gandalf12 Posted June 4, 2018 Share Posted June 4, 2018 1 minute ago, ubonjoe said: If you read a little more in the topic you will find he wants to open the account in preparation for a visa/extension of stay and is preparing to register his marriage. Preparation is one thing I agree but it reads that he was applying for a visa based on marriage. Getting things together for it is fine I would not disagree with that, preparation goes a long way to easing the path Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
transam Posted June 4, 2018 Share Posted June 4, 2018 3 minutes ago, gandalf12 said: Preparation is one thing I agree but it reads that he was applying for a visa based on marriage. Getting things together for it is fine I would not disagree with that, preparation goes a long way to easing the path He "will be" applying.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
transam Posted June 4, 2018 Share Posted June 4, 2018 OP, if I were in your shoes I would forget about the bank thing at the mo. Get married, as already mentioned, take the 2 hour drive to Savanakhet where no money in the bank is needed and get a one year multi-O visa just in case you still have bank ploblems, that will save you any worry. Remember the 400K must be sitting in the Thai bank for 3 months untouched for the extension... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orac Posted June 4, 2018 Share Posted June 4, 2018 Does the OP actually have any formal proof of address - not being married his fiances details would not be acceptable. I have openned several accounts in the past but always needed an official thai proof of address - used both Cert of Resident from Immigration and, more recently, yellow TB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted June 4, 2018 Share Posted June 4, 2018 4 minutes ago, transam said: Remember the 400K must be sitting in the Thai bank for 3 months untouched for the extension... It is only 2 months for the extension based upon marriage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
transam Posted June 4, 2018 Share Posted June 4, 2018 1 minute ago, ubonjoe said: It is only 2 months for the extension based upon marriage. Ooops, sorry, thought it was 3 the first time..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drjden Posted June 4, 2018 Share Posted June 4, 2018 10 hours ago, pr9spk said: Tried several more banks included the Bangkok Bank branch you recommended in Sappasit Road, as well as the one in Big C Ubon. All said no. I was well dressed, had all my documents, photocopies, copies of my Master's degree, my Thai fiance with tabien baan, the absolute works. Even wore a nice pair of shoes. Not a single bank even looked at any of my documents. Not even one. Nobody asked if we were married and nobody asked about my visa status. But did you bring the printout of http://www.bangkokbank.com/BangkokBank/PersonalBanking/SpecialServices/ForeignCustomers/Pages/Account.aspx? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moana Posted June 4, 2018 Share Posted June 4, 2018 Your money doesn't need to be in Ubon. There are many branches in the bigger cities that are known to accept foreigners, even on a 30 day visa exempt. Research a bit and go to one, flights are cheap. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wallander4 Posted June 4, 2018 Share Posted June 4, 2018 Basically Thailand dont want you to come here for retirement and spend all your hard earned cash on supporting a thai family - wonder where these people hide their brain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glegolo Posted June 4, 2018 Share Posted June 4, 2018 2 hours ago, ubonjoe said: It is only 2 months for the extension based upon marriage. Mee too, I tought 3 months for the first time extension and thereafter 2 months... glegolo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted June 4, 2018 Share Posted June 4, 2018 22 minutes ago, glegolo said: Mee too, I tought 3 months for the first time extension and thereafter 2 months... It really makes no sense they would want it to be in the bank longer for the first extension. Most people would be applying with a 90 day entry from a non-o visa. How could they open an account with a 90 day entry and have the money in the bank for 3 months. For retirement it is 60 days for the first extension and 3 months after that so that people can do it with a 90 day entry. Here is the rule for marriage shown in clause 2.18 of the police order. Quote (6) In the case of marriage to a Thai woman, the alien husband must earn an average annual income of no less than Baht 40,000 per month or must have no less than Baht 400,000 in a bank account in Thailand for the past two months to cover expenses for one year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveK Posted June 4, 2018 Author Share Posted June 4, 2018 3 hours ago, transam said: OP, if I were in your shoes I would forget about the bank thing at the mo. Get married, as already mentioned, take the 2 hour drive to Savanakhet where no money in the bank is needed and get a one year multi-O visa just in case you still have bank ploblems, that will save you any worry. Remember the 400K must be sitting in the Thai bank for 3 months untouched for the extension... This seems like the best advice right now, thank you. