Opening a Bank account in. Bangkok

[BritTim]

21 minutes ago, Aditi Sharma said:

At the back of my mind what I am thinking is are banking rules changeable at the whim of the officer like it is in immigration matters???

To a limited extent, yes. However, it is only likely to affect you (if at all) when you go to request special extra services from the bank, outside normal everyday transactions.

 

I have had bank accounts in Thailand for nearly 35 years (a time I only visited for about 4 weeks a year) and have yet to have a problem with routine domestic banking matters. I have occasionally had problems with foreign transfers, cashing foreign cheques, and adding things like debit cards and Internet banking. Even those issues have been few and far between.

[elviajero]

4 hours ago, Aditi Sharma said:

Lets say I have to get out of the Kingdom vowing never to go back because of problems ---not legal but of a personal nature like disagreement with boss etc -and I want to take that money out, close the account out and leave. How easy is it to do so in Thailand, can you please tell me?

Also, are there hidden fees that I have to be beware of?

Thanks

In that situation just walk into a branch with your passbook and you can withdraw every penny. You probably wouldn't need to close the account. If you want to close the account just tell the bank clerk and they will organise closing the account. There will be no hidden fees. 

 

[Essecola]

If a person really needs to open a bank account then why not go to Asoke junction and open one? It can be done with a tourist visa and passport. I needed nothing else.

[InMyShadow]

It's easier to open up an account in Pattaya. Everything is easier in Pattaya

[bkk6060]

2 hours ago, Essecola said:

If a person really needs to open a bank account then why not go to Asoke junction and open one? It can be done with a tourist visa and passport. I needed nothing else.

Why don't you tell us the name of the bank, location, and contact?

You cannot, so why spread false infomation.

[banjoe]

Why don't you tell us the name of the bank, location, and contact?
You cannot, so why spread false infomation.

Hes not spreading false information.
I opened one, albeit nearly 3 yrars ago, on just a tourist visa.whether thats changed i dont know, call them-
026531011
or pop in.
Its the Bangkok Bank between soi 8 and 10 on Sukhumvit Rd



Sent from my SM-G950F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Aditi Sharma]

9 hours ago, elviajero said:

In that situation just walk into a branch with your passbook and you can withdraw every penny. You probably wouldn't need to close the account. If you want to close the account just tell the bank clerk and they will organise closing the account. There will be no hidden fees. 

 

Hon, I dont want to be tiresome, but you saying that I can leave it a zero balance account without accumulating a tidy amount in penalties when karma brings me back again? 

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, Aditi Sharma said:

Hon, I dont want to be tiresome, but you saying that I can leave it a zero balance account without accumulating a tidy amount in penalties when karma brings me back again? 

If it is at zero balance and you leave for a period of time you will find that the account has been closed when you come back.

[elviajero]

4 hours ago, Aditi Sharma said:

Hon, I dont want to be tiresome, but you saying that I can leave it a zero balance account without accumulating a tidy amount in penalties when karma brings me back again? 

No. I answered your question about hidden fees. Any account fees (not penalties) would accumulate until the account was closed.

[mauroest]

most successfull stories are old.
My experience in February has been frustrating and unsuccessful. (I had 3 months tourist visa)
''no one year visa? no bank account'' the answer of eight banks in PTY and Immigration does not give you any ''certificate of residence'' to show bank (I had regular rent contract from agency)

Here other topic https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/964281-opening-bank-acc-trouble/?page=6&tab=comments#comment-11627087

 

[bkk6060]

Just now, mauroest said:

most successfull stories are old.
My experience in February has been frustrating and unsuccessful. (I had 3 months tourist visa)
''no one year visa? no bank account'' the answer of eight banks in PTY and Immigration does not give you any ''certificate of residence'' to show bank (I had regular rent contract from agency)

Here other topic https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/964281-opening-bank-acc-trouble/?page=6&tab=comments#comment-11627087

 

Yes they are old and misleading.  

Your experience is the truth.

A person cannot get an account with a tourist visa.

[ubonjoe]

6 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

A person cannot get an account with a tourist visa.

