Farang Friendly Bank In Chiang Mai?

[kidclive]

Can anyone help me please. I am visiting Chiang Mai next week and need to open a bank account for either retirement or marriage funds. My GF in Bkk has asked her bank and was told only if I obtained a work permit. Can anyone please tell me of a bank in CM that is farang friendly and will not ask for these requirements.

Thanking you in advance for your answers.

[eek]

I found Bangkok bank to be most friendly and helpful.

I went to the one in Central Kad san Keow (main floor).

I find its best if you dont go in with too many specifics. Go in well dressed and ust say you need to open a bank account. Make sure you have at least the mimimum needed to do so (i think its 1000bht to open).

I do not have employment in CM, but they set me up with a bank account with atm card no problem. When the girl checked over my form she asked me for my employer in CM, i said I work for an employer in UK not Thailand via net, and I am long term resident.

The process was put through easily.

Hope that helps.

---------

edit: p.s ..if you do encounter any queries about this..just tell them you wish to transfer your earnings/money from your foreign account to their account. I am sure the banks like to hear that you will have money going in..and its not a dormant / rarely used account.

Edited April 30, 2007 by eek

[mcgriffith]

See Khun Malai (bank manager) at Bangkok Bank, Kad Suan Kaew (Central) as above poster mentioned. She is not always in, but definitely try to speak with her personally to open an account. Speaks good English. This bank (and this particular branch) seems to be used by a LOT of farang here in CM.

As to the specifics of your visa re: opening an account. My understanding is they need to see at least a 90 day non-immigrant O, or better, after 1 Oct 06. But my feeling is that if you speak with Khun Malai, you will be taken care of. PM me and I'll give you her cell if you need to make sure she's there.

Hope this helps

[calibanjr.]

I've never had problems with Bangkok Bank or Siam Commercial (have accounts in BKK and CNX with both. One note, if you might have to do in-person banking in non-business hours (week-ends, etc.) consider the Central Airport (or the Huad Suan Kaew, not sure) which is open weekends and longer hours than regular branches. It sounds weird, but there are some things you can only do at your home branch (e.g., get a replacement bankbook). If your life is a simple ATM deal like most people, then none of that matters and I'd go along with Khun McGriffith.

[kidclive]

Many thanks for info, seems as if Bangkok Bank is the best bet.

Only on tourist visa for this trip but will try and see what happens, again many thanks for your advice.

[eek]

Best of luck!

(Kad Suan Kaew!!OMG..dichan kian pasa thai mai dee kha .. phut deegwaa kha.... but, I am TRYING! )

[Ajarn]

It's my guess that the bank is asking for work permits to identfy the source of your money. If you have a work permit, you're working and your money is from thailand, and no problem for the bank.. Without a work permit, your money must be from overseas, and assuming you're not a taxpayer (no work permit), the bank is required under newish laws to charge any interest earned at 15 percent... Some banks take the same idea, but do it in strange ways, like figuring out what the percentage point would be minus the 15%, and charge this lesser amount to farangs without work permits. Now, it seems to me that some banks would rather not (generally) deal with farangs without work permits...Like, if you don't have a work permit, then you can't open an account. But, if pressed...

[jaideeguy]

I will second the recomendation for Khun Malai at BKK Bank, KadSuan Keau [Central]. She is IMHO the most falang friendly bank manager in CM and i had no problems w/o work permit 7 yrs ago and have been with her since then. Good english, helpful....but busy.

[Due East]

I will second the recomendation for Khun Malai at BKK Bank, KadSuan Keau [Central]. She is IMHO the most falang friendly bank manager in CM and i had no problems w/o work permit 7 yrs ago and have been with her since then. Good english, helpful....but busy.

True, Bangkok Bank is the usual answer from farangs and the KSK branch is good, I'm sure. But a number of Thais I know have had problems with Bangkok Bank and have switched to SCB.

By the way, I have recently been turned down by both banks for a credit card because I have no work permit. Bangkok Bank wanted 2x the desired credit limit in a separate account, and SCB 1x. In the end, SCB in CNX processed my application but their HQ in BKK rejected it because of the work permit. Is it becoming more difficult to get a credit card?

[sabaijai]

I had a BKK Bank account for over 20 years. Switched to SCB around six years ago and kept them both going for awhile to compare service. In the end I found SCB more competent and friendly, with more logical fees (BKK Bank was overcharging for deposit of foreign checks when I closed my acct) service overall, so I switched to SCB alone.

[chanchao]

I think you'll find a lot will depend on the particular branch or even the particular person... This Is Thailand: Even the biggest companies can't manage a set of consistent rules and standards.. (I'm not complaining, if I wanted things generally to be like Germany then I would be in Germany and not here!)

