Big changes in Thailand for farangs

[SteveK]

Hi guys,

 

Some of you may remember that I have posted about trouble getting a Thai bank account with a view to obtaining a "marriage visa" or extension of stay based on marriage.

 

It seems that a great deal of the friendly advice offered (much appreciated by the way), is either out of date or simply wrong. My experiences today show that things have definitely changed here for farangs.

 

This is what happened to me today in Bangkok.

 

Went to the Embassy to get my affirmation documents and certification of my passport.

 

It was quite a miserable and unfriendly experience. Whilst in the waiting room I spoke to a gentleman who was working in Thailand with a work permit. He told me that he tried to open a bank account but they insisted he needed work permit. So he went home and got a photocopy of his work permit. They wouldn't accept the copy so he managed to get his real work permit. When he came back with it, they said sorry, we don't open accounts for foreigners. I don't know which bank it was but it describes perfectly the currently ridiculous situation with bank accounts for foreigners in Thailand. They don't want you opening a bank account here, and will come up with all kinds of requirements or excuses to fob you off.

 

After I got my affirmation, I went the big Kasikorn bank to open an account. Surprise, surprise, they looked at my documents for several minutes and then said 

 

ไม่ได้.

 

My fiance had had enough of this banking crap and told me to give up. But, I went across the road to the giant Krung Sri bank. This must have been about the 17th time I had tried to open a bank account in Thailand.

 

I got my ticket and sat down and waited. 

 

Then I went to the booth, alone, and asked for a basic savings account, and showed my mound of documents including the embassy paperwork.

 

She looked at everything and said, no, I needed a work permit. I explained that I have savings and income from the UK so do not want to work in Thailand. She asked about my job, where the money came from, and was very nice and actually listened to me. However, she still said no.

 

This is where it gets weird. She saw that I was carrying my fiance's tabien baan and looked at it. She realised that my fiance comes from the same province as her! So she called my fiance over for a friendly 10 minute chat.

 

After that, she got some paperwork out of the drawer and I thought I was getting somewhere, but she still said cannot, cannot, but she said she will speak with her boss. Guess what, I mentioned that I had sold some property in the UK and wanted to transfer 17 million baht. The situation changed rapidly, I was given an absolutely massive pile of paperwork to fill out, my fiance had to sign as a guarantor (not sure that this is kosher), and 30 minutes later I had a bank book and ATM card.

 

Success!

 

But, then things get even more weird. I bumped into a lady who was an agent and would take all my document to the ministry of affairs and post the legalised documents to me in Ubon. Fantastic. So we sat and had a coffee and talked about what we need to do. She was offering a cheap and convenient service.

 

Unfortunately she informed me that the immigration offices in Thailand are all starting to refuse marriage applications for farang/Thai marriages. There is no way around it as they don't want farangs marrying Thais. She said she has had dozens of clients refused, in places like Rayong, Chon Buri, Pattaya, Chantaburi etc.

 

So she called a few amphoes near where I live, and she even laughed and told me their requirements are crazy! They amphoes are either refusing to accept the marriage, or are simply asking for outrageous amounts of legalised paperwork in an attempt to prevent the application. They were asking for original birth certificates stamped by the embassy, police background checks, proof of income and a letter from your employer, and other outrageous rubbish. Once you provide the paperwork, they simply ask for something else to hamper the application, she said. She had one client where the amphoe kept the documents from the embassy for three months, then declared the documents to be out of date so refused his marriage visa application. Totally outrageous.

 

So getting married to a Thai is now almost impossible, and opening a bank account needed me to find an employee that liked my partner enough to bend the rules. It took 17 attempts.

 

I know that this is not my country and that they clearly don't want me here, but I'm bringing money into the country, supporting  a family and local businesses, but seriously thinking that I made a mistake coming here.

 

 

 

 

[anon789561]

i think that agent lady was telling you porkies

[Tacuisse]

Sounds to me you need to move away from Bangkok. I've never heard of these difficulties in Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai.

[KiChakayan]

Getting married in Thailand is a lot easier than getting married in France.. I did both..

[KiChakayan]

2 minutes ago, Happy enough said:

i think that agent lady was telling you porkies

Yes, in other words she wants to make a living...

[SteveK]

I'm very sorry if my post sounds like complaining or whinging. I just wanted to point out that the advice I have been given is not correct. The agent phoned the amphur whilst I sat there, I don't think she was lying.

 

There were people on this forum telling me that opening a bank account was easy, just try different branches, that they did it on a visa exemption etc.

 

This advice is very out of date. Now it's almost impossible.

Edited June 18, 2018 by pr9spk

[darksidedog]

Odd. I have three accounts here and had no problem opening any of them. I am on a retirement visa. All they wanted each time was to see my passport and done in a matter of 20 minutes each time.

I think if you have too many documents, especially some in English they cant understand, they say No, rather than admit they can't read it. Keep it really simple and it seems to work.

[SteveK]

That sounds correct to me. Did you open the accounts recently? I think the retirement visa seems a lot more kosher than a 37 year old on a SETV.

Edited June 18, 2018 by pr9spk

[faraday]

4 minutes ago, pr9spk said:

I'm very sorry if my post sounds like complaining or whinging. I just wanted to point out that the advice I have been given is not correct. The agent phoned the amphur whilst I sat there, I don't think she was lying.

Unless of course the agent didn't speak with the Amphur...

 

Think this agent isn't being truthful.

[likewise]

Same here, I recently opened a 2nd account with kasikorn without work permit. Regarding getting married I'll let ya know next week. It is my second time ?I'm going through the mill but so far the procedure seems the same as when I got married 9 years ago. 

[SteveK]

I suspect that they think a young-ish person with a few million baht is up to no good, and they are scared about money laundering and such things.

