Agents to open bank account

[ian carman]

8 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

One last point.

I realize you indicate dealing with Pathum Thani ....there may be possibility of you moving to Bangkok and using CW.

SCB does not have branch at CW.

Suggest Bangkok Bank and Kasikorn best options for you. 

We have a house in Pathum Thani city 

[gamb00ler]

2 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

If you are obtaining a non O in your own country you won't have an issue in opening a bank account.

Kasikorn (one example) will open an account if you have a non O.

 

 

I only tried to open an account at two KBank branches while on my original Non "O" visa.  Both said I needed to be on a one year extension before they would give me an account.  KBank's customer service line told me the same thing.  After I got my extension I went back to one of the branches to open an account.  This time they told me I needed to deposit 10K ฿.  I just gave a small laugh and said "I don't think that's correct".  I got my account with a 500฿ deposit, my passport and a certificate of residency from Immigration.

Edited April 30, 2023 by gamb00ler

[DrJack54]

3 minutes ago, gamb00ler said:

I only tried to open an account at two KBank branches while on my original Non "O" visa.  Both said I needed to be on a one year extension before they would give me an account.  KBank's customer service line told me the same thing.  After I got my extension I went back to one of the branches to open an account.  This time they told me I needed to deposit 10K ฿.  I just gave a small laugh and said "I don't think that's correct".  I got my account with a 500฿ deposit, my passport and a certificate of residency from Immigration.

Thanks for very clear feedback.

Which immigration office do you deal with asking regarding your province 

 

 

[RocketDog]

13 hours ago, JimTripper said:

Why would someone need a wise transfer?

 

Almost any bank can transfer bank to bank, or if not a direct wire is universally accepted as a last resort.

Wise uses mid-market FX rates. Most banks offer exchange rates considerably higher. That is the entire point of Wise's business model.

If you follow such topics on AN you see many folks here use Wise as I have for 5 years. It's the fastest and cheapest.

It should be the first resort and other methods the last, as you noted.

[wildpuppet72]

Open and account in kasikorn no need for any special things very easy just walk in and in less than 15 minutes you are good with a new account 

[Snugs08]

Latest bangkok agent price to open a BB account is 10k for what it's worth, this was quoted april, agent also suggested to friend try yourself first - it seems like they're not making a killing on it if they are saying that. Just adding for reference so you know what to expect price wise with agents closer to your home.

[watchcat]

14 hours ago, JimTripper said:

Anyone have experience with Krung Thai Bank, they are government owned.

Always crowded, avoid is my recommendation.

Edited May 1, 2023 by watchcat

[hotandsticky]

30 minutes ago, wildpuppet72 said:

Open and account in kasikorn no need for any special things very easy just walk in and in less than 15 minutes you are good with a new account 

 

Do you normally carry a Certificate of Residence around with you?

[foreverlomsak]

14 hours ago, JimTripper said:

Anyone have experience with Krung Thai Bank, they are government owned.

In my local branch Wednesday is the best day to go, but be prepared for a long wait for any form of counter service, always queued out the door and down the steps, with 30/40 in front of you. The ATM and Book Update machines are nearly always having one problem or another.

[JimTripper]

16 minutes ago, foreverlomsak said:

In my local branch Wednesday is the best day to go, but be prepared for a long wait for any form of counter service, always queued out the door and down the steps, with 30/40 in front of you. The ATM and Book Update machines are nearly always having one problem or another.

Why would you need counter service? I have not been into a bank in years. Just use the ATM.

[gamb00ler]

27 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

 

Do you normally carry a Certificate of Residence around with you?

I'm lucky in that I'm pretty close to both CM Immigration locations and the drive through/walk up window 90-day service is very fast.  I often take five extra minutes to stop by and request a couple COR's while I'm there.  They only charge for the postage and I use the extra photos I get when doing an extension.

[foreverlomsak]

1 minute ago, JimTripper said:

Why would you need counter service? I have not been into a bank in years. Just use the ATM.

Used to paid by check/cheque, and they were the only local bank that would exchange them for cash, also to pay an annual Insurance Bill, no other local bank would allow me to pay through them, 7-11 are now able to accept payment (changed in the last 2 years) and as I said

"The ATM and Book Update machines are nearly always having one problem or another." 

