What's the logic of needing 1 year visa to open a bank account?

[scubascuba3]

So i went into my local Kasikorn today to enquire about opening a second bank account, they said i need a one year visa, i said like Non imm O Retirement and she said yes. I have a tourist visa.

 

Are they following the law? is this another example of immigration and banks not being inline? i.e. you need a bank account to apply for a Non Imm O in Thailand

[NCC1701A]

"What's the logic..."

 

 

here is another one. I take my wife everywhere I go. But she finds her way home.

 

 

 

Edited January 31, 2019 by NCC1701A

[Vacuum]

9 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

So i went into my local Kasikorn today to enquire about opening a second bank account

Vote with your feet and withdraw the money. Change to another bank. About your question; there's no logic.

[KhunBENQ]

20 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

So i went into my local Kasikorn today

 

20 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

i said like Non imm O Retirement and she said yes. I have a tourist visa.

Banks usually require a Non-O visa (single or multi).

A standard Non-O single (3 months) should be sufficient.

You mix up the terms visa and one year extension.

Opening with a tourist visa (60 day) seems difficult nowadays.

Opening with visa exempt (30 days) even more difficult.

 

What branch/location exactly did you visit?

 

Edited January 31, 2019 by KhunBENQ

[scubascuba3]

Banks usually require a Non-O visa (single or multi).

A standard Non-O single (3 months) should be sufficient.

You mix up the terms visa and one year extension.

Opening with a tourist visa (60 day) seems difficult nowadays.

Opening with visa exempt (30 days) even more difficult.

 

What branch/location exactly did you visit?

 

i didn't mix up the terms, the Kasikorn branch on Klang asked for a 1 year visa, pointless splitting hairs with them about a 1 year extension.

 

The point is what is the requirement based on?

 

[Kwasaki]

46 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

So i went into my local Kasikorn today to enquire about opening a second bank account

If you have a bank a/c already so you can apply for a non'O'.

 

Every Thai Bank seems to have there own policy same as DLT's and immigration office's.

Edited January 31, 2019 by Kwasaki

[KhunBENQ]

37 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

The point is what is the requirement based on?

There is no base for such requirement.

So as others wrote, look for another branch or other bank.

At my time (long ago) the K-bank branch at Royal Garden was very helpful.

 

You write about opening a second account.

Where has the first account been opened?

 

Edited January 31, 2019 by KhunBENQ

[scubascuba3]

 
You write about opening a second account.
Where has the first account been opened?
 

Same branch, change in requirements, but probably they don't know why

[Happy Grumpy]

2 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

I have a tourist visa.

 

You think that a tourist to a country, visiting for 30-60 days for the purpose of tourism, can just rock up to a  bank and open up a bank account??? ????

 

 

Good luck with that. 

[scubascuba3]

 
You think that a tourist to a country, visiting for 30-60 days for the purpose of tourism, can just rock up to a  bank and open up a bank account??? [emoji23]
 
 
Good luck with that. 

Yes, for years its been possible and why not? plus tourists can stay a lot longer (heard of an METV?).
Its also very easy to get a bank account via an agent, but i prefer not going down the corrupt route

[scubascuba3]

I went to several banks with a non O-A visa and they all wanted a work permit
Most don't have a clue what a non O-A is.
I'm in the provinces though not in the more farang-oriented places
Ditto for getting a driving license...although I managed to 'bully' them into giving me one 

They really haven't got a clue here, banks and IOs are in the same boat

[metisdead]

A grammar police troll post has been removed as well as the replies. 

[Kerryd]

What kind of account were you trying to open ?

 

I have never had a problem at Bangkok Bank with opening additional accounts. I currently have 3 actually. In fact, I was just in my local branch a few days ago and they were trying to get me to open another (fixed term) account.

 

[scubascuba3]

What kind of account were you trying to open ?
 
I have never had a problem at Bangkok Bank with opening additional accounts. I currently have 3 actually. In fact, I was just in my local branch a few days ago and they were trying to get me to open another (fixed term) account.
 

Do you have a tourist visa?

It's just a savings account so you'd think its no risk to them but its common that banks balk when people try to open a bank account, widely reported but the type of visa is the key reason

[fred110]

Go to Bangkok Bank.

[balo]

Just try another branch , another bank .  After 10 tries you will probably find one that will accept TV. 

 

[seancbk]

20 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

So i went into my local Kasikorn today to enquire about opening a second bank account, they said i need a one year visa, i said like Non imm O Retirement and she said yes. I have a tourist visa.

 

Are they following the law? is this another example of immigration and banks not being inline? i.e. you need a bank account to apply for a Non Imm O in Thailand

 

If it's a Kbank where you already have an account go back and talk to someone else, they will open as many accounts as you want if you have an existing account (at least that is what my branch of Kasikorn did for me in Bangkok when I was still on a tourist visa).

If it's your first time trying to get an account either try a different branch or if you don't live in Bangkok and don't have a choice of dozens of Kbank branches to try, then just try the same branch on a different day and ask a different person.  Preferably the bank manager.

[ujayujay]

I opened a Bangkok Bank Account with a Tourist Visa. Any BB main Branch will do this.

[moogradod]

2 hours ago, Kerryd said:

I have never had a problem at Bangkok Bank with opening additional accounts. I currently have 3 actually. In fact, I was just in my local branch a few days ago and they were trying to get me to open another (fixed term) account.

Interesting for me. With what visa - or without) did you open your initial account and on what immi status are you now that they proposed a fixed assest account ?

