Foreigners Face New Hurdles in Opening Thai Bank Accounts

[digger70]

26 minutes ago, MikeandDow said:

it is called sin nam jai

to westerners it may look like corruption but to Thais its normal part of its culture    lot to learn !!

 

 

Don't have to learn what's right or wrong  I Know . You are obviously past that.  🙏

[bamnutsak]

34 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

Right -- so  there should be a "gift" window at every immigration office.

 

[MikeandDow]

16 minutes ago, digger70 said:

Don't have to learn what's right or wrong  I Know . You are obviously past that.  🙏

If you have learnt anything about Thai culture you should no its not about right or wrong !!

[RyanWalker]

I have 7 mates who will all leave Thailand this year as a result of the laughable rules and regulations implemented against foreigners. My mates average 100k salary a month and all have wifes etc. Tax payers and real teachers making a difference but Thailand obviously wants to get rid of foreigners, that's it. Why not just say foreigners should leave and are not welcome? Lol.. would be much easier than all the crap behind the scenes of bank accounts and visas

[MikeandDow]

3 minutes ago, RyanWalker said:

I have 7 mates who will all leave Thailand this year as a result of the laughable rules and regulations implemented against foreigners. My mates average 100k salary a month and all have wifes etc. Tax payers and real teachers making a difference but Thailand obviously wants to get rid of foreigners, that's it. Qhy not just say foreigners should leave and are not welcome? Lol.. would be much easier than all the crap behind the scenes of bank accounts and visas

if they want to go,  Go nobody is stopping them !!  all the crap about banks and visa should be easier but this is Thailand accept it or go !!

[CecilM]

Fine by me. Tourists don't need an account. Let the gov't make a rule for those applying for visa. 

[RyanWalker]

2 minutes ago, MikeandDow said:

if they want to go,  Go nobody is stopping them !!  all the crap about banks and visa should be easier but this is Thailand accept it or go !!

That's why they will go.. Thailand will be commies within a few years. 

[MikeandDow]

3 minutes ago, RyanWalker said:

That's why they will go.. Thailand will be commies within a few years. 

have you ever seen the Requirments to get into the UK USA or Oz  Thailand is a breeze, also if you look into the History of Thailand you will see how the commies did

[digger70]

40 minutes ago, MikeandDow said:

If you have learnt anything about Thai culture you should no its not about right or wrong !!

It's Always about right or wrong .the wrong ones will get  caught out eventually. 

that's all I am going to say about this 🙏

[farangkinok]

On 2/17/2025 at 10:28 AM, lanng khao said:

Same thing happened to me at korat,but a few thousand less than you paid, they gave me

 48 hrs to leave Thailand or they could sort everything that day, so they had me by the kai ham ..

I'm assuming that "kai ham" means "yarblockos"?

[jesimps]

On 2/17/2025 at 5:11 AM, nomad22 said:

 

Anywhere outside your home country you will have the same problem opening a bank account.  These banking laws were forced on Thailand by western countries, and every country in the world that wants to be part of the international banking community has the follow the same rules.

I've been with my UK bank for over 50 years, but when I went onto the site a few days ago, they made me fill in a big questionnaire regarding my pensions, who I paid tax to etc, before accessing my accounts. Bit daunting because it was early morning and I was still half asleep! I must admit that I was panicking slightly because I was about to do my monthly pension transfer. Anyway, they seemed happy with my answers because my transfer went ok and I haven't heard back from them. I did cock up my first attempt at logging in, so it may have had something to do with that. 

[farangkinok]

On 2/17/2025 at 7:48 AM, quake said:

 

What's work ?

 

 

[jesimps]

On 2/17/2025 at 7:17 AM, ChrisY1 said:

We would probably be surprised just how many used the "under the table" visa. In fact..it's openly promoted by the Immigration police.

The local immigration staff would probably struggle without their "bread and butter" money, also if I could afford it, I'd go the agent route myself. Anything rather than come under the stony glare of the dragon lady once a year, clutching my small rain forest of paperwork at the same time. 

[farangkinok]

On 2/17/2025 at 12:52 PM, kimothai said:

Ya think?  I'm not sure which is scarier, the increasing prices of agents or the increasing prices of agogo girls/bar fines.  Prices have been going up all along but since COVID it seems that there is a "sky's the limit" attitude here in Thailand.

