Jump to content

Thai bank frustration


Britboy

Recommended Posts

Bit of background first.

I originally came to Thailand in 2019 with a view to living here. Using an Agent I got the retirement visa and they sorted opening a bank account at Bangkok Bank. Once I had the visa I successfully opened a Kasikorn account too. Both were working fine.

Then Covid happened, I had an elderly mother (93), UK about to go into lockdown, so decided to go back at the end of Feb 2020.

Move forward 2 years to May 2022, my mother had sadly passed, as joint Executor I'd finished sorting out her Estate, etc. and decided to come back to Thailand.

I was concerned that the two bank accounts would be delinquent or worst case closed. So first day back at the end of June 2022 I went to both banks. Kasikorn was no problem as I'd left some cash in the account, but the Bangkok Bank account was zero due to them taking charges out during the 2 years I was away.

To be fair, Bangkok Bank were fine. After a bunch of form filling the account was live and I put some cash in.

For both banks I gave them all my new details - updated Thai address, updated phone number, etc. etc. I received text messages and emails relating to the accounts, both debit cards I already had worked and in the 3 months I've been back there's been no problems. The Apps work fine on my Thai phone, even down to paying bills and transferring funds from one account to the other. Wise works great for transferring from my UK accounts to both Thai accounts.

So all good - until this week, when I tried to register my debit cards for online payments (Grab being one example).

I can get through the process fine, up to the final security feature of them sending OTP's for verification. Personally I think that's a great way to obtain the final verification.

However, after not receiving the OTP's after requesting them I did a bit of digging. On Kasikorn it gives little detail, but on Bangkok Bank it shows the last 4 digits of the phone number the OTP is sent to. Guess what? It's my old 2019 phone number, so that's obviously why I'm not receiving them.

Somebody probably has that number by now, so no doubt received my OTP's. I don't see any danger in that as obviously they have no idea what the OTP is for, but that's a pretty poor state of affairs if my phone number has been updated on the accounts, etc. but not for OTP's. I have the same problem with both banks, so I'm going to have to visit both places to hopefully get it sorted.

Very frustrating.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Britboy said:

Bit of background first.

I originally came to Thailand in 2019 with a view to living here. Using an Agent I got the retirement visa and they sorted opening a bank account at Bangkok Bank. Once I had the visa I successfully opened a Kasikorn account too. Both were working fine.

Then Covid happened, I had an elderly mother (93), UK about to go into lockdown, so decided to go back at the end of Feb 2020.

Move forward 2 years to May 2022, my mother had sadly passed, as joint Executor I'd finished sorting out her Estate, etc. and decided to come back to Thailand.

I was concerned that the two bank accounts would be delinquent or worst case closed. So first day back at the end of June 2022 I went to both banks. Kasikorn was no problem as I'd left some cash in the account, but the Bangkok Bank account was zero due to them taking charges out during the 2 years I was away.

To be fair, Bangkok Bank were fine. After a bunch of form filling the account was live and I put some cash in.

For both banks I gave them all my new details - updated Thai address, updated phone number, etc. etc. I received text messages and emails relating to the accounts, both debit cards I already had worked and in the 3 months I've been back there's been no problems. The Apps work fine on my Thai phone, even down to paying bills and transferring funds from one account to the other. Wise works great for transferring from my UK accounts to both Thai accounts.

So all good - until this week, when I tried to register my debit cards for online payments (Grab being one example).

I can get through the process fine, up to the final security feature of them sending OTP's for verification. Personally I think that's a great way to obtain the final verification.

However, after not receiving the OTP's after requesting them I did a bit of digging. On Kasikorn it gives little detail, but on Bangkok Bank it shows the last 4 digits of the phone number the OTP is sent to. Guess what? It's my old 2019 phone number, so that's obviously why I'm not receiving them.

Somebody probably has that number by now, so no doubt received my OTP's. I don't see any danger in that as obviously they have no idea what the OTP is for, but that's a pretty poor state of affairs if my phone number has been updated on the accounts, etc. but not for OTP's. I have the same problem with both banks, so I'm going to have to visit both places to hopefully get it sorted.

Very frustrating.

 

Had similar experience I upgraded my phone Bangkok Bank will only give you the verification code when you are in the branch you opened the account in .difficult to do when you're on other side of the planet and covid is raging 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, Nickrock said:

Had similar experience I upgraded my phone Bangkok Bank will only give you the verification code when you are in the branch you opened the account in .difficult to do when you're on other side of the planet and covid is raging 

Was it a new number as well as a new phone?

