KBank not opening new accounts for non-Asean people unless on A-O (Retirement)?

[puchooay]

2 minutes ago, SteveK said:

If you are under 50 and don't have a work permit, go in to your local branch and try to open an account. See what happens.

Been there, done that. My local Kasikorn bank. Very welcoming.

 

I walked in (alone), gave them my passport, explained (in Thai) that I needed a bank account to link to my Paypal account for business I do online. 

 

20 minutes later bank account opened, ATM card issued and Kbank online banking set up.

[Max69xl]

9 minutes ago, puchooay said:

The page shown on the OP refers to those of a retirement age, as in 50 years old to get an O-A visa.

 

There will be other pages for those who are not 50. No way would any bank refuse to open a bank account to some one who was under 50 years old.

 

The OP needs to go back and show them his age. Then get the rules to open a bank account for those under 50.

The OP's info is wrong. From early 2019 it's not officially possible to open an account for a foreigner even with a wp or retirement visa. There are no special rules for people under 50 years old. 

https://kasikornbank.com/en/personal/Account/Pages/savings.aspx

[SteveK]

It doesn't matter what is on the website - this is Thailand. The branch staff will almost certainly not have a clue what is displayed on their website. They make it up as they go along, and as 99.9% don't know the procedure for opening an account for a foreigner without a work permit, they will save face and tell you that it's not possible. If you press them and try to show them their own website, they will get annoyed and do their best to not help you further.

[puchooay]

11 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

The OP's info is wrong. From early 2019 it's not officially possible to open an account for a foreigner even with a wp or retirement visa. There are no special rules for people under 50 years old. 

https://kasikornbank.com/en/personal/Account/Pages/savings.aspx

I'm sorry to say that you are incorrect. I am speaking from personal experience.

 

Also, I would doubt that info from the bank itself is wrong.  BTW I can't see anywhere on your link where it confirms what you say.

Edited January 4, 2020 by puchooay

[puchooay]

4 minutes ago, SteveK said:

It doesn't matter what is on the website - this is Thailand. The branch staff will almost certainly not have a clue what is displayed on their website. They make it up as they go along, and as 99.9% don't know the procedure for opening an account for a foreigner without a work permit, they will save face and tell you that it's not possible. If you press them and try to show them their own website, they will get annoyed and do their best to not help you further.

That's funny. I like your percentages. You must have a lot of time on your hands. Been around a lot. Spoken to 99.9% of all branch employees in Thailand.

 

Please could you explain how the plethora of expats here on extensions of stay, including those who have only been here a short time, provide bank details when extending by reason of marriage or retirement if they are not working here.

[Max69xl]

2 minutes ago, puchooay said:

That's funny. I like your percentages. You must have a lot of time on your hands. Been around a lot. Spoken to 99.9% of all branch employees in Thailand.

 

Please could you explain how the plethora of expats here on extensions of stay, including those who have only been here a short time, provide bank details when extending by reason of marriage or retirement if they are not working here.

Bangkok Bank has the largest part of expats in Thailand, those who are married or just simply retired. Plus of course working expats. Like I said earlier, you don't need a work permit when opening a bank account at Bangkok Bank. They have had the same requirements for many years, and there are several combinations of documents you can use for opening an account. For instance: passport + wp, passport + Certificate of Residence from the local immigration office, passport + certificate from an embassy/consulate, passport + reference from a bank in your home country, passport + reference from a well-known customer at the same bank and even more. If you can't open an account at Bangkok Bank with just one of these combinations, then something is wrong with you. People have already noticed that some banks refuses people when asking for opening an account, and it will get harder despite what several naive posters think. You can always get lucky if you walk from bank to bank trying. 

[SteveK]

33 minutes ago, puchooay said:

Please could you explain how the plethora of expats here on extensions of stay, including those who have only been here a short time, provide bank details when extending by reason of marriage or retirement if they are not working here.

Easy. They opened their bank accounts years ago before they tightened up.

[UKresonant]

3 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

Thailand is class and status driven society and you are constantly being judged.

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, perhaps ????....

[puchooay]

6 minutes ago, SteveK said:

Easy. They opened their bank accounts years ago before they tightened up.

Selective reading? I did say " including those who have only been here a short time".

 

 

[UKresonant]

11 minutes ago, SteveK said:

Easy. They opened their bank accounts years ago before they tightened up.

That is how I see it, last account I opened was 2018, got the work permit question, they would only open an FCD, after a bit of discussion (1 year O visa), Baht account not possible....

 

Seems like the no new customers theme again,

O-A, unlikely to ever have one of them, Work Permit, never.

