buick

i'm not sure what you are getting at here. in my original post, i suggested that getting a bank account was a 'hurdle' - which was to suggest not easy. then you asked about how i opened my account and i responded. now this new post from you doesn't make any sense to me. what exactly is going on here ? i know i used an embassy letter. i know it is more strict that 2018. i know not all embassies issue the letter. i know about CW and the 90 day report issue for res cert. that is the 'hurdle' piece. and in numerous recent bank account threads i've recommended agents or law firms as the easiest way to obtain a bank account. and of course, several members here still suggest 'it is easy' to open one but i'm not one of those. so whatever your after here, i think you've missed the mark.

thank you for the information and good luck with the business !!!

i opened my account back in 2018 during the initial crackdown phase. i had a tourist visa, a copy of a lease along with a cover letter from the apartment manager, and the US embassy letter stating my passport was real. i opened two accounts, one at bangkok bank main branch silom road and another at KTB on sukhumvit soi 22 (branch now closed). i was declined at the bangkok bank sukhumvit/asoke branch and went to their main office to try there and got one. it is more difficult now, if i needed to open one today, i'd use an agent or a law firm and pay the fee. not interested in calling or visiting numerous branches to come across one that might open one. i do think bangkok bank main branch is the best bet, maybe you have to buy their insurance. but not a sure thing w/o an agent or law firm to assist. UOB is another possibiity, although i never tried there, but they seem to have different requirements than the thai banks.

OP - immigration can be difficult at times. frustrating, etc... i've arrived in thailand from the US on a visa exempt entry (allowed 30 days, although one was 45 days as they gave that amount when quarantine was in place). i already had a bank account with the 800,000thb on deposit. it is fairly easy to go to desk C-1 and change/convert your visa exempt entry to a 90 day NON O (i've done it twice). there is rarely any wait time, desk C-1 is not busy, you are at the desk with the IO in minutes. so not a long day at immigration. i also had the challenge of being in/out of the country so often that i had to time it with one of the rare times that i was actually in thailand for more than 90 days so i would be able to do the one year extension. it might be easier to get the NON O from the LA consulate. but once you are aware of the process to do it here in thailand, it is fairly simple - assuming you've already got the bank account and the money on deposit. you get a bank letter, your lease, make some copies of passport pages and you are all set. as noted by another, you've got to do it with at least 15 days left on your permission to stay via a visa exempt entry or tourist visa entry.

i think that is a good idea. january is generally free of government holidays (i think may has 5 or 6). the only issue with january is many others might have expiration dates that month as they come every year during the high season to avoid the euro winters. but at least the offices are open every day. i'm not sure if CM is offering appointments these days. i use CW in Bkk and they have appts now, although i haven't used them yet.

here is the checklist of items required for the change/conversion of visa exempt or tourist visa to the NON O while in thailand - this one is from bangkok, CW immigration office as noted above, one hurdle is opening the bank account. and at the bottom of the list they note copy of lease with three months of rental receipts. i assume that isn't a strict requirement as many that do this have just arrived in thailand. maybe someone on the forum has experience on that. i did this twice but had a lease/receipts already. Change Visa Instructions.pdf

yeah, UOB was mentioned alot a few years ago. many banks refused but UOB was one of the spots to go to. as you say, they did require a large initial deposit. it sounds like they are still doing the same thing as a few years ago. that is good news for people that need an account with only a tourist visa. they also have a branch near asoke/sukhumvit intersection.

as noted, the non O begins on the application day. not when you get the non O stamp two weeks later. i was trying to get my renewal day set for june as may has alot of holidays (which means alot of busy days at immigration - before appts were allowed). but i ended up with a may renewal date, just what i was trying to avoid.

were you changing over to a NON O retirement and got them excited with the prospect of an 800,000thb deposit ? a plan to transfer funds to buy a condo ? or did they just open it w/o any 'enticements' ? in the last 4 yrs or so, there have been alot of questions on here about how to get an account open (visa exempt or tourist visa). usually after the OP's have tried several banks w/o success. maybe you were one of the lucky ones. i kind of like the buy the insurance option. you never know, maybe you'll have an accident and cash in on the insurance. at least you've got a little something for your 3,000-4000thb. but if you use an agent, you make a contact. agents can be helpful in the future.

that sounds good and i hope the OP can do the same. thai friends can help.

yeah, going from bank to bank in the hot weather is a real pain. i think some people prefer to suffer like that in order to avoid paying 3,000 to 4,000thb. 8 hrs in the heat across three days is an okay trade off for them. one thing that really gets me on these threads about opening bank accounts, we rarely hear back from the OP on how things went. and i remember a real classic where we did hear back from an OP, and he criticized us all about how we were wrong with our advice, etc... as they were denied right and left. and that was back when it was not real tough to open one, around 2017/18 or so when the crackdown first started. we told the OP to try specific branches (main office bangkok bank was one and UOB on sukhumvit was another) and OP tried a bunch of banks EXCEPT the one's recommended.

a friend of mine has a condo in the BGC. there is nightlife in the area. i'm not sure about after midnight but he has told me there is now a freelancer scene in the area.

not sure where you are in bangkok, but i'd suggest bangkok bank main office at 333 silom road. go in and see what they require, maybe you'll get lucky and they'll offer to open one if you buy their insurance product. which will cost about the same as an agent/siam legal. but you may have to get the embassy letter. or, just go with the siam legal recommended by another poster. it can be a hassle to open an account and an agent makes it real easy.