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The Thai Bank fallacy of "Know Your Customer"

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It's all BS.

Having accounts at Thai banks for over a decade with no issues, no suspected illegal activity, no transactions that warranted any scrutiny. They KNOW YOU by your transaction history -- and yet, all foreigners in Thailand are treated like criminals with restrictions placed on their digital transactions on funds that have long since cleared and are in cash as an available balance.

10,000 baht restriction placed on all digital transactions that we are told by the banks are "for your protection."

We need protection from banks in Thailand.

If there was just ONE bank in Thailand that believed in "due process" and liberty, they would be the most successful bank in Thailand.

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Have you seen all the shady farang in Thailand? loads in Pattaya, probably Bangkok too and others hiding in remote locations, I don't blame the banks checking, money laundering is rife and they don't seem to care

  • Author
50 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Have you seen all the shady farang in Thailand? loads in Pattaya, probably Bangkok too and others hiding in remote locations, I don't blame the banks checking, money laundering is rife and they don't seem to care

Yes. I've seen them.

I'm referring to foreigners who have already established a STELLAR banking relationship over many years who are being targeted as criminals.

"Checking" for money laundering with customers who have no extensive banking history is one thing. Targeting well-established customers is entirely different.

1 hour ago, Ricohoc said:

Yes. I've seen them.

I'm referring to foreigners who have already established a STELLAR banking relationship over many years who are being targeted as criminals.

"Checking" for money laundering with customers who have no extensive banking history is one thing. Targeting well-established customers is entirely different.

So no money launderers /criminals have been here a long time? I agree they should profile people based on their transactions, some will be very low risk some high, but depends what the latest money laundering triggers are

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Which bank has a 10,000 baht restriction placed on all digital transactions? I have a K-Plus app from Kasikornbank and NEXT app from Krungthai on my mobile and can make even a million baht transaction after a face scan. The transaction limit can be set by the user. KYC in mandated by banking regulators and not the bank itself. And it is an easy to use form takes 10 minutes once in a few years.

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4 hours ago, Ricohoc said:

It's all BS.

Of course it is. Back in Australia I have an account with ING, actually I have had two company accounts as well as the personal account for 20 years. When this BS blew up there it was impossible for me to comply with their new verification rules as I was living here. After many emails and phone calls they froze my account but fortunately they warned me that they were going to so I moved all but a small amount out of the account. The account was frozen but about 6 months later it was mysteriously unfrozen without any notification.

I still have some money with them but will never put a large amount in as they have lost my trust. The same loss of trust applies to Kasikorn here.

  • Author
1 hour ago, saakura said:

Which bank has a 10,000 baht restriction placed on all digital transactions? I have a K-Plus app from Kasikornbank and NEXT app from Krungthai on my mobile and can make even a million baht transaction after a face scan. The transaction limit can be set by the user. KYC in mandated by banking regulators and not the bank itself. And it is an easy to use form takes 10 minutes once in a few years.

  1. Bangkok Bank, which I've been banking with for over 15 years.

    2. I'm not arguing against Know Your Customer. I'm arguing against it not mattering if they know us or not. We're all treated like criminals whether they know our transaction history or not.

  • Author
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1 hour ago, GreasyFingers said:

Of course it is. Back in Australia I have an account with ING, actually I have had two company accounts as well as the personal account for 20 years. When this BS blew up there it was impossible for me to comply with their new verification rules as I was living here. After many emails and phone calls they froze my account but fortunately they warned me that they were going to so I moved all but a small amount out of the account. The account was frozen but about 6 months later it was mysteriously unfrozen without any notification.

I still have some money with them but will never put a large amount in as they have lost my trust. The same loss of trust applies to Kasikorn here.

As a result of this nonsense, all the money that I bring into Thailand remains in cash.

Since I already had the amount necessary on deposit in both of my bank accounts to meet the requirements for my Non O visa, I have not made a bank deposit in well over 5 years (maybe in 10 years).

  • Author
2 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

So no money launderers /criminals have been here a long time? I agree they should profile people based on their transactions, some will be very low risk some high, but depends what the latest money laundering triggers are

If their litmus test is Know Your Customer, then they will target those who are suspicious no matter how long they have been here. Instead, they target us all and treat us all the same no matter what our bank relationship has been.

8 hours ago, Ricohoc said:

It's all BS.

Having accounts at Thai banks for over a decade with no issues, no suspected illegal activity, no transactions that warranted any scrutiny. They KNOW YOU by your transaction history -- and yet, all foreigners in Thailand are treated like criminals with restrictions placed on their digital transactions on funds that have long since cleared and are in cash as an available balance.

10,000 baht restriction placed on all digital transactions that we are told by the banks are "for your protection."

We need protection from banks in Thailand.

If there was just ONE bank in Thailand that believed in "due process" and liberty, they would be the most successful bank in Thailand.

Whilst I understand your rant your generalised statements are misleading.

I bank with SCB and have not had the issues you mention and certainly not restricting any payments to a max of 10k.......

There have been some well publicised issues with Bangkok Bank in the recent past but it certainly does not apply to

8 hours ago, Ricohoc said:

all foreigners in Thailand are treated like criminals

😞

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2 hours ago, Ricohoc said:

  1. Bangkok Bank, which I've been banking with for over 15 years.

    2. I'm not arguing against Know Your Customer. I'm arguing against it not mattering if they know us or not. We're all treated like criminals whether they know our transaction history or not.

My Thai bank accounts are not limited to 10,000 baht digital transactions.

The restriction I encounter is a 50,000 baht limit per mobile banking transaction, not a 10,000 baht limit.