 

[puchooay]

26 minutes ago, Max69xl said:

Bangkok Bank has the largest part of expats in Thailand, those who are married or just simply retired. Plus of course working expats. Like I said earlier, you don't need a work permit when opening a bank account at Bangkok Bank. They have had the same requirements for many years, and there are several combinations of documents you can use for opening an account. For instance: passport + wp, passport + Certificate of Residence from the local immigration office, passport + certificate from an embassy/consulate, passport + reference from a bank in your home country, passport + reference from a well-known customer at the same bank and even more. If you can't open an account at Bangkok Bank with just one of these combinations, then something is wrong with you. People have already noticed that some banks refuses people when asking for opening an account, and it will get harder despite what several naive posters think. You can always get lucky if you walk from bank to bank trying. 

I know quite a few people who switched from Bangkok Bank during the Union Pay cards palava .

 

Most of whom switched to Kasikorn or Siam Commercial.

[puchooay]

Just now, UKresonant said:

That is how I see it, last account I opened was 2018, got the work permit question, they would only open an FCD, after a bit of discussion (1 year O visa), Baht account not possible....

 

Seems like the no new customers theme again,

O-A, unlikely to ever have one of them, Work Permit, never.

 

Thread " I am an idiot" on the visa section here. Someone successfully opening a bank account May 2019, as an example.

 

 

[Sheryl]

I opened a new Kbank account in  March 2019 with no issue (I'm on an non-O retirement extension).

 

And I am quite certain the bank staff who opened it for me wouldn't know an O-A from an O visa t(or any other type of visa) to save their lives. But then I live in an area with few foreigners so the issue seldom arises.

[SteveK]

I'm on a non-O based on marriage, don't work and under 50.

 

I have been in to well over 20 bank branches over the last 18 months or so. Some had English speaking staff, some did not.

 

When I went alone I found that I was just told "mai dai" straight off the bat or asked for a work permit, even after telling them that I don't work in Thailand. Effectively just pushed back out the door.

 

Some pretended to help and went to call a manager to find out if they could do it or not. Always came back with a no.

 

When my wife was with me they obviously spoke to her and the answer was always the same - you need a work permit to open a bank account if you're not retired.

 

One Kasikorn branch told me that they would open me an account, but I needed a respected member of the community to go with me to counter-sign. Had some people agree to help but pull out at the last minute, probably scared that they'd be on the hook if I did something dodgy with my ultra-basic savings account.

 

In the end I got lucky with a bank clerk who came from my wife's tiny village, as such it turned out that there is actually a way to open a bank account for me it's just that it's much easier to say no than to find out the process and undertake 20 minutes of work.

[thonglorjimmy]

1 hour ago, Max69xl said:

The OP's info is wrong. From early 2019 it's not officially possible to open an account for a foreigner even with a wp or retirement visa. There are no special rules for people under 50 years old. 

https://kasikornbank.com/en/personal/Account/Pages/savings.aspx

Strangely enough I opened two accounts with Kasikorn in the middle of last year, one in the Silom main branch and one in Hua Hin, in both cases I needed nothing more than my passport.

[thonglorjimmy]

6 hours ago, silver sea said:

I live in Hua Hin and use the banks in the basement of Bluport. The only one that was difficult was Bangkok Bank: they wanted a Certificate of Residence from Immigration, which would have cost 500 baht so I took my business elsewhere.

It's the inconsistency with Thai banks that amazes me, along with many other walks of Thai life.

 

I also went into Bangkok Bank in Bluport to open an account in April last year to receive my monthly Transferwise transfers.

 

Armed with nothing more than a passport and a smile my account was opened in about 30 mins along with a shiney new Mastercard ATM card and Internet access. 

[silver sea]

4 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

No one wants to hear this but I will say it again in case at least one person here will listen.

 

Always dress like you are going to a important business meeting when you go to the bank.

 

Thailand is class and status driven society and you are constantly being judged.

 

This is not directed at the op.

 

 

 

Sorry to disagree with you, NCCC1701A, but I live in Hua Hin too. I went to the basement at Bluport and visited KBank and asked to open an account, and also explained that I had an account at SCB and wanted to transfer monies back and forth.

 

As I sat down, I apologised for my attire: flip flops, T shirt and shorts. I explained that I had a pair of trousers but I had put on too much weight and so could not get them on. Unlike NCC1701A, I don’t do much exercise or eat as much high quality food, so I am a bit of a podge, but I “have a good heart”, or so the Thai ladies tell me.

 

The lady behind the desk who was attractive, smartly dressed and about 46 years old just smiled nicely and said “no problem”.

 

She was helpful as we plodded our way through all the form filling and the setting up of my internet account, which I opened with 500 baht.