It could be worse. Do you know how much people are paying for a dozen eggs in the USA? My wife just bought 30 jumbo eggs at the local market for about 132 Thai Baht, which works out to about $US 1.57 per dozen.

[dayo202]

18 minutes ago, jesimps said:

I've been with my UK bank for over 50 years, but when I went onto the site a few days ago, they made me fill in a big questionnaire regarding my pensions, who I paid tax to etc, before accessing my accounts. Bit daunting because it was early morning and I was still half asleep! I must admit that I was panicking slightly because I was about to do my monthly pension transfer. Anyway, they seemed happy with my answers because my transfer went ok and I haven't heard back from them. I did cock up my first attempt at logging in, so it may have had something to do with that. 

Which bank ?

[shortstop2]

If you really want a bank account you can try telling the bank officer that you will buy their insurance product that you don't need if they open an account for you.

[Unamerican]

5 hours ago, RyanWalker said:

My mates average 100k salary a month

USD, I assume??  

[Jedi888]

OH just perfect, what we all needed in "paradise". I emptied my K recently, obviously cant trust that now!

Just go to Cambo, buy the 6 months visa, get a work permit card, get several accounts which pay high interest,,, such as LOLC and Woori. Woori is the best with their visa card. Just bank in Cambo in USD, get interest monthly at 3% and yank from atm. Much safer than having the BOT rug pull your ass because of your sim card this or suspicion that. Farang need a break in this country geez already. I mean whats next now coming for us all? A genocide coup d' etate?

[Unamerican]

7 hours ago, Alotoftravel said:

Buy 3 mil condo

Cheapskate!! 

[Andrew65]

7 years after leaving Thailand my Bangkok Bank account is still open, I wanted to keep it on the very slim chance that I ever live in Thailand again. It wouldn't surprise me if it is eventually closed due to a lack of activity.

[NedR69]

On 2/17/2025 at 5:11 AM, nomad22 said:

 

Anywhere outside your home country you will have the same problem opening a bank account.  These banking laws were forced on Thailand by western countries, and every country in the world that wants to be part of the international banking community has the follow the same rules.

BS.  

[phetphet]

11 hours ago, worrab said:

Had they got  a Certificate of Residence??

i asked that and the lady said yes.

[ifmu]

It was bound to happen. .. thailand is catching up to 21st century slowly but surely... get ready for more.

[Andrew65]

3 minutes ago, ifmu said:

It was bound to happen. .. thailand is catching up to 21st century slowly but surely... get ready for more.

Such things started to change after the Patriot Act came in in America, early 2,000's.

[Advocate]

This could be another crazed scheme to create jobs and revenue for "agents" who will facilitate the opening of bank accounts.

[CallumWK]

On 2/19/2025 at 7:23 PM, MikeandDow said:

On 2/19/2025 at 7:21 PM, hotandsticky said:

 

 

Patently incorrect  - but I wish it was true and those predictions of a Baht collapse actually come to fruition.

give it time and your wish will come true

 

On 2/19/2025 at 7:29 PM, MikeandDow said:

On 2/19/2025 at 7:25 PM, CallumWK said:

 

Most of us on this forum have only 20 - 30 year left at most.

oh!  we are not talking years, months at the most ! the thai people indifference will see to that

 

 

Please, how much longer we have to wait, as it clearly goes the other way.

 

[MikeandDow]

11 minutes ago, CallumWK said:

 

 

 

Please, how much longer we have to wait, as it clearly goes the other way.

 

patience

[Alotoftravel]

20 hours ago, Andrew65 said:

Such things started to change after the Patriot Act came in in America, early 2,000

perhaps this might change as Thailand is a newly minted BRIC  “ partner” and even in the future , full BRIC member. 

[kiwikeith]

On 2/17/2025 at 5:04 AM, flyingtlger said:

Each and every day, Thailand is looking like a bad place to work or retire.....

 

I would say, each and every day Thailand is looking more like a great place for scammers and mafia criminals, why should the innocent people be punished trying to open a ligit bank account, better background checks are needed 

[it is what it is]

6 minutes ago, kiwikeith said:

I would say, each and every day Thailand is looking more like a great place for scammers and mafia criminals, why should the innocent people be punished trying to open a ligit bank account, better background checks are needed 

 

it's the way ofthe world, not thailand's fault. thailand has been behind the banking security curve and is starting to catch up. 

 

if you really desire to live in a country with dodgy banking security go elsewhere...