They will freeze your savings up to the amount of credit on your card for the full time you hold a card with them. If like me, the savings are also used for your Immigration requirements they deduct the frozen amount from the amount you are proving to Immigration. I now have to keep at least 1 million in the account, 800k for Immigration and 200k frozen for the credit card. The letter to Immigration actually reflects this.

2 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

The OP states he has a work permit.

2 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

The OP states he has a work permit.

2 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Not true, over the decades I've had several unsecured credit cards with kasikorn bank, not working here at the time

Platinum card, spouse card etc and now a Wisdom card.

OK, but the Wisdom card requires you to have 10 million Baht in your account.

9 minutes ago, msbkk said:

OK, but the Wisdom card requires you to have 10 million Baht in your account.

Not when I received it.

3 hours ago, Hotrats said:

It's very simple really. You can obtain a credit card from a Thai bank which the bank secures with a "frozen" deposit of whatever amount you request the credit card limit to be. I have had a Visa credit card from Bangkok Bank for many years now which was issued on this basis.

You just described exactly what the OP said. Well done.

I went into my Kasikorn branch where I've been banking for 12 years, produced my passport / bank book and asked for a credit card.

20 minutes and a few signatures.

Got the card in the post 4 days later

When first retiring here, I looked into having a Thai bank issued credit card but found they only offered a "debit" or "secured credit card" (blocked funds supporting the "credit" limit). Hmm, product of my culture, I kept the US bank issued cards extending me credit on the basis of my earned credit history. I really do not think the Thai banks nor I have suffered.

9 minutes ago, Geordieabroad said:

I went into my Kasikorn branch where I've been banking for 12 years, produced my passport / bank book and asked for a credit card.

20 minutes and a few signatures.

Got the card in the post 4 days later

Secured card tied to a frozen account deposit ?

3 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

Secured card tied to a frozen account deposit ?

Yes, my question too. Can you answer please @Geordieabroad ?

On 7/22/2026 at 10:48 AM, baansgr said:

I previously had Citibank cc with a 50,000 baht limit. Had held work permit for about 10 years, applied online and a girl came to my home..this was 10-12 years ago. You may wanna check them out

Was the girl worth checking out? What service!

On 7/24/2026 at 8:51 AM, SAFETY FIRST said:

Not true, over the decades I've had several unsecured credit cards with kasikorn bank, not working here at the time

Platinum card, spouse card etc and now a Wisdom card.

Maybe like Gashead just posted before you your unsecured credit cards fall under category below, for the rest not working its 50000 secured cards :
>Or Applicants with Savings who has balance at least 2,000,000 Baht in a fixed or savings account of any Thai banks for 12 months and over, will be able to apply credit card.

What's the advantage of a credit card over a debit card? Just curious.

Apart from maybe renting a car overseas?

23 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

What's the advantage of a credit card over a debit card? Just curious.

Apart from maybe renting a car overseas?

Yes, exactly. I plan to rent a car from LAX (Los Angeles) and stay at a number of hotels in California.

28 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

What's the advantage of a credit card over a debit card? Just curious.

Apart from maybe renting a car overseas?

I have a UK passport renewal coming up for my son. I don't have a credit card and previously have used a friends. That is not possible now and I understand results using debit cards are not consistent.

43 minutes ago, Hamus Yaigh said:

Maybe like Gashead just posted before you your unsecured credit cards fall under category below, for the rest not working its 50000 secured cards :
>Or Applicants with Savings who has balance at least 2,000,000 Baht in a fixed or savings account of any Thai banks for 12 months and over, will be able to apply credit card.

Nope, not applicable to my cards

On 7/22/2026 at 2:17 PM, brewsterbudgen said:

Thanks, that's clear. So I could stick 500,000 baht in a separate fixed deposit account and get a credit card based on this? Would I still pay off the balance monthly?

If this mainly about car rental in US maybe look at something like this:

Renting a Car with a Debit Card

https://www.alamo.com/en/customer-support/car-rental-faqs/renting-with-debit-cards.html

35 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

What's the advantage of a credit card over a debit card? Just curious.

Apart from maybe renting a car overseas?

The car rental issue is a big one, in some places you may not be able to find any car rental companies that offer any alternatives such as debit cards or cash deposits.

Also, some hotels require a credit card deposit or a cash deposit and don't accept debit cards.

Finally, the risk of losing money as a result of fraud isn't the same, as the rules for contesting credit card transactions are somewhat different from the rules for contesting debit card transactions. And regardless of the outcome, using a debit card any contested money is gone from your account while the investigation is ongoing, as any transaction is debited immediately.

Why would you want a credit card 💳

in Thailand

it's cash or online payment

scan qr code

.

.

.

think

like

a

local

7 minutes ago, Caldera said:

The car rental issue is a big one, in some places you may not be able to find any car rental companies that offer any alternatives such as debit cards or cash deposits.

Also, some hotels require a credit card deposit or a cash deposit and don't accept debit cards.

Right except he has options to travel to US without a credit card even if a credit card is more desirable.

American Express any easier?

4 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Nope, not applicable to my cards

and you are not going to explain why lol!

16 hours ago, Hamus Yaigh said:

hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Nope, not applicable to my cards

and you are not going to explain why lol

I've Explain this at length, a few times over the years.

I came to Thailand, working on offshore drilling rig, Songkhla in my 30's. The following year my rig moved to Vietnam, my Thai work permit expired, new work permit issued for Vietnam.

