Requirements for opening savings account at SCB?

[cdemundo]

I have read several times while googling this that SCB only requires a passport and a deposit in Thai Currency.

 

But I have not seen any mention of what visa might be required.

 

I called SCB and was told to come into the branch.

(I called SCB branch at Central Chitlom because I have seen mentioned that branches in tourist areas are more likely to open an account for foreigners).

The person was apparently trying to be helpful but wasn't sure of the answer.

She said things I didn't understand as well about SCB getting verification from my prospective employer.

So I wasn't sure what she was telling me.

 

I am on an SETV.

 

I have a job offer and my prospective employer is applying for a non B visa for me.

Thay have asked me to open an account at SCB for deposit of my salary.

 

Should I just wait until I get the non-B visa?

 

thanks.

[circa02]

SCB are very strict now for account opening. They have big silly book of what acceptable ID looks like, and zero ability to reason beyond what the big book of A, B,Cs say. For example even though I'm married and staying on extension, they wanted to see the NON-IMM O full page visa affixed to the passport as indicated in the big book of A, B, Cs, no amount of explaining extensions and arriving on e-visas would be accepted, the big book of A, B, Cs doesn't cover e-visas and/or extensions of stay. I argued the toss with them until the manager said I can apply for an exemption from head office and if they say what you have is okay I can open an account, will take 2-3 days, at the point it felt like a small victory, so said cheers, but nah, and walked across the road and opened a KBank account in literally less than 20mins.

You can always give it a try, but I suspect based on the big book you'll have to wait until you have your non-imm B affixed to your passport and/or work permit.

Edited October 27, 2023 by circa02

[cdemundo]

1 hour ago, circa02 said:

SCB are very strict now for account opening. They have big silly book of what acceptable ID looks like, and zero ability to reason beyond what the big book of A, B,Cs say. For example even though I'm married and staying on extension, they wanted to see the NON-IMM O full page visa affixed to the passport as indicated in the big book of A, B, Cs, no amount of explaining extensions and arriving on e-visas would be accepted, the big book of A, B, Cs doesn't cover e-visas and/or extensions of stay. I argued the toss with them until the manager said I can apply for an exemption from head office and if they say what you have is okay I can open an account, will take 2-3 days, at the point it felt like a small victory, so said cheers, but nah, and walked across the road and opened a KBank account in literally less than 20mins.

You can always give it a try, but I suspect based on the big book you'll have to wait until you have your non-imm B affixed to your passport and/or work permit.

Thanks circa02.

I am guessing it would be a waste of time as you say.

Also, my experience on the phone with SCB wasn't promising.

I wish I had a choice (I guess strictly speaking I do) but my (prospective) employer strongly prefers employees to use SCB and pays to SCB 5 days earlier than other banks.

I have heard KBank is easier to deal with but until I am contracted and through my probationary period I will try to "hear and obey" with the company.

 

[asiaexpat]

Without a work permit it will be difficult to open an SCB account. OP can try once the work permit is available. but there are better options.

[Doctor Tom]

I have two accounts with SCB.  I am on a Non Imm O visa and had no difficulty opening both.  All they needed to see was my passport and proof of address, which I provided using my Thai Driving Licence. 

[observer90210]

As in many things in Thailand, quite often it's not the law, it's not the book that makes the rules. It's God.

 

God is he or she,  behind the counter.   If one God does not grant the wish, waï, smile, walk away to a different temple branch.

 

Strong chances are that the wish would come true once you find the place !!

 

Good Luck and wear your N95 when going outdoors in Bangkok.

Edited October 27, 2023 by observer90210

[lom]

19 minutes ago, asiaexpat said:

OP can try once the work permit is available. but there are better options.

Coming back with a WP and a request letter from the employer is the best option

[Doctor Tom]

13 hours ago, observer90210 said:

God is he or she,

Or them, they, those, it, how do we know that God isn't a Two Spirit Penguin? 

[cdemundo]

7 minutes ago, Doctor Tom said:

Or them, they, those, it, how do we know that God isn't a Two Spirit Penguin? 

 

I think in this case it's like Bill Murray in Ground Hog Day

"I'm a god, not The God, just a god".

[Tropicalevo]

14 hours ago, Doctor Tom said:

I have two accounts with SCB.  I am on a Non Imm O visa and had no difficulty opening both.  All they needed to see was my passport and proof of address, which I provided using my Thai Driving Licence. 

You were lucky.

I have an account with SCB and I wanted to open a new fixed deposit account.

I showed my passport, driving licence, work permit and house book.

