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Answereda year ago

Why are foreigners considered low value customers by Bangkok Bank?

Jim *******
asked Oct 1, 2025
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Bangkok Bank, the biggest one in Thailand.

Someone said (actually 100s posters here, may be more elsewhere) they (the Bangok Bank) do not care about their customers. They care about their profitability.

We, foreigners in Thailand are low value customers, a nuisance down to being junk customers.

We do not take, en masse, home loans, we have no credit cards from the BKK bank. That is what the BBKank (any bank) wants.

Look at this. CitiBank, in Japan, withdrew from retail banking, sold it to SMBC (Sumitomo Mitsubishi Banking Corporation).

CitiBank was the darling for all foreigners in Japan, English spoken at the branches, their site in English.

The hook is: you have to have something like 5 million THB in your account, in Japan. Then, all services are free.

The BKK bank may lose some customers, they actually want them out. Street vendors and foreigners.

I can only guess, BKK bank is not a payment processing system, it is costing them resources for minor irrelevant transactions.

With IBM for 40 years, i came to know how the banks work. They are shops where they sell money.

Probably, no drama when the banks explained to the Thai government what it is.

Yes, there was some response, uproar from the grass roots but nothing has happened.
Answer summary
This post discusses the perception among expatriates in Thailand that Bangkok Bank prioritizes profitability over customer service, particularly for foreign clients who are often viewed as low-value customers. Many contributors share their experiences, noting that banks tend to cater more to Thai nationals and that foreigners may face challenges with language barriers and limited banking products. The debate also touches on broader banking practices and how foreign funds are utilized by the bank. Some comments highlight a similar attitude in other countries, suggesting a common trend across international banks.
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Ron ****
Ron ****
But weren't Thai customers affected too?
Daniel ******
Daniel ******
Never explain, never complain! Go somewhere else!
Kevin ********
Kevin ********
Like all banks
Steve **********
Steve **********
Over 1200 branches worldwide and estimated 17M customers.

The minute number of foreigners here that bank there are of zero consequence to them.

Most of those “customers” cannot afford to deposit 800K to secure a legal retirement visa. They could not care less about your piddly monthly deposit that you scan around town for the month.
David ******
David ******
@Steve *********
and the average Thai income is what?
*****
baht per month. Banks have numerous ways to make money. Ask J.P. Morgan. Deposits are a fraction, ofthe value of banks. Capital Market activities are were banks make money and deposits help margin security, as they leverage fractional reserves. The banking part is a necessary evil of the full banking house. It all goes together.
David *******
David *******
@Steve *********
quite correct and especially so when so many foreigners don’t even deposit the 800,000 but use an agent to get around the rules
Daniel ******
Daniel ******
A bank gives you money when the sun is shining and claims it back when thunderstorms are coming up!
Daniel ******
Daniel ******
@Steve *********
I would never put my real assets (not the poorly 800k) in a Thai Bank!
Frank ******
Frank ******
@Daniel *****
then you double paperwork of the
*****
/ month visas that may have delays transferring, printouts from bank, stress from missing a month and starting all over, if you do agent then fee is much more than 800k at home or locally
Alan ******
Alan ******
No bank in the world is safe, just try a recession, they'll freeze your account s shut the doors and lock you out and to bad about those investments paying you a pension.
Chance ********
Chance ********
Hummm as a banker in the US, banks make their money many different ways. If you are here on a non O and keep 800,000 in a timed deposit, the bank uses that money to make money, lending it out at a higher rate etc. of course they have multiple sources of income including credit cards etc.. All I am saying is foreign dollars that sit there can be a good source of income for the banks.
10
Daniel ******
Daniel ******
@Chance *******
with LTR Visa no obligation to put 800 k with no interest. Better invest in gold/silver or the stock market!
Sean **********
Sean **********
True, foreigners are low value customers. We cannot participate in many profitable banking services.

And we are a thorn to customer service desks due to our need for english speaking reps. Then we accentuate the problem by approaching problems with a rude, entitled approach. I just witnessed an example today as a foreigner complained loudly that nobody could speak English to help him.

They get to use our deposits to make loans to Thai nationals but the value is still not that significant.
Daniel ******
Daniel ******
@Sean *********
depends on you! If you bring 100 Mio. DOLLARS they will knee in front of you. Never forget: if you owe the bank 1 mio. Dollars it's your problem. If you owe the bank 100 Mio. $ it the problem of the bank!
Sean **********
Sean **********
@Daniel *****
just my personal opinion but any foreigner who bring any significant assets to a Thai bank is foolish. Therefore I don’t think this happens in reality
David *******
David *******
@Daniel *****
an irrelevant comment when the discussion is about the average non-Thai bank account which is nowhere near the figure you quote
Sue **********
Sue **********
Well then its the same with Vietnam?, the banks there just frozen 86 million bankaccounts for the same reason
Bill *******
Bill *******
@Sue *********
Warning to the west about digits ID I think.
Tobben ********
Tobben ********
All Banks are like that,no money no honey ! The Banks are business,not Blue cross !
Maxim ***********
Maxim ***********
Bangkok Bank got slapped by China in the transfer scam scandal.

There is nothing else to analyze.

Bangkok Bank caved in to external pressure.

Why are some people still not getting it?
11
Daniel ******
Daniel ******
@Maxim **********
the external pressure came from the world bank not from China.They told them to clean up the mess with Mafia money, otherwise they will not be accepted in the international monetary system. As easy as that!
Jim *******
Jim *******
OP
@Daniel *****
Never heard of that. No fine worldwide banking industry press has ever reported anything like that.
John *********
John *********
@Daniel *****
too many Russians in Thailand, the clean up campaign is underway 👏

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