BudRight

I don't know if you have noticed, but everyone is insane now. The crazy daily rules about COVID, the banking restrictions, the immigration laws, the politics and I don't just mean Thailand. Everybody is completely nuts. I personally feel the situation is terminal.

A few years ago Bangkok Bank in New York stopped forwarding ACH transfers to accounts in Thailand unless the transfers were IAT compliant. At the time, nobody knew of any US based based banks that sent AIT compliant transfers for individuals. Does anyone now know of any US based banks that can now send IAH compliant transfers (optimally through their online banking system)? Please note that I am not talking about SWIFT transfers. Also, I do know about TransferWise, but they do not code their transfers as international and this is to satisfy immigration requirements. Thank you in advance for helpful replies.

I do not have a retirement visa and I cannot get one since I am not old enough.

I've been turned down by 8 different branches trying to open a bank account. Three in Phuket and five in Bangkok (two Kasikorn, two Krung Thai, one Bangkok Bank, two Krungsri, and one SCB). I prefer an SCB account. According to the SCB website, they can open a savings account with just an ID https://www.scb.co.th/en/personal-banking/deposits/savings-account/savings-account.html However, they have asked me for a work permit. Does anyone know an SCB branch in Bangkok that will open an account with just my passport, as per their own website? If not SCB then Kasikorn? Thanks

On December 26th of last year I bought an AIS SIM with 100GB per month at 10MB for 1790 baht for a year's service. It's been great and I want to renew it. I spoke to AIS however and they say that while they do now offer a six month version of that package (that would be okay for me), I would have to purchase a new SIM and change my phone number. I would like to keep my existing phone number. Any ideas for a workaround for this? Maybe another carrier offers a similar package and I can change to that carrier with a package for a "new" SIM, while keeping my existing number? Then change back to AIS after six months or a year? I want to keep my phone number and package somehow as it has been really good. Thanks in advance for helpful replies.