Most suitable banking service in TH?

[Moses]

Friends,

 

could you please share your experience and suggest me most suitable Thai bank which has:

 

- good online-banking service with English interface

- free or almost free international debit cards (meaning  they will be accepted in ATM and shops outside of Thailand)

- free or cheap saving accounts linked to cards, mentioned above

 

Possibility to open account for farang or % of interests aren't questions of this topic.

 

Thank you in advance

[firecat69]

Have loved Kasikorn for 10 years .One or two times I had to make a call from the USA the employees spoke almost perfect english  and it was easy to fix something.  Rest of the time their online banking site is easy to navigate.

[Alexx]

I second Kasikorn Bank, I've been happy with them for more than 10 years as well.

 

Same with Bangkok Bank, but if you choose them, do make sure that you get their Visa debit card, not the UnionPay one they like to flog nowadays.

 

Personally, I like Kasikorn Bank's cyber banking and app better between these two banks, but Bangkok Bank has other advantages (ACH transfers from US bank accounts, for example) that might or might not be relevant in your case.

[ggobkk]

Kasikorn

[firecat69]

I know that may be the rule but  it is not enforced. First time I tried to open an account they told me no at Kasikorn. I walked 2 blocks to another branch and had no problem.

[Moses]

Do note that most banks in Thailand don't open bank accounts for people on tourist visas.

 

Possibility to open account for farang or % of interests aren't questions of this topic.

 

Thank you, but it isn't question for me. In case bank will decline my request trusted Thai will do it for me then, so I'm not limited in choice.

[Guest]

Recommending the best bank is difficult, since I have not tried them all.   

 

I have a Kasikorn account and am very pleased with them. 

 

You need to log into their on line banking every 3 months to stop that expiring.   Although when that failed, I used Skype to call them & it was sorted out very quickly.   I then set a google calendar appointment to remind me to log in.

[Gaybutton]

I too recommend both Bangkok Bank and Kasikorn, with Siam Commercial Bank as a third choice.   Debit cards are 300 baht or less, depending on the bank.  I am able to withdraw money from any ATM in the world.

 

They all have online banking with English interface. 

 

I haven't checked the others, but Bangkok Bank has a non-commercial branch in New York.  I easily arranged to have my retirement pension direct deposited into my Bangkok Bank account via the New York branch.  The transfer is instantaneous, meaning the moment the money is deposited via the New York branch, it is immediately available to me in Thailand.  That has worked just fine ever since I've lived in Thailand.  Even when I am entitled to tax refund, IRS sends my refund to me the same way - direct deposit via the New York branch.  I receive a text message on my phone when the money is available.  The message includes the gross amount sent, the fee Bangkok Bank deducts (usually about 250 baht), the exchange rate at the moment the deposit is made, and the net amount transferred to my account, both in dollars and baht.

 

The one negative for me about that is a few years ago the USA started requiring that money transferred via a government source has to go into a receive-only account.  My money does come from a government source, so I actually have to hold two accounts.  One is the receive-only account and the other is my "regular" account.  Both appear on online banking, but with the receive-only account the money cannot be touched.  I have to physically go to a Bangkok Bank branch and transfer the money out of the receive-only account and placed into my "regular" account. 

 

Supposedly, that prevents the money from being accessed in case I die.

 

I asked the manager at my local bank what happens if I am incapacitated in some way and cannot physically go to the bank.  He said they would send a bank representative to wherever I am in Thailand and arrange the transfer.

 

See:  http://www.bangkokbank.com/BangkokBank/InternationalNetwork/InternationalBranches/USA/pages/index.aspx

Then click on "About Us"

[spoon]

I always watch suzie orman shows and in case of incapacitation, u should have a living revocable trust assigned. That way, that person, will be able to perform tasks that u would normally do for you. Maybe someone else can explain them better than me. But i think it is similar to power of attorney but for your money only.