Foreigner Bank Account Requirements

[Bruno123]

15 hours ago, Carrbhoy said:

 

Siam Legal provide this service for 4500 THB. I'm in the process of doing the same thing - arriving on a TR & converting to a Retirement. Got an email from them this morning to arrange a meeting to sort when I arrive in Chiang Mai.

 

The other ways (covered in the other replies) were too hit and miss (& time consuming) for me. I need the account open quickly so will throw some money at it and remove the hassle.

 

You may book for our service for opening a bank account through this
page:
https://www.siam-legal.com/other-services/opening-a-bank-account-in-thailand.php

 

 

 

Seems that you have convinced yourself.

Do you need to be told that this is the Pattaya board? Your post has nothing to do with anything here.

Quote

After you have made the payment, our staff will contact you to arrange an appointment in our office and to arrange the opening of bank account in Bangkok only

Chiang Mai? Bangkok?

 

There is no hit & miss here; it is as described. 

 

It's not as if you just sit at home, pay the money and the give you a bank book and ATM card; you still have to run around.

The only difference is that they draft up a Guarantee letter that will cost you at least 3500 baht.

[Bruno123]

13 hours ago, natway09 said:

Once some people get wound up they really go for it don't they & some porkies here as well

Like , every KTB savings account attracts interest, sure small at present but credited twice a year.

Banks discourage opening accounts on a tourist visa (not sure what the law says) & having been in

the industry I do not blame them as all these guys gung ho about their future here, most fall by the wayside & leave tiddly amounts in an account which when you have thousands of them ( & that is what would happen) they are a pain in the proverbial for the bank.

A bona fide person with the right reasons for opening ( A promises of sending 100,000 transfers every month is not a reason, as they have heard it all before) & a pleasant disposition will never have a problem opening an account

 

Why are accounts with a small amount left in them a pain in the proverbial for the banks?

Bona fide? What are you talking? Pleasant disposition? You are really just making this all up. ????

 

[Bruno123]

13 hours ago, billaaa777 said:

Great advice. Only look around the tourist areas, they are used to dealing with foreigners. Since you are new here, all these branches make up their own rules based on who the manager is. Just because it is a rule that must be followed at one branch, it certainly does not mean another branch won't totally ignore that rule.

 

It's the Pattaya board....I think it's a tourist area.

[Bruno123]

3 hours ago, brianthainess said:

I have never had a WP and have opened 4 bank accounts, The Bank of Ayudhya aka; yellow bank was the friendliest and easiest, not sure if they still do but used to have 'A tourist' account.  Bangkok bank was the worst even with a retirement visa, insisting on a WP but it does depend on whether the staff can be bovered. As already suggested Tourist areas will be more accommodating. Don't forget there are a lot of things you can't do over the counter unless it is the branch where you open the account. Good luck but I would try the Bank Of Ayudhya first.

Bad advice for the Pattaya resident. Bangkok Bank is actually a sure thing here.

 

[Carrbhoy]

10 hours ago, Bruno123 said:

 

Seems that you have convinced yourself.

Do you need to be told that this is the Pattaya board? Your post has nothing to do with anything here.

Chiang Mai? Bangkok?

 

There is no hit & miss here; it is as described. 

 

It's not as if you just sit at home, pay the money and the give you a bank book and ATM card; you still have to run around.

The only difference is that they draft up a Guarantee letter that will cost you at least 3500 baht.

Breathe Bruno.......thanks for pointing out the thread was in the Pattaya board. Clicked on the link in the daily email and didn't realise.

 

[Jenkins9039]

On 10/5/2021 at 9:40 PM, Chosenfew said:

Advice about what banks require to open up a savings account with ATM services.

Can this be done on a tourist visa?

In the old days you used to be able to walk into a branch and slap down 50-100k and open one, but with AMOL laws now, the Thai Government cracked down on Thailand being utilised for funnelling filthy funds into and out of the country.

 

So i think those days are long gone, unless you get lucky in a tourist area (malls) etc.

[DrJoy]

On 10/6/2021 at 8:58 AM, Kerryd said:

And as others have noted, if you get turned down at one branch, try at another. The bigger the branch or the closer it is to a "touristy" area, the better. Once you have the account open, it is easier to have it transferred to a branch location more convenient to you, even if it's a branch that turned you down when you tried to open an account there.


 

In Thailand,  there is no concept of transferring bank accounts. 

 

You have to open a fresh account,  if you move to a new place.

 

[Kerryd]

On 10/6/2021 at 3:08 PM, tweedledee2 said:

I've lived in Thailand for over 7-1/2 years and I have never received "any" mail from the 3 banks (KTB, BB, KB) where I have accounts.

Whereas I've been "living" here for 17 years and get mail from them on a regular basis. Mail about my Foreign Currency Deposit (FCD) account, mail about my investments, mail about my (AIA) healthcare plan I bought through the bank.
 

6 hours ago, DrJoy said:

In Thailand,  there is no concept of transferring bank accounts. 

 

You have to open a fresh account,  if you move to a new place.

Well, correct in that they always want to open a new account for some reason. Probably to do with the routing codes. But then after opening the new account they transfer the money from your other account and close it for you so it is basically the same thing except you have a new bank book (and maybe a new ATM card as well). 
I opened my first Bangkok Bank account at a large branch on #2 Road near the Marine Hotel. When I moved to the Darkside I went to a small branch office close to my home and they transferred my accounts without question.
When one of their clerks was promoted and moved to a different branch, she pestered me for a couple weeks to transfer my accounts to her new branch (to make her look better and to make the books at the new branch look better).

