Thai names and Banking

Thomas Jefferson once said “Banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies.” This seems true in the current economic crisis. But they are also driving me crazy in Thailand. The bureaucracy is overwhelming and for a high anxiety American can be crazy making.

Opening an account
I tried to open a bank account at Siam Bank. Well enough. Where is your work permit? I have my Fulbright Scholar letter, my letter from Chulalongkorn University about my position. I show they clerk these. I curiously ask, why do I need a work permit to put money in a bank? What if I brought the money with me (which I had). I sit as they continue to wrestle with allowing me to do this among themselves for 15 minutes. They decide it is maybe okay. I fill out the paper work.


Please are you Mrs. or Miss. I respond. I am neither. I am married by I used my maiden name. I would like to be Dr. Huber or Ms. Huber. We have no space on the form for that. No box. You must choose.
I'm nor Mrs. Huber, that's my mother. Nor am I Miss Huber. I am married and rather like my husband Michael. My checks at home say Dr. Huber. I show them my Foster Business School callings. These are no good the clerk mumbles in broken English. Anyway can make up cards saying anything. Women can only be a Mrs. or Miss.
I'm as stubborn as the Scottie dogs I raise. If I decide to take a stand, I do. "No I am not Mrs. nor Mrs." I will be "Ms or Dr." That's it.
The young man says I must go to the home office. He can not do that. It is not right.
"Right I say or afraid to make decision" He walks about. Okay. I wasn't so nice.

I leave frustrated, close to tears out of frustration. (I cry easy)

Attempt 2
I am required to open an account by the Fulbright Association so they can deposit my paychecks. Time to try again. This time, I take two women from the university with me, one the financial manager of the college and the other who speaks excellent English. We try one branch on campus. No can do. We wander over to a shopping center near campus. They suggest the green bank Kasikornbank. In we go.

It takes another 20 minutes or 30 or so and finally, it seems I am opening an bank account. Well now we are back to Mrs. or Miss. I sigh deeeply. Here we go again.
But it's women power. My two Thai friends explain I am a professor and I don't want to be a Mrs or Miss. They enter it on the form as Mrs. Then they white it out in the savings deposit book. Not good enough for me. I check on the screen. Somehow in this bank I am finally at least a Ms.

I found out that part of the issue is that Thailand passed a new law 2008 to give women more rights. The law allows women to choose the title they wish. However, the law only gives them two choices Mrs. or Miss
According to articles in the Nation, a Thai newspaper, the law was passed in February
The thinking is that
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span style="font-style:italic;">"Since we want women to have equal rights with men, they should be able to choose the title they want. In the next four months, women's titles will identify only their gender, not their marital status as in the past."

The problem is that you can't be a Ms nor can you be a Dr. So perhaps not so equal.

In other ways, Thai is liberal. It is a central location for individuals undergoing gender reassignment surgery. A bill being considered will allow people to to change their titles after undergoing a sex change operation.

Rules to succeed
1. Take your passport
2. Take a letter of introduction from your university and from the Fulbright association
3. Take business cards preferably in English and Thai
4. Take humans with you who speak Thai
5. Take copies of any documents (drivers licenses, school ID) that will further prove who you are. They will copy it all.
6. Be patient. Thais are very rule oriented. Expatriates present challenges. The typical bank employee or manager knows how to switch dollars in Baht but anything more and they check and check again with the main office.
7. don't go to a small branch office. Go a large office where they are more likely to have dealt with Americans (e.g. Siam Square). Ask for best English speaking person
8. Even though anger is not appreciated in the land of smiles. You may have to repeat many times what you want. Tell them to call a higher level. Tell them to check. Ask the clerk to ask his or her manager.

I was finally able to get an on-line pin number to view my account on-line only after 2 hours of negotiating and talking. Finally, the young woman deferred to the bank manager (but only when I asked her to do so.) He gave permission in 2 minutes. The only problem is the password still doesn't work.