Trouble getting things done at a bank in Thailand
Dear readers,
Some time ago I had made a report here in connection with the closure of my account with Fortis. To clarify last year, my brother had exactly the same thing, but first with Argenta and 4 months later closing account with Nagelmaeckers.
Trying to find a solution, contacted some Belgian banks, opening an account is no problem, you just have to be present in person. With the influence of the corona virus, getting the right documents in order for both Belgium and Thailand, which is different, this was not the solution. For example, my brother proposed to transfer half of his account to my Belgian account and the other half to his daughter's account. No sooner said than done, and I transferred the money little by little to my euro account already here in Thailand, via transferwise and then on to his Thai account.
I had informed my bank that a fairly high amount would be deposited into my account in a short time in connection with the closure of both his accounts in Belgium. I didn't want to arouse suspicion that shady business was being done, until a few weeks later I received an email in which I had to show where this money was going and the reason. I informed them that the credits were for me and for my brother and that I transferred them via Wise, and in that period his land was sold that he still owned in Belgium and of which I had to forward the official deed of sale.
I asked the bank why I was so checked. In answer, yes we are allowed to check all transactions made by the customers. I then emailed the bank, contact Wise and they will confirm the transactions. Yes and I quietly started to get a suspicion, and on March 27th I received a letter from the bank that my account would be closed on May 25th without any reason, rule 14 of the rules.
Yes, a huge frustration I can assure you, so I had to notify some institutions from which I receive credits that they would transfer the following deposits to a new account number.
I have contacted the complaints department from which I will probably get more explanation and answer at the end of June.
Well, my brother's money I would like to transfer to his account, but I can't just transfer that. He lives in Phetchabun I in Khon Kaen. He cannot open a euro account with the bank there either in Phitsanulok or Khon Kaen, so we had an appointment today at Bangkok Bank here. After a lot of paperwork, the person in charge said, okay I can arrange this for you and then you can transfer euros from one account to another via online banking. Until he came up with a question, don't you want to take out insurance? First he suggested one of 800.000 baht annually, which you can pay off, then one of 200.000 baht, the return of which is lower and from which you can reap the benefits 14 years later. That is really ridiculous for words, you ask to arrange something but instead you have to do something in return, really typical Thai.
Are there still people among the readers who are so squeezed to get something accomplished at the bank.
Regards,
Josi
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Maybe I don't understand it correctly, but from your story I get that the bank manager wanted to provide you with an unusual service, and then asked if you weren't also interested in one of their insurance policies? That seems to me to be an excellent manager who wants to please a customer, but who also does not lose sight of the commercial aspect.
Or did you get nothing done until you took out the insurance? Yes, it would be a bit less neat of course.
The latter is more common. I hear this from several customers. Extra income commission. If not no open account, extortion.
Yeah don't get it right
According to Fortis Paribas, there is no problem living in Thailand
And to write out from Belgium and to keep an account here
You could also open a mailbox in Belgium
Would there also be a way to account for this?
Quote: First he suggested one of 800.000 baht annually, which you can pay off, then one of 200.000 baht, the return of which is lower and from which you can reap the benefits 14 years later.
Proposing is different from blackmailing.
These insurance policies are regularly offered to you by the banks.
They probably get a lot of commission and the percentages quoted are not correct on a compound interest basis.
I counted on that years ago.
The last time one was offered I told them that I would probably be dead and cremated by the time that insurance came out and that I would rather spend my money now and myself than have someone else do it after my death .
Josi, but why don't you have the euro funds deposited directly into your wise account. That costs nothing and you can transfer when it suits you.
That also applies to your brother, why doesn't he open a wise account and then transfer it to Bangkok bank or any other bank in Thailand.
You can open a wise account online