I seem to recall in other threads where people have transferred their accounts from a "big city" branch to one near their village in Nakhon Nowhere without problem as well.
No doubt it was the same thing. They open a new account then transfer the money from the old account to their new one.

Though I suspect if they look and see that all you've ever had in the account was 100 baht when you opened it and you withdrew 80 of that the next day and haven't done anything since then they may not want to be bothered.

(Accounts under a certain balance get charged an annual fee. Once they run out of money, the account is suspended. After 3 years it is closed. My old company account was like that, except it had enough balance that it didn't get charged the annual maintenance fee. They contacted me when it had been 7 years without any transactions on the account but I thought there was only 1,000 in the account so I didn't worry about it. A year later I found the bank book for the account and saw I'd actually deposited 5,000 when I opened it..
Went to a branch office, they checked the account (and my ID) and told me it would take a day for them to "unlock" the account. Went back the next day and withdrew the 5,000 plus the 170 baht in interest it had accumulated in the 8  years. My understanding is that if there are no transactions on the account after 3 years (and no balance) it will be automatically closed.)
 

[Conquerbrqvilok]

On 10/6/2021 at 8:57 AM, theoldgit said:

From your link:

 

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.

I opened an account with Bangkok Bank just over a year ago, to facilitate Transferwise deposits, I needed no more than a passport.

 

All this just to deposit your own money and let them use it ?

 

[nglodnig]

I was on a VOA thing and went to our local BBL branch and opened a savings account, which includes an ATM card.

 

I supposed it helped that my (Thai) wife who also has an account there went with me.

[jacko45k]

13 hours ago, nglodnig said:

I supposed it helped that my (Thai) wife who also has an account there went with me.

Yes that is often mentioned as helping to expedite things. 

[DrJoy]

On 10/8/2021 at 6:01 AM, Kerryd said:

My understanding is that if there are no transactions on the account after 3 years (and no balance) it will be automatically closed.)
 

Correct for most banks. 

I bank with Kasikorn, they informed me that if there is no customer induced trx for a year and the balance is less than 2000 THB, the A/c is closed automatically.

[kelboy]

Well I had only 500 baht in for more than a year, it was not closed. 

[jacko45k]

3 hours ago, kelboy said:

Well I had only 500 baht in for more than a year, it was not closed. 

My belief was that an inactive account was subjected to regular charges until nothing was left.

[Moo 2]

The yellow book was never needed to open a bank account, but it helped me for my driver's license.

But since I have been married, for all paper work, no matter what is it, I go with my "half" and never have any problem, mind you, I live in a rural area, that could make a hell of a difference! Everyone knows every one, even the ATM says hello to me.

[Espanol]

On 10/7/2021 at 10:59 AM, Bruno123 said:

Bangkok Bank is actually a sure thing here.

 

I went yesterday to open a deposit account. 

Asked at some banks but no way to open account if not resident with a one year visa.

 

At SCB they clearly said: "go to Bangkok Bank".

 

No problem at Bangkok Bank but they force you to take out life and accident insurance for one year.

 

I tried every branch office of Bangkok Bank in Pattaya and it was always the same.

[stapoz]

Today I tried to open an EUR account at two BKK bank branches in Rayong - no way. They want a work permit. But I know that in Pattaya it is possible. Will try Kungsri tomorrow - they have (almost) the same fees and exchange rates.

[Espanol]

After trying all the banks, the only bank that opens a checking account with a tourist visa is Bangkok Bank. They required me to take out accident insurance the first year.

 

They include a debit card for payments in stores, online purchases and free use of ATMs

 

Any Bangkok Bank branch in Pattaya will allow you to do this, and the conditions are the same in all branches: Beach Road, 3rd Road, 2nd Road, etc.

 

 

Edited May 9, 2023 by Espanol

[JimTripper]

My guess is none of them really mind. Your just walking in and getting employees that are dumb and don’t know how to open accounts ????. Keep trying.

[couchpotato]

8 hours ago, Espanol said:

After trying all the banks, the only bank that opens a checking account with a tourist visa is Bangkok Bank. They required me to take out accident insurance the first year.

 

They include a debit card for payments in stores, online purchases and free use of ATMs

 

Any Bangkok Bank branch in Pattaya will allow you to do this, and the conditions are the same in all branches: Beach Road, 3rd Road, 2nd Road, etc.

 

 

A Checking Account..in this day and age....Also not all banks will allow you to open an account--times change.

 

[Pattaya57]

7 minutes ago, couchpotato said:

A Checking Account..in this day and age....Also not all banks will allow you to open an account--times change.

Yep, my last cheque account was 27 years ago ???? 

[Lemsta69]

2 hours ago, Pattaya57 said:

Yep, my last cheque account was 27 years ago ???? 

He's obviously American and "checking account" has a different meaning Stateside. From what I can gather it simply means an everyday transaction account as they call it in Australia.

 

https://www.capitalone.com/bank/money-management/banking-basics/benefits-of-checking-accounts/

[jacko45k]

16 hours ago, stapoz said:

Today I tried to open an EUR account at two BKK bank branches in Rayong - no way. They want a work permit. But I know that in Pattaya it is possible. Will try Kungsri tomorrow - they have (almost) the same fees and exchange rates.

Yes I have a pal here in Pattaya area has opened Sterling FCD account and I thought it was at the Bangkok Bank....

[Espanol]

16 hours ago, couchpotato said:

A Checking Account..in this day and age....Also not all banks will allow you to open an account--times change.

 

In Spanish "cuenta corriente".

 

Google translates that as "Checking Account", but i'm not sure of the real name for that in English, American or Australian.

 

I mean a personal account, where I can deposit my money and have a debit card to use in shops and ATM.

 

Edited May 10, 2023 by Espanol