 

Now NCC1701A might say, she was only being polite because she was Thai, and that under the surface she would have been offended that I hadn’t made more of an effort to look professional.
 

But, you know, a funny thing happened. I was the only customer, and I had noticed that the other cashiers had been listening to our conversation. As we were finishing, the lady supervisor, another attractive Thai lady, came over to the desk and said that the lady who had been helping me was called Jenny and she was now single and would be interested in me. Jenny blushed very cutely, and we all had a good laugh. It was a fun experience for all of us.
 

So even though I am more Archie Leach than Cary Grant, with only 500 baht to my name at their bank, they had genuinely not been offended by my appearance.

 

When I first came to Thailand in 2012, I was dressed in shorts, but I noticed that all the Thai men wore cargo shorts or trousers. I asked a Thai lady friend about this because I wanted to know whether I should buy some trousers. She said not to worry because I am seen as a tourist. In other words, I guess, you could say I am “a civilian” and therefore the rules are not applied so strictly.

 

But I am sure that my late father would have followed NCC1701A’s advice; having served in the British Army, he always took pride in his appearance.????

Edited January 4, 2020 by silver sea

[ukrules]

6 hours ago, recom273 said:

No cannot - Bank of Thailand rules - Mist have work permit.

This has never been a Bank of Thailand rule - it would prevent anyone from ever retiring here if it was.

[Chazar]

5 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

almost six years Bangkok Bank zero problems, always friendly and helpful.

 

 

Lie  back legs apart  blouse  falling down pouting  helpful? or  just  normal  helpful?

Back 15  odd  years  ago scb didnt want a few million off me either, Kasikorn said  no  problem, havent  opened a new  acc for years

[samsensam]

35 minutes ago, ukrules said:

This has never been a Bank of Thailand rule - it would prevent anyone from ever retiring here if it was.

 

i was talking to someone who works at the BOT, there are BOT regulations which banks must follow but there are also 'best practice guidelines' which the banks can choose to follow, or not. the requirement of a letter from the embassy to open an account is one such 'guideline', hence not all banks require this. apparently bangkok bank is keen on following BOT guidelines.

[silver sea]

3 hours ago, Max69xl said:

So, 500 baht was to much for you to open an account at Bangkok Bank? The Certificate of Residence from your local immigration office is actually ONE out of several official documents needed (together with the passport) for opening a savings account at Bangkok Bank. The price for the certificate has nothing to do with the bank, it's up to the immigration office. Some issues them for free,some charges 300 baht and some are more greedy. If you know how to use internet, then check out Bangkok Banks website (in english). You'll see that Bangkok Bank is the only official thai bank where you don't need a wp or a retirement visa to be able to open an account. You could have asked for a certificate from your embassy/consulate, but it's probably more expensive than the 500 baht certificate from immigration. 

Hello Max69xl,

 

Thank you for reading my post and for your comment.

 

No you are right: 500 baht is not too much to pay for a certificate of residence, but I knew that it was not necessary to have one to open a bank account.

 

I would add that on that day I was in the basement of a shopping mall called Bluport in HuaHin. In that basement are all the banks. Immigration also has an office in that basement, but it does not issue certificates of residence. Instead I would have to go to the main Immigration office which is now about 15 kms from Bluport, so a round trip of about 30 kms.

 

Only a fortnight before, I had obtained a certificate of residence from Immigration because I needed my 2 year motorbike licence had expired. I applied for a 5 year one. The DLA when they issued the licence, retained the certificate. Once you’re at Immigration, it takes about 2,5 hours to get the certificate.

 

I have lived in Thailand since 2012, and I have learnt that the Thai way of doing things in Thailand usually works. I used to feel frustrated but I have learnt to trust the system and to follow their rules and regulations. Go with the flow. 
 

But why go through all that ‘palaver’ of getting a another certificate of residence from Immigration on the other side of town, when I knew that the other banks did not require one? I simply went to KBank two or three doors further down, and opened an account with them. Easy peasy. I was happy, on that occasion, to gave my 500 baht to them, rather than to Immigration.

 

I only tried Bangkok Bank, because I had seen ages ago on a thread that my fellow resident in Hua Hin, and ThaiVisa Celebrity, NCCC1701A, had recommended them and so was happy to follow his advice. They were very helpful, polite and apologetic. No problem ????

[ThomasThBKK]

3 hours ago, Max69xl said:

You must learn how to read. I said "official requirements". If you can find a thai bank other than Bangkok Bank where it's officially possible for a foreigner to open an account without wp or retirement visa/long stay with permanent address, then you are a magician. But you will fail. 

Citibank, UOB etc.

 

all offshore banks here, they don't participate in this thai rubbish.

 

These aren't laws, it's just bs rules thai banks made up themselves.