And it may depend on what you're trying to do.. For us we were trying to loan a couple million baht. Found that SCB (or perhaps the branch/person we stumbled upon) was exceptionally foreigner UNfriendly on this.. Bangkok Bank was already a lot better though also there some weird things came up like "it would be easier if you were married"... LOL.. So in the end went with Krung Thai, who were brilliant. They were also falling over themselves to offer both of us credit cards, which I personally don't want. Well, I need access to one credit card for online purchases but honestly in such a case I would just note down the card details, keep those safe and then cut up the card right away. You just don't want to misplace your credit card or get it stolen or your fcuked. And that very much applies to Visa Electron just the same.

But anyway, if this is just a vanilla savings account + atm then any bank that's nearby will likely do. Worst case is having to try a couple.

[WAERTH]

Actually opened an account at SCB on Ratchada in BKK yesterday. This is how it went (I speak Thai btw and am on tv, play in movies and play comedy)

Me: Want to open an account.

SCB: Foreigner cannot have bankaccount in Thailand,

Me: Showing BKK bank bankbook.

SCB: Oh only BKK bank can do.

Me: No, can open bankaccount. (bluffing my way here:) SCB on Sukhumvit said no problem, but better to open in branch close to your home, more convenient .....

SCB: Branchmanger get's involved, oh I see you in movie (mail narok) .... you have workpermit, can open then no problem.

Me: No, have non imm B visa though.

SCB: thinking for a minute .... you rent house?

Me: Yes for 8 years, condo.

SCB: Ok next time you come you bring copy contract for us than it is ok, we have to know you are staying here and not come here on holiday only.

Me: Ok I promise bring contract next time.

SCB: Procede to open bankaccount with the employee who refused at first .... after some smalltalk and some jokes she explained she is new and apologizes for refusing at first. Had a lot of nice smalltalk with her actually.

Although it all went allright in the end I think it would have gone less smoothly if I had not speaken Thai and if the branchmanager hadn't recognized me. I suggest for people to bring a copy of their rental agreement with them as what the manager said about: "we have to know you are staying here and not come here on holiday only" makes quite some sense to me.

Good luck in Chiang Mai

Waerth

[sabaijai]

I agree it varies from branch to branch and region to region, but one area where BB suffers by comparison with SCB at every branch of either bank I've visited is that BB branches (even in Bangkok) seem to have a less organised customer service system. It almost always took longer to accomplish anything, find records, etc, at BB than at SCB.

I've found SCB branches, overall, to be better organised and more up-to-date. I remember back in the mid 90s, BB's main branch in Chiang Mai (Tha Phae) was still using typewriters for local written communication, well after SCB had begun using computers. I finally closed my BB account after BB raised its fee for depositing international checks -- even while they took longer to clear at BB than at SCB.

Foreign businesspeople I know swear by Bank of Asia, which I've never tried.

[PeterInFrankfurt]

Many thanks for info, seems as if Bangkok Bank is the best bet.

Only on tourist visa for this trip but will try and see what happens, again many thanks for your advice.

Hi Kidclive

I was in Thailand in March and tried BKK Bank and SCB, both in BKK and CM.

In SCB in BKK, the man said "only with a work permit", but he was just being difficult. The general the response was, "not on a tourist visa". If I'd had a 3 month visa, I could have opened an account.

Please bear in mind that the Baht is a bit expensive at the moment, so this year is probably not the best time to move money into a baht account.

good luck

Peter

[Donnyboy]

beware of a long wait at BB.

I go to the airport Central about twice a week to do banking and shopping with the g/f. Most banks (on the basement floor) are good usually with not many people waiting except for BB. Hence, we dont bank with them. We deal with KK and SCB and find them ok.

I have walked past the BB in Pantip Plaza CM many times and thats not as busy thou.

[madcatlady]

Three years ago I opened a savings account with Bangkok Bank at Pratu Chiang Mai. They didn't ask for any documentation and were happy for me to register my address as a room number in a guest house!!! I was on a 30-day VOA at the time!

I paid a small fee for a Visa Electron card and was set up from there on. I even received a free sports bag... which fell apart after a few weeks!

I couldn't believe how easy it was!

Three years on, I'm married to a Thai and have a one-year non-imm visa so would have the documents if they asked but even so...

MCL

[PeterInFrankfurt]

Hi "MadCatLady"

Maybe things have become much more bureaucratic in the last 3 years - maybe they will revert to simple Thai ways. Maybe I am dreaming.

Anyway, what confuses me is: Does "Mad" refer to the cat or to the lady?

I have a cat - a British Blue - did you import a cat to Thailand, or did you find locals?

(sorry if I'm off topic, but my car really wants to know the answer)

slightly mad Peter

[sabaijai]

Re the work permit requirement (in place since the 97 crash), it looks like SCB is going by the book while BB may be lax on this. Personally I'd rather do business with a bank that follows the rules.

On the other hand if all you need to do is open a savings account on a tourist visa, than BB is obviously a better choice.