Thai Bank Account for retirement...new rules?

[ravip]

On 6/3/2023 at 6:34 AM, Dghart001 said:

Thanks...I guess I am just curious if anyone knows of an agent or legal firm that will still open an account for me for a fee.

Did you try to get 'introduced' by an account holder of the bank? 

Couple of years ago I opened an account at the Bangkok Bank on a tourist visa. 

[DrJack54]

12 minutes ago, ravip said:

Did you try to get 'introduced' by an account holder of the bank? 

Couple of years ago I opened an account at the Bangkok Bank on a tourist visa. 

Where

[Jeff the Chef]

On the 15th Feb 2023 I moved in with G/F, arrived on a 45 day on arrival visa, first thing we did was go to local Immigration office, Phitsanulok, to notify place of residence, all good, while there I also acquired a 30 day extension, which permitted me to stay till the 29th of March.

On the25th March I departed Dom Mueang for Vietnam, returned the following day for another 30 day visa on arrival, no problems, I am 70 years young.

Back to Phitsanulok Immigration to declare place of residence again, Where I asked what was needed for a Retirement Visa. Was given a A4 sheet of paper in English of all the requirements.

I also informed the Immigration Officer that I had lost my International Driving License and would like to take the Thai driving test, for this I needed a Residence letter for the Test Centre. He said , no problem and after some discussion provide me with 2 letters saying I would need one to open a bank account as well, it cost me 2k baht.

Took a week to pass the test, and I was so pleased to pass as I have no Thai, the day I passed test and received my 2 year license I thought now I'm legal to drive my car, phew, dreaded being stopped at a police check.

That afternoon thinking I'm on a roll, lets try opening a Bangkok Bank account, into local branch, told them what I was after, showed them my Passport, letter from Immigration, deposited 1k baht and received a bank book. Transferred 22k from my UK bank by Swift for 914k baht on the 19th April.

We went on holiday to see friends and had gone on a day trip to Myanmar from Ranong, because of another on arrival visa on our return, back to inform Immigration of the new visa, where I showed them my bank book with the funds in the officer said I would need a letter from the bank dated that day, no problem went to bank deposited another 1k baht and paid 100 baht for a letter, back to Immigration where  I was told to return on the 25th May and they would issue me with a Non O with a view to retirement.

May 25th back to Immigration and duly received my Non O visa, and a  stamp about retirement pending in Thai and a 90 day permit to stay which is good till the 21st Aug. 

Now the plan is to go with the required Docs sometime in late June when the money deposited has been in my account for over 2 months to get the Retirement Visa as per their office paperwork received in English.

We have also had a visit from them at home where everything was very friendly, few photo's taken and our neighbors were interview and signed some paperwork, so all's good here.

Hope this helps OP

Edited June 5, 2023 by Jeff the Chef
can't spell

[ravip]

39 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Where

Don Mueng Airport branch 

[judokrab]

On 6/3/2023 at 9:09 AM, StayinThailand2much said:

Opening a bank account with SCB (as a foreigner) has always been a challenge unless one is recommended by a current customer.

SCB is the easiest bank to open an account with. I opened an account with them last week, and they didn't even want to see a Certificate of Residence.
 
 

[StayinThailand2much]

4 minutes ago, judokrab said:

SCB is the easiest bank to open an account with. I opened an account with them last week, and they didn't even want to see a Certificate of Residence.

Good to hear, so maybe opening an account with SCB got easier, while at other banks it got harder.

Edited June 5, 2023 by StayinThailand2much

[Brick Top]

Well you cant blame the banks for these new rules. Apparently there are 3.6 Million abandoned accounts with no funds in that tourists opened while on holiday over the past several years. 

Now the banks are abruptly refusing to open any new accounts if your on a tourist Visa.

Ideally you could have applied for a 90 day Non immigrant O Visa based on retirement in your own country.

Then you would have had no problems opening a bank account and be able to place the required 800,000 in it for 2 months . Then during the last 30 days of if your 90 days applied for the 12 months retirement extension.

 

[judokrab]

11 minutes ago, Jeff the Chef said:

On the 15th Feb 2023 I moved in with G/F [...]

Now the plan is to go with the required Docs sometime in late June when the money deposited has been in my account for over 2 months to get the Retirement Visa as per their office paperwork received in English.
 

We have also had a visit from them at home where everything was very friendly, few photo's taken and our neighbors were interview and signed some paperwork, so all's good here.

Hope this helps OP

Why on earth would they do a home visit for a retirement visa?!
 

[judokrab]

4 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

Good to hear, so maybe opening an account with SCB got easier, while at other banks it got harder.

Kasikorn got easier too. No Certificate of Residence required there either. 

[Mike Teavee]

Answer from one of Pattaya Visa Agents about opening a Bank account as a "Tourist"...

 

If you have 60 days normal tourist E-visa, you can open bank account, but you have to have 30 days left on your visa. If you extend 30 days, the bank account can be opened the same day.

 

With only entry stamp bank account can't be opened. Bank wants your visa document.

 

Again, this due to the the Banking Regulation changes that came into effect March 2023, any experiences (Including my own) of opening accounts before then are not really relevant. 

Edited June 5, 2023 by Mike Teavee

[Seeall]

On 6/3/2023 at 7:32 AM, CartagenaWarlock said:

May be check with an agent that will open only Bank Account, without the retirement visa. Opening bank accounts on a Tourist Visa is an issue many have posted it. 

