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ABN AMRO will close bank accounts of Dutch people outside Europe

By Editorial
Posted in Expats and retirees, News , News from the Netherlands and Belgium
Tags: ,
November 11 2016

Annoying news for Dutch people who live permanently in Thailand and who bank with ABN AMRO. The bank has announced that it will close the bank accounts of at least 15.000 private customers.

These are customers who live permanently outside Europe, including, for example, Dutch pensioners.
The group, spread over about a hundred countries, makes up about 10 percent of all foreign private clients of ABN AMRO, writes the Financieel Dagblad.

According to a bank spokesman, there are two reasons for the decision. Firstly, he believes this fits in with ABN AMRO's strategy of primarily wanting to be a Dutch and European bank in the field of consumer banking. In addition, increased legislation and regulations play a role in the decision.

Update: 

The bank says that Expats are exempt from the measure.

From the end of November, the customers in question will receive an e-mail asking them to terminate their banking affairs or purchase certain services from ABN AMRO and transfer them to another bank. They have six months to do so.

Source: NU.nl

Number of times read: 287

61 responses to “ABN AMRO is going to close bank accounts of Dutch people outside Europe”

  1. Khan Peter says up
    11 November 2016 at 07: 06

    Very annoying. It would not surprise me that other Dutch banks such as ING and Rabobank will follow this initiative.

  2. somewhere in thailand says up
    11 November 2016 at 07: 18

    and from when , immediately or early 2017 or ?????
    I had a friend here who was told by ING last year that they were going to close his account number because he lived in Thailand, so ING already does it in some cases.

    mzzl Pekasu

    • somewhere in thailand says up
      11 November 2016 at 11: 12

      This is now on the Telegraph:
      From the end of November, the customers in question will receive an e-mail asking them to terminate their banking affairs or purchase certain services from ABN AMRO and transfer them to another bank. They have six months to do so. A total of approximately 5 million private individuals bank at ABN AMRO.

      So people we have until the end of May

      mzzl Pekasu

  3. ruud says up
    11 November 2016 at 07: 22

    Then the question is, of course, whether they also offer a solution, or whether they will deposit the money in one go into my Thai bank account.

  4. chose says up
    11 November 2016 at 07: 32

    Ridiculous.
    When does this take effect?
    Where does my money go? I only have a bank account with them.
    So I will have to travel to the Netherlands at least to open an account with another bank.
    Or does this only apply to savings accounts?
    And then they shout on this bloq that you are not allowed to demarcate the Netherlands…
    No, they respect the people who emigrate.

    • Harrybr says up
      11 November 2016 at 11: 47

      It is clear to me that for expats = temporary employees for their work, the NL bank account will continue to exist, but for people who emigrate so clearly = leave NL (like the NL people who have moved to Australia, Canada, etc.), why should a Dutch or EU bank continue to provide facilities for this?
      NL-ers, who move to Thailand, do so because of the nice weather, the lower cost of living, the nicer environment, the Thai ladies, and give a higher rating to that total than the NLe soos, elderly facilities (haha). People choose very clearly to leave.
      Why then continue to give those people the opportunity to eat both ways?

      Moreover: you can still open an account with a Thai bank, the country so clearly of your choice… or somewhere else… Panama, Hong Kong…

      • HansNL says up
        11 November 2016 at 12: 14

        Nonsense.
        Many of the people to be duped have payment obligations in the Netherlands.
        Rent, Mortgages, tax, etc.
        It is yet another example of the emigrants being written off.

        May I wonder if the government doesn't put ginger in this porridge.

        And since when do retired people who have emigrated eat it both ways?
        Which wallets?

        And what about those who can only get their old age provision paid to a Dutch bank?

        Bad thing, this.

        • HansNL says up
          11 November 2016 at 13: 12

          I have heard that it is possible to open an account with ASN-Bank using the existing bank account in the Netherlands of another bank as identification.
          Worth trying.

