ATM Problem

[Big Boy]

I hope you're right zevon. The 5,000 Baht isn't going to break the bank, but I will have a significant confidence problem in using an ATM again.

I'm not confident probably because I had to speak to a Thai on the phone for quite some time, and there was a language problem. My Thai is very poor, and her English wasn't much better. I'm sure we'd have been fine if we could talk face to face, but banks don't seem to like doing things that way any more. If I don't get any joy, I will request a face to face with the manager, but I'm not sure what that will actually achieve.

[zevon]

I will request a face to face with the manager, but I'm not sure what that will actually achieve.

I would ask them to show you the reconciliation for the atm machine on the day of the problem.
Make them prove that the money in the machine was equal to the payout requests.

In any event good luck

[Roel]

Sorry I do not agree with Zevon (who posted while I was writing this post). Do NOT 'make them prove' anything. That is western style and logic. Not applicable here.

Big Boy, before you go to see the manager it would be best to put everything in writing. Preferably in Thai of course. Perhaps even add a picture of the ATM machine you used. They like that. Be as precise as possible with date and time and describe in detail what happened. It also helps to add that you are very satisfied with their service and a happy customer for years and you regret what happened and that you have to bother them with this (a little bit as if it was all your fault). Do not lecture them or tell them how to do their job. You are right when you say this should not be necessary (you are the customer, they are supposed to serve you and all that) but in my experience this is really the best way to handle this and in general to get things done in Thailand.

[zevon]

Roel, I take your point.
I was not suggesting this as an opening gambit.
BB seems to think his money is already lost. I do not think so. Banks have procedures in place for this sort of thing and i am sure it will sort itself out as there will be a discrepancy between the machine and the customer requests. He will just need a bit of patience.
I don't think talking to someone over the phone will necessary help or move it forward and he should approach his bank manager and with documentation.
Should the bank come back officially and state that BB did receive the funds and he is wrong in his assertions then they can show BB documentation supporting their decision.
It is not his word against theirs as BB seems to think

[Don East Stand]

Hey BB

Chin up, I'm sure you have not lost your 5000 Thb.

About three or four years ago I had a very similar problem on the way back from Bangkok. We stopped at a small service station in the middle of nowhere and I used a UK ATM card to try and get some cash. This was in the good old days when Nationwide did not charge for overseas withdrawals! Anyway, it was the same problem as you described, "please wait, transaction being processed etc etc."

Eventually my card was returned , but NO cash!

When we got back to Hua Hin I was able to verify that the cash had been removed from my account. As my bank was in the UK it made communicating the problem much more difficult, but I won't go into all that as it's not relevant at the moment.

The good news was that they were able to verify that the ATM had not paid out my money so they credited it back to my account. The even better news was that in the intervening few days the "exchange rate" had worked in my favour and they had credited back more than had been taken in the first place!!

[Big Boy]

I hope all of your reassuring words are correct. I don't feel confident because of the telephone conversation I had - they haven't even asked where the failed transaction took place. OK, I guess if 5,000 Baht has been taken from my account, they should know where from. The girl on the phone was placing a lot of emphasis on whether I had received a receipt or not. No, all I got back was my card. Hopefullly, by this time tomorrow, I will have a better idea of which way this is going to go.

[Big Boy]

Well, they did promise me a phone call when they had completed their investigation. However, I've just just checked my online banking, and the money is back in my account

There is an important lesson to be learnt from this - certainly for Kasikorn Bank users. Before using the ATM, make sure that you know what your balance is. When you have completed the transaction, your closing balance is displayed, Make sure the opening balance minus your withdrawal equals your closing balance. Had I not known my opening balance, I probably wouldn't have noticed the 5,000 Baht going missing in the first place. I don't think Kasikorn would have rectified it if I hadn't reported.

[barrys]

Glad to hear everything ended ok BB.

I use Ayudhya Bank and every time a transaction takes place on my account, an SMS is sent to my phone, informing me of the amount of debit/credit and the new balance.
In a situation like yours, you would then know immediately that the money has been debited and it also serves as a receipt.
I would think that the other banls also provide this service.

[PeteC]

^ Yes, my wife is with K Bank and gets an immediate SMS when anything goes out of or into her account(s). She had to call the customer service number in Bangkok to set it up. A visit to the local branch indicated they couldn't do it locally. Flat 20 baht charge per month. Pete

[sateeb]

When I moved here I opened an account with Kasikorn Bank in MV...They set up the SMS service there and then...no need to contact customer service

[Big Boy]

Thanks guys - once bitten, and all that. Next time in MV, I'll pop into the bank and see what they can do for me.

[Big Boy]

I called in to Kasikorn Bank, Market Village after my daily swim today to enquire about the SMS service. They told me they have a special offer on their SMS service at the moment (don't they always ). If I signed up for the year, it would only cost 199 Baht as opposed to the normal 20 Baht per month. From tomorrow, I will know exactly what is going in and out of my account.

[PeteC]

The next step is to assure you now don't lose your cell phone.

[Khundon1975]

BB

Had a similar problem with Kasikorn bank ATM on Petcha rd in HH many years ago.

Machine whirred and coughed, card popped out but no money or receipt!

Unfortunately it was a bank holiday, so went back in the following week and they checked the ATM records and balance and confirmed I had not had the money but still my UK bank insisted that I had and docked £140 from my account.

Kasikorn then started a dialogue with my UK bank which lasted for over 3 years but in the end my bank credited my account with the money.
Later, on a visit to UK, I called into my local branch, marched swiftly up to the counter and rapped my malacca cane hard on the mahogany counter and demanded to see the manager.
I then tore him a new asshole, after a couple of days he rang to say that "the bank was very sorry and they were going to credit my account with another £200 for any inconvenience they had caused and they did not want me to move to another bank"

Result.

IMHO most banks are just hopeless and hate to admit they are wrong. All credit to Kasikorn, they never gave up.

[Big Boy]

That's reassuring to hear Don.

Apart from having to speak to somebody on a telephone, and we both endured language difficulties, the only thing Kasikorn didn't do in my case was give me the promised telephone call to say everything had been rectified. That was no big deal because I could check that myself anyway with online banking.