 

I didn't even show them a visa for my accounts....granted they know i am their customer in SG already, but imo they are self operating and that shouldn't have any influence here.

 

  

1 hour ago, ukrules said:

This has never been a Bank of Thailand rule - it would prevent anyone from ever retiring here if it was.

Correct, not law, just bs internal rules that some intern wrote into a handbook and sent to all branches because thai not think themselves krap!

Edited January 4, 2020 by ThomasThBKK

[ThomasThBKK]

51 minutes ago, samsensam said:

 

i was talking to someone who works at the BOT, there are BOT regulations which banks must follow but there are also 'best practice guidelines' which the banks can choose to follow, or not. the requirement of a letter from the embassy to open an account is one such 'guideline', hence not all banks require this. apparently bangkok bank is keen on following BOT guidelines.

No they are not, they want a REFERENCE letter, one such letter can be from the embassy.

 

EVERY PROFESSIONAL can do such letters, this includes your wife, your lawyer, your accountant, your teacher, a random gov guy, your embassy, your home bank (they can do it online even via the SWIFT NETWORK!!) or another thai bank etc ....

[DennisE]

No it’s not a new rule at all I went through that last year when I opened my own bank account and lot’s of banks (SPECIFIC  BRANCHES ONLY) will tell you that bull sh!t ESPECIALLY FREAKING BANGKOK BANK WHICH SUCKS A BIG ONE, but they’re wrong. In fact that’s the vary reason I’ve been using SCB for more than a year because they’re VERY USER FRIENDLY GREAT SERVICE AND THEY NEVER EVER GIVE YOU ANY SH!T about ANYTHING!!! Dude trust me just go to SCB and open an account there but bring all your documents and if you’re on a marriage visa bring your Tambien Baan and your wife with you as well as marriage certificate all that stuff.
 

Be sure and tell them NOT a joint account because of immigration rules supposedly. Apparently the account is supposed to be in your name only. Probably just so you can prove it’s actually your money. 
 

Just ignore the BS from KBank or Bangkok Bank. SCB is the WAY TO GO. Trust me on that one, but I don’t know about all their branches. 

[DennisE]

14 minutes ago, ThomasThBKK said:

No they are not, they want a REFERENCE letter, one such letter can be from the embassy.

 

EVERY PROFESSIONAL can do such letters, this includes your wife, your lawyer, your accountant, your teacher, a random gov guy, your embassy, your home bank (they can do it online even via the SWIFT NETWORK!!) or another thai bank etc ....

At SCB you do not need any of that to open an account. I know from doing it. 

[DennisE]

21 minutes ago, ThomasThBKK said:

Citibank, UOB etc.

 

all offshore banks here, they don't participate in this thai rubbish.

 

These aren't laws, it's just bs rules thai banks made up themselves.

 

I didn't even show them a visa for my accounts....granted they know i am their customer in SG already, but imo they are self operating and that shouldn't have any influence here.

 

  

Correct, not law, just bs internal rules that some intern wrote into a handbook and sent to all branches because thai not think themselves krap!

Yep some of the banks except for SCB have their heads up their asses. SCB IS BY FAR THE BEST! But you’re exactly right!!!

Edited January 4, 2020 by DennisE

[thedemon]

The reason that some bank branches ask for Work Permit is that foreigners without a WP are not usually entitled to credit cards, mortgages or other personal loans and therefore the potential profit from that customer is limited. When they combine that with the extra perceived risk (money laundering etc.) of dealing with a foreign customer the banks are not really interested.

 

If you come with a recommendation from a reasonably influential customer or enough cash, any Thai bank will open an account for you. No Work Permit required.

[jackdd]

3 hours ago, Max69xl said:

You must learn how to read. I said "official requirements". If you can find a thai bank other than Bangkok Bank where it's officially possible for a foreigner to open an account without wp or retirement visa/long stay with permanent address, then you are a magician. But you will fail. 

Krungsri, just passport + one year rental contract, visa doesn't matter.

So i'm a magician now? Nice

[Peter Denis]

When you make use of TRANSFERWISE to transfer money from your foreign to your thai bank-account and you need to prove to IO that these funds originated from abroad, your account needs to be from one of their 3 thai partner-banks (Bangkok Bank, Kasikorn Bank or TMB).  Otherwise the transfer will be marked as domestic on your thai bank-book (as it will be transfered from one of these 3 partner-banks to your bank-account), and will not be accepted by IO as funds originating from abroad.

[thrilled]

This subject has been going on over 11 years. I opened my bank account with Kasikorn. I didn’t have anything except passport and U.S. dollars. They didn’t hesitate to open the account for me. Depends on the branch.