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanoshi Posted June 4, 2018 Share Posted June 4, 2018 39 minutes ago, pr9spk said: This seems like the best advice right now, thank you. Why? Your marital status is not a condition of opening a bank account. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveK Posted June 4, 2018 Author Share Posted June 4, 2018 Correct, I just don't want to waste any more time on it right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
transam Posted June 4, 2018 Share Posted June 4, 2018 1 minute ago, pr9spk said: Correct, I just don't want to waste any more time on it right now. Plus with my suggestion you can deal with the bank thing in your own time with no worries.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbi1 Posted June 4, 2018 Share Posted June 4, 2018 3 hours ago, moana said: Your money doesn't need to be in Ubon. There are many branches in the bigger cities that are known to accept foreigners, even on a 30 day visa exempt. Research a bit and go to one, flights are cheap. Exactly. Go to BKK and go to one of the Kasikorn Bank that has foreigner customers ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanoshi Posted June 4, 2018 Share Posted June 4, 2018 5 hours ago, transam said: Plus with my suggestion you can deal with the bank thing in your own time with no worries.... He'll also have to leave and re-enter the Country every 3 months, unless he gets 60 day extensions for almost a year before he can apply for a marriage extension even after he gets a bank account. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted June 4, 2018 Share Posted June 4, 2018 11 minutes ago, Tanoshi said: He'll also have to leave and re-enter the Country every 3 months, unless he gets 60 day extensions for almost a year before he can apply for a marriage extension even after he gets a bank account. Why? He can apply for the one year extension during the last 30 days of any of the 90 day entries from his visa if he has the money in the bank for 2 months. He does not have to wait for his visa to expire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanoshi Posted June 4, 2018 Share Posted June 4, 2018 40 minutes ago, ubonjoe said: Why? He can apply for the one year extension during the last 30 days of any of the 90 day entries from his visa if he has the money in the bank for 2 months. He does not have to wait for his visa to expire. That's a contradiction from when I advised another member of the same facts, but you corrected my post by stating they had to wait until the last 30 days of expiry of the Visa. And I'm not looking back through thousands of posts to find it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubonjoe Posted June 4, 2018 Share Posted June 4, 2018 36 minutes ago, Tanoshi said: That's a contradiction from when I advised another member of the same facts, but you corrected my post by stating they had to wait until the last 30 days of expiry of the Visa. It was certainly not me. Perhaps confusion between the last 30 days of the 90 day entry and the visa expiring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveK Posted June 4, 2018 Author Share Posted June 4, 2018 I am just a normal, honest guy marrying a Thai lady. The sheer fact that this thread has caused such confusion and arguments can only attest to the fact that it is now very difficult to live here if you are a farang. I do not want to work here, I want to bring the money I have earned from the UK. So many people seem to think it is so incredibly easy to open a bank account here. In June 2018, it is not. Things are definitely changing. My fiance has spoken to a colleague in Bangkok and it seems that it is the same there. I.e. work permit or no bank account. She is going to open a savings account in her name and give me the card and account details. I will transfer money into that account from abroad and withdraw from the ATM. So I can avoid the ridiculous fees from HSBC UK, but I still cannot get a marriage visa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moana Posted June 4, 2018 Share Posted June 4, 2018 3 minutes ago, pr9spk said: My fiance has spoken to a colleague in Bangkok and it seems that it is the same there. That's complete BS and you're a fool if you take that as fact. You happen to live in a backwards city in the northeast. They don't know how to deal with foreigners there, and each branch (and sometimes person) is making up their own rules so they won't have to interact with you. I've had the same problem when I decided to open a new account at Bangkok Bank (for their ACH service). I happened to be in Udon at the time, and all Udon branches flat out refused to open an account (on my then 30 day visa exempt) without a guarantee from a high ranking official. The solution was easy - I went to Chiang Mai and opened an account within two days. I could've gone to Bangkok, Pattaya, Hua Hin, etc. Stop whining about how hard it is. Research where and in which branches people have been successful, and follow what they've done. It's absolutely doable. