Have to get an SCB (Siam Commercial Bank) bank account. Any recommendations for Bangkok branches that have no hassle in opening an account (read: no need to show work permit and small initial deposit like 500 baht)? Good experiences? I checked some old threads and got conflicting reports but wasn't aware of the specific branches people were talking about. So, do tell. Anywhere close to MRT or BTS is good.

Or, if you've had a bad experience please tell what branch it was in Bangkok.

I've found the folks at Central World (office) and Ploenchit Center branches to be very nice and helpful. However, have no idea about account-opening for farangs. (sorry, I'm Thai )

The SCB at Ladprao 111 seems to always have a handful of falangs present going about their business, and I'm there every other day. Service wise I've never had any issues or serious delays for credited funds, and that particular branch is one of their commercial business centers so if you trade internationally: receiving payments via L/C's and so forth, I'd recommend this branch.

Edited January 31, 200818 yr by Heng

I live in BKK but don't have a work permit yet, because I'm not yet working...

So, when I went to SCB on Suk Soi 11, they hassled me and insisted I needed a work permit to open a savings account.

Eventually, I ended up calling the SCB call center, where they told me the branch had been wrong and the bank policy permited someone with a business or retirement visa (and a passport) to open an account.

The call center suggested their Siam Paragon or Siam Square branches, both a short walk from the Siam/Central BTS Station. I ended up going to the Siam Square branch where, after initially getting the same wrong answer as Sukhumvit and thus having to talk to an asst. manager and explain my chat with the call center, they finally agreed to open the account and were most helpful after that. It was having the word from the call center about the bank's true policy that turned the deal.

Later, I've dealt with the SCB branch in Nana Plaza, Soi 3 and Suk Road, and the staff there seems really pleasant and helpful. And that branch also stays open on weekends unlike many others. But, I've never tried to open an account there, so I can't say how they'd respond to that. For other business, though, the ladies there have been great.

In general, some of the banks in BKK seem to be harder on this point than branches upcountry. BKK Bank is a breeze with only passport required, and Kasikorn gets many good reports on that issue also. SCB is hit and miss by branch when it comes to opening an account without a work permit. But once you have an account, I find they're really good to deal with and it's the Thai bank account I use the most, including for online banking and bill payments.