Here's a new one

[Freddy42OZ]

On 7/23/2025 at 6:32 PM, harryviking said:

To me, all these Bank nonsense requirements is a way to get rid of expats/ long stay visa holders of all kinds. I guess it is time to recondsider Thailand as a destination for retirees. The Land Of Nonsense!!

 

How big is your ego?  

Do you really think "the banks" sit around trying to find ways to make life hard for Western immigrants?   

Thailand has a population of around 73 million people.  It is estimated that there are around 250,000 to 300,000 Westerners living long term in Thailand. 

300k Westerners is 0.42% of the population. 

If you think they even think about 0.42% of their "potential" customers then you are nuts! 



 

[DrJack54]

7 minutes ago, NedR69 said:

If something changes that makes it easy, I want to open an account with Kasikorn

It may seem to some a minor issue however BBL cannot provide a 12 month bank statement on the spot. 

I use Kasikorn and day prior to my extension obtain 12 month bank statement and Bank Letter. 

 

Note to CW members. Someone posted recently that Kasikorn closing branch at CW. 

Someone may confirm or otherwise. 

 

[Asean Tiger]

24 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

It may seem to some a minor issue however BBL cannot provide a 12 month bank statement on the spot. 

I use Kasikorn and day prior to my extension obtain 12 month bank statement and Bank Letter. 

 

Note to CW members. Someone posted recently that Kasikorn closing branch at CW. 

Someone may confirm or otherwise. 

 

I have a second BBL account with no ATM for immigration use only. Bank letter same day, 12 months statement,  one week. I just applied for extension .  And this year it was on like a 6 pages continuous feed paper with the holes one has to peel off then collate.  I thought it was always one one page? I don't touch this account normally.  The bank book updates are less than a page for one year. 

 

I was thinking of starting an account at UOB or somewhere else but probably impossible now. And having to prepare one year seasoning of funds too much hassle. What's next? De-banking could be the final nail in the coffin for retire to Thailand dreamers.

All because a small minority, of criminals.

[Liquorice]

22 minutes ago, Asean Tiger said:

I have a second BBL account with no ATM for immigration use only. Bank letter same day, 12 months statement,  one week. I just applied for extension .  And this year it was on like a 6 pages continuous feed paper with the holes one has to peel off then collate.

That sounds like a Savings account statement.

A Fixed term deposit account would only have the previous balance + added interest and the new total balance.

[Asean Tiger]

3 hours ago, Liquorice said:

That sounds like a Savings account statement.

A Fixed term deposit account would only have the previous balance + added interest and the new total balance.

Yes a savings. I  enrolled in fixed accounts when I got a nifty return. They used to give a new book every year 

Is there any issue in proving continuity of balance when using a fixed account?

[Liquorice]

3 minutes ago, Asean Tiger said:

Is there any issue in proving continuity of balance when using a fixed account?

Non whatsoever.

Apart from the fact you'll receive a better interest rate than a Savings account, there are literally no transactions noted in the passbook or statement from one year to the other, all bar any added interest.

[Asean Tiger]

So you keep the same book from year to year? I do not recall that with BBL. 

[Asean Tiger]

31 minutes ago, Asean Tiger said:

So you keep the same book from year to year? I do not recall that with BBL. 

That could have been because I was rolling the funds back in my main account, Then selecting a different promotion? I had a whole stack of old account bank books mostly fixed accounts I shredded a couple years ago. 

[Liquorice]

2 hours ago, Asean Tiger said:

So you keep the same book from year to year? I do not recall that with BBL. 

 

1 hour ago, Asean Tiger said:

That could have been because I was rolling the funds back in my main account, Then selecting a different promotion? I had a whole stack of old account bank books mostly fixed accounts I shredded a couple years ago. 

I had the same (orange) FTD passbook from 2014 to 2022, which they then replaced only because it was getting tatty.

On the anniversary of the term, I just roll it over to a new 12-month term.

New book issued 2022, transactions still being printed on page 1 of the book.
I just allow the interest to accrue.

 

[jimn]

I have 3 bank accounts Bangkok Bank  SCB, which I have had for years and a new Krungsri account which I opened in conjunction with my agent (no extra cost) to get this year's extension. Only transactions are 500 baht in to open and then 800k in and out within 15 minutes. Now sitting with 500 baht in it until next year's extension.

[NanLaew]

On 7/21/2025 at 8:02 PM, asiaexpat said:

Have the BKK Bank call BKK Bank head office and they will be told that a long term visa (extension) OR work permit is needed. Most branches also require a letter from your embassy stating passport is real and address.

I used my Yellow House book rather than embassy letter and that was accepted. 

 

When? How long ago did this work for you?

[NanLaew]

On 7/22/2025 at 12:43 PM, Liverpool Lou said:

No bank is under any obligation to open an account just to ease a foreigner's visa process.  In this case they have not refused to open an account, it is just that you cannot meet their requirement of having a work permit.

In other words, the new bank regulations (no confirmation from anywhere that there's any new law) mean that it is impossible for first-time foreign applicants wishing to enter into the existing marriage extension method of a long-stay in Thailand.

 

This long-stay option, still offered by the MFA (by visa), and RTP Immigration (by extension) to all intents and purposes, no longer exists.

 

From now on, the only way a foreigner can obtain permission for a long-stay in Thailand is if they are going to work here (via a work permit), or are retired (via the retirement extension).

 

Does that cover it?

[NanLaew]

On 7/23/2025 at 3:44 PM, Maestro said:

 

There is no such law.

 

Years ago, when I first tried to open a savings account with Siam Commercial Bank (SCB), they asked for a work permit, which I did not have, claiming it was the rule.

