How to open a Bank account in 2025?

[BS25]

Hi all 

I just arrived in Thailand with my 90 day visa.

now i need to open a bank account for my 400 000 B Deposit for the 1 year visa 

 

my problem every bank say not possible without tabian ban ( the yellow bock for Farangs )

that i can get after 6months on a place i get told in village who i want to live

 

my problem i have 14 day left to open and fill the account to keep my 2 month limit

 

i tried Bangkok bank, kasikorn, krunthai 

( im married with a Thai and my marriage is already registered since February 2025)

 

thanks for your help

[Ralf001]

What visa do you have ?

[BS25]

Non-Immigrant O

 

To stay with my Wife and Family in Thailand

 

and Later look for a job and work permit

[transam]

I've never heard of the yellow book thing, unless now it has something to do with the recent tightening up of opening a new account to stop naughty farangs using Thai bank accounts......🤔

 

 

 

[BS25]

Yes it's a new rule change problem since February 2025

[DrJack54]

11 minutes ago, BS25 said:

 

i tried Bangkok bank, kasikorn, krunthai 

( im married with a Thai and my marriage is already registered since February 2025)

With a Non O you should be able to open a Thai Bank account. 

What is your location, meaning where are you being refused by banks you mention. 

A Bank may also request a certificate of residence. That is obtained at immigration. 

Which immigration office. 

 

BTW: To buy time you can obtain 60 day extension "to visit wife" 

[DrJack54]

17 minutes ago, BS25 said:

Yes it's a new rule change problem since February 2025

Discussed in this thread however did not note specific reference to "yellow book".

That would be completely unreasonable. 

https://aseannow.com/topic/1351977-foreigners-face-new-hurdles-in-opening-thai-bank-accounts/

 

[impulse]

Perhaps someone in the know could post up a link to an agent that can help expedite the OP's process?

 

[DrJack54]

4 minutes ago, impulse said:

Perhaps someone in the know could post up a link to an agent that can help expedite the OP's process?

 

The OP location would be useful. 

Also did not mention banks asking for COR. 

Yellow book? Doubt that. 

[Liquorice]

Even with a Non Imm O visa, the banks require proof of permanent Thai address, which can be achieved in one of two ways.

1. The foreign has obtained a yellow Tabien Baan and Thai ID card for foreigners, which in itself can be problematic to obtain.

2. File a TM30 with Immigration, then request a Certificate of Residence for the purpose of opening a bank account.

 

Even then, some bank staff are under the illusion you have to have a work permit.
In this instance, request to speak to the bank manager.

 

Bangkok Bank and Kasikorn have both accepted either of the above for proof of permanent residential address recently.

[Upnotover]

1 hour ago, BS25 said:

my problem every bank say not possible without tabian ban ( the yellow bock for Farangs )

that i can get after 6months on a place i get told in village who i want to live

What did you actually offer to prove your residence?  Nothing at all? 

[Hummin]

How things have changed! 

 

My first account came along because my wife (then gf) was updating her account, and brought with her housebook. When the bank manager saw me from his office, he came out and asked if I needed an account. We used her housebook since I was on exemption only then. 

 

It could maybe help if you talk to bank manager directly, since he or her can maybe do exemption for you, if you explain your situation to him. Im sure he will ask you about insurance as well 🌝

 

This was out in the district in Isaan, Bangkok bang branch.

[DrJack54]

3 minutes ago, Hummin said:

This was out in the district in Isaan, Bangkok bang branch.

When did you open your Bank account

[NanLaew]

1 hour ago, BS25 said:

Yes it's a new rule change problem since February 2025

 

For better advice, you do really need to share what immigration office you will be dealing with, as they do not all follow the same requirements.

[NanLaew]

1 minute ago, DrJack54 said:

When did you open your Bank account

 

Probably some time last century, thus irrelevant.

