globetrotter Posted February 20, 2015 Author Share Posted February 20, 2015 maybe so but I dare to dream Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trenton42 Posted February 20, 2015 Share Posted February 20, 2015 Yup. And there are plenty of ATMs in Pattaya. But the bank officer will try to push the high fee debit card on you that has features you don't need and not even present the Cheap Charlie ATM card as an alternative so she can hit her quota. The card fee should only be 100-200 baht. If you're a Yank and you want to have in the vicinity of 10K USD in your accout it is best to have less than 10K as with 10K or more total in all foreign accounts you're required to file a Treasury form. There are some advantages for Americans and Brits to have a Bangkok Bank account if wiring money in as instead of a Swift Transfer you can do an ACH transaction to Bangkok Bank New York and Brits have a similar scheme with the london branch.. The fee is $10 plus 500 baht for most accounts. But for me it'snot the lower fee but it is connected to an American account and with one click I can wire money in. Not sure how I would initiate a Swift Transfer from the States with me being in the LOS as often banks want signed forms. I understand the Treasury form can now be done online. If you establish Standing Wire Orders at your bank or brokerage, you can invoke a wire by telephone. And SWOs are considerably less expensive than a standard wire. With Schwab one must talk with a representative, but Wells Fargo is all automated attendant. An important benefit to Bangkok Bank for Americans is that Bangkok Bank is the only Thai Bank that the US government will send direct deposits to. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xyzzy Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 An American would still probably be better off if they can get a no fee card, especially the Schwab debt card, *IF* they need to pull money that is deposited monthly. The $10 + 500B that BKK Bank charges for the ACH transfer would pay for five ATM pulls for 150,000 baht a month. That might not be enough for some but way more than I need. And the Schwab card would have no ATM fees. Best I can tell the VISA card rate is slightly better than the TT rate I think one gets on a wire transfer. However IMO it's impossible to beat the convenience of a BKK Bank ACH auto deposit of monthly funds from the US if all the monthly funds are going to BKK Bank from one account. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdogg Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 The $10 + 500B that BKK Bank charges for the ACH transfer I was a bit lazy presenting the fees as the fee charged to me is by far the most common fee. Here is the fee schedule. Note there are two separate fees when added together is the total fee. Fee 1: Not more than USD 50.00 Free USD 50.01 - 100.00 3.00 USD 100.01 - 2,000.00 5.00 USD 2,000.01 - 50,000.00 10.00 USD 50,000.01 or more 20.00 Fee 2: 0.25% of the transfer value (minimum 200 Baht, maximum 500 Baht) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EyeMahk Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 One other thing I would suggest. I have the debt card limit on my ATM/debit card set to zero. I had my card stolen once and someone made a health charge on the card. It seems in Thailand, or at least Pattaya, that a purchase with a debit card does not require a pin. So I have my card set up so it is only an ATM card. As a result I carry it everywhere and often take out amounts like 900B, some times more than once at a time, from ATMs so I always have "small money". This is a very important point, unlike in the US, there is little consumer protection on fraudulent charges, and what little there is, you would be very unlikely to find somebody to help. When I first started coming here, somebody told me something that has rung true for many many years with almost no exceptions ... IN THAILAND, THERE ARE NO REFUNDS. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xyzzy Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 I was a bit lazy presenting the fees as the fee charged to me is by far the most common fee. Here is the fee schedule. Note there are two separate fees when added together is the total fee. Fee 1: Not more than USD 50.00Free USD 50.01 - 100.003.00 USD 100.01 - 2,000.005.00 USD 2,000.01 - 50,000.0010.00 USD 50,000.01 or more20.00 Fee 2: 0.25% of the transfer value (minimum 200 Baht, maximum 500 Baht) Most people would likely be in the fee range that would at least pay three 30k baht ATM fees if not five. But of course it depends on having at least a card that charges no foreign transaction fees. Then there is a problem if your retirement income comes from more than one source. Mine currently consists of four separate direct deposits every month and will grow to five when I'm eligible for social security. So I would guess at the very least I would have to direct deposit all five in my current bank account and then do one ACH transfer from that account to BKK Bank NYC to avoid 5x fees. I make everything so complicated... This is a very important point, unlike in the US, there is little consumer protection on fraudulent charges, and what little there is, you would be very unlikely to find somebody to help. When I first started coming here, somebody told me something that has rung true for many many years with almost no exceptions ... IN THAILAND, THERE ARE NO REFUNDS. After I had a 9600 baht charge on my stolen Kasikorn debt card (10k limit) I went to the branch on Pattaya Thai and had a talk with a customer service rep. I asked the name of the business where the charge was made. She played with her computer for about 10 minutes and then told me she didn't know. So either they were unbale to even track the charge or were unwilling to tell me. She told me I should call the police. I had to bite my tongue to not say "Police not care about farang". Actually wish I would have said it just to see the reaction. If you are in Thailand, and can receive SMS banking codes from Kasikorn?, you might be able to change your debt card limit to zero on their automated phone system. But I had to talk to a service rep on the phone to prove who I was. Last year when I renewed my card at the Pattaya Thai branch I got it set to zero when the card was issued. I also said I wanted "no insurance" so they don't stick you with the small amount of health insurance most people don't want. My new card was only 150 baht. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumblebee Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 * Not contradicting BB, just sharing my experience with my account. I've found that individual branches, like Immigration, have their own, unique, interpretations of the regulations :) YMMV I fully agree Lance, like most things in Los you have to ask more than one person to get some idea of the facts and even then.