I've changed phones a few times since I've been using Bangkok Bank app and never had to visit the branch.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 hours ago, KWA said:

Was it a new number as well as a new phone?

I've changed phones a few times since I've been using Bangkok Bank app and never had to visit the branch.

It's the same phone, just new sim/number.

The OTP is a different set up to normal stuff like messages and notifications. I spent over an hour in Kasikorn yesterday and they finally got it sorted. The teller had to call the support facility, they talked her through things then she took me out to the ATM, plugged my debit card in and whizzed through some options (all in Thai, so couldn't follow what she was doing) while the support lady was still on the phone talking her through it.

Hey presto, I get a text message on my new number saying I was now set up for "Internet Shopping Service". Haven't tried again as yet to set up Grab with payment method, will do tomorrow. Hopefully the OTP comes through ok now.

Bangkok Bank was not so easy. They really didn't know what they were doing and it was obvious, despite me giving them all my new details of address and phone number on June 28th when I arrived, they hadn't entered it into the system 3 months later, despite me getting a text message early July to say they had.

So had to go through all that process again, numerous forms, take all my i.d. again, etc. etc. They then said it will take a week for it all to be registered, then "Internet Shopping" will be operational with my new phone number. Yeah, right. Let's see.

I'm going to give it 2 weeks then go to the local Bangkok Bank branch where I live in Jomtien as she said these things can be set up on an ATM with my debit card (presumably as per Kasikorn did). Will check that out and report back.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 9/29/2022 at 8:36 AM, KWA said:

I've changed phones a few times since I've been using Bangkok Bank app and never had to visit the branch.

I wouldn't have had to go in if I didn't want to set up Internet Shopping and receive the OTP to my new number.

Are you successfully receiving OTP's on a new number without having to do anything other than change your phone number on the app?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Britboy said:

I wouldn't have had to go in if I didn't want to set up Internet Shopping and receive the OTP to my new number.

Are you successfully receiving OTP's on a new number without having to do anything other than change your phone number on the app?

I've never changed my phone number, but have changed my phone several times and receive OTPs on the new phone without any branch visits.  I can understand your issues with a new number, but I was querying why Nickrock was having to at Bangkok Bank with a new phone only.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, KWA said:

I've never changed my phone number, but have changed my phone several times and receive OTPs on the new phone without any branch visits.  I can understand your issues with a new number, but I was querying why Nickrock was having to at Bangkok Bank with a new phone only.

Even had the young fella try to sort it out when he was passing through bkk last month all he got was I had to go to issuing branch to get it sorted ( my account was on hold or something because I had tried to liven it up on new phone

  • Great Info 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 9/29/2022 at 12:58 PM, Britboy said:

Bit of background first.

I originally came to Thailand in 2019 with a view to living here. Using an Agent I got the retirement visa and they sorted opening a bank account at Bangkok Bank. Once I had the visa I successfully opened a Kasikorn account too. Both were working fine.

Then Covid happened, I had an elderly mother (93), UK about to go into lockdown, so decided to go back at the end of Feb 2020.

Move forward 2 years to May 2022, my mother had sadly passed, as joint Executor I'd finished sorting out her Estate, etc. and decided to come back to Thailand.

I was concerned that the two bank accounts would be delinquent or worst case closed. So first day back at the end of June 2022 I went to both banks. Kasikorn was no problem as I'd left some cash in the account, but the Bangkok Bank account was zero due to them taking charges out during the 2 years I was away.

To be fair, Bangkok Bank were fine. After a bunch of form filling the account was live and I put some cash in.

For both banks I gave them all my new details - updated Thai address, updated phone number, etc. etc. I received text messages and emails relating to the accounts, both debit cards I already had worked and in the 3 months I've been back there's been no problems. The Apps work fine on my Thai phone, even down to paying bills and transferring funds from one account to the other. Wise works great for transferring from my UK accounts to both Thai accounts.

So all good - until this week, when I tried to register my debit cards for online payments (Grab being one example).

I can get through the process fine, up to the final security feature of them sending OTP's for verification. Personally I think that's a great way to obtain the final verification.

However, after not receiving the OTP's after requesting them I did a bit of digging. On Kasikorn it gives little detail, but on Bangkok Bank it shows the last 4 digits of the phone number the OTP is sent to. Guess what? It's my old 2019 phone number, so that's obviously why I'm not receiving them.

