1 hour ago, proton said:

 

I thought about that but this phone call was from head office I think, might give it a go. It was like taking to a robot- computer says no!

Try to call the bank customer help center yourself.  I've found that generally they will have staff with adequate to good English skills.

On 9/23/2025 at 10:27 AM, Everyman said:

Thailand has an extremely high tolerance for incompetence. Thais just expect it. 

 

Im glad your wife stood up for you though. She sounds like a good one. 

I'm not sure that many Thai's understand what incompetence is, they just smile & nod all the way down the garden path.

And, yes. I recently wanted to increase my daily transaction limit. When they asked for my wifes ID card, I hit the abort button. Walked 5 metres & took cash out.🙃🙃

The clerk on duty at that particular branch at that particular window on that particular day was uniformed or lazy.

 

Chinese passports indicate Surname and Given Name, in English, almost like there exists an international standard format.

 

 

Try another branch.

 

I opened 3 accounts at Kbank a couple months ago (2 savings, 1 fixed) with my passport, pinkie and ol' yeller.

 

 

 

 

Note:  The "ZHENGJIAN, YANGBEN" referenced previously is not a Chinese passport, it is a Non-commerce Chinese visa.

https://www.chinadiscovery.com/chinese-visa/types.html

 

Chinese banks have difficulty with western names, as well.  My ABC bank account is registered as LASTNAMEFIRSTNAMEMIDDLENAME with no spaces.

 

48 minutes ago, gamb00ler said:

Try to call the bank customer help center yourself.  I've found that generally they will have staff with adequate to good English skills.

 

They called us today, English OK, logic and rules not so much

31 minutes ago, NoDisplayName said:

The clerk on duty at that particular branch at that particular window on that particular day was uniformed or lazy.

 

Chinese passports indicate Surname and Given Name, in English, almost like there exists an international standard format.

 

 

Try another branch.

 

I opened 3 accounts at Kbank a couple months ago (2 savings, 1 fixed) with my passport, pinkie and ol' yelle

Note:  The "ZHENGJIAN, YANGBEN" referenced previously is not a Chinese passport, it is a Non-commerce Chinese visa.

https://www.chinadiscovery.com/chinese-visa/types.html

 

Chinese banks have difficulty with western names, as well.  My ABC bank account is registered as LASTNAMEFIRSTNAMEMIDDLENAME with no spaces.

 

 

They are all the same, including Thai passports and when a Thai opens an account with a Thai ID card that has the family name first also. I will write to them using that image thanks

On 9/23/2025 at 9:23 AM, brewsterbudgen said:

Do any banks issue joint accounts?

Yes we've had one for many years - maybe 20. Kasikorn too. But it doesn't surprise me if things are harder now, given all the other nonsense going on in the banking sector with foreigners. (Yes, wife is Thai). We also opened them for our kids when they were minors, with our names on the account as well. Of course anything out of the ordinary here takes 5 people 2 hours to try and figure out. 'Cannot' is always the easy answer...as almost everyone has experienced in daily life here. It's up there with 'mot' (out of stock, finished, etc.)

On 9/26/2025 at 3:15 PM, proton said:

 

They are all the same, including Thai passports and when a Thai opens an account with a Thai ID card that has the family name first also. I will write to them using that image thanks

This answer that Chinese had names the other way around is stupid anyway (as well as wrong). Why would it matter in any case?

16 minutes ago, ronnie50 said:

This answer that Chinese had names the other way around is stupid anyway (as well as wrong). Why would it matter in any case?

 

I think what’s going on is thank bank staff are looking for any reason to say no to a foreign account holder, even total nonsense reasons. 

18 minutes ago, Everyman said:

 

I think what’s going on is thank bank staff are looking for any reason to say no to a foreign account holder, even total nonsense reasons. 

 

Yes it does seem like that, what they were claiming was just nonsense. Last account I opened  with Krungthai at exchange tower all they wanted was a passport, and that was only 4 years back.

13 hours ago, proton said:

 

Yes it does seem like that, what they were claiming was just nonsense. Last account I opened  with Krungthai at exchange tower all they wanted was a passport, and that was only 4 years back.

 

I tend to expect such logic from Thai people but there’s a video of a British lawyer talking about the current rules like it’s always been this way. I hope I never get to that level double think living here. 

I had no difficulty opening an account with this Bank a few months ago. Pink ID Card is used for Account and App verification. I cannot remember what documents I had to provide when I opended an account - I have PR, am in a Blue Book on a property I own, but no longer have a WP. 

On 9/23/2025 at 9:57 AM, scubascuba3 said:

Not worth the drama, as soon as you are dealing with an idiot, abort abort abort, find another branch, farang friendly

But surely if he went in with his Thai wife to open a joint account, it should not need to be farang friendly?

I opened an account with K Bank in Hua Hin a couple of months ago with only my driving license as proof of address.

I think we assume Thai banking staff have the same level of intelligence, competence and education as most other countries, but unfortunately that is not the case.

On 9/23/2025 at 10:37 AM, proton said:

 

She asked to speak to the manager- request denied. This was at Big C  branch Bangkok.

I'd definitely try another branch. Maybe somewhere near Phrom Pong where they're more used to foreigners? There's a K Bank in Emquartier, for example. 

 

 

On 9/23/2025 at 10:34 AM, stevenl said:

We have an account with 2 names. When the ATM card expired, we were not able to get a new one due to the 2 names. 

That is a bit strange as the ATM cards do not have names on them at K Bank.

On 9/23/2025 at 9:23 AM, brewsterbudgen said:

Do any banks issue joint accounts?

Yes. I have a joint account with my wife at Bangkok Bank. I also have a separate account in my name only for Immigration.

