Opening a Thai bank account.

[Mann33bkk]

I helped a friend to open a Kasikorn account 2 weeks ago (interchange tower branch, which is at Sukhumvit soi 21 Bangkok) No work permit and only 30 days stamp in passport. Just had to get adress confirmation from embassy and it was green light.

So you might have to do some more work and pay for some papers.

[dallen52]

11 hours ago, allane said:

Generally not, but if you give your location, that might elicit replies from those with local knowledge. Policies do vary from bank branch to bank branch.

Opened an account in Nang Rong several years ago. 

Tourism Visa TR. 

No question asked. 

My girlfriend at the time was a resident. Kasikorn bank. 

Australian and using a UK passport. 

(dual national) 

Same drivers license. 

Land transport point out it's temporary for two years. 

Why was I bothering? 

 

But police letter. 

Medical at the hospital plus drugs test and Tb xray , and the actual test at the Land Transport office. 

 

Even though I have been driving 47 years. Up to heavy combinations. 

B double size. 

Was worth it for the comic entertainment aspect. 

One lady trying to get a bike licence because her son could not ride any more. 

The response test was hilarious. 

Hit the brake when the lights come on. 9 times she failed. 

The guy outside trying to reverse a 20 foot rigid was farcical. 

Needless to say they both have new licenses now. lol. 

Edited November 29, 2017 by dallen52
Typo

[hawker9000]

15 hours ago, wirat69 said:

Generally the Bank requires a Work Permit.... no Work Permit, no bank account.....

If you have minimum 1 million baht, try Citibank on corner Asoke and Sukhumvit

Wrong.   Misinformation.  It's actually hard to generalize.  The most accurate statement seen here is that the policy varies from bank to bank, and even bank branch to bank branch, and even from one day to the next.  The same goes for needed documentation.  All many of us needed was our passports and money to deposit (and of course some kind of application form from the bank).   Best advice is just to keep walking if you get a No, but there is nothing written in stone that says you need a work permit.  There's no more consistency to this than many other things in the LOS.

Edited November 29, 2017 by hawker9000

[jacko45k]

17 hours ago, wirat69 said:

Generally the Bank requires a Work Permit.... no Work Permit, no bank account.....

If you have minimum 1 million baht, try Citibank on corner Asoke and Sukhumvit

So none of the many Thai retired Expats have a bank account!

 

Look at the conditions stated on the bank websites.

2. Foreigner with Long-stay or Tourist Visa

• Passport
• A Letter of Reference issued by: (One of the following)
  • Embassy or international organization
  • Customer’s home bank to Bangkok Bank via the SWIFT messaging network
  • Person acceptable to Bangkok Bank e.g. branch officer, customer, government officer or company executive
  • Educational institution located in Thailand and acceptable to the bank
  • Company that is acceptable to the bank, confirming the customer is in the process of getting a work permit

In addition, other document that shows the name of the customer can be used as a supported document besides the documents mentioned above i.e. a document showing the ownership of real estate in Thailand such as a unit in a condominium.

 

This is from Bangkok Bank... and is actually more stringent than when I got my account some years ago. I believe if one turned up with their passport, a residence letter from immigration and some money they may well get an account, particularly in tourist familiar places like central Pattaya.

Edited November 29, 2017 by jacko45k

[BEVUP]

So I guess people are turning to Kasicorn bank due to the ease of service

I think I'm about to change banks as BB internet account is rubbish saying my Log in info is wrong

I am currently checking out banks & discovered Kasikorn has bad Exchange Rates

[SiSePuede419]

Why do you need one?  Honest question. ?

[ravip]

3 hours ago, jacko45k said:

So none of the many Thai retired Expats have a bank account!

 

Look at the conditions stated on the bank websites.

2. Foreigner with Long-stay or Tourist Visa

• Passport
• A Letter of Reference issued by: (One of the following)
  • Embassy or international organization
  • Customer’s home bank to Bangkok Bank via the SWIFT messaging network
  • Person acceptable to Bangkok Bank e.g. branch officer, customer, government officer or company executive
  • Educational institution located in Thailand and acceptable to the bank
  • Company that is acceptable to the bank, confirming the customer is in the process of getting a work permit

In addition, other document that shows the name of the customer can be used as a supported document besides the documents mentioned above i.e. a document showing the ownership of real estate in Thailand such as a unit in a condominium.

 

This is from Bangkok Bank... and is actually more stringent than when I got my account some years ago. I believe if one turned up with their passport, a residence letter from immigration and some money they may well get an account, particularly in tourist familiar places like central Pattaya.