Also try to name the bank...  so they get less business at least...  some here have loads of funds with business and all and every little offputting thing helps...

[Liverpool Lou]

On 6/3/2023 at 7:40 AM, Lite Beer said:

On 6/3/2023 at 7:37 AM, Dghart001 said:

I don't mind paying 5k or so to open one...just a bit surprised that not even Siam Legal is doing it anymore.

You would be charged the 5k every year.☹️

No, that is false information, the policy premium would only continue if the policy holder wanted to continue with the cover.  The bank would not close an established, active account simply because a life insurance policy had been cancelled if the account holder did not want to continue the policy.

Edited June 5, 2023 by Liverpool Lou

[DrJack54]

30 minutes ago, ravip said:

Don Mueng Airport branch 

Don't know how you managed to open a bank account at DMX without a certificate of residence.

 

[Liverpool Lou]

On 6/3/2023 at 7:56 AM, phetphet said:

...the Residence Certificate a.k.a Certificate of Residence

Thanks for explaining that perplexing "difference"!

[Liverpool Lou]

On 6/3/2023 at 8:03 AM, Lite Beer said:

On 6/3/2023 at 7:55 AM, scottiejohn said:

Why?

You only open the account once!

They will take the "insurance" fee from your account every year.

Not if the policy is not continued, the bank cannot take funds from customers' accounts without authorisation.

[Liverpool Lou]

On 6/3/2023 at 8:22 AM, scubascuba3 said:

On 6/3/2023 at 7:40 AM, Lite Beer said:

You would be charged the 5k every year.☹️

you won't, one year scam insurance only, only real fools renew

You're right except for the "scam insurance" part, the customer has the cover provided by the policy after the first premium has been paid, there is no "scam".

[DrJack54]

38 minutes ago, judokrab said:

Kasikorn got easier too. No Certificate of Residence required there either. 

What type of visa/extension.

Which province 

 

38 minutes ago, judokrab said:

SCB is the easiest bank to open an account with. I opened an account with them last week, and they didn't even want to see a Certificate of Residence

Which province

Visa/extension status?

Edited June 5, 2023 by DrJack54

[Liverpool Lou]

On 6/3/2023 at 9:19 AM, NoshowJones said:

I tried to open an account with TTJ

What is TTJ?

[Liverpool Lou]

On 6/3/2023 at 12:55 PM, DrJack54 said:

He can use an agent to open a bank account. 

Can he?  As that was the sole point of his OP, which one are you suggesting?

[Liverpool Lou]

On 6/3/2023 at 3:04 PM, TimeMachine said:

Try krungsri bank centre Rd pattaya. Tell em Dave said Sawasdee.

They said, "no chance, who the 'uck is Dave, anyway, Dave who?"!

Edited June 5, 2023 by Liverpool Lou

[Liverpool Lou]

On 6/3/2023 at 10:06 PM, chalawaan said:

It's called racism back home. 

No, it is not, in the same circumstances it'd be called banking regulations.

Edited June 5, 2023 by Liverpool Lou

[Liverpool Lou]

On 6/3/2023 at 10:17 PM, JimTripper said:

Get a postpaid cell plan with AIS or true move with your name and address on it, bring that in…

Need a work permit for post paid phone plan!

[Liverpool Lou]

On 6/4/2023 at 7:41 AM, gearbox said:

In his current circumstances a corrupt agent would be probably the cheapest way to open an account.

Why a "corrupt" agent?   A non-corrupt agent could do the same but it's the bank officer that would be corrupt, not the agent.

[Liverpool Lou]

7 hours ago, rwill said:

Immigration should have some letter for you to give to the bank stating you need to open an account.

That's a new (and highly unlikely) suggestion, what makes you think that something that has never been brought up before is the case?

Edited June 5, 2023 by Liverpool Lou

[ravip]

50 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Don't know how you managed to open a bank account at DMX without a certificate of residence.

 

Like I mentioned, it was a couple of years back (20/04/2016). At that time, what the bank needed was on their website.

No, I did not open any insurance policy.

 

 

Below I post a screenshot from an old thread:

But today, that link gives this information:

 

 

So it seems the rules have changed?

 

 

Edited June 5, 2023 by ravip

[Liverpool Lou]

6 hours ago, rwill said:

7 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

No.

Unless an agent was involved. 

He would need a certificate of residence or letter from his embassy as a minimum in Bangkok. 

 

Purchased insurance policy? 

Expand  

He did get a letter from the british embassy

A rather important and relevant point, why didn't you mention that it wasn't as just as your post suggested?

[Liverpool Lou]

6 hours ago, rwill said:

What is so silly about this is that it is Thai law that you have a Thai bank account to obtain certain permission to stay(extensions).

So for a retirement extension it is Thai law that you are not allowed to work and that you need a Thai bank account. 

Why is it so hard for the banks to understand this?

The banks don't need to "understand" it for the minimal number of foreigner's accounts they're asked to open.

[Liverpool Lou]

5 hours ago, Almer said:

It is the cocky bank staff in there high heels making it up to seem important

B0ll0cks.

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, Jeff the Chef said:

...so all's good here.

Hope this helps OP

Can't imagine for a moment how all that would help the OP.

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, judokrab said:

SCB is the easiest bank to open an account with. I opened an account with them last week, and they didn't even want to see a Certificate of Residence.

Most people would disagree vehemently with that claim due to personal experiences but, regardless, which branch opened your account and specifically what documentation did they require last week?