What is the new Bangkok Bank policy regarding visa-related funds and how does it affect expats?

@David ******

your an idiot, the dude said agent and nobody said about you an agent or not. The reference was clear when he said use an agent and i was clear immigration is never going to faze out agents to grease immigration pockets. DIckweed. Learn to read

@Matthew ********

Idiot. The OP was talking about freezing accounts. The only reason Bangkok Bank is doing this is because they're sick of agents abusing their back accounts, so they're going to weed them out. It's the bank, not immigration! Read the entire thread you moron. And it's "phase" not "faze" but obviously sub-standard education!

@Max ************

once again you are wrong you can still use an agent, just have to use your own money. You're wrong a lot here

@Jay ******

in the last 3 weeks 3 different friends have confirmed that SCB, KBANK and Krung Thai are not affected by this 4 months prior rule. Only B Bank is.

@Ling ****

yes

@David ******

some people would rather pay the money and avoid the hassle. Definitely much cheaper to do yourself and not complicated if its not your first extension. But the option is still there.

@Jay ******

I guess so. I don't know. There was a guy posted on here last week complaining he had to drive 12 hours from somewhere up north to Pattaya to see his agent to get his extension. I guess a 24 hour round trip, hotel and fuel is no hassle, whereas an hour at your local immigration office is a hassle. People must have different viewpoints on "hassle". I use CW in Bangkok. It's about 30 mins to get there, about an hour to hour 15 actually there and 30 mins home. Cost is 1900 baht and about 120 baht for the train. Somehow I just don't see that as a "hassle"

@David ******

its just still an option, not saying one is better than the other. Just too much wrong information here.

@Jay ******

A lot of panic from those who don't meet the financial criteria

@David ******

yes. It will and should stop a lot of people that don't meet the financial criteria from gaming the system

@Pete *********

wrong

@Jay ******

sorry but you are wrong.

@Pete *********

ok, but I'm not

@Jay ******

I didn't say one word about the "workaround" with the freeze, did I? I just stated what they actually want now and that is true... believe it or not.

That also means that, if you put the money 4 month before (and 3 month after for Immigration) your money is blocked for 7 month instead of 5 month. If you go the way with the "freeze" it's (at least) 2 month before plus 4 month "freeze period"... that makes it 6 month then... but the Immigration requires only 5 month. This way or another the bank blocks your money longer than the Immigration. Welcome to the new weird world of Bangkok Bank... I just opened a new account with another Bank... they don't have any new rules... at least not yet. Good thing there is: I can get my 12 month statement "to go", unlike Bankok Bank.

And no... I didn't read it somewhere... I just did my extension last month and I'm with Bangkok Bank for about 16 years now... so... yes... it's first hand experience.

@Stephan **********

wrong again. Thats why so many have trouble getting the correct information. My money was in the bank 3 weeks when I got my bank letter. And I only waited that long because of the wrong information I got here. They were willing to issue the bank letter the day I signed to freeze it. So no 6 or 7 months.

@Jay ******

I have no idea what you talk about... but with just 3 weeks seasoning before application you won't get your extension... so you don't need any bank statement. The requirement (Immigration) for the 800k is 2 month before, 3 month after, the other time not under 400k.

@Stephan **********

wrong once again. I already got my year extension with 3 weeks of seasoning. Left the bank, went straight to immigration in Jomtien. Im not sure the reason, but i would guess because I had the paperwork for immigration showing my money was frozen. But I was told when I froze my money that I could go to immigration immediately and I did.

@Jay ******

immigration rules are the money must be in your amount for 2 months before the date you apply for your extension.

@Brandon ***********

I hear what you are saying, I'm telling you what happened

@Jay ******

Just because it supposedly happened to you (which is hard to believe, especially in Jomtien) doesn't mean the rest of us are totally wrong. But that's exactly what you keep saying... that's a somewhat strange attitude...

Never mind... I agree to disagree... have a good day... 🙏

P.S.: You might (or might not) have a look here, at Section 22:

@Martyn **********

you give them the right when you sign the papers and it is DEFINITELY NOT 4 months before!

@Martyn **********

It's 4 months instead of 2 months. Thats the only difference, and only for the first year. The second year it's back to normal as long as you have kept those 800k in your account as required. As a retiree and on long term stay, you won't even notice a difference.

@Max ************

Bangkok bank should have no extra requirements... They aren't immigration.

@Martyn **********

FIGHT the POWER ✊👊

They did make the changes to satify immigration, they made the changes because they got in trouble with the law.

@Martyn **********

You're still not getting it. Bangkok Bank wants serious customers,they don't want accounts with 800k popping up and then after 2 months the balance is down to zero. I won't be surprised if other banks like for example KBank will do the same. You can always change bank if you're not satisfied. Bangkok Bank won't care the least.They don't want whining clueless customers. You must be a rookie in Thailand.