[stud858]

That's how it is. Some get no hassle.  Some get hassle.  The advice is be prepared for all the situations. Prepare your docs,  be polite,  offer money incentive for their trouble to help you, go back another day when different officer working. Etc.

Most things can get worked out. The world keeps spinning.

[observer90210]

Had the same issues some time ago....

 

went back to one of the banks who said NO previously.....but this time with a farang friend who had a business account in that bank...30 minutes later, all was done with no paperwork hassles or whatever and with a passbook and ATM card....And I was not making any suggestions of putting in millions into my account.....so it all depends where, which bank and of course, who introduces you.

[Briggsy]

37 minutes ago, pr9spk said:

My fiance had had enough of this banking crap and told me to give up.

Don't take her along next time.

[SteveK]

I never offered any pocket money. Maybe that's where I'm going wrong?

[SteveK]

Just now, Briggsy said:

Don't take her along next time.

It was her presence that allowed me to open the account.

[ubonjoe]

41 minutes ago, pr9spk said:

Unfortunately she informed me that the immigration offices in Thailand are all starting to refuse marriage applications for farang/Thai marriages. There is no way around it as they don't want farangs marrying Thais. She said she has had dozens of clients refused, in places like Rayong, Chon Buri, Pattaya, Chantaburi etc.

I think you meant a Amphoe instead of immigration offices.

I think you will find the problems with registering a marriage is only for those from certain countries. After discovering many fake or arranged marriages for people from those countries they started restricting them and require more documents. Including a background check.

Best to check in person at the Amphoe where you plan you plan on registering your marriage yourself.

[Briggsy]

1 minute ago, pr9spk said:

It was her presence that allowed me to open the account.

I thought it was rather when you started talking about 17 million baht. Anyway up to you.

[HooHaa]

3 minutes ago, pr9spk said:

It was her presence that allowed me to open the account.

 

You just sound helpless to me. 

 

Thailand may not be for you.

[SteveK]

You may be correct.

[stud858]

2 minutes ago, HooHaa said:

 

You just sound helpless to me. 

 

Thailand may not be for you.

Sounds like a nice polite chap that gets frustrated with life situations like we all do sometimes. 

[allane]

In 22 years here, I have never paid a bribe to anyone, nor, to my knowledge, ever had one paid on my behalf, (by my employers, while I was still working.)

[SteveK]

7 minutes ago, stud858 said:

Sounds like a nice polite chap that gets frustrated with life situations like we all do sometimes. 

Well I feel bad that people think I am complaining and should just bugger off out of Thailand. I just wanted to report a real, up to date experience to hopefully help others rather than offering advice and experiences from 10+ years ago when things were definitely different.

[Lungstib]

27 minutes ago, Tacuisse said:

Sounds to me you need to move away from Bangkok. I've never heard of these difficulties in Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai.

Believe it or not, 27 years ago I was coming to live in Doi Saket, Chiang Mai province and decided to get a Thai marriage certificate for the sake of my pregnant wife who wanted that paper to show when she gave birth. I got all the paperwork from Bangkok and off we went to the Doi Saket Amphur where after an hour of indecision and delay they refused to marry us. Said that nowhere in the papers did it say I loved her. Truly. We got in the car, drove to Chiang Mai city and were married within 2 hours. I wanted to go back and shove the certificate in their faces but my wife's cool temper prevailed. Anything is possible according to the person, their mood on the day. 

[bkk6060]

29 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

Odd. I have three accounts here and had no problem opening any of them. I am on a retirement visa. All they wanted each time was to see my passport and done in a matter of 20 minutes each time.

I think if you have too many documents, especially some in English they cant understand, they say No, rather than admit they can't read it. Keep it really simple and it seems to work.

Here we go again.

From my experience the OP is correct regarding bank accounts.

So, where, when, what branch, and who did you contact at those banks????

[rumak]

4 minutes ago, pr9spk said:

You may be correct.

nobody has asked what country you are from.  Like U Joe says that matters.  

also mentioning that amount of money for what reason ?  ( i think many posters would

not think that is a smart decision re your gf either.

young you are... takes time and patience and smarts to learn how to go about things (here and 

in most places)

 

[rumak]

also dismissing the fact that so many of us have easily opened accounts as being out of touch with

how things are now....just because YOU had trouble..... might explain some things about your attitude

as well.    banks, and govt institutions do not like attitude.    just sayin

[SteveK]

7 minutes ago, rumak said:

nobody has asked what country you are from.  Like U Joe says that matters.  

also mentioning that amount of money for what reason ?  ( i think many posters would

not think that is a smart decision re your gf either.

young you are... takes time and patience and smarts to learn how to go about things (here and 

in most places)

 

I am from UK, was smartly dressed, first class Master's degree certificate, and big chunk of money from property sale. No attitude, very relaxed and had all the paperwork. I was not angry frustrated or rude, despite what some people are suggesting. Also, if I had problems, it follows that other people MAY have issues. Only trying to help others and share my experience.

Edited June 18, 2018 by pr9spk

[CGW]

6 minutes ago, allane said:

In 22 years here, I have never paid a bribe to anyone, nor, to my knowledge, ever had one paid on my behalf, (by my employers, while I was still working.)

Got you covered there mate, I've paid enough for two! ?

[rumak]

2 minutes ago, pr9spk said:

I am from UK, was smartly dressed, first class Master's degree certificate, and big chunk of money from property sale.

sometimes too much of something turns people off.   big chunk of ego maybe ?

I am guessing you will say you were polite, etc,,,,,,,   but thais may not have thought so.

I wasn't there...but i have seen many farang/thai interactions at banks, offices, internet places etd

that have made me cringe !