Thai Bank Account for retirement...new rules?

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, Robin said:

Now wife and I have our own place and I have papers to prove I live there.  

You do not need to "prove" you live in Thailand to have a bank account.

 

 

[gearbox]

36 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Your just making stuff up.

The branch will require your passport and photocopy ID page and have you sign it.

That's it. 

Are you certain that this is going to happen in any branch/any place in Thailand?

[DrJack54]

10 minutes ago, gearbox said:

Are you certain that this is going to happen in any branch/any place in Thailand?

Yep.

One recommendation it to keep sufficient funds in the account to cover any charges such as card fee etc

 

Some good info in many threads. Here is one.

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/773187-leaving-a-bank-account-open-when-going-back-to-the-home-country/

[ravip]

11 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Yep.

One recommendation it to keep sufficient funds in the account to cover any charges such as card fee etc

 

Some good info in many threads. Here is one.

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/773187-leaving-a-bank-account-open-when-going-back-to-the-home-country/

Thanks for that link.

Yes,  during the Covid lock down,  BB sent a letter saying my account was going into a dormant state and my GF deposited 500 Bahts and all was tickety  boo!

Now, I charge my SIM on and off on-line to to keep both 'alive'.

[JimTripper]

4 minutes ago, ravip said:

Thanks for that link.

Yes,  during the Covid lock down,  BB sent a letter saying my account was going into a dormant state and my GF deposited 500 Bahts and all was tickety  boo!

Now, I charge my SIM on and off on-line to to keep both 'alive'.

What does a SIM card have to do with your bank account? Does the bank account need to be linked to a Thai number?

[treetops]

3 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

What does a SIM card have to do with your bank account?

Loading credit to the SIM from the bank account keeps both the SIM and the account active.

[DrJack54]

11 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

What does a SIM card have to do with your bank account? Does the bank account need to be linked to a Thai number?

No.

Sim card irrelevant.

If you are away from Thailand for some time I would suggest you do online transfer from your home country bank to your Thai bank account 

 

Note: Jim be aware that there is a "banking finance " forum and you can search lot of advice there. 

[ravip]

13 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

What does a SIM card have to do with your bank account? Does the bank account need to be linked to a Thai number?

By  doing this,  my Bank account see some activity,  and my SIM is happy to get some money. 

 

Edit

No. Bank account does not need any link  to a Thai number  - it just needs some activity . Instead of a phone reload,  you can transfer some amount to my bank account to keep your account active!!! ???? 

[DrJack54]

2 minutes ago, ravip said:

By  doing this,  my Bank account see some activity,  and my SIM is happy to get some money. 

Read above.

Sim card is irrelevant. 

Perhaps not best option for folks spending lot of time outside of Thailand 

[ravip]

15 minutes ago, treetops said:

Loading credit to the SIM from the bank account keeps both the SIM and the account active.

Absolutely! Simple!

[ravip]

7 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Read above.

Sim card is irrelevant. 

Perhaps not best option for folks spending lot of time outside of Thailand 

20 Bahts for 1 month...

Would that break the camel's back? 

 

Edit

In real, AIS  needs only 10 baht for 1 month,  but  BB minimum is 20 Bahts. 

[DrJack54]

5 minutes ago, ravip said:

20 Bahts for 1 month...

Would that break the camel's back? 

It's not necessary.

You implied that's  an option.

Yes it is.

However not necessary.

You are overlooking all the guys that work in their own countries and visit on holidays.

They don't need Thai sim card

[ravip]

3 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

It's not necessary.

You implied that's  an option.

Yes it is.

However not necessary.

You are overlooking all the guys that work in their own countries and visit on holidays.

They don't need Thai sim card

Great!

[ravip]

27 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

It's not necessary.

You implied that's  an option.

Yes it is.

However not necessary.

You are overlooking all the guys that work in their own countries and visit on holidays.

They don't need Thai sim card

Why do they need a bank a bank account? 555

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, ravip said:

Why do they need a bank a bank account? 555

Again silly.

Many guys here are married or have gf 

They visit Thailand.

Can be from oil gas workers to snowbirds.

Also guys married to Thai however still working in their own countries..

All of which would have bank account Thailand. 

[ravip]

10 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Again silly.

Many guys here are married or have gf 

They visit Thailand.

Can be from oil gas workers to snowbirds.

Also guys married to Thai however still working in their own countries..

All of which would have bank account Thailand. 

Okay 

[Jeff the Chef]

6 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

I think you were obtaining a non O (not an extension) ?

A home visit for a non O retirement visa not unusual. 

Yes it has Non O written in pen by the Stay Permit stamp, on the Non-Immigration Visa stamp everything is covered by the big red stamp/seal thing, so thanks Dr Jack, that explains why we had the home visit, is there a thread somewhere on here explaining all the different visa categories and what is needed/expected from Immigration Offices, I'll bet there are many thicko's like me who get confused by it all.