[Dan O]

1 hour ago, BS25 said:

Hi all 

I just arrived in Thailand with my 90 day visa.

now i need to open a bank account for my 400 000 B Deposit for the 1 year visa 

 

my problem every bank say not possible without tabian ban ( the yellow bock for Farangs )

that i can get after 6months on a place i get told in village who i want to live

 

my problem i have 14 day left to open and fill the account to keep my 2 month limit

 

i tried Bangkok bank, kasikorn, krunthai 

( im married with a Thai and my marriage is already registered since February 2025)

 

thanks for your help

Go to krungsri they are very accommodating but you'll probably need a rental agreement or your wife's house book and id copy so you have an address. 

 

[novacova]

1 hour ago, BS25 said:

Non-Immigrant O

 

To stay with my Wife and Family in Thailand

 

and Later look for a job and work permit

Long term visa - tm30 receipt - CoR, that’s all you need. Then go find a bank, K Bank or BKB. If rejected by a bank then go find another until accepted. Can be more wordy about it, but what’s the point. 

[Hummin]

12 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

When did you open your Bank account

Thats a long time ago, 9 years now, and I just opened up a new bank account last week at Krungsri, and with all papers and visa, it was easy. 

 

I just thought maybe some bank managers could pull some strings to help out, where normal employees do not dare to do anything wrong. Could be worth a try? 

 

What do immigration say OP? Have you asked them what to do?

[TroubleandGrumpy]

Scam topic? Another nutter troll??  How does one marry a Thai in Thailand previously and not already have a bank account?  I do not think this is a genuine OP. 

 

If you are then please explain how you married a Thai previously but did not have a bank account?  Nil reply means a scammer troll. 

 

[transam]

3 minutes ago, TroubleandGrumpy said:

Scam topic? Another nutter troll??  How does one marry a Thai in Thailand previously and not already have a bank account?  I do not think this is a genuine OP. 

 

If you are then please explain how you married a Thai previously but did not have a bank account?  Nil reply means a scammer troll. 

 

I never had a Thai bank account when I first came here and set up shop, I used my UK bank card in ATMs...........

[Liquorice]

6 minutes ago, TroubleandGrumpy said:

Scam topic? Another nutter troll??  How does one marry a Thai in Thailand previously and not already have a bank account?  I do not think this is a genuine OP. 

 

If you are then please explain how you married a Thai previously but did not have a bank account?  Nil reply means a scammer troll. 

 

There is no requirement to have a Thai bank account in order to marry a Thai national.

[CallumWK]

1 hour ago, transam said:

I've never heard of the yellow book thing, unless now it has something to do with the recent tightening up of opening a new account to stop naughty farangs using Thai bank accounts......🤔

 

 

 

 

Some banks make it just over complicated, because they don't know the rules, or should I say their job.

 

Few banks I have visited lately asked for the following.

 

• 1 year visa or work permit (I agree with that)

• Yellow tabien baan which I have but I don't agree with it, as proof of address should be sufficient.

• Driver license??????????? Really? So if I don't use a motor vehicle I don't qualify for a bank account?

• Passport.

• ID card from your home country. Don't they realise that my passport IS my ID and shows the exact same details?

• Address in my home country. How I can have an address in my home country when I permanently live in Thailand?

 

Take note, none of those requirements were and/or, it was you had them all, or you got refused, and head office had to get involved to explain that some of those requirements were and/or, so it was for example passport OR ID card, not passport AND ID Card.

 

But hey, you can't fix stupid.

 

Another related event about banks don't know their own rules.

 

I got a refund from the revenue office. Asked if it could be deposited to my Krung Thai account was not possible, so then you receive a cheque which only can be collected by depositing it in a krung Thai account in your name.

So went to the branch where I have my account for several years already. 

Never received a bank book, but have a smart card (which they discontinued) and their app activated on my phone.

Provided them with the cheque, my pink id card, the (discontinued) smart card and opened the app on my phone so they could see my account number.

Can not sir because name on checque is not same as name on account and pink card.