"Must have proof of address form from immigration"  I explained that immigration here on Samui do not do this any more.

I showed them that my address was on the driving licence, work permit and house book.

"Must have proof of address form from immigration".

Goodbye SCB. I then transferred most of my money to Krungsri.

Edited October 28, 2023 by Tropicalevo

[Doctor Tom]

14 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

You were lucky.

I have an account with SCB and I wanted to open a new fixed deposit account.

I showed my passport, driving licence, work permit and house book.

"Must have proof of address form from immigration"  I explained that immigration here on Samui do not do this any more.

I showed them that my address was on the driving licence, work permit and house book.

"Must have proof of address form from immigration".

Goodbye SCB. I then transferred most of my money to Krungsri.

it is very branch dependent.  I chose an SCB Branch in a large  Big C Mall in an area with a lot of expats. I had heard a different tail in the sticks. 

[connda]

14 hours ago, Doctor Tom said:

I have two accounts with SCB.  I am on a Non Imm O visa and had no difficulty opening both.  All they needed to see was my passport and proof of address, which I provided using my Thai Driving Licence. 

Yeah, I was thinking, "I never had any issues opening an account at SCB," but then again, I had a drivers license and pink government issued id in my wallet.  Had my wife in tow as well.  Never got asked for proof of address.  But had they, it would have been a trip back home to get the Yellow Book.
Like immigration, different branches have their own unique complications I guess.

Edited October 28, 2023 by connda

[JimTripper]

Someone said on another thread that a tax id number is now required for scb.

[Doctor Tom]

1 hour ago, JimTripper said:

Someone said on another thread that a tax id number is now required for scb.

not true for a savings account.  Perhaps needed for one of their investment products. 

[cdemundo]

Doesn't sound encouraging but I will give SCB a shot for my deposits from work I guess.

I was thinking of going to the Central Chitlom branch, but that is the one I phoned and they didn't seem encouraging.

Will wait until I have non-B but my employer is talking about me working part time after the application is made.

Oh well, one thing at a time, if they insist on me getting an SCB account I hope they can provide the documents to facilitate it.

[skatewash]

4 hours ago, JimTripper said:

Someone said on another thread that a tax id number is now required for scb.

May not be required but if provided one benefit is that you can be exempt from mandatory 15% tax withholding and the need to file a Thai Income Tax Return to reclaim it.

 

[Liverpool Lou]

20 hours ago, Doctor Tom said:

I have two accounts with SCB.  I am on a Non Imm O visa and had no difficulty opening both.  All they needed to see was my passport and proof of address, which I provided using my Thai Driving Licence. 

When were you able to do that...recently and which branch?   I tried about 12 months ago on a Non O in the Asoke/Sukhumvit area and could only get the account if I provided "a letter from your embassy" in addition to ID, lease, utility bills, etc. (and a promise to transfer my banking from BBL) that I provided.  The branch staff could not tell me what information they required to be included in the letter from the embassy.

Edited October 28, 2023 by Liverpool Lou

[Doctor Tom]

23 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

When were you able to do that...recently and which branch?   I tried about 12 months ago on a Non O in the Asoke/Sukhumvit area and could only get the account if I provided "a letter from your embassy" in addition to ID, lease, utility bills, etc. (and a promise to transfer my banking from BBL) that I provided.  The branch staff could not tell me what information they required to be included in the letter from the embassy.

Big C Branch, Pattaya South. First account was 5 years ago and I opened a second account 3 years ago.  I find it a very friendly Branch. 

[Chris Daley]

I turned up with a work permit, a passport and the cash and they refused me at Krung Thai.

 

Kbank is the easiest.

[Liverpool Lou]

16 minutes ago, Doctor Tom said:

Big C Branch, Pattaya South. First account was 5 years ago and I opened a second account 3 years ago.  I find it a very friendly Branch. 

Ah...years ago, the.   Lots of things were possible years ago that are no longer!

[Jaggg88]

20 hours ago, Doctor Tom said:

I have two accounts with SCB.  I am on a Non Imm O visa and had no difficulty opening both.  All they needed to see was my passport and proof of address, which I provided using my Thai Driving Licence. 

Did this happen recently? All banks have tightened up their process for opening accounts.

[JimTripper]

2 hours ago, skatewash said:

May not be required but if provided one benefit is that you can be exempt from mandatory 15% tax withholding and the need to file a Thai Income Tax Return to reclaim it.

 

Does the 15% get deducted from the balance, or is it just not able to withdraw?

[skatewash]

6 minutes ago, JimTripper said:

Does the 15% get deducted from the balance, or is it just not able to withdraw?

