Success opening BKK Bank account

[Genericnic]

Hi all. 

 

Last week I went to Bangkok Bank here in Chiang Mai to open an account in preparation for dealing with immigration. I initially stopped in with my passport and a letter from my condo indicating where I lived. They told me I either needed to have the condo manager come in person or have a residency certificate from immigration. After finding a link on TV showing the bank's requirements on it's webpage (https://www.bangkokbank.com/en/Personal/Other-Services/Foreign-Customers/Bangkok-Bank-Accounts - Look for "Required Documents for opening an account"), I decided to give it a try without the RC. Essentially, the requirements are that you have a passport and a current account holder at the bank that can vouch for you. This must be a very common process since they actually have a letter for the account holder to sign. Went in with a friend of mine that banks at the same branch and was in and out in less than 15 minutes with a savings account and debit card. 

 

Just something to keep in mind if you need to open an account.

 

David

 

[maybefitz]

The usefulness of the farang ID card has been questioned elsewhere. I opened another account with one, easy, no questions.

[Kerryd]

Yeah - it's seems that most people don't have a problem at all, while some people, for some reason, seem to have nothing but problems.

 

I'm sure a lot of them won't admit that they themselves were the problem, blaming the banks instead.
Some of them no doubt think they've figured out how to extend their holiday by trying to open a chequing account, hoping they can deposit 100 baht and get a book full of shiny new cheques they can bounce before flying home.

Others try getting a credit card, no doubt with the same intent, as though the banks here are too stupid to figure out what they are trying to do.
 

I wonder how many people, staying in a hotel/guest house, with 3-4 days left on their 30 Day stamps, try opening a chequing account (or get a credit card) and then run to ThaiVisa (or another forum) and whine when they get turned down.

Meanwhile, hordes of people with an actual address go to the same bank(s) and ask to open a simple Savings account and walk out a few minutes later with a passbook and ATM card with next to no problems at all.

 

[Pravda]

5 minutes ago, Kerryd said:

Yeah - it's seems that most people don't have a problem at all, while some people, for some reason, seem to have nothing but problems.

 

I'm sure a lot of them won't admit that they themselves were the problem, blaming the banks instead.
Some of them no doubt think they've figured out how to extend their holiday by trying to open a chequing account, hoping they can deposit 100 baht and get a book full of shiny new cheques they can bounce before flying home.

Others try getting a credit card, no doubt with the same intent, as though the banks here are too stupid to figure out what they are trying to do.
 

I wonder how many people, staying in a hotel/guest house, with 3-4 days left on their 30 Day stamps, try opening a chequing account (or get a credit card) and then run to ThaiVisa (or another forum) and whine when they get turned down.

Meanwhile, hordes of people with an actual address go to the same bank(s) and ask to open a simple Savings account and walk out a few minutes later with a passbook and ATM card with next to no problems at all.

 

 

You are wrong with your assumptions. The fact is, opening a Bank account in Thailand is a major pain. This has been the case for the past 10 years as banks were "advised" not to open bank account for foreigners due to money laundering. This is a fact.

 

It was impossible to open a bank account for me in Bangkok to extend my marriage visa, so I opened one in Pattaya (Kasikorn) and Hua Hin (SCB) as these places are more tourist friendly.

 

 

[Henryford]

It appears anyone with a condo can open an account by just showing their passport and chanote.

[dotpoom]

I never had a problem opening an A/C with them ..no work permit...no RC ?

[holy cow cm]

What Bangkok Bank in CM?

Edited March 2, 2019 by holy cow cm

[jesimps]

55 minutes ago, Kerryd said:

Yeah - it's seems that most people don't have a problem at all, while some people, for some reason, seem to have nothing but problems.

 

I'm sure a lot of them won't admit that they themselves were the problem, blaming the banks instead.
Some of them no doubt think they've figured out how to extend their holiday by trying to open a chequing account, hoping they can deposit 100 baht and get a book full of shiny new cheques they can bounce before flying home.

Others try getting a credit card, no doubt with the same intent, as though the banks here are too stupid to figure out what they are trying to do.
 