          • Hans says up
            12 November 2016 at 16: 23

            That is also the case with the KNAB bank

      • martin says up
        11 November 2016 at 12: 19

        This is a very one-sided view.
        we still pay any monthly/quarterly.annually fees charged.
        Above we receive 0% interest on your savings.
        Clear European political vision, everyone outside Europe can apparently drop dead

    • Rene Changmai says up
      11 November 2016 at 13: 25

      I read that it has recently become possible at the SNS bank to open an account entirely online.
      I don't know if that also applies if you live abroad.

    • RobN says up
      12 November 2016 at 10: 33

      Dear Bram,
      Do you happen to work at a bank? Of course it is not unreasonable to want to maintain Dutch bank accounts. Consider the following:
      * Reducing staff through automation occurs in all companies. Customers do a lot
      more self-banking via internet. Automation also means simplification so much
      fewer manual operations.
      * take the guarantee scheme. Here in Thailand much less guaranteed than in the Netherlands.
      I don't want to lose my savings though.
      * any idea how "difficult" it is to refund money from Thailand? This is in contrast to
      transfer to Thailand.
      * I also pay for payment package and precisely because I don't bank or. pull money out of the wall
      the bank doesn't have to do much for me.

      Have absolutely no sympathy for any bank whatsoever. Especially given the information below.

      ABN Amro made significantly more profit last year than in 2014. Net profit for 2015 rose to 1,92 billion euros, almost a quarter higher than a year earlier. The bank benefited from the economic recovery, but saw increased competition in the mortgage market.

  5. Roel says up
    11 November 2016 at 08: 31

    This is again the will of our NL government and corrupt European Union.

    Abn-amro first, another state bank, don't forget that, so Dijselbloed can impose its will there

    The next step is our pension.

    • Cornelis says up
      11 November 2016 at 15: 37

      The European Union has absolutely nothing to do with this - although it is nice to shout of course ……

  6. HansS says up
    11 November 2016 at 08: 40

    And what can they do if you have an and/or account with, for example, a child living in the Netherlands?

    • kid says up
      11 November 2016 at 12: 11

      that may seem like a solution PROVIDED you are also registered with your child, and that can cause other complications

      • French Nico says up
        11 November 2016 at 15: 24

        Dear Jochem, with an en/or account, both account holders do not have to live at one address. For a bank, an en/or account provides more security (two jointly and severally liable persons) and if one of the account holders of an en/or account is resident in the Netherlands, this will not cause any problems for the bank. After all, the bank does not only have to deal with a foreign account holder and also not with foreign regulations. In that case, the account is simply administered to the Dutch address according to Dutch standards and regulations.

  7. Dennis says up
    11 November 2016 at 09: 25

    Actually a strange measure because:

    1. Many people have been banking with ABN AMRO for years. This includes their checking and savings accounts, but also insurance and mortgages and perhaps credit cards and loans or credits. The bank has always made money from this and now that the penny is turning the other way (or actually TOO LITTLE is being made, not necessarily a loss!) the bank wants to get rid of the customers.
    2. How many customers would this involve? 10% of a group of “foreign customers”. I estimate that it is less than 2% of all customers. We're actually talking about change here. Not amounts that keep them awake for even a second at ABN AMRO.
    3. Bank branches are being closed in many places in the Netherlands. Not only in villages, but also in small and medium-sized towns. All this under the guise of far-reaching digitization of services. People are even being forcibly fired for that reason! So it is very hypocritical to suddenly no longer want your customers living abroad. Everything (or at least a lot of it) is done via e-mail and the internet, so it doesn't matter where your customer is. I have received 0,0 mail from my bank (ING) in recent years, except for debit and credit cards. It is likely that sending abroad will be more expensive, but then we are talking about minuscule amounts, right? Otherwise, simply pass on those extra postage costs. That €5 isn't going to hurt anyone.

    Well, if this becomes a fact, then there is not immediately a man overboard. Brothers, sisters, children, good friends can serve as a postal address, but as I mentioned in point 3; what post actually?