This is not a policy unique to any one bank. It stems from anti-fraud measures and enhanced identity verification requirements introduced by Thai regulators and implemented across the banking sector.

Thai nationals can generally complete the required identity verification processes and, subject to their bank's approval, obtain significantly higher transaction limits. Foreign account holders often face additional restrictions and may remain subject to lower app-based transfer limits.

Where larger amounts need to be transferred, banks can usually process them through additional verification procedures, either at a branch or via direct contact with the bank. For example, large one-off transactions such as a vehicle purchase can be accommodated after communication with the bank.

In short, the 50,000 baht per-transaction limit is a regulatory and security-driven restriction rather than a policy imposed by any particular bank.

The 10,000 baht limit you are stating is not standard restriction for foreigners, which would suggest that the issue is specific to your account transaction settings.

9 hours ago, Ricohoc said:

If there was just ONE bank in Thailand that believed in "due process" and liberty, they would be the most successful bank in Thailand.

They'd either be shut down, fined or otherwise penalised so much that they changed their ways very quickly for not obeying the BoT and AMLO rules.

  • Author
2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

This is not a policy unique to any one bank. It stems from anti-fraud measures and enhanced identity verification requirements introduced by Thai regulators and implemented across the banking sector.

Thai nationals can generally complete the required identity verification processes and, subject to their bank's approval, obtain significantly higher transaction limits. Foreign account holders often face additional restrictions and may remain subject to lower app-based transfer limits.

I know from where it originates. That's not what I'm arguing. I'm also not arguing against banks having a responsibility to create a safe banking environment for everyone.

I'm arguing the fact that even though they KNOW THEIR CUSTOMERS, all of their foreign customers are treated the same and severely limited on their transaction amounts even though there is nothing suspicious about their banking behavior.

Severe limits -- even 50,000 baht -- for someone who has upwards of 1 million baht on deposit for years (all an available balance) means foreigners are treated differently just because they are foreigners. It's not because of questionable banking practices, and it's not because of suspicious activity.

In my other bank accounts, 50,000 baht is my limit. However, my wife's account has a limit of 1 million baht even though her balance is only 1/3 of that amount. My wife completed no such ID process. That was her started transaction limit.

  • Author
2 hours ago, topt said:

Whilst I understand your rant your generalised statements are misleading.

I bank with SCB and have not had the issues you mention and certainly not restricting any payments to a max of 10k.......

There have been some well publicised issues with Bangkok Bank in the recent past but it certainly does not apply to

😞

All the banks are not the same in the amounts of their transaction limits, but all the banks ARE the same in that all foreigners are targeted just for being foreigners.

My accounts at several banks over 10 to 15 years are treated the same as foreigners who just got here. Even though they KNOW ME by my transaction history, I'm treated as if they don't know me -- except that I'm a foreigner just like that other guy.

1 minute ago, Ricohoc said:

All the banks are not the same in the amounts of their transaction limits, but all the banks ARE the same in that all foreigners are targeted just for being foreigners.

Most of the crime has been by foreigners so it's not surprising they are being targeted. You've just been caught up in the dragnet so deal with it or find your own alternative.

  • Author
2 minutes ago, treetops said:

You've just been caught up in the dragnet

ALL foreigners have been caught up in the dragnet.

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Seen a lawyer talking about the 10,000 Baht limit, he had a client that wanted

a higher limit as he wanted to pay International school fees for his children ,

and the bank said no, 10K is enough for your lifestyle ! , they must think your

money is theirs .....

regards Worgeordie

25 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

Seen a lawyer talking about the 10,000 Baht limit, he had a client that wanted

a higher limit as he wanted to pay International school fees for his children ,

and the bank said no, 10K is enough for your lifestyle ! , they must think your

money is theirs .....

regards Worgeordie

They think your lifestyle based on your transaction history suggests you're skint - that's why this 10k limit happens.

57 minutes ago, treetops said:

Most of the crime has been by foreigners so it's not surprising they are being targeted.

I assume you mean most of the people who have been caught are foreigners.

1 hour ago, treetops said:

Most of the crime has been by foreigners so it's not surprising they are being targeted. You've just been caught up in the dragnet so deal with it or find your own alternative.

What about all those mule accounts that Thais opened? They were the main problem but it was easier for the banks to place restriction on foreigners than to prosecute the Thais.

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My daily limit with Bangkok Bank is currently set at 50,000 baht without having to use facial recognition. I can reset the limit myself with my phone. Last year, I increased the daily limit to 2MM so I could make a few large transfers with my phone. I never had any problems with the bank. I use the Emporium branch at Phrom Phong in Bangkok.

Edited by JohnnyBD

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2 hours ago, treetops said:

Most of the crime has been by foreigners so it's not surprising they are being targeted. You've just been caught up in the dragnet so deal with it or find your own alternative.

Most of the crime has NOT been by foreigners. It’s just easier to go after foreigners than Thais.

21 hours ago, Everyman said:

Most of the crime has NOT been by foreigners. It’s just easier to go after foreigners than Thais.

Chinese syndicates and individuals are the largest group and all are foreigners here. After them comes Thais then Russians (mostly crypto) and then West Africans.

5 hours ago, treetops said:

Chinese syndicates and individuals are the largest group and all are foreigners here. After them comes Thais then Russians (mostly crypto) and then West Africans.

Got some stats to back that generalisation up?

  • 3 weeks later...
On 6/6/2026 at 2:21 PM, topt said:

Got some stats to back that generalisation up?

You don't need many stats when you see what the majority of the dregs are out and about.

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