Bangkok Bank Bluport Huahin

[Durand]

Just came back to Thailand last week and went to the Bangkok bank branch at Bluport in Hua Hin to open an account. Just brought my passport and my girlfriend and had no problem opening a bank account. I used my girlfriends address in Bangkok but I don't think I even needed her there, just needed the address. She was never asked for an ID or proof of address. The girl helping us seemed to know what she was doing and was very efficient. We were done in less than 30 minutes and I walked out with the savings book and ATM card. They did charge me 5900 for insurance, 700 for some kind of service fee and I was able to open the account with only a 500 baht initial deposit. I'm an American citizen on a 30 day visa exemption.

[KaptainRob]

7 hours ago, Durand said:

Just came back to Thailand last week and went to the Bangkok bank branch at Bluport in Hua Hin to open an account. Just brought my passport and my girlfriend and had no problem opening a bank account. I used my girlfriends address in Bangkok but I don't think I even needed her there, just needed the address. She was never asked for an ID or proof of address. The girl helping us seemed to know what she was doing and was very efficient. We were done in less than 30 minutes and I walked out with the savings book and ATM card. They did charge me 5900 for insurance, 700 for some kind of service fee and I was able to open the account with only a 500 baht initial deposit. I'm an American citizen on a 30 day visa exemption.

5900 for insurance?  What kind of insurance and did you ask for it or was it SOLD to your GF ... perhaps she did not translate what was being offered was an extra you didn't need.

[Guest1]

Isn't that the travel insurance opening bank account scheme  with Bangkok Bank for people without the "proof of adress" paper from the immigration, someone wrote about some time ago ("How I opened a bank account just with my passport in Pattaya" or such) ?

There was mentioned, that Bangkok Bank is doing this "service", as long you buy a insurance.

And, if I remember right, that insurance was a travel health insurance, not getting you anything in Thailand.

But I can be wrong, just:

 6000 + Baht for opening a Bankaccount?

Reads to me like a scam!

[KaptainRob]

2 hours ago, Guest1 said:

Reads to me like a scam!

Quite possibly a scam.  As BangkokBank is an insurance agent I'm sure some BB officers may take advantage of foreigners to earn a comm.   I'd also beware of the documentation signed to ensure the renewal is not an automatic deduction.

[Durand]

3 hours ago, KaptainRob said:

5900 for insurance?  What kind of insurance and did you ask for it or was it SOLD to your GF ... perhaps she did not translate what was being offered was an extra you didn't need.

It was life/accident insurance. I tried to decline it but she said it was required to open the account. 

[KaptainRob]

49 minutes ago, Durand said:

It was life/accident insurance. I tried to decline it but she said it was required to open the account. 

Oh well, put it down to experience and for the record, it is NOT a normal prerequisite. 

[Guest1]

1 hour ago, Durand said:

It was life/accident insurance. I tried to decline it but she said it was required to open the account. 

Valid for which countries please,

[Guest1]

42 minutes ago, KaptainRob said:

Oh well, put it down to experience and for the record, it is NOT a normal prerequisite. 

If you want a bank account, you need an adress

If you don't have/get that from immigration, it is your only choice. 

If I recall that right, this Bangkok Bank scheme is/was a secret tip, once.

 

 

[Durand]

28 minutes ago, KaptainRob said:

Oh well, put it down to experience and for the record, it is NOT a normal prerequisite. 

I already knew they would charge me. There are any number of threads you can read here and other sites talking about the trouble foreigners have with opening a bank account. I have never read about anyone here on a 30 day visa exemption and no proof of address walking into a bank with just a passport and opening an account without buying this insurance.  Paying 170 bucks to go to a bank and walk out with an account 30 minutes later was worth it to me. The alternative is a trip to Bangkok to get an embassy stamp or trying 15 different banks like this guy. And after all that the only way he got an account was to pay for insurance.