Bangkok Bank’s head office inspected my branch last week and then called my wife, asking her to come in with our marriage certificate and her house book.

When I originally opened my account, my wife was still registered in her father’s house book, and I was only on a tourist visa, and had no proof of address back than myself.

Since then, I have updated all my information. I now have a retirement extension of stay, a pink ID card, a tax identification number, and house registration. Even so, they are still asking for our marriage certificate, even though our marriage is not registered in Thailand. They are willing to accept the English version, even though it has not been verified by UDI or the Thai embassy, only by the Norwegian Tax Administration.

I told my wife they would have to wait until I return in two weeks, but they said they could not wait.

I recently moved my savings from one bank to another because the previous bank could not register my tax number using my pink card. They had used my driving licence as ID and could not properly register my pink card. Now Bangkok Bank is continue with more of the same nonsense, as many other banks around I hear and see.

Have you tried ringing their helpline number 1333 ?

If not, it's worth a try and a lot less hassle than having to change banks.

Update

Bangkok Bank is blaming the employee who opened my new savings account, even though it had nothing to do with my old account. It was apparently an inspector from head office in Bangkok who reprimanded the poor lady for not attaching my wife’s house book to the new account, and for not asking for proof of marriage.

He also deducted hard-earned points from her because of the matter itself, and seemed very pleased that my wife had taken the time to deliver the required proof

That sounds absurd, since I am here on a retirement extension and had already provided all the required documentation, including my own house book.

13 minutes ago, Hummin said:

It was apparently an inspector from head office in Bangkok

Sounds to me like a little Hitler with nothing better to do with his time.

33 minutes ago, Hummin said:

Update

Bangkok Bank is blaming the employee who opened my new savings account,

I would be looking for a new bank.

6 minutes ago, johng said:

I would be looking for a new bank.

I just changed bank, and went back, so there seems this is the new order for all banks, not one only

On 4/3/2026 at 4:28 PM, Hummin said:

Bangkok Bank’s head office inspected my branch last week and then called my wife, asking her to come in with our marriage certificate and her house book.

When I originally opened my account, my wife was still registered in her father’s house book, and I was only on a tourist visa, and had no proof of address back than myself.

Interesting. Years back (over 2 decades ago) I opened my Bangkok Bank account when 'visa exempt' (with my passport and an immigration provided Certificate of Residence) .

But since then I switched to Type-OA visa, then Type-O visa, and finally LTR , and on each occasion I provided Bangkok Bank copies of my updated Visa from my passport. I also provided (years later) copies of my pink-ID/yellow-book (after I obtained such), but I believe such unnecessary (although Bangkok Bank staff did keep the copies).

My Bangkok branch are aware that I am married with a Thai wife, but to the best of my recollection they have never asked for our marriage certificate. I do have all the marriage documentation, but don't plan to provide such unless asked.

I am curious now as to whether they will ask for such in the future.

8 minutes ago, oldcpu said:

Interesting. Years back (over 2 decades ago) I opened my Bangkok Bank account when 'visa exempt' (with my passport and an immigration provided Certificate of Residence) .

But since then I switched to Type-OA visa, then Type-O visa, and finally LTR , and on each occasion I provided Bangkok Bank copies of my updated Visa from my passport. I also provided (years later) copies of my pink-ID/yellow-book (after I obtained such), but I believe such unnecessary (although Bangkok Bank staff did keep the copies).

My Bangkok branch are aware that I am married with a Thai wife, but to the best of my recollection they have never asked for our marriage certificate. I do have all the marriage documentation, but don't plan to provide such unless asked.

I am curious now as to whether they will ask for such in the future.

Somehow the inspector overlooked that I am not here on a marriage-based visa, but on a retirement visa.

My old account was opened under the same circumstances as yours, when I was either on a tourist visa or visa exemption, I do not remember exactly, and using my wife’s, then girlfriend’s, house book. So it seems the setup was incorrect from the beginning.

What is strange is that they have not done anything about my old account at all, only the new one. Maybe that is because I deposited a fairly large sum when I transferred money from another bank. That other bank also failed to handle my TIN number correctly, because they used my driver’s licence instead of my pink card, while the tax office had my pink card on record.

It is none of the bank’s business whether you are married, or whether you have a lease, or frankly what sort of visa you have.

They’re totally disrespectful, busybody <deleted>. Even Thai homeless people can open accounts with just their Thai ID card. Their opinion of us is that we are lower even than those, even the wealthiest and most distinguished foreigners.

36 minutes ago, Everyman said:

It is none of the bank’s business whether you are married, or whether you have a lease, or frankly what sort of visa you have.

Agreed - I'd just file this one in the 'ignore' pile - idiotic issues such as this usually just go away after someone initially does what they are told by a supervisor who misunderstood a memo....

Yet another bad story about Bangkok Bank's persistent invasiveness. So happy I don't deal with them.

SCB and Kasikorn are the best IMHO. Some like UOB (I guess because it's one of the few foreign banks permitted to operate here) - my wife has an account with them.

On 4/7/2026 at 2:47 PM, johng said:

I would be looking for a new bank.

Yep I'm just in the throes of moving.........Bangkok Bank are making it obvious they don't want expat business.

Just need to get my Certificate of residence.

On 4/17/2026 at 1:06 PM, Hummin said:

What is strange is that they have not done anything about my old account at all, only the new one. Maybe that is because I deposited a fairly large sum when I transferred money from another bank.

I do have (and had since the account was opened) a 'relatively' substantial sum deposited with them. Perhaps that is why marriage certificate was not required (to be best of my recollection). ... still ... my memory could be faulty. It was well over a decade ago when I opened my account, so my recollection could be wrong re: not providing proof of marriage to a Thai lady.