 

I insisted on seeing this rule and a lawyer who happened to be next in the queue behind me supported me.  The bank employee had to call head office for it, got it by fax, and when I read it, it was clear that their rule applied only to current accounts, aka checking accounts for which cheque books are given, not to savings accounts. The bank lady still refused to open the account for me.

 

I walked down the road to another branch of the same bank and got my account without a problem.

 

It is possible and probable that the bank rules have changed since then to apply the work permit rule to all types of accounts.

 

Well we are all happy that it all ended happily ever after for you some time last century, but there's a forum member @pdebuck456, who, seeking to fulfill immigration's requirements for a marriage extension, has struck out on opening an account in Bangkok with 6 of 8 banks in the past week or so. ALL of them have cited that the ONLY enabler for a new bank account for a foreigner is a Work Permit.

 

As I have said earlier, and you mention above, there's no law enforcing this new rule but it is a reality.

[DrJack54]

18 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

From now on, the only way a foreigner can obtain permission for a long-stay in Thailand is if they are going to work here (via a work permit), or are retired (via the retirement extension).

Spot on.

Current situation is ridiculous.

A Non O + perhaps proof of address should be all that is required to open bank account. 

A requirement of work permit is just insane. 

[NoDisplayName]

Went to Bangkok Bank in Rayong a couple weeks ago.  Was told new bank policy permits only  one account per human.  My other six Bangkok Bank accounts are not affected.

 

Crossed the street to Kasikorn and opened 3 new accounts with ol' yeller and pinkie.

 

Would close two of the Bkk accounts, but one is linked to a Bangkok Bank-affiliated brokerage, the other linked to a Bangkok Bank mutual fund holding account.  Cannot change those links without attending the branch in Bangkok where opened.  Hub of convenience.

[Lorry]

10 hours ago, Freddy42OZ said:

Thailand has a population of around 73 million people.  It is estimated that there are around 250,000 to 300,000 Westerners living long term in Thailand. 

300k Westerners is 0.42% of the population. 

Those Westerners have a personal net worth of, on average,  far more than 10 times that of Thai adults.  So the potential market share is more in the magnitude of 10%, probably more. 

[chilly07]

On 7/21/2025 at 7:48 PM, happydreamer said:

Went into BBK Bank Saturday to update phone number and do face scan.  Asked about opening a second account so that I could use one as my spouse visa holding account and one as a personal usage account.

Was told that unless I had a work permit I couldn't open any bank accounts anymore.  This was a new policy by all the banks

 

As with anything told at any of these banks Im taking it as a half-truth until otherwise told its actual truth.

 

Just curious how banks can tell you they won't open an account for you but to get the visa you need a bank account. I went thru this sh!t back in 2022 and had to hire a legal entity to open the account for me.  I get the feeling that this is what they are pushing, but the banks just can't say it.

 

Anyone have any experience with it?  Not super important.  Money stuck in a personal safe in my house does the same as money in a Thai bank.  Thought it was worth mentioning

Watch the face scan as with BB I cannot make it work despite a visit to BB who just took another photo which still didn't work 

[pdebuck456]

12 hours ago, Lorry said:

Those Westerners have a personal net worth of, on average,  far more than 10 times that of Thai adults.  So the potential market share is more in the magnitude of 10%, probably more. 

Don't get mixed up by median and average net worth!

Quite a substantive amount of Thais worth waay more then the average Farang retiree...

 

So compared to the median net worth, farangs would do well, compared to the average net worth, most farangs are probably considered piss poor 😄

[BritManToo]

38 minutes ago, pdebuck456 said:

Don't get mixed up by median and average net worth!

Quite a substantive amount of Thais worth waay more then the average Farang retiree...

 

So compared to the median net worth, farangs would do well, compared to the average net worth, most farangs are probably considered piss poor 😄

It's never about net worth, but about disposable income.

My misses owns half a mountain in Nan, but can't afford to buy a bag of noodles.

But I own nothing, and can buy anything that takes my fancy, including my wife.

 

And my wife's pal, owning a 100Mbht teak home, is in jail after trying to rob a gold shop when he was short of cash, and his equally rich wife, just out of jail after being caught with a warehouse full of fake USD bills.

[pdebuck456]

38 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

It's never about net worth, but about disposable income.

My misses owns half a mountain in Nan, but can't afford to buy a bag of noodles.

But I own nothing, and can buy anything that takes my fancy, including my wife.

 

And my wife's pal, owning a 100Mbht teak home, is in jail after trying to rob a gold shop when he was short of cash, and his equally rich wife, just out of jail after being caught with a warehouse full of fake USD bills.

Net worth should always generate disposable income! 

If you own a 100 million Baht home and you have absolutely no disposable cash, you live above your worth.

Renting it out at a very conservatieve 2,5% should generate 200,000Baht/ month income.

Or sell and do something smart with the 100 million.

[Rob Browder]

On 7/27/2025 at 11:23 AM, Freddy42OZ said:

How big is your ego? 
Do you really think "the banks" sit around trying to find ways to make life hard for Western immigrants?   
...

300k Westerners is 0.42% of the population. 
If you think they even think about 0.42% of their "potential" customers then you are nuts!

I think the banks are reacting to multiple pressures - recently, the money-laundering scandal - but also including increasing Western and globalist (OECD, etc) institutional pressures.  As an American, I know the banks have to deal with extra paperwork to the USA for my accounts. 

 

Those foreigners fund 3+ Thai paychecks per-foreigner.  Ask the Thais working those jobs if they want to go back to bare-subsistence living in the sticks - vs funding their families who still live there, at a higher standard-of-living than they would have otherwise.   Immigration policy for expats is, and never was, about "serving our interests" - rather, Thai interests.