    • patrick says up
      11 November 2016 at 11: 21

      Placing your postal address with third parties is only possible if you are actually registered there.
      in Belgium your identity card is read and it shows your official address, which must therefore be the same as that at the bank, the doctor, etc…

      • steven says up
        12 November 2016 at 04: 34

        I have no idea how things are arranged now, but almost 20 years ago I opened a bank account with Rabo at my brother's address.

  8. peter v. says up
    11 November 2016 at 09: 26

    According to nu.nl:
    “In addition, costs and laws and regulations play a role. ABN AMRO must make every effort to comply with local rules in all those countries around the world.”
    en
    “There are also many emigrated pensioners. Expats are excluded, according to the financial group.”

    If expats are exempt, they still have to comply with local rules. (Assuming that the countries where pensioners are also expats.)
    So the cost per person will only increase.

    • Roel says up
      11 November 2016 at 09: 40

      Expat excepted.

      Have searched definition;

      Why are white people called 'expats' and the rest of us 'migrants'? Mawuna Remarque Koutonin asks this question on SiliconAfrica.com. Her blog was taken over by The Guardian, which generated more than 2300 comments in two days.
      FROM THE WEB –
      Class distinctions still exist in the lexicon of migration. The word 'expat' is one such word that puts white people above everyone else. The word expatriate, shortened to expat, comes from the Latin: ex = from, patria = homeland.

      https://www.oneworld.nl/van-t-web/wat-het-verschil-tussen-een-expat-en-een-migrant

      With this you can do something I think against abn amro if you receive the email (so no mail)

      • Rob V says up
        11 November 2016 at 10: 20

        By expats, of course, we mean what falls under it according to the usual definition: people who work temporarily abroad. a Dutchman who goes to work in Thailand for a few years is an expat, a Thai who goes to work in the Netherlands for a few years is also an expat. A Dutch or Thai person who has no intention to return in the foreseeable future is a migrant. It is true that an expat can of course linger and eventually return much later or not at all or that a migrant quickly packs his bags again. In practice, therefore, no clear distinction can be made.

        That some -if you ask me silly- figures stick the picture expat or migrant on the basis of country of origin or even appearance… well…

        With expats, the ABN will therefore simply mean people of whom they can reasonably assume that they will be living in the Netherlands again in a few years. The bank wants to get rid of those who may not return to the Netherlands or who may not return to the Netherlands in decades to come. Of course very sour for people who may have been customers for years and from which the bank has earned well and now slightly less.

        I think the solution is: and/or taking into account (for example) a child living in the Netherlands. That is 1 account holder living in the Netherlands and the account must continue to exist.

        • ruud says up
          11 November 2016 at 12: 16

          But what is the point of refusing emigrants and not expats?
          Both are taxable in Thailand if they live in Thailand.
          So they probably both fall under the same regulation.
          Then the bank still has to comply with Thai regulations for someone.
          What is the point of not sending the expats away, but the emigrants?
          Because probably, in 10 years or so, new expats will still be able to remain customers.

          • Rob V says up
            11 November 2016 at 15: 17

            That is of course also nonsense for banking. On paper, someone can live in country B but still have various interests in country A. Consider, for example, Dutch emigrants who live in Thailand for most of the year and only come on holiday in the Netherlands, but still have a house, other property or other obligations and ties with their country. It is of the fools to tell people that they should park their Dutch money/income in Thailand and make Dutch payment obligations, etc. from there. It's not just a hassle, but that's how money is spent on the exchange rate (which the banks already use a lot).

            And what if country B does not see you as a full resident? Suppose I move to country X on a 'non-immigrant' visa and do not qualify for a real residency or citizenship and country X then says 'yes, you are a long-stay tourist, a non-immigrant and so we will not take you into account you can only open here in the Netherlands of which you are a citizen' . Then you fall nicely between two stools if the Netherlands does not tolerate you because you do not live there and country X does not see you as a (semi) permanent and full resident.