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globetrotter Posted March 5, 2015 Author Share Posted March 5, 2015 so I went to Kasikorn branch on Pattaya tai first thing this morning to open up acct and unfortunately the wrong person picked my number in the queue to be served, the farang hating dude instead of less farang loathing hot chick, anyways when all was said and done it he said it was going to cost me 4300 tbt -800 atm card -2500 accident insurance or something because of the visa I have -1000 minimum deposit I politely declined and will try another branch I figure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tel77 Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 i am very interested in opening an a/c in pattaya too,i will look out for your next report,thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globetrotter Posted March 5, 2015 Author Share Posted March 5, 2015 ok, I might even go back to the same branch later on and see what happens, be interesting to see if I got same guy what he said that day and if was the same Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kahuna Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 I politely declined and will try another branch I figure I opened my account in that branch some time back and all I had to pay for was the card and use of the card....It wasn't much...Like 100/200 bht or so.... I always had a double entry visa though and not simply an entry stamp for 30 days.... Try the little branch at The Avenue....usually not very busy....or the branch at the Royal Garden.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globetrotter Posted March 5, 2015 Author Share Posted March 5, 2015 I opened my account in that branch some time back and all I had to pay for was the card and use of the card....It wasn't much...Like 100/200 bht or so.... I always had a double entry visa though and not simply an entry stamp for 30 days.... Try the little branch at The Avenue....usually not very busy....or the branch at the Royal Garden.... ya thanks will do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xyzzy Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 There also is a small branch on Buakhao not far from R-CON before you get to Tony's Gym. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xyzzy Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Actually the fact that they offered him an account at that rip off price is maybe sort of a good sign. Lots of posts on the GG boards about needing to get some kind of document from immigration in Jomtien and lots of guys getting rejected when asking to open an account. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumblebee Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 -800 atm card (possibly right as they tried to hit me for 500 two years ago, still a rip off) -2500 accident insurance or something because of the visa I have (a target they are told to push I reckon, I got the same offer and I had a double entry visa) -1000 minimum deposit (I think I paid this and it makes sense I guess) I politely declined and will try another branch I figure I used the one in Royal Avenue Mall as I think I have mentioned before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xyzzy Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 I think the 2500B for insurance is pure BS. I'm trying to remember what it cost me to open my K Bank account 5? years ago and I'm thinking 500 but maybe it was 300. A 1000B deposit is more than reasonable. I think there is a small fee every year for having a debt card? I always leave at least a few thousand baht in my account when I go back home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globetrotter Posted March 6, 2015 Author Share Posted March 6, 2015 update : so I went to The Avenue branch and at first was told because of my visa it couldn't open up an acct period, then an expat seated beside said that he has an acct and then all of a sudden the woman I was dealing with said something about 15,000 baht deposit and balance but she waffled when I asked how long before I had access to it, at first saying I couldn't touch it and I never really did get an answer about when I could so again I politely declined and will try another branch 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tel77 Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 sounds like you need to hit the right teller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globetrotter Posted March 6, 2015 Author Share Posted March 6, 2015 or the same one on a different day or even just time of day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soiboy Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 With Pattaya sweetie in tow to serve translator duty, I went out today to try and open a Kasikorn bank account. First stop was the branch on Soi Buakhao near the little Tesco, market, and R-Con entrance. The nice lady said that the "package" was ATM card for 800 baht, 2500 for insurance, minimum 10000 baht deposit, and a verification of Thai address I needed to obtain from some office in Jomtien. Strike one. Second stop was the branch not too far away on Pattaya Klang between Second road and Beach road. The nice assistant at the door first asked to see my passport to see what sort of visa I have. I have only ever gotten the standard 30 days on arrival visa since I've never been able to spend more that a month at a time in LOS. I was told that I need a non-immigrant visa, and that that was the new law. No further discussion as to what the account would cost to open if I had the correct visa. Strike two. So, it appears that things have tightened up recently and the branches are all on basically the same page now? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globetrotter Posted March 10, 2015 Author Share Posted March 10, 2015 I have heard from various people lately that Bangkok bank might be the easiest these days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soiboy Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Thanks! I'll try Bangkok bank next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globetrotter Posted March 10, 2015 Author Share Posted March 10, 2015 Let us know how it goes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xyzzy Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 There is a smallish Bangkok Bank branch directly across Soi Buakhao from Pook Swan. I did read on a GG board one guy managed to get an account there FWIW. As I think I mentioned before from a big thread on a GG board you are suppose to have that document from immigration these days. But every once in a while someone still gets lucky. Or maybe they are paying the money for insurance. And I think that is a yearly fee???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soiboy Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I'll try some different branches and let you know. The document affirming a Thai address sounds easy enough to get, but if they need some visa other than the 30 day on arrival visa then that is a no go. Likewise, that 2500 baht insurance fee (and, yes, it is an annual fee!) is a no go for me. It wouldn't hurt to have a few hundred dollars in baht squirreled away in a Thai account, replenishing as needed, and avoiding 180 baht withdrawl fees each ATM visit, but not for 2500 baht a year. I'd pay a one-time 800 baht fee for the card, but anything else is a rip-off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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