Update Passbook Problems

Bandersnatch

Surin Solar Legend
Sorry if you know this already (please don't give me grief if you do) and don't tell me to suck it up, because I think this is an important issue.

I opened my Surin Bank account a few years ago at SCB Robinson. They closed that branch down and installed an ATM machine that did not update passbooks. Yesterday I went to SCB Surin Plaza, made a deposit and asked to update my passbook. Back home I checked my passbook to find that they had missed out 5 months of transactions. Today at SCB somewhere in the city branch they informed me that an update passbook would only update "the last few" transactions How many I asked "about 20" I was informed - I now realize that my passbook will never be accurate - hope no one important like immigration wants to look at it.
 
Sorry if you know this already (please don't give me grief if you do) and don't tell me to suck it up, because I think this is an important issue.

I opened my Surin Bank account a few years ago at SCB Robinson. They closed that branch down and installed an ATM machine that did not update passbooks. Yesterday I went to SCB Surin Plaza, made a deposit and asked to update my passbook. Back home I checked my passbook to find that they had missed out 5 months of transactions. Today at SCB somewhere in the city branch they informed me that an update passbook would only update "the last few" transactions How many I asked "about 20" I was informed - I now realize that my passbook will never be accurate - hope no one important like immigration wants to look at it.

In my experience (Kasikorn Bank) recent transactions, c. one month, are only entered into the passbook individually. Other than that the previous transactions, in and out, are summarised as two entries. To avoid this, if you so wish, you could update your passbook every month.

However, I update my passbook around every six months (if I remember) and I have not had issues with Immigration.

[Edit: Kasikorn Bank enter the cumulative deposits prior to the cumulative withdrawals therefore my balance does not show a figure of less than Bht 800,000.00 at any time)
 
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My passbook already has 5 months of missing transactions and unless I drive into the city and update it every "about 20" transactions it will have more missing transactions.
 
My passbook already has 5 months of missing transactions and unless I drive into the city and update it every "about 20" transactions it will have more missing transactions.

One has to assume that the balance is accurate?

My experiences are with Kasikorn and Bangkok Banks both of which summarise deposits and withdrawals over a certain period with two entries. Maybe other members have different experiences with SCB?
 
My passbook already has 5 months of missing transactions and unless I drive into the city and update it every "about 20" transactions it will have more missing transactions.

If it's important to register each individual transaction, then log onto your account each month or so and print out the statement. I think most banks have at least a few months transactions available to view/print.

[Kasikorn have 5 months history available[]
 
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If it's important to register each individual transaction, then log onto your account each month or so and print out the statement. I think most banks have at least a few months transactions available to view/print.


Kasikorn consolidates transactions.


Six months online statements are available (although these are not usually accepted by Immigration.

If using the income method for extensions then you will need 12 months 'official' bank statements duly stamped.

If using money in the bank option then bank statements are not required (although an IO has the right to ask for them).

The only thing they should check for is that 800k/400k is maintained for 2 months before applying and 3 months after granting the extension.
 
If using money in the bank option then bank statements are not required (although an IO has the right to ask for them).

The only thing they should check for is that 800k/400k is maintained for 2 months before applying and 3 months after granting the extension.

I accept that the IO has the authority to ask for proof of whatever he wishes, however illogical it may seem to us - however, in 20 years I have never been asked for a bank statement (although I shall be at SI next Tuesday and I may then report differently).

In respect of the 800k/400k, at my 2019 (successful) application the IO did spend some time inspecting my original passbook but he did not explain why. The review of my 2020 application was conducted "behind closed doors" so I have no idea what they were doing. My origial passbook was not asked for but copies of the pages with the previous 8 years transactions had been provided.

Note for @Bandersnatch: because of the consolidations, it was only 3 pages.
 
Yes balances are accurate. My concern is rules do change and I like to be able to show monthly foreign transfers of over 65K into my passbook, but I can no longer do that.


Do you use the monthly income method?


If not, forget about it.

If you do, the passbook will not be sufficient.
 
If you do, @nomad97 is the expert.
Yes, Bangkok Bank are the same. If you do not update your bank book once a month or so, you will lose the continuous list of all transactions. I do not update my bank book every month, although I do update it nearer the time of my extension renewal. I always up date it the day before I go to Immigration and missing transactions has never been a problem. I now print the 6 month bank statement, available online, the maximum available, twice a year. With a 30th December renewal date, I print a statement on 30th June and 29th December. This 'annual' statement has been accepted by Immigration for the past 2 years. Prior to printing my own statements, I obtained the 12 month statement from Bangkok Bank, a 4 day wait and 200 baht.
 