            The ABN is certainly not doing any good with this!

          • john says up
            11 November 2016 at 15: 19

            expats are people who will return to the Netherlands within a short period of time. So they are temporarily not in our country. People who need a bank again in the Netherlands. They are probably attractive customers, so ABN will think: I would like to temporarily do some extra administration for these attractive customers, such as for various government agencies, etc.

  9. antony says up
    11 November 2016 at 09: 27

    I have an account in Belgium with BNP Paribas Fortis bank.

    I received a message a month ago that my account has also been canceled with effect from 12 Jan 2017.

    Again this without any reason and I am/was a customer for 15 years.

    So now transfer all the money to another bank ;-((

    Regards, Antony

    • kris says up
      11 November 2016 at 16: 53

      I'm not a lawyer, but I doubt if this is legal. It is best to seek advice or write to the ombudsman.

    • pratana says up
      11 November 2016 at 19: 37

      well I talked about it with the bank (BNP Parisbas Fortis) I had to move to Thailand later because I also have bills with them and answer me you can possibly get an account in Thailand with their group, http://www.bnpparibas.co.th/en/
      question is after yonder who knows

  10. Nicole says up
    11 November 2016 at 10: 06

    I just called ING in the Netherlands and they say that nothing is known and that this is not on the agenda.

    • Henk says up
      11 November 2016 at 11: 47

      With every contact I have with ING I ask about this and the answer is invariably “nothing is known about this”

      • French Nico says up
        11 November 2016 at 15: 59

        That also seems logical to me. ING is much more internationally oriented than the current ABN-AMRO.

  11. erik says up
    11 November 2016 at 10: 08

    Then it will be a bank in Germany, these sounds do not come from there. And the interest there is just as 'generous' as in the Netherlands. But you have to go there first…..

    • john says up
      11 November 2016 at 15: 20

      Some banks in Germany do not accept customers who have a non-German address!

  12. erik says up
    11 November 2016 at 10: 12

    As a rule, expats are people seconded to a foreign country. People who live permanently are called emigrants. However, this blog only knows expats in its posts.

    Seconded persons, expats, think of embassy staff, trade representatives, guest workers at a company or university, oil islanders, so they can stay at AA, if I read correctly. You could almost call it discrimination on the basis of occupation…..

  13. ton says up
    11 November 2016 at 10: 19

    The big problem in my view is that some benefit providers do not pay out to a Thai bank account
    If you are an expat or whatever and you are not going back to the Netherlands, what will your benefit look like?
    I have my big doubts that they can just do this

    • peacock says up
      11 November 2016 at 13: 07

      If you have been deregistered and if you MAY do so, all benefits/pension providers pay out to a bank account of the country WHERE you are REGISTERED, anyway it is now a requirement of the Tax Authorities in the Netherlands that benefits/pensions etc. are paid out to a bank account of the country where you live, if you want to qualify for TAX EXEMPTION etc. In 2006/7 I already received the message from the ABN and AMRO Bank that after my deregistration from the Netherlands I could no longer have a bank account with them, so what that is no news under the warm sun here in Thailand. By the way, I think that if you are going to emigrate, you should do your homework to avoid unpleasant surprises, and a good listener only needs half a word,
      Sincerely, Paul.

      • RobN says up
        12 November 2016 at 01: 16

        Sorry but this is really nonsense. Absolutely NO requirement from the Dutch tax authorities that pensions must be transferred directly to a Thai bank account in order to be exempt from tax. Being able to show that you are tax resident of Thailand is required to be able to get an exemption on private pension. This year I again obtained an exemption in this way.

  14. ruud says up
    11 November 2016 at 10: 57

    Would the terms and conditions say anything about that?
    Can a bank simply close an account, for which you have signed a contract and have always adhered to it?
    You then also chase costs, for example, because your credit card is no longer usable?
    The bank cards you paid for.
    The costs you have to incur to switch, if you can switch at all?
    Because where should that money go if it turns out that no bank wants it?