Somebody probably has that number by now, so no doubt received my OTP's. I don't see any danger in that as obviously they have no idea what the OTP is for, but that's a pretty poor state of affairs if my phone number has been updated on the accounts, etc. but not for OTP's. I have the same problem with both banks, so I'm going to have to visit both places to hopefully get it sorted.

Very frustrating.

 

 

I mirror a lot of what you said above. Including both K bank and Bangkok Bank.

 

When I returned back in June of this year I had a new passport (new number) and a new Thai phone number. It was just a matter of going to my local branches and filing the paperwork for the updated phone and passport registration. Took about a week or so to get things settled. They had to send the paperwork to Bangkok for the adjustment. The issue was the initial account was opened in Pattaya. So, that adjustment had to be made as well. 

I decided that it was in my best interest to have an account opened that is in the province where I live. So, I opened another account with K bank. This took about an hour at the branch next door to me.

Between the two I think I am in pretty good shape.

The other day I bought a new phone, but transferred the same Thai number I got when I came back in June. Even though I have the same number I will have to go into the banks to readjust and re-sign in for the use of the mobile banking. Took about 20 minutes at both banks.

This is all about computer bots. Anytime you make a change of this sort you will have to be able to do this. Once the adjustments are made with the tech gods things get sorted out and you should be able to attach your card to Grab and things like that. I personally use a cc from back in the U.S. and this works fine. I don't want to have my Thai debit cards attached to services like Grab to avoid any foul ups.

 

I have said this before in here. I could write a fucking book about the computer bot wars I have dealt with in the past three years. An absolute cluster f**k and can be a mine field if you don't stay on top of it. Crucial to have multiple sources to accessing funds, because I guarantee that if you are staying here "long time" you will sooner or later encounter issues that can be extremely difficult to resolve.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Up until a few years ago Kbank had a great system that bypassed the OTP option. They called it Password 2, separate from your log in password. When you did a transaction that would require a OTP a new screen came up for your P2 and you were set to go. 

After 16+ years of loving this system while I was overseas they decided to make life harder for security, even tho I never ever had a problem

  • Like 1
  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, biggles said:

Up until a few years ago Kbank had a great system that bypassed the OTP option. They called it Password 2, separate from your log in password. When you did a transaction that would require a OTP a new screen came up for your P2 and you were set to go. 

After 16+ years of loving this system while I was overseas they decided to make life harder for security, even tho I never ever had a problem

 

It's all about software, and when these banks and companies invest in software updates. It is a huge, costly investment. Not only for the actual purchase and installation of the software, but the employee training, related public education, etc.

As we often see when new software comes on-line there can be glitches which can be hugely problematic for both the bank and the customers.

Often various banks are regulated differently or under different charters and policies regulated by who knows what laws. The associated/attached laws make it difficult.  Significant changes can be controlled or limited by funding (or the lack of). I think this may especially be the case with Bangkok Bank, their systems are ancient.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

44 minutes ago, biggles said:

Up until a few years ago Kbank had a great system that bypassed the OTP option. They called it Password 2, separate from your log in password. When you did a transaction that would require a OTP a new screen came up for your P2 and you were set to go. 

After 16+ years of loving this system while I was overseas they decided to make life harder for security, even tho I never ever had a problem

kasikorns new online banking is a frickin disgrace.  old system was perfect.  they whacked in the new one, and lost everyone's accounts we pay to, causing complete SNFAU.

good thing is that from this year, online banking can tell you where money COMES from into your bank.  until this year it was guesswork.  even branches couldnt tell you, only that a deposit was made.  making business banking serious hell in a hand basket

phone banking I hate, but scb forced me into it as unless you sign up for it, you cant use your debit card for online payments.  its their way of forcing you to use the ap.  that said, i now actually scan and pay so must be coming out of the dark age.  although I have two accounts and only use one in the phone, and that with a small balance.. erm.. just in case

 

  • Great Info 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Glasseye said:

 

It's all about software, and when these banks and companies invest in software updates. It is a huge, costly investment. Not only for the actual purchase and installation of the software, but the employee training, related public education, etc.

As we often see when new software comes on-line there can be glitches which can be hugely problematic for both the bank and the customers.

Often various banks are regulated differently or under different charters and policies regulated by who knows what laws. The associated/attached laws make it difficult.  Significant changes can be controlled or limited by funding (or the lack of). I think this may especially be the case with Bangkok Bank, their systems are ancient.

Bangkok Bank app is ancient compared to the app I use in nz .e.g keeping details of someone you pay money to bb saves it as a favorite including the amount you paid my nz Bank has a save option that keeps the name a account details so you just click on it add amount plus account history showing past amounts

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...