[ian carman]

My OP was asking if it’s true that Pathum Thani won’t give out COR so still waiting for some local knowledge 

[JoseThailand]

1 hour ago, wildpuppet72 said:

Open and account in kasikorn no need for any special things very easy just walk in and in less than 15 minutes you are good with a new account 

With a Non-Imm visa in your passport, very easy indeed

[alanrchase]

14 hours ago, ian carman said:

I recently sent £10 k with wise arrived in seconds wife received about 420000bt .Lloyds bank would have received about £390000 if lucky massive saving on a relatively small amount 

What a load of bs. I use Lloyds and international transfers are free. I get about 0.3-0.4 baht below mid rate on the exchange. I make sure the transfer is done in sterling and the exchange done by the Thai bank (BBL). The Thai bank charges 500 baht. For a transfer of £10,000 at 42 I will receive about 41,100 baht after all fees. Last transfer a couple of months ago took 23 hours which is fine with me.

[gamb00ler]

9 minutes ago, alanrchase said:

For a transfer of £10,000 at 42 I will receive about 41,100 baht after all fees

Somebody will be along shortly to point out that you dropped a zero from the total ฿ received.????????

[Liverpool Lou]

17 hours ago, Red Phoenix said:

18 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

"...Banks that deal almost exclusively with Thai clientele (like GSD) are as good..."

I'd disagree, banks such a GSB (GSD?) are probably not as good for foreigners because of their relatively small foreign customer base and less interaction with foreigners.

Expand  

Do read the FULL sentence that I wrote > Banks that deal almost exclusively with Thai clientele (like GSD) are as good as always very busy and they will have little experience with how to deal with foreigners that are in need of specific Bank documents to meet Immigration requirements.

So the both of us are in agreement.

Yes, I did read you comment in full, hence my response. Did you read it yourself before posting it?

1)  What is the "GSD"?

2) You posted, "Banks that deal almost exclusively with Thai clientele (like GSD) are as good...".  "As good" as what, all the other Thais banks?  I do not agree with that for the (confused) reasons you, yourself give, i.e. little experience of dealing with foreigners, for one.

[alanrchase]

5 minutes ago, gamb00ler said:

Somebody will be along shortly to point out that you dropped a zero from the total ฿ received.????????

Thanks for pointing that out. I would receive 415,500 baht, way above the 390,000 claimed by the poster.

[KannikaP]

14 hours ago, ian carman said:

Maybe 4to 5 baht more on the exchange rate might be a factor 

Baht or Satang?

[DrJack54]

44 minutes ago, ian carman said:

My OP was asking if it’s true that Pathum Thani won’t give out COR so still waiting for some local knowledge 

Most threads on certificate of residence state info from various offices.

Pathum Thani does not get mentioned often....

 

Here is cut and paste from one thread....

 

'In my experience, which admittedly is limited to 2 different immigration offices only , it varies from office to office.

 

I paid 500 baht in Pathum Thani and zero baht in Ayutthaya, on both occasions it was issued immediately."

[Red Phoenix]

23 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

Yes, I did read you comment in full, hence my response. Did you read it yourself before posting it?

1)  What is the "GSD"?

2) You posted, "Banks that deal almost exclusively with Thai clientele (like GSD) are as good...".  "As good" as what, all the other Thais banks?  I do not agree with that for the (confused) reasons you, yourself give, i.e. little experience of dealing with foreigners, for one.

This was the full sentence that I wrote:

> Banks that deal almost exclusively with Thai clientele (like GSD) are as good as always very busy and they will have little experience with how to deal with foreigners that are in need of specific Bank documents to meet Immigration requirements.

#1 - My reference to GSD was a typo, I meant to refer to GSB - Thai Government Savings Bank (which were I reside, is always very crowded with Thai people doing their bank business there). 

#2 - I wrote 'as good as always very busy with Thai clientele' meaning 'almost always very busy'. 

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary > Synonyms for AS GOOD AS are: almost, nearly, practically, about, fairly, more or less, next to, most. 

But maybe the syntax of the sentence I wrote, was not clear as I am not a native english speaker.  Hope this now solves the confusion. 

[AgMech Cowboy]

14 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

I realize you indicate dealing with Pathum Thani ....there may be possibility of you moving to Bangkok and using CW.

IF he shows a Pathum Thani address CW will send him to No. 159 Village No. 7, Suan Prik Prik Subdistrict, Mueang Pathum Thani District, Pathum Thani Province to the immigration office there. If he finds an agent at CW then the agent may help him get a bank in the area and manage his Visa or extension.

My advice, if you live in PT, then either do it yourself or get a PT agent. (check prices, I don't know any, but I can find out a CW one for you...)

[AgMech Cowboy]

19 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

• Bangkok Bank Public Company

• Kasikorn Bank

• Siam Commercial Bank" 

Op, I wouldn't consider any other bank companies in Thailand for a foreigner.

