Which Bank In Thailand Is Most Friendly To Us Farangs

[hegralow]

Any one have experience getting a Thai bank account while not a resident of the country? I own a condo in Thailand and need a local bank to to business with. What kind of paper work is usually needed?

[sonicdragon]

Any one have experience getting a Thai bank account while not a resident of the country? I own a condo in Thailand and need a local bank to to business with. What kind of paper work is usually needed?

So many threads on this topic.

Most branches of K-bank will open an account with just a copy of your passport and some confirmation of address (in thai). Bangkok bank requires the pasport copy to be certified by your embassy. Neither requires a work permit or visa, though some staff/branches are unaware of this and say it is a requirement. The answer to that is to call theor customer service hotline from within the branch and have them explain it to the staff.

[johnnyk]

K-Bank has given me excellent service.

I opened my account with just passport and gave them an address that is the office of my accountant, no questions asked.

Excellent, fluent English speakers stafing their customer service phone lines also.

[hegralow]

Any one have experience getting a Thai bank account while not a resident of the country? I own a condo in Thailand and need a local bank to to business with. What kind of paper work is usually needed?

So many threads on this topic.

Most branches of K-bank will open an account with just a copy of your passport and some confirmation of address (in thai). Bangkok bank requires the pasport copy to be certified by your embassy. Neither requires a work permit or visa, though some staff/branches are unaware of this and say it is a requirement. The answer to that is to call theor customer service hotline from within the branch and have them explain it to the staff.

Thank you very much. By K-bank I assume you mean Kasicorn. I have heard that they are one of the easiest to deal with but that it may depend on the branch you go to.

[hegralow]

K-Bank has given me excellent service.

I opened my account with just passport and gave them an address that is the office of my accountant, no questions asked.

Excellent, fluent English speakers stafing their customer service phone lines also.

Thank you. I hope it will be as easy for me as it was for you.

[tangoll]

hegralow, may I ask how you were able to become a condo owner without having had a thai bank account? Did you deal in cash? And how did you get around condition that non-thais must show funds came from overseas?

[johnnyk]

K-Bank has given me excellent service.

I opened my account with just passport and gave them an address that is the office of my accountant, no questions asked.

Excellent, fluent English speakers stafing their customer service phone lines also.

Thank you. I hope it will be as easy for me as it was for you.

You're welcome.

Just remember that many people report differences from branch to branch, let alone bank to bank.

Chok dee.

[roskruge]

I as some other post have stated stand by the KBank or Kasikorn Bank it used to be called the Thai Farmers Bank. All they needed from me was they photo copied my passport and they asked verbally for an address, the previous night I had stayed at the Rajah Hotel Soi 2 Sukhumvit so I said Rajah Hotel Soi 2. that was it, any branch will replace a lost ATM for just 100 Baht their and then, if you have your Passport. Outside of Pattaya the service I receive is A1.

I have heard some banks are not opening accounts for foreigners on tourist visa.

[hegralow]

hegralow, may I ask how you were able to become a condo owner without having had a thai bank account? Did you deal in cash? And how did you get around condition that non-thais must show funds came from overseas?

Sure. I had money transferred via wire from my bank to the real estate company's bank account. I had the realtor fill out the tor tor 3. My brother-in-law went with the realtor to the land office for me with a power of attorney and signed the papers. It worked so far but now I will be renting it out and I want the money sent to a Thai bank in Thailand. I will contact the new realtor (East Coast Real Estate) to see if he can temporarily put the money in hus account and take care of the payment of bills until I can get there and set up an account. By the way, when I bought the condo using Jomtien-Properties I was very unsatsfied with their service and even though I have a few more months of free advertising (which I saw no evidence of) that came with the purchase, I am having it handled by East Coast which has been very responsive so far.

[hegralow]

K-Bank has given me excellent service.

I opened my account with just passport and gave them an address that is the office of my accountant, no questions asked.

Excellent, fluent English speakers stafing their customer service phone lines also.

Thank you. I hope it will be as easy for me as it was for you.

You're welcome.

Just remember that many people report differences from branch to branch, let alone bank to bank.