That is not exactly correct. There have been many people that have opened bank accounts with a tourist visa. Even some posts by people who have done it in this topic.

[bkk6060]

Just now, ubonjoe said:

That is not exactly correct. There have been many people that have opened bank accounts with a tourist visa. Even some posts by people who have done it in this topic.

No, they cannot currently that is not true....

Many recently?, not true.

Show me... What bank, what branch, who did they contact?

Not just blah blah, but recent information, not 3 years old. 

I am here now in BKK.

So, show me what you are talking about and I will go there tomorrow and lets see the truth.....

 

 

 

[bkk6060]

7 hours ago, banjoe said:

 

Hes not spreading false information.
I opened one, albeit nearly 3 yrars ago, on just a tourist visa.whether thats changed i dont know, call them-
026531011
or pop in.
Its the Bangkok Bank between soi 8 and 10 on Sukhumvit Rd



Sent from my SM-G950F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

 

I'll do you one better.  I actually went into that Bkk bank today.  Contacted the assistant manager Ms.Thaudsena.

No account with tourist visa she thought I was joking.  Work permit and one year lease contract required.

Nice try but your 3 year old info. is way out of date and not currently relevant. 

[Inquisitorial]

I opened a new account with Tourist visa in March this year but we do own a condo which we had to supply proof of ownership in order to open the account  this was at Bangkok Bank Sukhumvit near Emporium.  

 

 

 

[Essecola]

Google search : open thailand bank account legal

 

One or more of the items in the first 7-8 results will lead to a service that can help u open a bank account. Yes there is a small fee but in the end u get a savings account if you want or need it.    ..i will just add also - the above info is current within 6 weeks previous to now

Edited October 28, 2017 by Essecola

[banjoe]

That was on anather forum the other day for a little while before it got took down.
The guy wants 4000 baht to go with you to open a bank account and he will go with you to a branch, he doesnt say where but he surely knows banks that still offer accounts on tourist visas.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[Essecola]

Thaivisaservice/com has account opening assistance for 3000 baht. The service I used at Asok was also 3000

[lamyai3]

On 10/27/2017 at 10:14 AM, banjoe said:

 

Hes not spreading false information.
I opened one, albeit nearly 3 yrars ago, on just a tourist visa.whether thats changed i dont know, call them-
026531011
or pop in.
Its the Bangkok Bank between soi 8 and 10 on Sukhumvit Rd



Sent from my SM-G950F using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

 

 

Company policy has definitely changed in Bangkok Bank, it happened within the past two or three years. Now they are insistent on an embassy letter of residence in the case of renting here, even on the longer term non O/A visa. Proof of condo ownership or work permit is acceptable however. This is consistent information given at many branches as well as their head office.

 

Other banks remain more flexible on account opening, though it's less easy than a few years ago.  

Edited October 29, 2017 by lamyai3

[JackThompson]

4 hours ago, lamyai3 said:

Company policy has definitely changed in Bangkok Bank, it happened within the past two or three years. Now they are insistent on an embassy letter of residence in the case of renting here, even on the longer term non O/A visa. Proof of condo ownership or work permit is acceptable however. This is consistent information given at many branches as well as their head office.

 

Other banks remain more flexible on account opening, though it's less easy than a few years ago.  

A few months ago, I was told to get a residence-certificate from immigration to open a 2nd Bangkok Bank account at my nearest branch.  Not wanting to deal with that hassle, I went to the branch across-town, which had opened an account for me some years before (on a visa-exempt entry).  They opened a new account with no requirements other than my passport with a tourist-visa entry in it.  

 

Each branch seems to be its own separate entity with its own rules - much like different immigration offices.  I think I am seeing a pattern, here.

[lamyai3]

5 hours ago, JackThompson said:

A few months ago, I was told to get a residence-certificate from immigration to open a 2nd Bangkok Bank account at my nearest branch.  Not wanting to deal with that hassle, I went to the branch across-town, which had opened an account for me some years before (on a visa-exempt entry).  They opened a new account with no requirements other than my passport with a tourist-visa entry in it.  

 

Each branch seems to be its own separate entity with its own rules - much like different immigration offices.  I think I am seeing a pattern, here.

