Kbank Wants Info for I.R.S

[Gaybutton]

Anyone could be forgiven for thinking that's the whole reason for the restrictions.

I don't know if that really is the reason, but if it turns out that it is, I certainly won't be surprised.

[Dodger]

I read some comments a poster made on Asiannow this morning that I find interesting to say the least:

His comments (broken English, he's from Denmark):

"Got the E-Mail last week and print out the formulars.
I go the the bank today.
Was told it was head office that wanted a update on all foreigner account, And put into the new computer program"

I had to read this twice, because if what the agent at the bank told him is correct this whole fiasco may not have anything to do with requests coming from International Financial Tracking Systems at all...and was just the result of a new system at K Bank which their head office wants loaded at the branches. If their system files were complete and current they wouldn't have had to send these messages out in the first place. At least that's the way I see it.

This would explain the mystery behind why K Bank is the only bank in Thailand sending these ridiculous messages to account holders, as well as the knee-jerk way this was handled by asking account holders to return "Highly Personal Information" back to them on unsecured e-mails presenting high risk for everyone.

Only in Thailand!

[Jun]

asking account holders to return "Highly Personal Information" back to them on unsecured e-mails presenting high risk for everyone.

That's the biggest problem with this. Most banks I deal with have secure messaging systems on their apps or website.

Requests for information for "compliance" are normal these days. But not by e-mail.

[Gaybutton]

Was told it was head office that wanted a update on all foreigner account, And put into the new computer program

I wonder what information needs to be updated that is not already in their system. To me, it would make much more sense to have sent out E-mails saying K-Bank needs to update their information and please drop by a K-Bank branch at your earliest convenience to provide it. Don't forget to bring your passport and passbook.

This makes about as much sense as having to submit those 90-day address reports to immigration.

Most banks I deal with have secure messaging systems on their apps or website.

I would have no problem giving them whatever information they need if they provided a way to respond on their web site. But nothing about this is even mentioned on their web site. For sure I would not provide information via Email. Whoever came up with trying to do it that way is my idea of an utter idiot. I would no more comply with that than I would with Dr. Mwenene Mweleke from Nigeria's Email telling me he wants to deposit ten million dollars into my bank account.

According to Dodger's post, one man was told the reason for this is because the head office wants updates for all foreigner accounts. Apparently they need no updates for Thai owned accounts.

Would anyone be surprised if the same man asked the reason at another branch, or maybe even someone else in the same branch, he would get a different answer? I would only be surprised if he gets the same answer . . .

In any case, I'm a foreigner, but I have not received any such Email request. Let them send a request for my information for all I care - 'cause they ain't gettin' it.