Do you use the monthly income method?

I also have an account with the pink bank in Robinson. It doesn't come with an ATM card and "Foreigner are not allowed the app" so it costs me ฿1,000 (minimum deposit) a month to check my balance.

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@Bandersnatch, show the Pink Bank your Pink ID card, they may give you the app. ;;big smile;; ;;big smile;; ;;big smile;;

P.S. Once you have renewed your extension to stay, I would seriously think about closing that account and move the dosh to a bank that facilitates online banking with statements available to download. As I said, Bangkok Bank is one such bank.
 
@Bandersnatch, show the Pink Bank your Pink ID card, they may give you the app. ;;big smile;; ;;big smile;; ;;big smile;;

P.S. Once you have renewed your extension to stay, I would seriously think about closing that account and move the dosh to a bank that facilitates online banking with statements available to download. As I said, Bangkok Bank is one such bank.


Just one word of warning if downloading statements is for the purpose of showing Immigration (Bandersnatch does not need to as he has 800k). Most Immigration offices required hard copy bank statements, stamped and certified by the bank, to support the monthly income method. At the moment Nomad's experiences suggest that Surin is currently an exception.
 
Just one word of warning if downloading statements is for the purpose of showing Immigration (Bandersnatch does not need to as he has 800k). Most Immigration offices required hard copy bank statements, stamped and certified by the bank, to support the monthly income method. At the moment Nomad's experiences suggest that Surin is currently an exception.

Whether it makes any difference, I cannot say but I've always used the bank passbook from my "working account" which shows income coming in and expenditure going out (but never dropping below ฿800,000.00). I'm wary of presenting a passbook for an account which is static (possibly begging the question "what are you living on?").
 
Whether it makes any difference, I cannot say but I've always used the bank passbook from my "working account" which shows income coming in and expenditure going out (but never dropping below ฿800,000.00). I'm wary of presenting a passbook for an account which is static (possibly begging the question "what are you living on?").


Surely the answer to that question is by reference to the bank account that you use for living on.
 
Surely the answer to that question is by reference to the bank account that you use for living on.

Which is exactly what I do. But @Bandersnatch's image appears to be showing a static account. I don't see the need to use two accounts when one will suffice.

I've had a few bank accounts in the past for different reasons but find it's far better to stick with one account for my extension so as not to muddy the water nor confuse the issue. Keep it simple.
 
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Just one word of warning if downloading statements is for the purpose of showing Immigration (Bandersnatch does not need to as he has 800k). Most Immigration offices required hard copy bank statements, stamped and certified by the bank, to support the monthly income method. At the moment Nomad's experiences suggest that Surin is currently an exception.
They can always bounce the printed statement against the transactions in the passbook for verification. I will continue with the downloaded statement until told otherwise. I do update my passbook, not every month, but possibly for the last 3 or 4 months of the 12 month period. By the way, the bank has never stamped and verified the bank statement, what's on the bank provided statement is a pre-printed signature and stamp. I will go further, the statement is a mess with several, disjointed pages, covering the year. At least the document I download is continuous for 6 months at a time and far more cohesive.
 
Which is exactly what I do. But @Bandersnatch's image appears to be showing a static account.

Not if you are referring to consolidated entries. There may, for example, be one entry for credits of 2.2m Baht and one entry for withdrawals of 2.1m Baht. That evidences incoming receipts and outgoing expenditure. Nomad, and possibly Yorky's, point is that a print of online statements gives a fuller picture. Frankly, I doubt that an IO is capable of detailed analysis of a bank statement - and I can guarantee that he would not understand mine.
 
They can always bounce the printed statement against the transactions in the passbook for verification. I will continue with the downloaded statement until told otherwise. I do update my passbook, not every month, but possibly for the last 3 or 4 months of the 12 month period. By the way, the bank has never stamped and verified the bank statement, what's on the bank provided statement is a pre-printed signature and stamp. I will go further, the statement is a mess with several, disjointed pages, covering the year. At least the document I download is continuous for 6 months at a time and far more cohesive.

I would be interested to see a copy of that signature section of the online statement; nothing like that on my Kasikorn and BKB statements - nor on my UK bank statements.

To repeat, from what I recall reading, I am pretty certain that....'it is written' (on the Thai Immigration Bureau instructions) that internet bank statements are not permitted.

Make the most of it is Surin Immigration do not follow this requirement.
 
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