 

It might be that you fell in a borderline category as you already have an existing account, in that regard I'm surprised that they initially refused you a second account. 

 

I actually have had the opposite experience with Bangkok Bank regarding consistency, in that the response from every branch I've been to this year (I've probably been to a dozen) has been practically identical. On showing my non O/A visa and a yearly rental contract, they have all without exception asked for a work permit, or failing that the embassy letter. On several occasions I spoke to a manager about it but they wouldn't budge on it. I also tried it at the head office in Silom, who eventually agreed to bypass this requirement if I got a reference sent via SWIFT from one of my banks in the UK, but they in turn were unable to help (saying this was not the way SWIFT works!) The manager at BB head office said that the company wide policy on new accounts was changed around two years ago and that unfortunately they had no room for flexibility on this. I did manage to open a second account with a different bank this year just using my rental contract, but Bangkok Bank seems to have very clear procedures now. 

 

Incidently, this is in clear contrast to a request I made to open an account with them around 2013 on a tourist visa, back then it was no problem, though at that time I opted for a different bank with lower ATM fees. 

[Roger Lee]

On 10/23/2017 at 2:28 PM, Aditi Sharma said:

Can one do without a bank account in Thailand? 

( is not intended to be a stupid question.)

Actually having a Thai bank account can be a convienence, easily pay my rent, online phone top off, and other services available in Thailand.  Not so easy if your bank accounts are in the USA as transferring funds via a Swift code can be troublesome or even impossible if not stateside to perform it.

 

I should get a Bangkok Bank account here as I hear they use routing numbers (USA Branch) which can be used for swift transfers but I've been told I need a residence certificate for a local account here in Thailand.  I guess I should ask immigration what's needed with a non-o for a residence certificate and take it from there.

Edited October 30, 2017 by Roger Lee

[jenny2017]

4 minutes ago, Roger Lee said:

Actually having a Thai bank account can be a convienence, easily pay my rent, online phone top off, and other services available in Thailand.  Not so easy if your bank accounts are in the USA as transferring funds via a Swift code can be troublesome or even impossible if not stateside to perform it.

 

I should get a Bangkok Bank account here as I hear they use routing numbers (USA Branch) which can be used for swift transfers but I've been told I need a residence certificate for a local account here in Thailand.  I guess I should ask immigration what's needed with a non-o for a residence certificate and take it from there.

 Try some Bangkok Banks in the capital city, or walk in with a good amount of money. Mai Phenn Rai rules this country. 

[Roger Lee]

Just now, jenny2017 said:

 Try some Bangkok Banks in the capital city, or walk in with a good amount of money. Mai Phenn Rai rules this country. 

Thanks for the heads up.  I actually have a Kasikorn Bank account but Bangkok Bank is the only one I know of that accepts routing numbered bank accounts (USA) and routes them to swift account numbers.

 

The bank I tried was the one on 2nd road in Jomtien.  Perhaps I could try others but getting a residence certificate at the Chon Buri Immigration office might be easy with a non-o, I should go and ask.

[jenny2017]

1 minute ago, Roger Lee said:

Thanks for the heads up.  I actually have a Kasikorn Bank account but Bangkok Bank is the only one I know of that accepts routing numbered bank accounts (USA) and routes them to swift account numbers.

 

The bank I tried was the one on 2nd road in Jomtien.  Perhaps I could try others but getting a residence certificate at the Chon Buri Immigration office might be easy with a non-o, I should go and ask.

There's a particular Bangkok bank in the capital, where you only have to walk in. Passport, or ID is enough. Others who live there might be more knowledgeable what branch it is. 

[lamyai3]

9 hours ago, jenny2017 said:

There's a particular Bangkok bank in the capital, where you only have to walk in. Passport, or ID is enough. Others who live there might be more knowledgeable what branch it is. 

 

Which branch? This is highly improbable now, see my posts #139 and #141. My rationale given to Bangkok Bank was the easy facilitation of my transferring over 800000 baht in lieu of the retirement extension, and they still wouldn't budge on their requirements to open an account.