Post Paid Phones And Bank Accounts Need A Work Visa

[lem]

I wanted to move from pre-paid to post-paid AIS, mainly because I found travelling outside Thailand uses up an awful lot of pre-paid cards!! But AIS insist that I must have a current work permit in order to apply for a post-paid account. DTAC also has a similar requirement. I don't have a current work permit, I have a retirement visa.

Is there anyway around this, or should I just give up and remain happy with my pre-paid card?

On a secondary matter: how does a retired person open a bank account in Thailand if he/she does not have a work permit? I used to have a work permit and so retained a bank account even though I have a retirement visa now.

Lem

[jaede]

Bank of Ayudhya Pattaya opened me an account no problem, Siam Commercial Bank opened me an account with a 1yr contract from my condo in BKK

Both times only had a 30day visa

[naka]

Firstly ... You can have a bank account if you are on a retirement visa ...

You don't really think all the tens of thousands of retirees here keep their

money under the mattress do you

I would suggest you try Kasikorn.

When you open the account then also apply for cyber banking.

With this you can top up your One 2 Call (etc.) prepaid phone from anywhere in the world.

(or are you saying that a prepaid is more expensive that a postpaid ?)

Naka.

Edited March 28, 2007 by naka

[sinom]

Firstly ... You can have a bank account if you are on a retirement visa ...

You don't really think all the tens of thousands of retirees here keep their

money under the mattress do you

I would suggest you try Kasikorn.

When you open the account then also apply for cyber banking.

With this you can top up your One 2 Call (etc.) prepaid phone from anywhere in the world.

(or are you saying that a prepaid is more expensive that a postpaid ?)

Naka.

Well done Naka - beat me to it !

I use Kasikorn cyber banking for this and many other bill payment service.

they provide an excellent service

cheers

[lem]

Firstly ... You can have a bank account if you are on a retirement visa ...

You don't really think all the tens of thousands of retirees here keep their

money under the mattress do you

I would suggest you try Kasikorn.

When you open the account then also apply for cyber banking.

With this you can top up your One 2 Call (etc.) prepaid phone from anywhere in the world.

(or are you saying that a prepaid is more expensive that a postpaid ?)

Naka.

I didnt know that you could top up One 2 Call via cyber banking. I just want to avoid carrying around spare top up cards when travelling, or having to call someone back here and ask them to buy a card and send me the numbers! I dont know if Post paid is cheaper, but I thought it might have been more convenient. However, I will look at the cyber banking option. It seems out of place to me that I can pay my UBC/True monthly TV and my True internet via 'post paid' bills, ie after the event, but I cant with a mobile phone bill because of the "work permit" stipulation.

Well, I guess I shouldnt lose sleep over it!

Thanks for the replies. Appreciate it.

Lem

[A_Traveller]

If I recall correctly pre-paid was more expensive than post-paid when it was introduced, though the 'usage charge plan' sales technique makes direct comparisons moe difficult these days.

Regards

/edit typo //

Edited March 28, 2007 by A_Traveller

[tuky]

If you are with Bangkok Bank you cannot use Ibanking without a workpermit.

[jdinasia]

I have never had a work permit in Thailand and have 3 accounts with Siam Commercial ... and am on post pay with AIS

[lem]

I have never had a work permit in Thailand and have 3 accounts with Siam Commercial ... and am on post pay with AIS

[lem]

So how did you get past the 'work permit' requirement if you didn't have a work permit?

I have never had a work permit in Thailand and have 3 accounts with Siam Commercial ... and am on post pay with AIS

[jdinasia]

So how did you get past the 'work permit' requirement if you didn't have a work permit?

I have never had a work permit in Thailand and have 3 accounts with Siam Commercial ... and am on post pay with AIS

walked in ... with passport and banking records for the AIS ... and just walked in to the bank

[A_Traveller]

So how did you get past the 'work permit' requirement if you didn't have a work permit?

I have never had a work permit in Thailand and have 3 accounts with Siam Commercial ... and am on post pay with AIS

walked in ... with passport and banking records for the AIS ... and just walked in to the bank

Though this begs the question when?

If memory serves, AIS required a Thai Citizen to be the 'account holder' for the original numbers, when pre-paid came in that requirement was waived, but post paid still required formal ID. After the 'register all numbers' flap I'm fairly sure that AIS moved to WP for post-paid.

Regards

/edit format//

Edited March 28, 2007 by A_Traveller

[torrenova]

If you are with Bangkok Bank you cannot use Ibanking without a workpermit.

That is not true. I have multiple accounts with Bangkok Bank and had online banking long before a work permit. I opened the first accounts on a 30 day stamp and later applied for internet banking. When I opened accounts at Siam, I had a non imm visa and a letter from immigration but they didn't require either.

[A_Traveller]

If you are with Bangkok Bank you cannot use Ibanking without a workpermit.

That is not true. I have multiple accounts with Bangkok Bank and had online banking long before a work permit. I opened the first accounts on a 30 day stamp and later applied for internet banking. When I opened accounts at Siam, I had a non imm visa and a letter from immigration but they didn't require either.

The key question is often when did you do this? Presently many areas of banking which were available are now restricted. Again when first announced internet banking with TFB as was, was restricted to WP holders only, then opened up.

It is clear that the banks are becoming more circumspect as to services they offer to non-WP holders.

Regards

PS The other point is that any bank takes into account {no pun intended} the individual customer standing with the bank before making any decision.

/edit add PS//

Edited March 28, 2007 by A_Traveller

[jdinasia]

So how did you get past the 'work permit' requirement if you didn't have a work permit?

I have never had a work permit in Thailand and have 3 accounts with Siam Commercial ... and am on post pay with AIS

walked in ... with passport and banking records for the AIS ... and just walked in to the bank

Though this begs the question when?

If memory serves, AIS required a Thai Citizen to be the 'account holder' for the original numbers, when pre-paid came in that requirement was waived, but post paid still required formal ID. After the 'register all numbers' flap I'm fairly sure that AIS moved to WP for post-paid.

Regards

/edit format//

Hmmm have been a serenade member for about 2 years with AIS .. so I guess I went to post paid 2.5 years ago got a new bank account last September

[lem]

Thanks for that info. I will try that.

Lem

So how did you get past the 'work permit' requirement if you didn't have a work permit?

I have never had a work permit in Thailand and have 3 accounts with Siam Commercial ... and am on post pay with AIS

walked in ... with passport and banking records for the AIS ... and just walked in to the bank