Opening a bank account on tourist visa right now

[nobledomination]

I got rejected by 3 bank branches, Bangkok bank, K bank and Krum in Bangkok Rama9. Said I need a longer term visa. Is it possible to open a bank account somewhere in Bangkok on a tourist visa?

[CharlieH]

Banking forum !

 

MOVED

[farang9392]

The old advice was keep trying, allocate a day, knock back try the next, exercise patience, take the paid add-ons if a prerequisite for an account, whilst preferring banks - specifically KBank and Bangkok Bank in high end expat friendly malls - Emquartier etc...   However I know two people who recently followed exactly this and had zero success, they did get to spend several hours waiting in banks though.

I think the agent route is the only viable one for tourist visa nowadays at least in Bangkok - do share if you have success otherwise though.

 

 

Edited June 13, 2023 by farang9392

[Dan O]

Its become quite difficult in BKK as a result of the fake accounts created by the Chinese in the grey market scandal. Typically you need a Certificate of Residency which you cant get normally until you file your 90 day report. I was, along with a number of other people, able to open an account with Krungsri Bank while here on a visa exempt entry with an extension without the C of R back in November 2022 before the Chinese problem surfaced.

 

Some on here will say that's "rubbish" and I didnt, but I did do it. I am down in NST and others were in Phuket, Pattaya and several other places. I only had a passport, TM30 copy and an International Drivers Permit, which for some reason they were quite insistent to see and copy it. I also had account verification letters from my 2 banks in the USA but they said "no need".

 

I explained I would be converting to a Non Imm O for retirement and needed to start making my deposits. They called the main Office in BKK and confirmed with them and opened my account. Most will say you will be required to buy an insurance policy but the girl I dealt with only showed me the paperwork and said if I was interested but never asked me to buy it. 

 

You can also use an agent to open an account if you strike out everywhere.

[JoseThailand]

On 6/13/2023 at 2:23 PM, Dan O said:

Its become quite difficult in BKK as a result of the fake accounts created by the Chinese in the grey market scandal. Typically you need a Certificate of Residency which you cant get normally until you file your 90 day report. I was, along with a number of other people, able to open an account with Krungsri Bank while here on a visa exempt entry with an extension without the C of R back in November 2022 before the Chinese problem surfaced.

 

Some on here will say that's "rubbish" and I didnt, but I did do it. I am down in NST and others were in Phuket, Pattaya and several other places. I only had a passport, TM30 copy and an International Drivers Permit, which for some reason they were quite insistent to see and copy it. I also had account verification letters from my 2 banks in the USA but they said "no need".

 

I explained I would be converting to a Non Imm O for retirement and needed to start making my deposits. They called the main Office in BKK and confirmed with them and opened my account. Most will say you will be required to buy an insurance policy but the girl I dealt with only showed me the paperwork and said if I was interested but never asked me to buy it. 

 

You can also use an agent to open an account if you strike out everywhere.

I think the problem was not the Chinese, but the influx of Russian draft dodgers. They were especially eager to open bank accounts because Russian-issued Visa and Mastercard cards are not working outside Russia.

[CANSIAM]

5 minutes ago, JoseThailand said:

I think the problem was not the Chinese, but the influx of Russian draft dodgers. They were especially eager to open bank accounts because Russian-issued Visa and Mastercard cards are not working outside Russia.

A few months back at SCB, I'm sitting at a tellers desk, a young Russian couple seated next at another teller trying to open an account and at the same time on his phone - assuming a Russian agent, it was not going well for them document wise, he ended up hollering at the staff of 6 women who looked terrified. Nasty behaviour of intimidation for a people lucky enough to land here......don't know if they got their desperately needed bank account......   

[Dan O]

2 hours ago, JoseThailand said:

I think the problem was not the Chinese, but the influx of Russian draft dodgers. They were especially eager to open bank accounts because Russian-issued Visa and Mastercard cards are not working outside Russia.

Yes the Russian added to the problem. But it was the Grey market Chinese business' that got caught and all the fake accounts that had been opened for them that started the ball rolling

[brianthainess]

Try Krungsri bank aka, yellow bank. or ask in a BKB about 'buying' their accident insurance.......that seems for some reason to do away with the need of a LOR. you may need a rental agreement. 

[Mike Teavee]

On 6/13/2023 at 1:14 PM, nobledomination said:

Said I need a longer term visa. Is it possible to open a bank account somewhere in Bangkok on a tourist visa?

Do you have a Visa or did you enter Visa Exempt?

 

I've heard from a couple of agents that since March 2023 they are no longer able to open a bank account unless you have a Visa (any sort) & have at least 30 days permission to stay remaining on it.

 

One (https://bio.link/majesty - In Pattaya) did say that if you had a Tourist Visa they could help you extend it (and so get an extra 30 days) and open a Bank account the same day .

 

There's a thread on opening bank accounts here... BM @Dghart001did report that he was able to open an account in Hua Hin in the end... 

 

 

 

In Bangkok, I used Siam Legal (3K) to open mine years ago BUT in the thread above the OP reports they would only open an account for him as part of the Non-IMM O Conversion package (38K). 

  

 

 

[TimeMachine]

I recommend krungsri bank and say that you need it to buy a condo and transfer 4M baht in a few months. 

 

No guarantees but worth a try. I feel sorry for younger generations.  Dealing with all sorts of organisations is becoming a headache. 

[Everyman]

I see on a lot of forums people saying that every branch has their own rules and you just need to keep trying. 

 

But if this was ever true, it isn’t anymore, and branches have standardized their procedures. 

 

As usual someone will say “i just opened an account and it and it was so easy” but then it turns out they are on a one year non immigrant OA and not a tourist visa or it was 6 years ago or something. 

[n00dle]

On 6/13/2023 at 1:14 PM, nobledomination said:

I got rejected by 3 bank branches, Bangkok bank, K bank and Krum in Bangkok Rama9. Said I need a longer term visa. Is it possible to open a bank account somewhere in Bangkok on a tourist visa?

Seems like you are a prime candidate for an agent. If i were in your shoes i would dedicate a single day to getting it done and if i falied id simply throw some money at the problem.   

[n00dle]

6 hours ago, JoseThailand said:

I think the problem was not the Chinese, but the influx of Russian draft dodgers. They were especially eager to open bank accounts because Russian-issued Visa and Mastercard cards are not working outside Russia.

Russians are a drop in the bucket and hardly an issue in Bangkok. They have inudated tourist locations, not so much the mahankorn itself.
 

Chinese crime on the otherhand has for some reason become a major bugbear. I think the authoriies who were turnng a blind eye to the whole thing were caught out by just how far the Chinese criminal influence has spread. Now they are doing domage control and trying to save face.   

[NativeBob]

I'm sure its completely up to the teller/officer at any given bank. 

Many times I saw Great White Farangs from somewhere between Greece and UK being rejected for mere reasons: arrogant, mean, stinky, agitated. Thais have very low threshold of patience.