    • edard says up
      11 November 2016 at 11: 17

      just file an objection up to and including the european court
      because this also smacks of discrimination and breach of contract
      which is not allowed according to European concepts and the OECD model agreement

      • patrick says up
        11 November 2016 at 11: 26

        nonsense, the bank simply terminates the contract unilaterally with 6 months' prior notice.

  15. Roel says up
    11 November 2016 at 11: 05

    The Eu is in the process of setting up a banking uni, they are well advanced but not quite done yet.

    This legislation also includes that only citizens from the EU can get and manage an EU bank account and companies that are active in an EU country.

    So just assume that you can't get a bank account in the entire EU, that will soon be confiscated I assume. The Netherlands is always at the forefront of such matters and ABN-AMRO also happens to be a state-owned bank.

    We will remain Dutch citizens, but all rights will be taken away, except paying taxes.
    It is discriminatory. It's a pity that the government treats us this way.

    Perhaps if it affects many people to put their heads together and take ABN-AMRO to court. First ask for a postponement of the decision and then stretch his procedure. The Dutch government has been doing this for years, processes of 10 to 15 years are normal. Even think that you still want to make a bill of it with 1 of your children or family, they will also make a problem of it.

    • Joseph says up
      12 November 2016 at 07: 37

      ABN-AMRO is no longer a state bank and is listed on the stock exchange. The state is still a major shareholder, but the next tranche of state shares will come again. So if you want to become a co-owner go ahead and buy shares.

  16. patrick says up
    11 November 2016 at 11: 27

    maybe open an account in Panama then….?

  17. Joe the farmer says up
    11 November 2016 at 11: 50

    what happens if you are in the red everything becomes a donation???

  18. John says up
    11 November 2016 at 12: 06

    Many German banks do not accept customers who do not live in Germany. The same applies to Belgium. So that is not an alternative for Dutch people living in Thailand.

    • david h. says up
      11 November 2016 at 20: 02

      I have been deregistered from Belgium for 3 years now, and have been able to keep my 2 Belgian bank accounts without any problems, and my Thai address has been included in their administration ....," hopefully it won't start dripping now if it's already raining in the Netherlands "..

  19. Nico B says up
    11 November 2016 at 12: 24

    With regard to ING, a few weeks ago I wrote the following as a submission to Thailandblog, it seems relevant to me to post it now as a response:
    Dear Editor, enclosed for posting a Submitted announcement: Will ING close bank accounts Yes or No?
    This item was featured on Thailandblog some time ago. In a response I announced that I would put the question to the Ing; the answer is below. Never say .. never, before moving to Thailand I also put that question to Ohra Bank who assured me in writing that my account would not be closed, after the move the account was closed anyway.

    Question:
    I read on a forum that there are plans to close and close the bank account(s):
    Of Dutch people who live permanently outside the EU and have deregistered in the Netherlands as a resident of the Netherlands.
    It seems unlikely to me that this is a correct message, but just to be sure I put the question to you, Is this correct??
    Nico B

    Reply
    Dear Sir / Madam,
    My apologies that your email was not answered sooner, due to a misunderstanding your email was not brought to our attention sooner.
    ING will not close Payment Accounts when you are deregistered in the Netherlands. If the Payment Account is in arrears, and we do not receive a response to the arrears notifications we send, the Payment Account may be closed in due course. You will of course receive a message about this at the address you provided.
    If you want to continue using the ING Current Account abroad, this is not a problem, the account will not be closed.
    Do you have any questions? You can find more information on our website.
    Yours faithfully,
    WH Lansen
    ING Individuals
    ING Bank NV, with its registered office in Amsterdam,
    commercial register no. 33031431

