LTR Visa

[BrandonJT]

2 hours ago, oldcpu said:

This post is about my (successfully) opening an SCB savings account on an LTR-WP visa.

 

A few days ago, my Thai wife suggested I open an SCB Bank account, so to get a "Planet" debit card, which has some benefits that we would likely use (I think it was obtaining a "Dragon pass" (for airport lounge access) if one uses the debit card for more than 20,000 THB transactions in a foreign currency). Most likely we will need to spend >20,000 THB in a different currency, so i went a long with her idea.

 

The thing is, this was suggested to me by my wife at the last minute during a visit to a mall with the bank in the mall. I happened to have my passport with me,  and my yellow book (proving residency also) , and Thai driver's license so I said, ok, why not.

 

They wanted to see Yellow Book, and Driver's License and obviously my passport (with LTR visa stamp inside), but they  would not let me open a saving account because I did not have my LTR notification letter of endorsement with me.  I have various Thai bank accounts (most opened before on a Type-O visa) so it never occurred to me to check the BoI web site, which clearly states, to open a Thai bank account, one must show that LTR notification letter of endorsement.

 

So i went back to the bank a day letter, this time with the stamped BoI Notification Letter of Endorsement (and passport, yellow book, driver's license) and successfully opened a savings account with SCB.  I also had online access to the account setup on my smartphone, and an application for the Planet Card initiated, where the card should show up in a week or so.

 

Hence for other's on the LTR visa like me, don't be lazy like I was, but check BoI webpage, before trying to do things like opening a bank account.

Actually the BOI only assists/endorses opening an account at Bangkok Bank or Kasikorn.  Though you shouldn't have a problem opening your own account at any other bank that accepts foreigners with a 10-year visa.  Their demand for the endorsement letter is asinine though.  How do they think you got the visa if you didn't get the letter?  They just like putting up artificial impediments and hoped that you would go away and not come back.  You are lucky they didn't add a new requirement the 2nd time you get back, as many banks are known to multiple times trying to get you to go away.

[Equatorial]

6 hours ago, BrandonJT said:

Their demand for the endorsement letter is asinine though.  How do they think you got the visa if you didn't get the letter?  They just like putting up artificial impediments and hoped that you would go away and not come back.

 

Precisely.

 

With my 90-day Non O, I tried 4 different banks, each came up with different BS requirements and refused to open an account. Finally I got a letter from the IO stating that I needed an account, and I managed to get an account opened at SCB. It took them 4 hours and 45 minutes to open the account. Bureaucracy compounded by attitudes further compounded by incompetence. 

 

Kinda typical. 

[oldcpu]

12 hours ago, Equatorial said:

 

Precisely.

 

With my 90-day Non O, I tried 4 different banks, each came up with different BS requirements and refused to open an account. Finally I got a letter from the IO stating that I needed an account, and I managed to get an account opened at SCB. It took them 4 hours and 45 minutes to open the account. Bureaucracy compounded by attitudes further compounded by incompetence. 

 

Kinda typical. 

 

I suspect they are only following policy directed from above (ie from Central HQ in Bangkok).  Banks can be very political in their upper management, and any branch manager who goes against central bank policy does so at their own risk.  The BoI website is quite clear in recommending the Endorsement Notification be provided.

 

When the SCB bank branch manager 1st told me I needed a letter to open the account (where we would accept my old non-immigrant visa but not the LTR-WP 10-year visa (with its 5-year permission to stay), my wife and I politely asked, what letter?  We stated we never heard of such.

 

He actually had a copy of one on his phone !!  I immediately recognized it for what it was.  Unfortunately only a few months prior I had cleared my copy of such off my phone.  So in Arnold fashion we simply smiled and said "I'll be back" .... lol !  Not quite - but I can't blame the branch manager for following bank policy.

 

and I now do have the SCB savings account.

.