Left stranded? On the breadlines? If he is working as an English teacher, then he has regular income. Seems unusual that a bank would just up and close a personal account with such a large balance. What details are left out of the story? Guessing that he doesn't use online banking. Why not transfer funds to a new account online or have the disbursement check mailed to his embassy?

This is pretty normal stuff nowadays - thanks to Basel II and the American government's interference in the banking system to try and prevent terrorism, money laundering and drug sales. When he sold the house he would have been removed from the electoral roll... no listing on that... no address in the UK... the bank is legally required for you to prove your address or withdraw facilities. It happened to me too (though fortunately I had nothing worth taking in the account at the time). I suspect the "living on only $20" thing was part of the emotional leverage to gain compensation for not having been appropriately notified about the loss of banking facilities though. Proving an address where the landlord pays the bills is hard work - your rental contract must have been issued in the last 3 months or they won't accept it (it also needs notarizing and lots of running around for other stamps for a foreign address), that leaves you relying on bank statements (lolwut in Cambodia?) or utility bills (in the landlord's name).

Strangely all the letters sent to me, at this time, as they were also closing my account, arrived safely and I was able to make alternate arrangements. In total I received four communications from them prior to the closure date. Seems a little odd not one of those that would have been sent to the gentleman in the article made it through the Cambodian postal system.

i got stranded the first time i came out here, i told the bank i was moving out to asia for a bit and so to let my bank cards work over there, then whilst i was away towards the end of my trip, because i didnt have any regular funds going into my account, canceled my overdraft, to which then my credit card payments couldnt come out, to which bloked that card as well, i was stranded for 4 days trying to sort it out with the bank with no money and no flight home, with the banks final verdict was there was nothing they could do about it and i needed to get someone to put some money into my account, they couldnt do anything because they had been sending me letters to my home in england for the past few months warning me, even though i told them i was moving away for a bit, stupid cunts, i ended up solving it myself by going onto my online banking and re applying for my 1000£ overdraft, 3 seconds later, my card was working again, booked my flights home and took a load of money out the atm to last me until then, couldnt believe they couldnt have just done that, i was fuming!

What a shocking experience, I hope he has not been scarred for life. Is he recovering now?

I do get a "money laundering form" from my German bank once per year, which I need to complete, and send back to them. Now I know what's gonna happen in case it ever gets lost in the mail. I did give them my employer's address though, so that's easy to prove.

so whats being on the electoral roll and having an address for your bank got to do with it?

do the banks check the electoral rolls to make sure the address connected to the account is legit?

Basel II regulations require that you bank verify your address in the UK annually - the electoral roll is the easiest confirmation of address in the UK (if you're over 18 - you're on it). The banks can access the roll electronically and carry out instant verification... no match; they want other proof of address or your account goes bye-bye.