F.C.D Bangkok Bank account
- Thread starter alanthebuilder
- Start date
CO-CO
Rather wrinkly & occasionally cantankerous member
If NWI kick you out you will need one Pal.
If you thought opening a Thai bank account was problematic you would not have a cat in hell's chance of opening a UK account.
Having the FCD (as opposed to the NWI account) will be a benefit when you kick the bucket (not to you, obviously).
Yorky
Fullritis Member
Not necessarily, pal. I could empty my NWI account and transfer all my hard earned pension into a Bht account then have my OAP paid monthly into a savings account here. At one point I am going to need to bite the bullet anyway; may as well do it now.
CO-CO
Rather wrinkly & occasionally cantankerous member
Indeed, but at the last count you wanted to retain a Sterling account.
If you are now saying that you don't, then you can stop fannying around and just convert to Baht and receive future payments in Baht.
Happy to convert at 42 are we ?
CO-CO
Rather wrinkly & occasionally cantankerous member
I forecast it to reach 50 again.
Difficult for me to be specific on timing because money men and EU politicians seem to like speculating with Sterling.
My advice to all UK expats coming to Thailand is to retain a UK bank account....... you never know when you might need it.
Yorky
Fullritis Member
Did I post that Andychondriac had been given 3 months notice to withdraw his funds from his IoM account (don't remember which bank) as they will be closing it. So if anyone is retaining a UK bank account it may be prudent to link it to a UK address.
Prakhonchai Nick
You chose a custom title
A necessity I would think. Most banks will not send out debit/credit cards to Thailand.
Yorky
Fullritis Member
Funnily enough, NatWest International (as RBSI) sent to me (at the address that they now want proof of), two smart cards and two smart card readers.
Both Barclays and Mastercard stopped sending cards in 2002 and I cancelled my Amex membership in 2008.
Rice
Resident Smart Arse
You seem to wear your continued custom to the bank with honour Yorky.
The new business model is that anybody that stays or continues with any entity being that insurance, banking or what ever is to be considered gullible and stupid and to be taken advantage of at every turn.
Slugged extra charges, given higher premiums and the such, all because they know you are too lazy to change and go through the hassle of changing. While customers there only a short time are treated way better as they know they have no loyalty and cannot be exploited. The counter intuitive business behavior for punishing long term customers is called "The Lazy tax".
It is a shit world where loyal customers are treated like crap. Change banks Yorky wise up.
Yorky
Fullritis Member
I am currently "on-line" with SCB. Unfortunately there is no one at their end. I guess they don't man the workstation on a Saturday.
There is a potential problem with changing banks for my primary account into which my private pension is paid. I shall have to inform the provider which may bring to light that they have not been charging me to send the pension for the last 18 years. They told me that it would be £18.00 p.m. transfer charge so I really don't want to rock the boat (in case they ask for the £4,000.00 owed).
Rice
Resident Smart Arse
The arse about face model is so much more profitable as it exploits human nature. People think you are rewarded for being a good customer, while all the while the counter is true.
It is really disturbing.
Yorky
Fullritis Member
From the information that I am gleaning from my own research and CO-CO's findings, I may not be able to change banks because I sure as hell can't get a work permit.
CO-CO
Rather wrinkly & occasionally cantankerous member
Agree, but as I pointed out, at management meetings at the time, the bank(s) had no idea how to value the concept of goodwill.
One brief example; My assistant manager was on holiday and I saw a plumber of his for the annual review of his overdraft facility. After the preliminaries the plumber said "I suppose you are going to increase my interest rate"... I said "Why do you think that?".
He replied that that is what he had read in the papers about the banks.
I said "Actually, I think it is time we reduced your interest rate. 4% over base rate was fair when you started business 5 years ago but now you have a good track record with. I will drop your rate to 3% over base rate"
I worked out later that I had 'given away' about £20 a year. In return I had a waliking advert for my bank.
Rice
Resident Smart Arse
I really do like what you say Co-Co but things have moved on, and they (service industries) know now how to value your goodwill and it is with the exploitation of their loyal customers.
Google "Lazy Tax". It is appalling and it is true.
It is mainly older generations that fall for this BS as the younger ones have no loyalty to anything or anyone. The Me Generations.
Yorky
Fullritis Member
Would you not question the commercial acumen of a bank which precludes possibly 50 - 60% of the expat community from investing in their business? Or is this just another case of TiT?
CO-CO
Rather wrinkly & occasionally cantankerous member
The day a Thai bank rely (or panders) to the expat community is the day they might as well pack up and go home.
Nothing is ever perfect; but you have Bangkok Bank who offer 90% of what you are looking for - and make it available to you. Kasikorn don't make their FCD available to you and whilst you can have (or not) a joint account you cannot include it in online banking (a huge fail for me). You could try writing to Kasikorn to explain that you are retired and stay here long time........ frankly, I wouldn't bother and I would just get off my arse and get an FCD opened with BKB whilst I still can.
Yorky
Fullritis Member
I shall keep exploring possibilities (although I have already written to Kasikorn outlining what you suggest). I do not think closure of my NWI account is imminent as I have tried to cater for their "demands". Therefore there is no need to "get off my arse" and open an FCD account in any bank at the present time.
[Edit: What do you mean "whilst I still can"?]