I wonder how many people, staying in a hotel/guest house, with 3-4 days left on their 30 Day stamps, try opening a chequing account (or get a credit card) and then run to ThaiVisa (or another forum) and whine when they get turned down.

Meanwhile, hordes of people with an actual address go to the same bank(s) and ask to open a simple Savings account and walk out a few minutes later with a passbook and ATM card with next to no problems at all.

 

Absolute nonsense!

I've been here 12 years, have accounts with three other banks.  Attempted to open a Bangkok Bank account at one brance, they told me I needed a residence cert from immigration. Went to another branch a few miles away, opened one just using my passport. 

You're attempting to shift the blame to the farang attempting to open the accounts, when the problem is that all the bank branches are working to different rules.

[Date Masamune]

51 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

What Bangkok Bank in CM?

Kad Suan Kaew has always been friendly to this foreigner and a couple staff fluent in English

 

1 hour ago, Henryford said:

It appears anyone with a condo can open an account by just showing their passport and chanote.

Or a contract to buy a condo. Or work permit. You will ALSO need a COR from Immigration or your counsulate. This has been the posted rules at the desk there for years.

[Henryford]

14 minutes ago, Date Masamune said:

Kad Suan Kaew has always been friendly to this foreigner and a couple staff fluent in English

 

Or a contract to buy a condo. Or work permit. You will ALSO need a COR from Immigration or your counsulate. This has been the posted rules at the desk there for years. 

Really? a COR is not listed as one of the required documents.

[lamyai3]

1 hour ago, Kerryd said:

Meanwhile, hordes of people with an actual address go to the same bank(s) and ask to open a simple Savings account and walk out a few minutes later with a passbook and ATM card with next to no problems at all.

When's the last time you opened a bank account? You appear to have missed how the rules have changed across the board since around four years ago. I opened an account very easily in 2014 (I chose between three possible banks all of which were happy to open one), and at the time I had no permanent address and was on a visa exempt entry.

 

Fast forward to 2018, way more difficult, on a Non O-A with a one year rental contract. Eventually succeeded after they sent all documents to head office, and got confirmation a few days later. Bangkok Bank would have opened one, but it would have required an embassy letter of residence. We're not in Kansas anymore, Toto. 

[lanng khao]

Certificate of residency seems to be the doc that will do it for you, as soon as I got one had no problem with kasikorn. Transfer money from my home account and it's in the kasikorn account the  next day, speedy....

[holy cow cm]

1 hour ago, Date Masamune said:

Kad Suan Kaew has always been friendly to this foreigner and a couple staff fluent in English

 

Or a contract to buy a condo. Or work permit. You will ALSO need a COR from Immigration or your counsulate. This has been the posted rules at the desk there for years.

Thought so. My wife already has an account at that particular place, and I used to have one in BKK but let it slip. Don't see it as a problem, just wondering. 

[JeffreyO]

I had no problems opening a BKK Bank account when I was on a tourist visa, my GF went with me so that might have had something to do with it but it seems the rules just... well, are subject to vary based on the employee of the day...

[Breakingbad]

7 hours ago, Henryford said:

It appears anyone with a condo can open an account by just showing their passport and chanote.

Exactly my experience in Pattaya middle of last year. Took condo title, on visa exempt, in and out in 15 minutes including teller helping me set up banking app.

[Date Masamune]

Really? a COR is not listed as one of the required documents.

Now that I think about it you are most probably right, sorry about the confusion. It is the embassy/consular letter they need.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[FarangDoingHisThing69]

The thing that matters most is having someone who banks there that can introduce you. If said introducer is respected and has much activity there, they won't bother asking for much of anything else, except your passport. Everything else is just window dressing.

[seajae]

14 hours ago, Pravda said:

 

You are wrong with your assumptions. The fact is, opening a Bank account in Thailand is a major pain. This has been the case for the past 10 years as banks were "advised" not to open bank account for foreigners due to money laundering. This is a fact.

 

It was impossible to open a bank account for me in Bangkok to extend my marriage visa, so I opened one in Pattaya (Kasikorn) and Hua Hin (SCB) as these places are more tourist friendly.