It is withheld, meaning it is withdrawn from your account.  Having a valid Thai Tax ID registered with the account allows this withdrawal of tax on interest earned to be waived, meaning it is not withdrawn from your account.  You may or may not be liable to report your interest earned in your Thai Income Tax return (depending on whether thresholds are exceeded), but it does not get automatically withdrawn from your account.  This is the case for regular interest-bearing savings accounts.  It is automatically withheld on fixed deposit accounts regardless of whether you have registered your Thai Tax ID with the account and cannot be waived.

[mikebike]

On 10/27/2023 at 3:18 PM, circa02 said:

SCB are very strict now for account opening. They have big silly book of what acceptable ID looks like, and zero ability to reason beyond what the big book of A, B,Cs say. For example even though I'm married and staying on extension, they wanted to see the NON-IMM O full page visa affixed to the passport as indicated in the big book of A, B, Cs, no amount of explaining extensions and arriving on e-visas would be accepted, the big book of A, B, Cs doesn't cover e-visas and/or extensions of stay. I argued the toss with them until the manager said I can apply for an exemption from head office and if they say what you have is okay I can open an account, will take 2-3 days, at the point it felt like a small victory, so said cheers, but nah, and walked across the road and opened a KBank account in literally less than 20mins.

You can always give it a try, but I suspect based on the big book you'll have to wait until you have your non-imm B affixed to your passport and/or work permit.

I guess it depends where you are. Opening SBC account in Khanom was almost too easy 🤣🤣🤣

[mikebike]

22 hours ago, asiaexpat said:

Without a work permit it will be difficult to open an SCB account. OP can try once the work permit is available. but there are better options.

Again, this must depend on where u r. Non-O, retirement. Couldn't have been easier. 

[mikebike]

8 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

You were lucky.

I have an account with SCB and I wanted to open a new fixed deposit account.

I showed my passport, driving licence, work permit and house book.

"Must have proof of address form from immigration"  I explained that immigration here on Samui do not do this any more.

I showed them that my address was on the driving licence, work permit and house book.

"Must have proof of address form from immigration".

Goodbye SCB. I then transferred most of my money to Krungsri.

Too bad 4 u. Just on the mainland off Samui and it was simps 😁 Did u consider getting a confirmation of address from Suratthani immigration rather than Samui, they still issue them... 

[mikebike]

8 hours ago, connda said:

Yeah, I was thinking, "I never had any issues opening an account at SCB," but then again, I had a drivers license and pink government issued id in my wallet.  Had my wife in tow as well.  Never got asked for proof of address.  But had they, it would have been a trip back home to get the Yellow Book.
Like immigration, different branches have their own unique complications I guess.

I have none of that except drivers license and my wife is a farang as well. Still as easy as pie. 

Edited October 28, 2023 by mikebike

[mikebike]

2 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

When were you able to do that...recently and which branch?   I tried about 12 months ago on a Non O in the Asoke/Sukhumvit area and could only get the account if I provided "a letter from your embassy" in addition to ID, lease, utility bills, etc. (and a promise to transfer my banking from BBL) that I provided.  The branch staff could not tell me what information they required to be included in the letter from the embassy.

I did it in May in Khanom NST. 

[mikebike]

21 minutes ago, skatewash said:

It is withheld, meaning it is withdrawn from your account.  Having a valid Thai Tax ID registered with the account allows this withdrawal of tax on interest earned to be waived, meaning it is not withdrawn from your account.  You may or may not be liable to report your interest earned in your Thai Income Tax return (depending on whether thresholds are exceeded), but it does not get automatically withdrawn from your account.  This is the case for regular interest-bearing savings accounts.  It is automatically withheld on fixed deposit accounts regardless of whether you have registered your Thai Tax ID with the account and cannot be waived.

Interest? What IS that? My $ stay in my home country and are only spent here. My account earns NO interest 🤣🤣🤣

[Liverpool Lou]

15 hours ago, mikebike said:

18 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

When were you able to do that...recently and which branch?   I tried about 12 months ago on a Non O in the Asoke/Sukhumvit area and could only get the account if I provided "a letter from your embassy" in addition to ID, lease, utility bills, etc. (and a promise to transfer my banking from BBL) that I provided.  The branch staff could not tell me what information they required to be included in the letter from the embassy.

I did it in May in Khanom NST. 

You did what?   Got an embassy letter?  What information had to be in the letter?

I decided just to make do with my accounts at BBL, KTB, Krungsri, UOB and Kasikorn.

Edited October 29, 2023 by Liverpool Lou