[kingstonkid]

not sure if this will help

 

https://www.austchamthailand.com/how-to-open-a-thai-bank-account-the-ultimate-guide-for-expats/#:~:text=You can open a bank,(more on this soon).

I know 12 years ago I had to go bank to bank finally had GF go with me and we got one in a mall kasikorn but BB and others had said no.

 

[Mike Teavee]

2 hours ago, kingstonkid said:

not sure if this will help

 

https://www.austchamthailand.com/how-to-open-a-thai-bank-account-the-ultimate-guide-for-expats/#:~:text=You can open a bank,(more on this soon).

I know 12 years ago I had to go bank to bank finally had GF go with me and we got one in a mall kasikorn but BB and others had said no.

 

That article is from June 2022 so (obviously) doesn’t take into consideration the Banking Regulation changes made in March 2023 which seem to have resulted in…

1. You have to have an actual Visa (cannot open accounts on Visa Exempt anymore).

2. you have to have at least 30 days remaining on your permission to stay (can extend Tourist visa then open account same day)  - I believe this rules out Visa On Arrival (Indian, Chinese etc… passport holders) as these are only valid for 15 days & (IIRC) cannot get 30 day extensions.

3. You need to have a Residency Certificate (which in Bangkok/CW means you have to have filed a TM47 90 Day Report).

 

 

[DrJack54]

2 hours ago, Mike Teavee said:

You need to have a Residency Certificate (which in Bangkok/CW means you have to have filed a TM47 90 Day Report).

All of your post is correct.

An alternative to the certificate of residence is letter from your embassy.

However not all countries provide that service.

Oz being one and thinking either US or UK also do not.

(Not referring to income letter) 

[JimTripper]

Just an update. I tried 3 banks in Pattaya today. All wanted the residence certificate even with an O-A visa, so the certificate is most likely needed these days.

[DrJack54]

22 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

Just an update. I tried 3 banks in Pattaya today. All wanted the residence certificate even with an O-A visa, so the certificate is most likely needed these days.

If you decide to obtain certificate of residence here is a link for doing that at Jomtien.

Disregard the tm6 listed in first reply.

https://aseannow.com/topic/1204090-apply-for-certificate-of-residence-at-jomtien/

[CartagenaWarlock]

On 6/5/2023 at 2:25 AM, Seeall said:

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...

If people have loads of funds, they won't have any problem getting accounts in a banks. 

[Hanaguma]

If you go to Chiang Mai, Thai Buddy can help. They got me a Cert. of Residence for I think 1800 baht once I had the TM30 from my AirBnb. Then I went to Bangkok Bank at Siam TV Building. Told them I wanted an account for retirement funds, they were very good about it.  I was on a 30 day visa free at that point as well. 

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, CartagenaWarlock said:

If people have loads of funds, they won't have any problem getting accounts in a banks. 

That is throw away line. 

From the OP...

 

"Does anyone now of any other bangkok based agent that can still open an account?" 

 

Clearly dealing with Bangkok.

He would require a certificate of residence or letter from embassy.

"Loads of funds" would do nothing. 

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, Hanaguma said:

If you go to Chiang Mai, Thai Buddy can help.

The OP clearly stated is Bangkok specific

[JimTripper]

Can I get a residence certificate from Pattaya and use it to open a bank account in Bangkok?

 

I may want my bank branch in Bangkok.

[Wake Up]

On 6/5/2023 at 4:08 PM, JimTripper said:

Is Bangkok Bank better then Kasikorn in any way?

I do not know. I do know Bangkok Bank near Sukhumvit Soi 10 has not provided me any problems since 2016. They speak English and never had a problem with them. 

[Red Phoenix]

On 6/6/2023 at 12:08 AM, Mike Teavee said:

Regulation changes made in March 2023 which seem to have resulted in…

1. You have to have an actual Visa (cannot open accounts on Visa Exempt anymore).

Hi Mike,

That first point implies that - unless you had the foresight to open a personal Thai bank-account before March 2023 - the 'change of Visa process', i.e. applying for the 90-day Non Imm O Visa at your local Imm Office after having entered Thailand VisaExempt has become virtually impossible.

But as this is Thailand, there must be ways to dodge that rule, the obvious one being making use of a Visa Agent to help you with opening a Bank-Account. 

If you do not want to make use of an Agent, it looks that when you want to apply in-country for the Non Imm O Visa that you need to enter on a Tourist Visa in order to be able to open a Personal Thai bank-account, which is a pre-requisite to meet the financial requirements for such application.

[JimTripper]

Using an agent gives me the creeps. If an agent is used who’s account is it, mine or the agents?

 

If it’s mine why would I need to keep using the same agent every year as some have written and not a different agent? I could decide to just put in my own retirement funds in at some point, would I need to open another account later on and would there be problems doing that?

 

There’s a lot of blurring of boundaries in Thailand that leeches over into financial matters. It happens on many levels. Just something to be aware of.