Chok dee.

Which branch did you use? Maybe I will try to go there if I have a problem elsewhere.

[sweetchariot]

Hi Heg,

I opened an account with Kasikorn on soi Bukhao, on the corner of the road that goes down to 'made in Thailand' complex. As per previous posts I only had to show my passport, although I did take my house papers and they didn't want them. What impressed me is that they gave me an ATM card there and then, we went outside to the ATM and changed the PIN to one of my choosing, and I left with a fully functioning account with ATM card and passbook.

I spent 15 years in banking in the UK, and this was far better service than you would get at any UK bank. I go in there regularly now, and the staff are excellent, they are also open until 7pm every night (not Sundays).

I also have internet banking with them, which is a bit basic but works just fine.

I would like to point out at this stage that I have no affiliation with K-bank, I am not employed, and receive no financial gain from posting this!! It is just refreshing to find genuine good service these days (especially in LOS). I still deal regularly with several UK banks by phone, and they are piss poor in comparison.

[stevemiddie]

Kasikorn Bank. Pattaya. Great service everytime and internet banking too. Bliss.

[Losangels]

I spent 15 years in banking in the UK, and this was far better service than you would get at any UK bank. I go in there regularly now, and the staff are excellent, they are also open until 7pm every night (not Sundays).

I also have internet banking with them, which is a bit basic but works just fine.

I would like to point out at this stage that I have no affiliation with K-bank, I am not employed, and receive no financial gain from posting this!! It is just refreshing to find genuine good service these days (especially in LOS). I still deal regularly with several UK banks by phone, and they are piss poor in comparison.

Thai banks are o.k. for a few basic services, however if you have to deal with detail or different/difficult transactions, the level of service is much to be desired. I've worked in banks in the US for about 10 years and I find banks in the US in general have good services.

Never been to the UK and surprised to hear that bank services there are unsatifactory

[sweetchariot]

I spent 15 years in banking in the UK, and this was far better service than you would get at any UK bank. I go in there regularly now, and the staff are excellent, they are also open until 7pm every night (not Sundays).

I also have internet banking with them, which is a bit basic but works just fine.

I would like to point out at this stage that I have no affiliation with K-bank, I am not employed, and receive no financial gain from posting this!! It is just refreshing to find genuine good service these days (especially in LOS). I still deal regularly with several UK banks by phone, and they are piss poor in comparison.

Thai banks are o.k. for a few basic services, however if you have to deal with detail or different/difficult transactions, the level of service is much to be desired. I've worked in banks in the US for about 10 years and I find banks in the US in general have good services.

Never been to the UK and surprised to hear that bank services there are unsatifactory

Ask anyone from the UK about their bank, and I am pretty sure that 99% or more would be uncomplimentary.

It all stems from huge costcutting in the 90's, centralising everything and taking any discretion/ decision making abilities away from the local branches.

I was a regional manager for Lloyds TSB, I left when the yanks took over and started slashing costs and services. I then moved to Barclays and left when the yanks took over and started slashing costs and services, and ended up here!

I am surprised that US banks provide good service, when they seem to be doing their level best to <deleted> up the UK banking system.

[Losangels]

I am surprised that US banks provide good service, when they seem to be doing their level best to <deleted> up the UK banking system.

Well its been over ten years that I left banking in the US, so it may be different now

[johnnyk]

K-Bank has given me excellent service.

I opened my account with just passport and gave them an address that is the office of my accountant, no questions asked.

Excellent, fluent English speakers stafing their customer service phone lines also.

Thank you. I hope it will be as easy for me as it was for you.

You're welcome.

Just remember that many people report differences from branch to branch, let alone bank to bank.

Chok dee.

Which branch did you use? Maybe I will try to go there if I have a problem elsewhere.

Not too helpful I'm afraid, my branch is in Hua Hin.

[Gary A]

It all depends on the branch. The worst experience I ever had was with the former Thai Farmers Bank. The best was Krung Thai. I now am happy with Siam Commercial but changed to them because of convenience. I also used Bangkok Bnak and was satisfied.