See post  #13 

[wirat69]

1 hour ago, BEVUP said:

I am currently checking out banks & discovered Kasikorn has bad Exchange Rates

..... and poor service outside of the major tourist area branches.....

[superal]

Not wishing to hijack this post but much of it is relevant to my question .

 

I have been told I can open a Bangkok Bank account in Thailand . On my return to the UK in a couple of weeks I want to open the same in London . I will then have my incomes paid into this account . Is the transfer of monies on line a straightforward action ?  plus what fees are incurred . Also what are the ATM fees .  Thanks in advance  

[dallen52]

9 hours ago, hawker9000 said:

Wrong.   Misinformation.  It's actually hard to generalize.  The most accurate statement seen here is that the policy varies from bank to bank, and even bank branch to bank branch, and even from one day to the next.  The same goes for needed documentation.  All many of us needed was our passports and money to deposit (and of course some kind of application form from the bank).   Best advice is just to keep walking if you get a No, but there is nothing written in stone that says you need a work permit.  There's no more consistency to this than many other things in the LOS.

No such thing as a Standard Operating Procedure here. 

In all my years it comes back to the person who you talk to,  on the day you talk to them. 

 

Yes there are written policies. 

Have to be. 

But in Kasikorn Pattaya yesterday and the staff just do as they please. 

Chew gum when serving customers. 

Customers wait while tellers take personal calls. 

One Teller working while six others watch you wait for your number to be called. 

 

Interestingly. 

When my bank book went through the laundry I was told that I had to go to Nang Rong and get a letter from the police and get a replacement book there. 

Plus 50 baht for a new book. 

Oh, and 20 baht for the plastic cover. 

 

If a Farang walk in the door. 

I think they make up new rules just for the fun of it. 

But interestingly, Kasikorn is the one suggested by the visa agent. 

I only needed 500 baht of my own in. 

They took care of the rest. 

[Christopher LG]

23 hours ago, RakThai22 said:

Go to Bangkok Bank. All you need is your passport, tourist visa and very important - an international driving license which you can obtain very easily from your home country. For those people who have no work permits they only really require your international driving license.

Thank you...

[Jaggg88]

On 29/11/2017 at 7:52 AM, ravip said:

I opened a savings account in 2016 at the Bangkok Bank with a tourist visa. A Thai national has to 'recommend' you. Was quite a simple procedure. I don't have an International Driving License.

http://www.bangkokbank.com/BangkokBank/PersonalBanking/DailyBanking/Accounts/SavingsAccounts/Pages/default.aspx

 

2. Foreigner with Long-stay or Tourist Visa

• Passport
• A Letter of Reference issued by: (One of the following)
  • Embassy or international organization
  • Customer’s home bank to Bangkok Bank via the SWIFT messaging network
  • Person acceptable to Bangkok Bank e.g. branch officer, customer, government officer or company executive
  • Educational institution located in Thailand and acceptable to the bank
  • Company that is acceptable to the bank, confirming the customer is in the process of getting a work permit

Just to keep thing current - I opened a Bangkok Bank Account in Nakhon Sawan this August just gone. My wife has an account there and she acted as my referee. I only have a visa exempt and Thai Drivers Licence (which I also got with just a visa exempt). I think if you stay away from popular tourist areas things are much easier. 

[LostinSEA]

14 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Why do you need one?  Honest question. ?

For me it's to deposit the 800,000 for the Retirement Visa/Extension and to be able to ship spending money over when the Exchange rate is favourable.

 

[inf]

Just opened a bank account at a Bangkok Bank branch in Pattaya on a tourist visa last month ...

 

but ... I was accompanied by my real estate agent who brought in documents about me buying a condo and who knew somebody at that branch, so it's all about what the Chinese call 'guanxi,' personal relationships.

I wonder if it would have worked if I had been on my own and wandered from branch to branch.

So the verdict is  yes, you can open a bank account on a tourist visa, but it depends. If you rely on someone else, you might have to open an account at a branch that's on the other side of town from where you want to be.

Also, on a note, the bank employee said that because I was on a tourist visa, daily transactions out of the account would be limited to 50,000 baht a day.

[dallen52]

Without digressing too much, the main reason for an account is the 800,000 deposit to ensure the retirement visa etc.

 

A friend told me last night that Bangkok bank is now the choice touted around Pattaya.

Used to be Kasikorn but maybe that has changed now.

 

[wazzupnow]

go to krungsri or bangkok show 5000$ deposit no questions asked

got no money U do not need account anyway