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elviajero Posted June 4, 2018 Share Posted June 4, 2018 46 minutes ago, pr9spk said: So many people seem to think it is so incredibly easy to open a bank account here. In June 2018, it is not. Things are definitely changing. I’m not sure anyone is saying it’s easy, just that it is possible. Nothing has changed, it has been this way for many years. People, not working, have always had problems opening bank accounts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveK Posted June 4, 2018 Author Share Posted June 4, 2018 44 minutes ago, moana said: That's complete BS and you're a fool if you take that as fact. You happen to live in a backwards city in the northeast. They don't know how to deal with foreigners there, and each branch (and sometimes person) is making up their own rules so they won't have to interact with you. I've had the same problem when I decided to open a new account at Bangkok Bank (for their ACH service). I happened to be in Udon at the time, and all Udon branches flat out refused to open an account (on my then 30 day visa exempt) without a guarantee from a high ranking official. The solution was easy - I went to Chiang Mai and opened an account within two days. I could've gone to Bangkok, Pattaya, Hua Hin, etc. Stop whining about how hard it is. Research where and in which branches people have been successful, and follow what they've done. It's absolutely doable. I apologise if I was whining. I will indeed try in Bangkok this month and let you know how it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueScouse Posted June 4, 2018 Share Posted June 4, 2018 Have you tried the banks at Central Plaza? I opened an account there with Bangkok Bank. Told them it was for retirement and opened with no problem. Just had to sign a few forms saying account was for retirement and that I wasn't American. Also opened an account at SCB, but they needed copy of wedding certificate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanoshi Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 @pr9spk Out of curiosity what kind of accommodation are you living in and what form of proof of address are you supplying. 10 hours ago, pr9spk said: I will indeed try in Bangkok this month and let you know how it goes Be aware Thailand's Provinces are like autonomous regions. If you have a bank account in one Province, but withdraw from an ATM in another Province, you will be charged for an 'out of Province' withdrawal. Although small, they mount up. However once you secure an account at any bank in any Province, you can walk into your local branch and ask them to transfer your account to their branch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
transam Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 OP, don't get discouraged over this weeee hurdle because I am sure there will be quite a few more when you actually live here... I will ask again, did you go to BKK bank just up the road from Sappasit hospital...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
transam Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 13 hours ago, Tanoshi said: He'll also have to leave and re-enter the Country every 3 months, unless he gets 60 day extensions for almost a year before he can apply for a marriage extension even after he gets a bank account. Yes a border run at 90 days, Chong Mek is an hour from Ubon town, easy stuff where he can get near 15 months out of the O visa....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NetJunkie Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 12 hours ago, elviajero said: I’m not sure anyone is saying it’s easy, just that it is possible. Nothing has changed, it has been this way for many years. People, not working, have always had problems opening bank accounts. Actually one big thing has changed, the banks responsibility for reporting American citizens accounts, this is one reason why it is now a lot harder for them to open accounts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratcatcher Posted June 5, 2018 Share Posted June 5, 2018 3 hours ago, BlueScouse said: Have you tried the banks at Central Plaza? I opened an account there with Bangkok Bank. Told them it was for retirement and opened with no problem. Just had to sign a few forms saying account was for retirement and that I wasn't American. Also opened an account at SCB, but they needed copy of wedding certificate. "...and that I wasn't American." Just wondering why they would not have asked for your passport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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