    • Fred says up
      11 November 2016 at 15: 56

      So everyone switch to the ING bank

  20. Nico B says up
    11 November 2016 at 12: 32

    With regard to ABN AMRO, if the account is closed, how will it be handled to find a bank in NL that accepts you? The identification process cannot be done from Thailand, so traveling to NL?
    Perhaps Abn Amro can transfer the account to another NL bank and thus no identification needs to take place, Abn Amro already did that.
    I am not an account holder at Abn Amro, but advise anyone who has to deal with this to submit this to Abn Amro, that is the least they can do now that they throw account holders who have sometimes been customers for years into the trash.
    Algemene Bank Nederland Asocial Migrant Fuck Off! nice sofa though.
    Success.
    Nico B

    • ruud says up
      12 November 2016 at 08: 40

      The question is, of course, whether you can switch to another Dutch bank.
      You cannot have an account with many banks if you do not live in the Netherlands, and the rest may also stop, just like the ABNAmro.

  21. Simon Borger says up
    11 November 2016 at 12: 35

    I have already canceled my account, I have been working on a new card since March, they do send cards, but they change the address themselves. So those cards don't arrive Thanks to the good service from ABN Amro, I was expelled from an insurance company because I had to change it with internet banking.

  22. Hans Pronk says up
    11 November 2016 at 14: 01

    There is still a "light" to the whole issue, namely that we may run less risk with our money in a Thai bank than with our money in a Dutch bank. Suppose, for example, that the ECB stops buying Italian government bonds next year as planned. Then the interest rate on 10-year government bonds could rise from less than 2% now to more than 7%, as was the case less than 5 years ago (before the ECB intervened). And because the national debt of Italy is now considerably higher than 5 years ago, an even higher interest may have to be paid. Italian banks and possibly also the Italian state will then run into major problems and that will have consequences for all banks in the euro area. And then it remains to be seen whether the guarantee of € 100.000 still means anything.
    Unlikely? Maybe. But not impossible.

  23. av says up
    11 November 2016 at 15: 20

    Very sad what I heard today. I have been a customer of the bank for over 30 years and have done all my banking there. The terms and conditions state that both the Bank and the customer can cancel the contract, so it is possible unfortunately. Becoming more of a consumer bank for the Dutch and European markets, but why private banking in Singapore, Hong Kong and the United Emirates? What kind of international laws and regulations if all banking matters are handled in the Netherlands? Many elderly people have been customers of the Bank for decades and have always been loyal. Have allowed the Bank to earn a lot of money and are now actually being discarded as "old garbage". One of the Bank's core values ​​is “trusted” to enter into and maintain sustainable, long-term relationships. How am I supposed to explain that if you get "kicked out" after 30 years. It is a shame that the last word has not yet been spoken/written. What makes me wonder if there is no discrimination and/or violation of the principle of equality? All in all, it will cause a lot of administrative "problems", since it will not be easy to find a suitable solution in the Netherlands, unless you still have an account with another bank. My advice is therefore to everyone concerned to submit a notice of objection to the Bank, which they may succumb to.

    Anyway good luck

    • Hans says up
      12 November 2016 at 16: 17

      Get the media involved. For example RADAR.

  24. Joop says up
    11 November 2016 at 15: 25

    A very disappointing decision by ABN Amro Bank. This bank, which was once a global player in its industry, has lowered itself to the level of a local third-rate bank.
    I can hopefully assume that if you have to "fuck off" at the bank's request, ABN Amro will also pay the costs associated with switching to another bank.

  25. French Nico says up
    11 November 2016 at 16: 13

    On November 9, the blog featured an entry from Tom. Broadly speaking, in his opinion, the entry was about vinegar whiners who did move to Thailand but find little or nothing good about Thailand and criticize everything. Many of the responses to this item confirm Tom's point.

    Every company rightly looks at the cost/benefit ratio. ABN-AMRO is no longer the internationally oriented bank it used to be. This bank has been significantly downsized during the financial crisis and after the takeover (read rescue) by the Dutch state. It is therefore logical that the bank divests certain activities that are unprofitable or no longer fit into the “revenue model”. The fact that the bank mentions certain causes that seem plausible, but are not, does not detract from this.

