I can't even open a bank account in Thailand but yet I'm expected to pay Thai tax?

[spidermike007]

You are not expected to pay tax as no law has passed the legislature yet, and it's all just pure speculation. 

[Rolo89]

14 hours ago, DonniePeverley said:

How are you importing your cash into Thailand? That's what you use to pay your tax. 

 

IMO this isn't about tax anyways, but rather just a rant that another foreigner complaining he can't open a bank account in a developing nation.

 

Ironically Thai's cannot open bank accoutns in the UK either without a full residency which takes years. 

Thais can open a UK bank account if they have a visa to reside in the UK for years.

 

Foreigners in Thailand with a 5 year DT visa can't easily. They could last year and earlier in the year with an agent. But right now in April 2025 it's difficult.

[motdaeng]

13 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

You are not expected to pay tax as no law has passed the legislature yet, and it's all just pure speculation. 

 

t looks like you're the one spreading speculation ...

 

the TRD has officially published and informed (see below) about the new interpretation of the tax regulation, and no change in the law is needed for that.

 

for now it seems there will be no enforcement when it comes to paying taxes. whether this lack of enforcement will last long-term is doubtful. thailand will have to follow global banking rules and tax laws in the future ...

 

 

[Yumthai]

14 minutes ago, motdaeng said:

thailand will have to follow global banking rules and tax laws in the future

As a true sovereign country Thailand will follow their own rules as they've always done, somewhat pretending complying with whatever foreign authorities "require" from them. Smokes and mirrors.

[motdaeng]

10 minutes ago, Yumthai said:

As a true sovereign country Thailand will follow their own rules as they've always done, somewhat pretending complying with whatever foreign authorities "require" from them. Smokes and mirrors.

 

we have seen in the past few years that, for example, rules in the banking sector have become stricter, even in thailand. this is probably an undisputed fact.

 

i agree with you, thailand likes to create its own rules, but most of the time, these are not in favor of foreigners who live here all year round. the next few years will show which direction all of this is going ... smokes and mirrors?

[Yumthai]

21 minutes ago, motdaeng said:

i agree with you, thailand likes to create its own rules, but most of the time, these are not in favor of foreigners who live here all year round.

As long as they are not enforced or can be bypassed by timely workarounds, rules are not an issue.

[bamnutsak]

Google: thailand DTV open bank account site: aseannow.com

 

one example...

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1338249-opening-bank-account-with-dtv-share-your-stories/

 

[DonniePeverley]

3 hours ago, Rolo89 said:

Thais can open a UK bank account if they have a visa to reside in the UK for years.

 

Foreigners in Thailand with a 5 year DT visa can't easily. They could last year and earlier in the year with an agent. But right now in April 2025 it's difficult.

 

So you ackowledge that this has nothing to do with paying tax and just a rant about not being able to open a bank account ?

 

Secondly, as a Thai it's near impossible to get a visa to the UK unless you are an elite, or marry a western guy. Then once granted, you can only open a bank account if you marry someone from the UK (or by some miracle get a residency for 5 years) and even then you have to wait years. 

 

So let's not compare the UK entry requirements (which are near impossible for most Thai's) to Thailand. 

[DonniePeverley]

58 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

Google: thailand DTV open bank account site: aseannow.com

 

one example...

 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1338249-opening-bank-account-with-dtv-share-your-stories/

 

 

 

I would not risk it. It's not legit. 

 

You put loads of funds into that account and then they close it down or block it - then when you go to the Bank to get it back open, they fill in forms, and say you do not have the correct visa. You could potentially lose those funds if they find out you went through an agent. 

 

Trust me, don't do it. 

[harryviking]

Lol! Yeah....incredible that they give us entry at all!😆😆

[newbee2022]

And where is the connection between account and tax? 😳

[Dexxter]

1 hour ago, DonniePeverley said:

 

 

I would not risk it. It's not legit. 

 

You put loads of funds into that account and then they close it down or block it - then when you go to the Bank to get it back open, they fill in forms, and say you do not have the correct visa. You could potentially lose those funds if they find out you went through an agent. 

 

Trust me, don't do it. 

 

I agree. Imagine having to bend the rules so you can put YOUR money into a bank that can then make life difficult for you, or even keep your money, because you "broke the rules". Not worth the risk.

 

I have never bothered getting a bank account in Thailand although my wife does have one into which I remit funds from overseas. I don't have the urgent need to use QR codes or even my credit card. I just use cash for everything, my wife pays our utilities from her account and I pay the monthly rent using Wise for direct transfers from my overseas account to the landlord. Who needs a bank?

[MadAtMatrix]

The banks are only opening accounts for those on a one year stay. DTV is six months per entry and doesn’t qualify. 
 

 

[Nickcage49]

Try Bangkok Bank. Not the best, but they've traditionally been the friendliest towards foreigners who want to open an account.

[garzhe]

23 hours ago, Rolo89 said:

On the DTV and was planning on paying Thai tax, but since tightening the rules on banking it's impossible to get a bank account until you have a work permit.

 

My DTV allows working for my foreign company remotely in Thailand, but how can they expect me to pay Thai tax if I'm not even allowed to open a bank account?

If your resident and can get a certificate of residence from Immigration you should have no trouble opening a bank account.