 

I did open a BKK bank account while on Visa Exempt about one year ago but had my Thai wife with me plus conluded an accident insurance. Meanwhile I have a PE Visa (Thai Elite). I now NEED a fixed term account.

[Kalasin Jo]

20 hours ago, Happy Grumpy said:

 

You think that a tourist to a country, visiting for 30-60 days for the purpose of tourism, can just rock up to a  bank and open up a bank account??? ????

 

 

Good luck with that. 

That's fair enough, but the real issue is that if you can't open a bank account these days without a non O visa how can you get such a visa when it requires money in a Thai bank account to do so. Circular!!

[Thomas J]

You are correct.  Many of the posters on this forum apparently opened their accounts years ago.  Times have changed.  Good luck trying to just go to another bank.  I went to five different banks and two different branches of the same bank with my 90 day tourist visa.  I then applied for my O visa and was approved with an embassy income certification.  I went back to the banks with my 90 day O visa and got the same answer.  Need a 1 year visa in order to open.  Bangkok bank will open an account but you have to buy insurance as a pre-condition.  Even then, I needed an authorization letter from the Immigration office to open it.  The Bangkok bank in the Big C did not require that but then I needed an insurance policy for $7,000 baht in order to open.  

[Krataiboy]

23 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

"What's the logic..."

 

 

here is another one. I take my wife everywhere I go. But she finds her way home.

 

 

 

But do YOU?!

[Chivas]

22 hours ago, Happy Grumpy said:

 

You think that a tourist to a country, visiting for 30-60 days for the purpose of tourism, can just rock up to a  bank and open up a bank account??? ????

 

 

Good luck with that. 

Why ??

I did exactly that without even a visa at all in 1992 !

Again the thread highlights the importance that if you have an existing bank account never let it get closed from inactivity or balance below annual cost of Debit card

(acknowledge OP question was different)

[scubascuba3]

 

If it's a Kbank where you already have an account go back and talk to someone else, they will open as many accounts as you want if you have an existing account (at least that is what my branch of Kasikorn did for me in Bangkok when I was still on a tourist visa).

 

If it's your first time trying to get an account either try a different branch or if you don't live in Bangkok and don't have a choice of dozens of Kbank branches to try, then just try the same branch on a different day and ask a different person.  Preferably the bank manager.

How recent is your experience? she said "not same before"

 

[animalmagic]

23 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

So i went into my local Kasikorn today to enquire about opening a second bank account, they said i need a one year visa, i said like Non imm O Retirement and she said yes. I have a tourist visa.

 

Are they following the law? is this another example of immigration and banks not being inline? i.e. you need a bank account to apply for a Non Imm O in Thailand

 

There are probably several factors in play on this one.

Banks worldwide are becoming subject to more scrutiny and pressure on the accounts they facilitate as they try to comply with international rules to combat money laundering and financing of terrorism; HSBC has been hit a few times by the Fed with multi billion dollar fines for non compliance.  Compliance officers now seem to be the major growth industry within the banking sector as they try to enforce rules on Know Your Client and Customer Due Diligence. 

These rules are drafted at the Headquarters level and then promulgated for all to follow at regional and provincial branches.  The major issues are whether the persons drafting the procedures fully understand the law and what they are trying to achieve; they most likely have nothing to do with implementation.  The procedures and rules might not be properly explained to the front line banking officers; in some countries most likely not.  End result is the possibility of some poorly drafted regulations that have not been properly explained to some poor clerk who is expected to interpret their meaning but only understands not to open an account unless it falls within the parameters that they personally understand.  Default option is find a reason NOT to do something and give a feeble excuse, hoping the problem goes somewhere else.

Any foreigner trying to open an account in a different country when on a simple tourist visa will immediately raise red flags due to the possibility of 'smurfing.'

'A smurf is a colloquial term for a money launderer, or one who seeks to evade scrutiny from government agencies by breaking up a transaction involving a large amount of money into smaller transactions below the reporting threshold.'

All banks have to record and sometimes report transactions above a certain trigger amount.

As to your question are they following the law - possibly, but they are probably not sure what the law is and why they are doing it.

Opening an account for the purposes of getting the Non Imm O visa/extension (whatever it's called) is probably one of the things they do understand.

There you go - my best guess!

 

[scubascuba3]

I opened a Bangkok Bank Account with a Tourist Visa. Any BB main Branch will do this.

When? if more than a few months ago its "not same now"

[scubascuba3]

Opening an account for the purposes of getting the Non Imm O visa/extension (whatever it's called) is probably one of the things they do understand.

 

No they don't seem to comprehend that you need a bank account to get a 1 year visa, Its a common story

[animalmagic]

Just now, scubascuba3 said:

 

 

No they don't seem to comprehend that you need a bank account to get a 1 year visa, Its a common story

 

Sorry, I'm not all that clued up on the visa situation; I did say best guess????.

Also possible they get the two issues confused and revert to 'no, cannot'

[ResandePohm]

23 hours ago, Happy Grumpy said:

 

You think that a tourist to a country, visiting for 30-60 days for the purpose of tourism, can just rock up to a  bank and open up a bank account??? ????

 

 

Good luck with that. 

Even in the UK you have to show proof of residence, i.e utility bill etc. and residence visa Why would a tourist want a bank account anyway if it is not for suspicious activities. Most use their credit/debit card.

[scubascuba3]

Even in the UK you have to show proof of residence, i.e utility bill etc. and residence visa Why would a tourist want a bank account anyway if it is not for suspicious activities. Most use their credit/debit card.

dear oh dear, you don't come to Thailand much if at all