@ian carmanTo your specific post.  Yes, there are agents 'around' Pathum Thani immigration. They don't hang out. They go there to help a client. I can usually spot the ones who are agents versus the girlfriend or buddy who are assisting on a personal basis.  Usually they'll have at least 3 or more clients with documents in hand.  You'll have to approach them. They are not there handing out name cards and soliciting clients.  Good luck.

 

I'm thinking from your question that you do not have an 'extension' of your permit to stay based on Marriage or Retirement.  So now I'm talking without specific knowledge, but without you being registered at the immigration office, I don't think they'll give you a COR. But, really, I am not sure about that.

Edited May 1, 2023 by AgMech Cowboy

[Toby1947]

Thai bank account, Selling house in the U.K. another lamb to the slaughter. Forget it 

[ian carman]

2 hours ago, alanrchase said:

What a load of bs. I use Lloyds and international transfers are free. I get about 0.3-0.4 baht below mid rate on the exchange. I make sure the transfer is done in sterling and the exchange done by the Thai bank (BBL). The Thai bank charges 500 baht. For a transfer of £10,000 at 42 I will receive about 41,100 baht after all fees. Last transfer a couple of months ago took 23 hours which is fine with me.

 Not my experience with Lloyds 

[ian carman]

2 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Most threads on certificate of residence state info from various offices.

Pathum Thani does not get mentioned often....

 

Here is cut and paste from one thread....

 

'In my experience, which admittedly is limited to 2 different immigration offices only , it varies from office to office.

 

I paid 500 baht in Pathum Thani and zero baht in Ayutthaya, on both occasions it was issued immediately."

Sounds promising just last week a guy on here stated that they weren’t interested and told him to go to uk embassy,which don’t issue them

[ian carman]

44 minutes ago, Toby1947 said:

Thai bank account, Selling house in the U.K. another lamb to the slaughter. Forget it 

Lying on a beach for 8 years or working ,tough choose 

[ian carman]

1 hour ago, AgMech Cowboy said:

Op, I wouldn't consider any other bank companies in Thailand for a foreigner.

@ian carmanTo your specific post.  Yes, there are agents 'around' Pathum Thani immigration. They don't hang out. They go there to help a client. I can usually spot the ones who are agents versus the girlfriend or buddy who are assisting on a personal basis.  Usually they'll have at least 3 or more clients with documents in hand.  You'll have to approach them. They are not there handing out name cards and soliciting clients.  Good luck.

 

I'm thinking from your question that you do not have an 'extension' of your permit to stay based on Marriage or Retirement.  So now I'm talking without specific knowledge, but without you being registered at the immigration office, I don't think they'll give you a COR. But, really, I am not sure about that.

Thanks for the local information.I haven’t got a non o yet but just want to make sure that I don’t leave uk and find out I can’t get a bank account and therefore an extension ps my pension will be too low 

[Red Phoenix]

2 hours ago, alanrchase said:

What a load of bs. I use Lloyds and international transfers are free. I get about 0.3-0.4 baht below mid rate on the exchange. I make sure the transfer is done in sterling and the exchange done by the Thai bank (BBL). The Thai bank charges 500 baht. For a transfer of £10,000 at 42 I will receive about 41,100 baht after all fees. Last transfer a couple of months ago took 23 hours which is fine with me.

Below a snip of what WISE would provide you when sending 1.000 GBP at this very moment (the Mid-Exchange rate changes every minute, so you can wait for a good rate or set an alarm to send you a mail when the rate of your choice is being reached).

When I use WISE and click GO I will know exactly the amount of THB that will be transferred to my Thai Bank-account and it arrives in seconds (as I am banking with Kasikorn, which is a WISE partner-bank).

https://wise.com/gb/send-money/?sourceCurrency=GBP&targetCurrency=THB&sourceAmount=1000

[alanrchase]

9 minutes ago, Red Phoenix said:

Below a snip of what WISE would provide you when sending 1.000 GBP at this very moment (the Mid-Exchange rate changes every minute, so you can wait for a good rate or set an alarm to send you a mail when the rate of your choice is being reached).

When I use WISE and click GO I will know exactly the amount of THB that will be transferred to my Thai Bank-account and it arrives in seconds (as I am banking with Kasikorn, which is a WISE partner-bank).

https://wise.com/gb/send-money/?sourceCurrency=GBP&targetCurrency=THB&sourceAmount=1000

I have no issue with Wise, my point was that you do not get an exchange rate that is 3 baht below the mid rate when you do a bank to bank transfer, that is the bs.