[riclag]

21 hours ago, connda said:

Try SCB, Bangkok Bank, or Kbank.  I do understand that some of the other banks may refuse you as a customer.  Is it stupid?  Yeah, but TIT.  And as far as filing taxes. If I still worked, I'd still be filing taxes.  I don't work anymore, and none of my overseas income is assessable as per my home country's DTA with Thailand.  I don't worry about it.  if I was every forced to file, the Revenue Office would simply owe me money.  But not enough to make it worth my while to file. If the banks ever start paying significant interest on account balance, I may rethink that.

Now there's a Smart guy!

Well said

[koolkarl]

No healthcare or immigrant visa either for paying income taxes.  Pure theft.

[Blueman1]

On 4/25/2025 at 3:31 PM, KhunHeineken said:

How many banks / branches did you try?  As another member said, try a few others

 

If all else fails, use an "agent" to open an account.  Yes, I know you don't want to pay an agent, but at least the job gets done. 

He Doesn't NEED An Agent, He can do it himself.....Easy,If I Can Do it & I HAVE 3 Times ANYONE Can !!

[flexomike]

46 minutes ago, Blueman1 said:

He Doesn't NEED An Agent, He can do it himself.....Easy,If I Can Do it & I HAVE 3 Times ANYONE Can !!

and you have done this three times on  a DTV visa

[NativeBob]

What agent can (could) do to open an account for the third person not being there during so-called "opening procedure"?

The branch that allows something like this is in very-very deep pool of <deleted>!

Any inspection will follow mass closures of such accounts w/o BS and niceties. 

"No Tourists" regulations was enforced in April'23. 

 

If an agent can open an account w/o presence at the Bank why won't he open 10 accounts using "patient's" credentials and sell them to some scammers? 

[Lorry]

7 hours ago, garzhe said:

If your resident and can get a certificate of residence from Immigration you should have no trouble opening a bank account.

I never heard of a bank asking for a CoR.

First, they want a WP.

If you are lucky,  they will consider you even without a WP. Then they will look at your visa ("DTV"??? what's that?) and how long you can stay. A year would be good. DTV gives you only a permission to stay 6 months,  a bit short. 

[safarimike11]

On 4/25/2025 at 2:30 PM, Rolo89 said:

On the DTV and was planning on paying Thai tax, but since tightening the rules on banking it's impossible to get a bank account until you have a work permit.

 

My DTV allows working for my foreign company remotely in Thailand, but how can they expect me to pay Thai tax if I'm not even allowed to open a bank account?

Sorry, can't help you coz I don't have a clue what a digital nomad is.

[safarimike11]

13 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

You are not expected to pay tax as no law has passed the legislature yet, and it's all just pure speculation. 

Good post.

[Sierra Tango]

On 4/25/2025 at 5:37 PM, NativeBob said:

6.2" tall, nice manners, about early 50s. Nice polite thai language. 

I have no idea what was wrong with him. 

He gravitates misfortune.

6.2 inches tall...about the height of a pint. Ah a freaking leprachaun they say. Of course he's not going to get a bank account, to be sure!

[safarimike11]

9 minutes ago, Lorry said:

I never heard of a bank asking for a CoR.

First, they want a WP.

If you are lucky,  they will consider you even without a WP. Then they will look at your visa ("DTV"??? what's that?) and how long you can stay. A year would be good. DTV gives you only a permission to stay 6 months,  a bit short. 

Probably stating the obvious, but this is what I needed to open a bank account (visa is Retirement extension) - with the new regulations that came in around last September/October:

1. Passport

2. Residency Certificate (that Jomtien Immigration now needs to add the name of the bank)

3. Blue book

4. Thai Driving licence (okay... license)

[JoseThailand]

On 4/25/2025 at 2:30 PM, Rolo89 said:

On the DTV and was planning on paying Thai tax, but since tightening the rules on banking it's impossible to get a bank account until you have a work permit.

 

My DTV allows working for my foreign company remotely in Thailand, but how can they expect me to pay Thai tax if I'm not even allowed to open a bank account?

 

Genius! I've never thought of this reason to open a Thai bank account - to pay taxes!

[JoseThailand]

On 4/25/2025 at 2:43 PM, Sheryl said:

People with retirement and marriage  visas/extensions can open them and I woukd expect (but not 100% sure) DTV the same.  

 

DTV is not a Non-Imm visa. It's essentially a multiple-entry tourist visa with 5 year validity

[Lorry]

6 minutes ago, JoseThailand said:

 

DTV is not a Non-Imm visa. It's essentially a multiple-entry tourist visa with 5 year validity

And with a permission to stay of only 6 months, that's stamped in your passport and the bank won't like it, a bit short

[ross163103]

It's one of those conundrums uniquely Thai! I had a friend with a bar and he decided to get a snooker table, several months later BIB showed up and asked for his license, he said he didn't have one so asked where he could get one, police said, "You can't." I guess now he pays for his license with a brown envelope he gives them......every month! TIT 55555

[Rolo89]

It is uniquely Thai - a visa that allows you to stay long term and be a tax resident. But also makes it very difficult to get banking.

 

In other countries if you have the visa to live for 5 years then banking is not an issue at all. Like a Thai living in the UK for 5 years would have no issues with walking into just about any bank and getting an account, or use one of the many neobanks to sign up online in 5 mins.