly senior capacity in their foreign exchange department so I shall see if she can sort something out for me.

However, I am teaching a middle-aged married couple at the moment. Husband is a senior Vice President with Bank of Ayutthaya and wife is a VP responsible for southern Isaan so both are high up the tree.

I am sure he can swing me a new account with them, so I will chat to them after their lesson next weekend.

I think opening two accounts, one at each bank, might be better so if one fucks up again, I can use the other.

Originally Posted by Cyrille

Thai banks are a major, major reason why I'm out of Thailand.

Another one is telecommunications.

The insularity, sloth and rank incompetence is freakin mindblowing.

And yes, Bangkok Bank are poor - but absolutely superb compared to the processes that Thai Danu dream up.

Think 'The Prisoner' and then make it a bit more odd.

Mmm. Don't get me started on my recent goings-on with True, trying to get TV, phone and internet sorted out! I wasted a complete day hanging around on Friday waiting for the arseholes to come to install it all. Only by threatening to cancel the lot if they didn't come by 3 pm did someone arrive at 3.20, but he only installed UBC.

They then promised to install the phone and net on Monday (today) but yesterday they called the g/f to say Tuesday. She told them to get their arses round this afternoon without fail as promised or I'd cancel and they could come and remove their dish too.

BTW, what's Thai Danu?

1) try to be more careful with your ATM cards, dearest Bozo.
2) I've had a bkkbnk account for 5 years (Siam Sq branch) and use their internet banking every day. No problems to speak of (yet).
3) Behaving like an ill-bred chimp always works here...amused Thais get a bit of welcome relief from their drab, wretched lives.

Your experience is too hellish to even consider staying in Thailand...punish these people (as Cy has apparently done) and leave. They'll be heartbroken at their loss.

Originally Posted by tomcat

1) punish these people (as Cy has apparently done) and leave. They'll be heartbroken at their loss.

X cell ent

as usual

Wow! Hate to be your waiter.

How long have you been here anyway?

A word of advice.

For others who may read the above:

When YOU want something from somene who (maybe) has the POWER to grant your wish, getting angry is rarely a good strategy (ESPECIALLY here).

Took awhile to learn that.

See Dale Carnegie "How to Win Friends and Influence People"

Originally Posted by Mister Fixit

I can't believe how dopey Thais can be.

Misplacing 3 ATM cards in 9 months, just goes to show we can all be dopey at times.

I've used Bangers Bank for 25 years

only really pist me off once

not too bad for 1/4 century

Because Thais are so fucking petrified of rocking the boat, cock-ups like this happen and no-one knows how to handle it.

Thai adults = Toddlers in suits.