On 9/23/2025 at 10:37 AM, proton said:

 

She asked to speak to the manager- request denied. This was at Big C  branch Bangkok.

Never go to a branch in a shopping center. They have no clue whatsoever. Always go to a main branch when you need to open a new account.  I had this happen to me in Bangkok back in 2014 (not a joint account though). Went to local Big C and Bangkok bank wouldn't open an account for me said I needed a work permit, even after showing them the Immigration requirements, in Thai. went next door to SCB branch, same nonsense and again at the K Bank branch.  There was a main K Bank branch around the corner so went there and no trouble at all getting the account opened. Seems to me that the banks put their most incompetent staff into shopping center branches. Where I had trouble with K Bank was when I moved to Chiang Mai. Went into a main branch asking if I could transfer my account from Bangkok to CM. Was told no, I had to close the Bangkok account and open a new account and then they could transfer the balance to the new account. Thought ok let's do that. Was asked for proof of address, so provided a copy of the TM30 that Immigration had completed earlier that day which was rejected. Wife said the manager at TMB was a friend of hers, so I proceeded to withdraw the funds from the K Bank account and close the account. Due to the amount I was withdrawing the manager had to sign off on the teller handing over that much cash. Told the manager what had occurred and the manager promptly told the individual that refused to accept the TM30 that he was wrong as the TM30 was an Immigration official document. She apologized, but I said too late, if your staff can't get something this basic correct how can I trust them to get something more detailed correct, so I proceeded to withdraw my money and went straight to TMB and opened a new account so easily.

On 9/23/2025 at 9:23 AM, brewsterbudgen said:

Do any banks issue joint accounts?

We have joint account at Kasikorn, no problems 

On 9/23/2025 at 10:33 AM, proton said:

 

Yes have had before, that was not mentioned as a problem

I have had accounts both joint until immigration insisted on sole account for me, on a retirement O previously for 20+ years and never had any problems like this.  My bangkok bank acct in CM goes the other way obviously as when it came to what i needed for retirement o long stay yearly update, the bank branch officers alway told me exactly what was needed with immigration and it worked for many years with not problems whatsoever.  Now I have an LTR so not very much to deal with bank nor immigration.

Taking 1imbec1les to new heights .......... but the Bible already covers those people with "Lord, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing"! 

Walk, take your paper and money to another bank - it always boils down to the clown-in-chief behind the counter. Thailand banking in the 21st century - explained 😞 

13 hours ago, rimmae2 said:

I had no difficulty opening an account with this Bank a few months ago. Pink ID Card is used for Account and App verification. I cannot remember what documents I had to provide when I opended an account - I have PR, am in a Blue Book on a property I own, but no longer have a WP. 

I opened an account with Kasikorn at their branch in Tesco-Lotus on Sukhumvit in Pattaya 4 days ago.  No problem and their staff were friendly and efficient.  I have a USA passport and am on retirement extension of stay.  They did require a "Resident Certificate" from Thai Immigration and a confirmation from AIS as to my phone number being in my name along with a copy of passport identity page.  As mentioned, try another branch. 

Bank accounts have always been a slight challenge ( I'm here 12 years ). 

 

Recently I opened a new account at a new bank. I was surprised that the service desk knew that a WORK PERMIT was NOT allowed on a retirement extension - document I was asked to show; I have been to several banks in the past and the 1st thing asked for was a work permit.

 

I had opened a account in BKK and was told by a friend ( 20 years here ) that I had to transfer my account from BKK to KORAT to make my deposits. At the same bank name in KORAT they were willing to CLOSE my account, but NOT transfer because I did not have a work permit. 

 

Thankfully a INTERN ( from a main office ) told the bank mgr, who then checked with immigration, that work permits are NOT allowed when the person has a "retirement extension".  Also the intern advised me I did not have to transfer my account as I could use / add / withdraw my monies at ANY of their branches in the country at NO service charge.  The intern was 100% correct.  I have used their bank branches in BKK, Pattaya, Korat and other cities with no service charges

 

Many bank staff do NOT know visa / stay extensions requirements / regulations dealing mostly with Thai's.

On 9/23/2025 at 9:23 AM, brewsterbudgen said:

Do any banks issue joint accounts?

Yes. My wife and I have one with SCB

Written to both the branch and head office in Bangkok, it they still insist the names are the wrong way round on Passport and immigration documents it will have to be SCB. Common sense is not so common in banks.

10 minutes ago, soisanuk said:

I opened an account with Kasikorn at their branch in Tesco-Lotus on Sukhumvit in Pattaya 4 days ago.  No problem and their staff were friendly and efficient.  I have a USA passport and am on retirement extension of stay.  They did require a "Resident Certificate" from Thai Immigration and a confirmation from AIS as to my phone number being in my name along with a copy of passport identity page.  As mentioned, try another branch. 

 

Did you show the TM30 as proof of residence or did they want a resident certificate with photo on?

On 9/26/2025 at 1:20 PM, proton said:

 

Had an account there for over 10 years

Hang onto it cos you probably won’t be able to open an account today - same goes for banks in most other countries unless legally resident.

On 9/23/2025 at 9:12 AM, proton said:

on a retirement extension for 19 years and 74!

Very early retirement!! 

On 9/23/2025 at 10:35 AM, proton said:

 

I did message them on the online contact us form, probably no reply. Always had a quick reply from Krungsri though

If you are using e mail, you need to make sure it is compatible with pirate copies of Windows 3.1 or Windows 98.

On 9/23/2025 at 9:23 AM, brewsterbudgen said:

Do any banks issue joint accounts?

Yes.

My experience with Bangkok Bank. Would not open a joint account with thai partner as not married.Would not allow her to be a co-signee on existing account for same reason.

Bizarre worked in banks NZ / Aust for many years and neither requests would be an issue and is not logical to me.