@Max ************

you don't get it... Immigration requirements and what money is in the account and for how long is nothing to do with them..

As for rookie.. Been coming for 25 years lived here 10... So no.

@Brandon ***********

I do it the legit way and it hasn't affected me one little bit. But there again, I don't have 800k going in and out of my account once a year. It only affects those who abuse the banking system. If tellers want to take the chance, it's their prerogative and their loss when they are sacked for violating bank policy

@Mark *******

tellers aren't doing anything. It's the bank managers that make these arrangements with agents. There's a reason the agents in Pattaya are now putting customers on buses to Bangkok to get their bank letters. They just found new bank managers that aren't under the microscope like the ones in Pattaya are currently. Once it blows over in a couple months everything will be back to normal for agents and things will be more difficult for people who want to do it on their own.

@Brandon ***********

I realise you represent a visa agent so of course you will push the agent barrow, but you can't explain how it's going to make things more difficult for the honest people

@Mark *******

I don't represent anyone. I'm just here as a volunteer to help people. New rules always inconvenience people who have to follow those rules.

The requirements of a marriage extension are that you have to have the money in your Thai bank account for 2 months before your extension and no requirement after that. That means 2 months in the bank.this new rule means if you only put the money in 2 months before your extension, the bank will freeze it for 4 more months. That's 6 months total instead of 2. And if you put the money in 4 months early so it isn't frozen, that's still 2 months longer than immigration requires.

For retirement, the bank account must always be at least 400,000 and must be at 800,000 for 2 months before the extension and 3 months after. This means if you just raise it to 800,000 the 2 months before, you'll have to freeze for 4 months, which is 1 month longer than required by immigration.

It also means you can't use that money if an emergency happens which normally you could, but it would just affect your next extension. Now you don't have access to it at all if the bank freezes it.

It would be better for everyone if this rule wasn't implemented at all because it's not going to achieve anything except inconveniencing people who follow the rules, because agents pay to not have to do so.

@Brandon ***********

The reports are saying it's Bangkok Bank only. Is that the only bank in Thailand?

@Mark *******

Yes. Best advice for anyone using Bangkok Bank is to speak with your feet, and get a new bank. Kasikorn is probably the best, but SCB is also popular

@Brandon ***********

I understand your position, this group is owned by an agent, so obviously you will be encouraging people to go to other banks, as Bangkok Bank no longer offers the "agent services" as it used to. But I'm ok with BB, I get good service and have had no problems in many years, so contrary to what you're saying (and I understand your position) I'm sticking with it. I do everything above board so I have no fear

@Mark *******

There are plenty of Bangkok Bank branches that still work with agents. Just not in Pattaya because of the headlines. As I said, that's why the agents in Pattaya are putting their customers on a bus and taking them to Bangkok Bank branches in Bangkok. Those branches will still happily take the agent money and hand out the letters.

The reason I'm opposed to Bangkok Bank is because they are punishing EVERYONE for something a few people are doing. Collective punishment is stupid in this case. It would be trivial for the headquarters to find accounts where 800,000 are deposited and then removed immediately, and punish those specific bank managers where this is happening. Instead they make a policy that only punishes those following the rules and doesn't stop a single thing.

@Brandon ***********

Personally I don't know of anyone using Bangkok Bank being "punished". I've got a huge number of old fart buddies in Bangkok who use BB and no-one has reported any issues with their accounts. I think you'll find it's only those with suspicious transactions who are being flagged.

@Mark *******

No one is being "flagged." The rule is clearly posted at the branches. If the money you want a letter for immigration has not been in your account for 4 months, then you must sign a letter that allows them to freeze the money for 4 months after that date. It literally makes no sense, since that's not the immigration requirement. And it's actually the exact opposite of the intent of the immigration requirement, which is to prove you has the funds to support yourself in an emergency. Frozen funds are useless for that purpose.

If someone puts the 800,000 in their account and then never touches it, this policy will not affect them at all. But many do not do it that way, they drop it down as needed then bring it back up just for their extension. Even then it barely affects retirement extensions, but greatly affects marriage extensions.

@Jo *********

I can't beat around the bush. Bangkok Bank is sick of maintaining accounts that for 364 days of the year are almost empty. On one day of the year 800k is suddenly deposited, an agent shows up at the bank requesting a letter certifying the balance as 800k. Once the letter is issued, the 800k mysteriously disappears again. It's no wonder they've got the raging sh1ts!

@Mark *******

good explanation!

@Max ************

God forbid!! People put money in a bank.....and then take it out again!! 🤣🤣

@Tony *******

People? Agents takes their money out. You're just another clueless person here.

@Max ************

stop whining, not everyone can be a bona fide genius like you 😅🤣