    Furthermore, some suggest that the government has a hand in this ABN-AMRO measure. ABN-AMRO is an independent company of which most shares are held by the Dutch government. This does not mean that the government interferes in business operations. The management and the Board of Directors determine the policy, not the minister of finance.

    Several people are already suggesting the possibility of a and/or account as an alternative. As long as an account can be administered at a Dutch address, there is no problem.

    Not everyone understands the difference between expat and migrant. Well, an expat is someone who usually works temporarily in another country and therefore temporarily resides in that country, with the intention of returning to the original country of origin afterwards. A migrant is someone who migrates to another country or state with the intention of staying there and not necessarily to work there. In Thailand that is not even allowed without a work permit and pensioners don't want that either.

    Then there are also labor migrants, not to be confused with expats. An economic or labor migrant leaves his country, region or city, usually on a voluntary basis, often for a limited period of time in order to find (better paid) work elsewhere. If he wants to, he can return safely.

    Well, ABN-AMRO wants to close the accounts of pensioners and migrant workers. There is an explicit exception only for expats, who in most cases have been posted by a company that has its home base in the Netherlands.

    • ruud says up
      12 November 2016 at 00: 52

      If those accounts are not cost-effective, they would probably be better off setting up a foreign account against payment to cover the costs.
      Putting people on the street is very easy.

      And the least they could do is offer an (possibly nonexistent?) alternative bank.
      After all, it is they who are causing the problem and not the people, who have often been customers of the bank for years.

      • French Nico says up
        12 November 2016 at 12: 37

        What nonsense this is. “Offering a non-existent alternative bank”. Entering a foreign account against payment is also nonsense. It's not (only) about that. In addition, there are complaints that account holders are picked abroad. It is not the bank, but the account holders who cause the excessive costs due to their foreign presence. The bank itself does not do that.

        Opening a bank account is an agreement between the bank and the account holder. General terms and conditions and often also special terms and conditions apply to that agreement. The account holder often fails to read it. The bank is not guilty of that.

        Either party may terminate an agreement subject to the terms and conditions. If the account holder is not satisfied with what the bank does or does not do or the bank has become too expensive in the eyes of the account holder, the account holder can switch to another bank. The bank may also have good reasons to terminate an agreement. Why are all these people bleating like that? There are enough banks left to open an account. I have accounts in the Netherlands (ABN-AMRO, ING, Rabobank and SNS Bank), in Spain (Banco Popular) and in Thailand (Bangkok Bank). No problem. What do the Dutch say.

        Moreover, government agencies transfer payments to Dutch people abroad without any problems to a foreign bank account. Now people will stand on their hind legs again, but if you move to Thailand for whatever reason, accept a few (surmountable) disadvantages.

        • ruud says up
          12 November 2016 at 15: 04

          Dear Frans, you still have those bills in the Netherlands at the moment.
          The question is whether you will still have those bills next year.
          Those of the ABNAMRO, then probably no longer and those other bills are a matter of waiting.

          And yes, I also have an account in Thailand.
          The only question is whether it is a good idea to bank all your money from the Netherlands, in a country where the army can seize power as it sees fit.

          Furthermore, I still have to make payments in the Netherlands from time to time.
          Settlements with the tax authorities, for example.
          Then a bank account in the Netherlands is quite handy.

          Why introducing a special account to be paid for people abroad is nonsense also eludes me.
          In the end, everything in a bank revolves around money.
          If there are enough customers, you can create a special department to serve those customers.

          For the terms and conditions, I'll have to dig deep.
          It's in a pile of old paper, and it's tucked away, because I didn't have the impression that I'd ever need it for anything.

  26. Renevan says up
    12 November 2016 at 00: 38

    You can open an account from Thailand at the Triodos bank. Since this is done from outside the Netherlands, this cannot be done online, but must be handled by post for verification. Just an email and the application forms will be emailed to you. One of the forms says within Europe, but you can also read outside Europe for this.


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