TTB bank to discontinue intenet banking - going to phone app only - starting October 18

[Gaybutton]

A few months ago, Siam Commercial Bank discontinued their internet banking and moved to phone app only. They were the first Thai bank to do so. Now a second major Thai bank, TTB bank, is going to do the same. Whether any other banks have similar plans - your guess is as good as mine. My guess is it won't be long before all the banks do this.

I have had the TTB bank app for months and like the Siam Commercial bank app, it too is simple to use, so this is unlikely to cause problems for people. Personally, although they try to tout it as a "better banking experience", or words to that effect, even though I find both apps very easy to use, I still prefer the option of deciding between using the app or using internet banking.

Today, September 14, I received the following text message written in Thai. This following is the English translation via Google Translate:

TTB would like to announce the termination of TTB Internet Banking (TTB Direct) services from October 18, 2023 onwards.
This is for a continuous user experience. You can sign up for the TTB Touch app to make online transactions more convenient.

See more details at the ttbbank website > News Room > Press Releases.

[Bangkokian]

Yes, SCB stopped their internet banking (SCBEasy) a couple of months ago whilst retaining the SCBEasy phone app. They claim that you can do everything available on the PC can be done on the phone. Not true.
I've told them I'll be moving my account (23 years+) to another bank. No response.
I approached Bangkok Bank and Kasikorn for assurances that they'll be retaining their internet banking. Absolutely no response from either.
Surely most businesses can't run their business from a phone?

[Jun]

Surely most businesses can't run their business from a phone?

I agree.
Even the UK banks like Starling & Revolut which were set up as phone app based banks also have web based banking for PCs.

I've told them I'll be moving my account (23 years+) to another bank. No response.
I approached Bangkok Bank and Kasikorn for assurances that they'll be retaining their internet banking. Absolutely no response from either.

I suspect you just need to move bank and hope all the other people who do the same as you encourage the remaining banks to retain a proper service.

[Gaybutton]

I've told them I'll be moving my account (23 years+) to another bank. No response.

I'm not surprised because there has been no major outcry against it from the public or even from businesses that I'm aware of. I'm guessing hardly anyone is doing what you're doing, so losing your business doesn't bother them.

And without an outcry, I believe moving to another bank isn't going to solve anything because I think it won't be long before the other banks start doing the same thing.

I don't have any idea why banks are moving to smartphone apps only. Unless maintaining online banking has become a prohibitively expensive problem for them, and I doubt that it has, what is the motivation?

Not only that, but now anyone holding an account with these banks is forced to own a smartphone. Maybe that's a non-issue. Even the bar boys who constantly complain "I not have money for pay room", "I not have money for eat", and so forth - but they all seem to have smartphones - and the more expensive, the better.

You know when I would move my money to another bank? If ads start appearing on their apps, especially if they want you to go to a paid "pro" version to eliminate the ads. If that ever happens, I'm gone. But where greed plays a role, it wouldn't surprise me. I don't want to have to see an ad trying to convince me to buy a blender from Lazada in order to do a transaction . . .

[Jun]

Not only that, but now anyone holding an account with these banks is forced to own a smartphone. Maybe that's a non-issue. Even the bar boys who constantly complain "I not have money for pay room", "I not have money for eat", and so forth - but they all seem to have smartphones - and the more expensive, the better.

Whilst almost everyone in Thailand has a smartphone, I suspect the proportion of homes with PCs is lower than in our home countries.
We might have started acquiring home computers 30~40 years ago, perhaps not long after they became available. I suspect that would have been far less common in Thailand, yet almost everyone now has a phone.

[Gaybutton]

The TTB web site is now closed and access is via their smartphone app.