 

 

sorry mate but for me it was extremely easy, waited in the queue, showed my passport and residency certificate, deposited a few thousand baht and was given a pass book and a visa card, was with Bangkok Bank too, maybe it can be due to the person applying or what they are using to get approval

[moe666]

14 hours ago, Pravda said:

 

You are wrong with your assumptions. The fact is, opening a Bank account in Thailand is a major pain. This has been the case for the past 10 years as banks were "advised" not to open bank account for foreigners due to money laundering. This is a fact.

 

It was impossible to open a bank account for me in Bangkok to extend my marriage visa, so I opened one in Pattaya (Kasikorn) and Hua Hin (SCB) as these places are more tourist friendly.

 

 

Nine years ago no problem in Bangkok, walked in I want to open a bank account, you have address in Thailand yes I do cannot be hotel, no problem have house address, ok wham bam out the door with bank accound at K-Bank on Sukhumvit near Landmark Hotel. A few years later opened anothe bank account in Chiang Mai, this time a Bangkok Bank. 

I also have a stock brokage account with bauluang securities which is part of Bangkok Bank. Opened this up after opening Bank account at K-Bank

Edited March 2, 2019 by moe666

[55Jay]

14 hours ago, Kerryd said:

Yeah - it's seems that most people don't have a problem at all, while some people, for some reason, seem to have nothing but problems.

 

I'm sure a lot of them won't admit that they themselves were the problem, blaming the banks instead.  / snip /

You're not wrong, no doubt a farang who gets his back up out of frustration can make the experience even worse, for both parties, and Thai bank employees can have long memories.

 

I had problems opening accounts at BKK Bank and Krungsi on a Non-O visa.

 

Both said No for the same reason, said I was a tourist, "Can Not", and that was that.  In both cases I (meaning my wife) persisted until they begrudgingly called their main office in the big city 40 kms away.  I watched their faces melt like ice cream as they nodded into the phone receiver, "Kha.  Kha.  Kha".  And then we did the deed.  I didn't rub it in, clearly they weren't accustomed to dealing with farangs and visas at these branches.

 

But it was still my fault. ????

[mtls2005]

From the BBL web page...

 

https://www.bangkokbank.com/en/Personal/Other-Services/Foreign-Customers/Bangkok-Bank-Accounts

 

Drill down on Required Documents for opening an account

 

1. Foreigner with a work permit

Passport

Work Permit

2. Foreigner without work permit

Passport
A reference letter issued by one of the following institutes or organizations or required document
Embassy located  in Thailand
An overseas bank where the customer holds an account sent via SWIFT
Trusted individuals such as a Bangkok Bank staff member or customer, director of a private company, permanent residence in Thailand, government or private educational institutes located in Thailand trusted by the Bank
Trusted companies, e.g., an employment letter from the company if the customer is in the process of applying for a work permit.
Document showing ownership of a fixed asset such as a condominium sale/purchase agreement (a condominium which is acceptable to Bangkok Bank) Or a property reservation agreement valued at 100,000 baht or more with a reference letter from the property developer that is acceptable to Bangkok Bank.
 
Notes: Contact addresses for both Thailand and overseas must be provided (hotel and P.O. Box addresses are not acceptable).

 

3. Foreigner with permanent residence in Thailand

Passport or Certificate of Residence or Alien Certificate
House Registration document

 

 

Has anyone had luck with this one:

 

An overseas bank where the customer holds an account sent via SWIFT

 

 

 

Or this one:

 

A reference letter issued by one of the following institutes or organizations or required document
Embassy located  in Thailand

 

 

 

[samsensam]

On 3/2/2019 at 1:09 AM, Pravda said:

 

You are wrong with your assumptions. The fact is, opening a Bank account in Thailand is a major pain. This has been the case for the past 10 years as banks were "advised" not to open bank account for foreigners due to money laundering. This is a fact.

 

It was impossible to open a bank account for me in Bangkok to extend my marriage visa, so I opened one in Pattaya (Kasikorn) and Hua Hin (SCB) as these places are more tourist friendly.

 

 

 

i only have my experience and it's certainly not a pain to open a bank account in bangkok. bangkok bank wanted a letter from embassy, so i said no thanks. walked 100 metres to kbank, showed my passport (retirement extension) and address and opened a savings account and fixed deposit account. very easy, even though the staff didnt speak english they put me onto someone at HO who did.

