Thread: My 2000km trip to the bank

I lost my atm card and the wife ever so lovingly put my pass book through the washing machine, my fault of course for not checking my pockets before I put them in the laundry basket, I always thought that was the birds job..nevermind, whats done is done..
My bank pointblank refused to give me any money or issue me another card because it wasn't my home branch and the evil biatch looked me straight in the eye and told me I had to travel the 1000km down to Koh Samui (home branch),to get a new passbook.a long trip, if you don't like flying that is, but now I'm not scared of getting on planes..not after the shit I've just been through..

(usual shite quality of pictures courtesy of my Nokia coming your way, but you'll get the idea)

Day 1. Pak Chong - Bangkok - Chumphon

Got on the bus at around 8.30 am in Packers..around 3 hours into Bangkok, traffic depending. This was probably the best sub journey of the whole trip..



Next up, a taxi to Hua Lamphong train station..



Arrived at the station, had a snack and an ale..



Then went to wait for the 1pm train to Chumphon..the journey was expected to take 8 hours..

The train arrived and moved like a slug on valium out of Bangkok..



Then, just clear of Bangkok approaching Ratchaburi, it stopped and didn't start moving again for about 3 hours..all very splendid stuff..

I took this getting back into the train after going on a little walk about in the town in stopped in, asking various folks if they wanted to drive me to Chumphon, "oh no, too far" they'd say..



After the unscheduled breakdown, it started to move again and we were flying, for about 15 minutes..then it stoppede again, for about 4 fucking hours..right in the middle of the jungle..



At least they had toilet paper in the crapper, I like the way some intelligent soul has tied it to the emergency stop chain..ingenius..

maybe a cheaper solution,

have a new bank account,

use your existing Internet banking to transfer to new account

problem solved,

What did the bank manager say ?

yeah., I woulda got a 2nd opinion first.

I had many people on the case to the bank, it was the only option, they wouldn't budge.

Please name the Bank ?

Siam city is my bet

^ The yellow one..

So I got on Samui and hired this bike from Nathon - 150bt a day, ran very nicely about 10,000km's on the clock...sorry, picture even more shite than usual...



I drove it to Lamai and got myself a place, 600 bt a night, very clean, air con, tv, hot shower and near to the bank..

Went out...

Day 3. Koh Samui

Went to the bank, got it sorted, spent the rest of the day being appalling.

Day. 4. Lamai - Nathon - Donsak - Surrathani - Chumphon

Quick beer in Nathon whilst having a read of the paper...



Walking up to the Ferry Pier...

Saying ta ta to the island..wasn't bothered at all at the time, but now I've had time to get over the journey, I quite fancy going back for a longer more relaxed break..

Coming into Donsak..someone with a decent camera whose knows how to take pictures could have a field day on this crossing..

No pics of the Helpful Bank Manager on Samui ?

No pics of the forms that had to be filled out should this happen again ?

Did you transfer your account to your local branch ?

The ferry docked and I got on a bus which took me to Surat..not a very nice place..



Had some lovely southern grub though..it smelt phenomenal..kaeng som pla..sort of a sour fish curry..very bloody spicy



The old girl who prepared it saw I was suffering a tad with the spice, so she lovingly prepared me an asthetically pleasing tray of vegetables to dull the heat of the chilli..



The old girl in question..absolutely reeks of hygiene and class..

Originally Posted by 12Call

Did you transfer your account to your local branch ?

Definetly. Won't need to go there again..withdrew the cash, put it in another a/c and closed the account down.

I was in the bank for 10 minutes, max..very easy process..apart from getting there of course.

I am sure there is more to this story, maybe visiting an old flame on Monkey Island

There is no way I would have gone all that way to get a nw pass book. I would have found a way to sort it out at the local branch, or another branch closer by.

Did you go and speak directly to the bank manager yourself?

What bank was it?

Originally Posted by somtamslap

The yellow one..

Ayudhya Bank ?

Finally got back to Chumphon..got ripped off by a fucker in Surat..that'll be a different thread at some point, most likely called..KUNT..

Back to withnall's again where his mrs dished up some more fine grub. Roast chicken, potato salad and noodle salad, tasty..

Day 5. Chumphon - Bangkok - Pak Chong

Withnall and I decided that a few beers for breakfast might be a good idea..

Here he is, cunningly disguised as a bogroll..

Originally Posted by somtamslap

At least they had toilet paper in the crapper, I like the way some intelligent soul has tied it to the emergency stop chain..ingenius..

This is just so Thai, tickled me pink you can av a green for this one

Originally Posted by Thetyim

Ayudhya Bank ?

Yep, thoses fuckers.

Originally Posted by kfjvkjvk

Did you go and speak directly to the bank manager yourself?

I did, and I phoned up the head office in Bkk..they wouldn't budge.."It's the rules of the bank" is what I kept hearing..

Last pic from inside the train going up to Bkk...very fucking grim...




So, that was that..bit nasty really..

That was a good old fashioned great thread. The conclusion was killer. Well done

Originally Posted by somtamslap

So, that was that..bit nasty really..

Hope that didn't include the double stopover at mine. (From which i am still recovering. Bastard.)