Over the next few years I kept depositing my salary into my Kasikorn account, visiting Thailand every other month on my time off, entering on a 30 day tourist visa.

Back then I had a house being built so I was having my all my salary deposited into my Kasikorn account every month.

At the time, the kasikorn assistant manager who was helping me was switched on, she would go to extremes, helping me to get my credit cards, bank safety deposit box etc all only having a 30 day tourist visa, each Christmas she would give me gifts, coffee cup calendars, umbrellas, loads of goodies.

I'd say if you were depositing 500,000 baht (my salary at the time) into any Thai bank account every month, you would be given an unsecured credit card, given the choice in a bank security safety deposit box etc, all the privedges I received.

Edited Sunday at 03:14 AM5 days by SAFETY FIRST

21 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Why would you want a credit card 💳

in Thailand

it's cash or online payment

scan qr code

.

.

.

think

like

a

local

21 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Why would you want a credit card 💳

in Thailand

it's cash or online payment

scan qr code

.

.

.

think

like

a

local

21 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Why would you want a credit card 💳

in Thailand

it's cash or online payment

scan qr code

.

.

.

think

like

a

local

A credit card will give you additional benefits. First of all you get points for every usage which can later be exchanged in airline miles, cash discounts, gift vouchers or free products. Also there are other promotions like cash back at gas stations, hotels ...

On 7/25/2026 at 12:52 PM, SiSePuede419 said:

Why would you want a credit card 💳

in Thailand

it's cash or online payment

scan qr code

.

.

.

think

like

a

local

So, I can scan QR codes with my Thai bank app when I'm in the USA?

1 hour ago, brewsterbudgen said:

So, I can scan QR codes with my Thai bank app when I'm in the USA?

Sure, you can, if you need to pay things in Thailand while you're abroad. I do this all the time.

On 7/22/2026 at 10:29 AM, brewsterbudgen said:

Bangkok Bank have said they will issue me with a credit card (I've banked with them for 20+ years and hold a work permit) but have told me it requires my account to be "frozen". What does this mean? Is it just that I must keep a minimum balance in the account at all times? Does the 'credit' card just become a 'debit' card, which I have already?

Confusing.

I have a Visa and Mastercard with Bangkok Bank that I opened over twenty years ago. I initially opened it with 100,000 BAHT deposit and then upped it to 200,000. So when I get my bill every month I pay the amount up to 200,000. I guess it is like a Debit card but it allows for many discounts at stores and business. I have asked to just drop the deposit I keep with the bank but because I do not work in Thailand they will not allow it. The cards really come in handy so I do not have to carry large amounts of cash.

4 hours ago, msbkk said:

A credit card will give you additional benefits. First of all you get points for every usage which can later be exchanged in airline miles, cash discounts, gift vouchers or free products. Also there are other promotions like cash back at gas stations, hotels ...

The main difference is when you have a credit card you are telling the seller of the product you are paying for that the money is backed by a bank whom you will pay back later, whereas when using a debit card it isn't, its just backed by your own personal balance.

On 7/22/2026 at 9:22 AM, Ralf001 said:

Of course, it is a "credit card" and you will be charged interest.

Nope, if you pay your balance every month, you are not charged any interest (eventhough they "borrow" you the money for the expenses for up to a month).

You basically use it as a "charge" card.

I doubt you'd get a real "credit" card in Thailand, meaning where you only are required to pay certain percentage of the oustanding amount, and then pay interest on the amount which stays outstanding.

3 minutes ago, pdebuck456 said:

Nope, if you pay your balance every month, you are not charged any interest (eventhough they "borrow" you the money for the expenses for up to a month).

You basically use it as a "charge" card.

I doubt you'd get a real "credit" card in Thailand, meaning where you only are required to pay certain percentage of the oustanding amount, and then pay interest on the amount which stays outstanding.

Yes you can get real credit cards in Thailand, I have two, one with BKK Bank and one with Kbank... Both require minimum 10% payment.

And congrats, you understand how credit cards work, you pay the balance in full at the end of the cycle and there will be no interest accrued.

Edited Wednesday at 04:59 AM2 days by Ralf001

On 7/25/2026 at 8:09 AM, VocalNeal said:

American Express any easier?

Not in Thailand.

Unless you work, but requirements are (to Thai standards anyway) quite steep, for a platinum card you'd need income from emplyment of at least 1.2 million Baht/year, an Amex gold would be easier for a foreigner as the income requirement is lower then the minimum income for your workpermit!

Yearly fees are also a thing with Amex, the Platinum wil set you back 40,000 Baht/year in fees!

Unless you hold an American Express (prefereably Platinum) in your homecountry and are in good standing with them for a long time, then it does seem possible.

1 minute ago, Ralf001 said:

Yes you can get real credit cards in Thailand, I have two, one with BKK Bank and one with Kbank... Both require minimum 10% payment.

And congrats, you understand how credit cards work, you pay the balance in full at the end of the cycle and there will be no interest accrued.

Ah, didn't know.

I assumed if you actually work and have income it should be no problem, but with the "secured" card I assumed an actual "credit" card would be hard to get!

And indeed, I never pay interest on my creditcards by paying in full, interest on my European cards is already steep, I assume in Thailand they'de be clos to American "rip-off" level 😀

Edited Wednesday at 05:06 AM2 days by pdebuck456