Revenue office uses first and last name for cheque, while account and pink card have my middle names as well.

We need the yellow receipt you received from the revenue office or we can't deposit this in your account.

 

Again you can't fix stupid, so went from there to the next branch (which I have never visited before) and got the cheque deposited in my account within minutes providing the same documents I had at my local branch

 

[proton]

Go to Krungsri, slap 400k baht on the counter, they wont turn you down

[Hummin]

43 minutes ago, TroubleandGrumpy said:

Scam topic? Another nutter troll??  How does one marry a Thai in Thailand previously and not already have a bank account?  I do not think this is a genuine OP. 

 

If you are then please explain how you married a Thai previously but did not have a bank account?  Nil reply means a scammer troll. 

 

Im only married abroad and not in Thailand.

 

No need to have bank account to live in Thailand either. 

[Hummin]

22 minutes ago, CallumWK said:

 

Some banks make it just over complicated, because they don't know the rules, or should I say their job.

 

Few banks I have visited lately asked for the following.

 

• 1 year visa or work permit (I agree with that)

• Yellow tabien baan which I have but I don't agree with it, as proof of address should be sufficient.

• Driver license??????????? Really? So if I don't use a motor vehicle I don't qualify for a bank account?

• Passport.

• ID card from your home country. Don't they realise that my passport IS my ID and shows the exact same details?

• Address in my home country. How I can have an address in my home country when I permanently live in Thailand?

 

Take note, none of those requirements were and/or, it was you had them all, or you got refused, and head office had to get involved to explain that some of those requirements were and/or, so it was for example passport OR ID card, not passport AND ID Card.

 

But hey, you can't fix stupid.

 

Another related event about banks don't know their own rules.

 

I got a refund from the revenue office. Asked if it could be deposited to my Krung Thai account was not possible, so then you receive a cheque which only can be collected by depositing it in a krung Thai account in your name.

So went to the branch where I have my account for several years already. 

Never received a bank book, but have a smart card (which they discontinued) and their app activated on my phone.

Provided them with the cheque, my pink id card, the (discontinued) smart card and opened the app on my phone so they could see my account number.

Can not sir because name on checque is not same as name on account and pink card.

Revenue office uses first and last name for cheque, while account and pink card have my middle names as well.

We need the yellow receipt you received from the revenue office or we can't deposit this in your account.

 

Again you can't fix stupid, so went from there to the next branch (which I have never visited before) and got the cheque deposited in my account within minutes providing the same documents I had at my local branch

 

It was actually interesting you said DL, since they where not interested in my pink card when I opened the new Bank Account last week, only my Passport with visa, yellow book,  and Driving License, 

[Moonlover]

1 hour ago, Dan O said:

Go to krungsri they are very accommodating but you'll probably need a rental agreement or your wife's house book and id copy so you have an address. 

 

I agree regarding Krungsri. I would also suggest his wife accompanies him and have their marriage certificate as well. There's a lot paperwork nowadays and I get the feeling that the staff out front are reluctant to get involved, try asking to see the branch manager.

[CallumWK]

7 minutes ago, Hummin said:

It was actually interesting you said DL, since they where not interested in my pink card when I opened the new Bank Account last week, only my Passport with visa, yellow book,  and Driving License, 

 

It would have been more interesting if you had comprehended my whole post, which started with, SOME banks 

[ElwoodP]

Reported off topic post about airline tickets removed.

[TroubleandGrumpy]

1 hour ago, Liquorice said:

There is no requirement to have a Thai bank account in order to marry a Thai national.

Another big laugh - thank you.  That was not the point mate - you missed it - again.  He lived in Thailand before and married a Thai (allegedly) but did all that without a bank account?  Not impossible - but extremely unlikely. He has not answered yet too. 

[MarkT63]

Get a residence certificate from Immigration

Take your passport

Have the money in your hand

Take your wife, and any documentation she can bring - marriage certificate, house book etc.

Try and try again

🍻