 

opening a bank account in bangkok? easy.

 

 

Edited March 3, 2019 by samsensam

[mikebell]

12 hours ago, seajae said:

sorry mate but for me it was extremely easy, waited in the queue, showed my passport and residency certificate, deposited a few thousand baht and was given a pass book and a visa card, was with Bangkok Bank too, maybe it can be due to the person applying or what they are using to get approval

All well and good till you come to use the 'visa' card on line.  They issued me, at first, with a POS Chinese Unionpay card with which I was severely embarrassed in Vientiane.

I stormed into my branch on my return as people on here said the Bank were issuing proper cards from November 2018.

Got mine - AOK as an ATM.  As soon as I tried to pay for air tickets, same problem as Unionpay.  Had to use my UK card with all the attendant foreign currency charges.

You can only have a Credit card (by keeping a top-up account) -  BKK bank don't do debit cards  anymore.

[JackThompson]

2 hours ago, mikebell said:

All well and good till you come to use the 'visa' card on line.  They issued me, at first, with a POS Chinese Unionpay card with which I was severely embarrassed in Vientiane.

I stormed into my branch on my return as people on here said the Bank were issuing proper cards from November 2018.

Got mine - AOK as an ATM.  As soon as I tried to pay for air tickets, same problem as Unionpay.  Had to use my UK card with all the attendant foreign currency charges.

You can only have a Credit card (by keeping a top-up account) -  BKK bank don't do debit cards  anymore.

So far, I have had no problems using my new MasterCard stamped BKB Debit Card with both Thai and foreign businesses.  But, I appreciate your warning that some businesses won't accept them (for whatever reason).

[buick]

OP - thanks for taking the time to post your success story.  most success stories do not get posted here and we only get the 'denied' stories.  it can be frustrating to get an account open but it can be done with a little preparation and patience.  if someone is really having a hard time, just use a visa agent or law firm.  you'll have to pay them a fee but they'll get one open for you.

 

 

[Pattaya46]

On 3/2/2019 at 7:53 AM, maybefitz said:

The usefulness of the farang ID card has been questioned elsewhere.

I opened another account with one, easy, no questions.

No proof it wouldn't have been easy the same way with just your passport 

[mikebell]

18 hours ago, JackThompson said:

So far, I have had no problems using my new MasterCard stamped BKB Debit Card with both Thai and foreign businesses.  But, I appreciate your warning that some businesses won't accept them (for whatever reason).

Jack, have you used it on-line yet?  I note you mention foreign businesses.  I tried with British Airways and was refused.  The BKK bank lady admitted it was useless for this type of transaction.

[holy cow cm]

21 hours ago, mikebell said:

All well and good till you come to use the 'visa' card on line.  They issued me, at first, with a POS Chinese Unionpay card with which I was severely embarrassed in Vientiane.

I stormed into my branch on my return as people on here said the Bank were issuing proper cards from November 2018.

Got mine - AOK as an ATM.  As soon as I tried to pay for air tickets, same problem as Unionpay.  Had to use my UK card with all the attendant foreign currency charges.

You can only have a Credit card (by keeping a top-up account) -  BKK bank don't do debit cards  anymore.

And how much is the depsoit they want. 50k baht?

[lamyai3]

22 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

Has anyone had luck with this one:

 

An overseas bank where the customer holds an account sent via SWIFT

Following a chat with a manager in Bangkok Bank's HQ in Silom where she offered this method, I tried to get this from two of my banks in the UK, both had to refer it to their head offices. Each one returned with a similar apology, that SWIFT doesn't work this way and they had no idea what Bangkok Bank were talking about. They offered me a written reference instead, but of course Bangkok Bank won't accept that.

[holy cow cm]

19 hours ago, JackThompson said:

So far, I have had no problems using my new MasterCard stamped BKB Debit Card with both Thai and foreign businesses.  But, I appreciate your warning that some businesses won't accept them (for whatever reason).

Try renting a nice hotel on line with them or using them at a 4-5 star hotel for deposit. Or try renting a car say like in the USA. Or for some airlines online, try buying tickets. So embarrassing.