Bank Accounts

[gusalf]

Thanks to those who quickly replied to my last, rather trivial question.

Now for a serious plea for assistance.

A few months ago I needed to open a bank account and quickly learned that they(the bank) required me to have a visa stamp in my passport. I suppose they may often get time wasters who after an afternoon on the Chang think a bank account might be a lark and, I admit, I was pretty scruffy at the time.

Anyway further questions were asked later and I was informed that my 'blue book'- house ownership would suffice. In the event on my second attempt-blue book, no visa we went back to the same mantra 'You need a visa'

I am live in UK and will be back soon - I'm a frequent visitor. I am quite happy to stump up for a visa but here is the crunch. Which one? Honestly as I rarely spend more than 27 days per visit the cheapest is my prefered option, ie. 60 days single entry. However I do not want to waste my cash and get caught by another hitch. I'll pay more if I have to but I would prefer not to for obvious reasons.

Can anyone offer me advice, dare I say enlightenment ?

[5tash]

To open a Thai bank account most Thai banks require you to have a working visa, but I know through experience Kasikorn Bank does not. All you need is your passport details and an address in Thailand. You can also set-up internet banking with Kasikorn.

[chinkles]

Thanks to those who quickly replied to my last, rather trivial question.

Now for a serious plea for assistance.

A few months ago I needed to open a bank account and quickly learned that they(the bank) required me to have a visa stamp in my passport. I suppose they may often get time wasters who after an afternoon on the Chang think a bank account might be a lark and, I admit, I was pretty scruffy at the time.

Anyway further questions were asked later and I was informed that my 'blue book'- house ownership would suffice. In the event on my second attempt-blue book, no visa we went back to the same mantra 'You need a visa'

I am live in UK and will be back soon - I'm a frequent visitor. I am quite happy to stump up for a visa but here is the crunch. Which one? Honestly as I rarely spend more than 27 days per visit the cheapest is my prefered option, ie. 60 days single entry. However I do not want to waste my cash and get caught by another hitch. I'll pay more if I have to but I would prefer not to for obvious reasons.

Can anyone offer me advice, dare I say enlightenment ?

when i got mine i had a 1 year educational visa and they still umed and ah about it ,but i got there in the end .dont give up keep trying

[BigC]

koh samui is quite leanent with opening banks but bangkok exept everthing 100 per cent correct.

Best thing to do is get a proper visa stamp even a tourist visa. and keep trying all the sub branches.

Maybe if u have a thai girlf friend you can open a joint account. just give her some tip money and u keep the card and when u want to take money out via over the desk have it so both of you have to sign or just u if u can. best thing to do is to ring them. look the banks up on the web and get thier phone number and ring them. u might be able to open 1 online.

[suegha]

Seriously, I just walked into Bank of Ayudha(sp) and said 'I'd like to open an account'. 10 Mins later I walked out with account opened and ATM card in hand. No checks or queries whatever. That was 3-4 years ago and I have been using it every time I'm in Samui. The branch in Lamai is where I opened it.

[Noodles]

Seriously, I just walked into Bank of Ayudha(sp) and said 'I'd like to open an account'. 10 Mins later I walked out with account opened and ATM card in hand. No checks or queries whatever. That was 3-4 years ago and I have been using it every time I'm in Samui. The branch in Lamai is where I opened it.

Same here

[chinkles]

Seriously, I just walked into Bank of Ayudha(sp) and said 'I'd like to open an account'. 10 Mins later I walked out with account opened and ATM card in hand. No checks or queries whatever. That was 3-4 years ago and I have been using it every time I'm in Samui. The branch in Lamai is where I opened it.

Same here

i have the same also but they would not let me join down chaweng had to join in the main branch on the tesco lotus road,the one where you turn to the lamdin market...exuse the spelling

[frankman]

For the bank; just have a lot off cash, lol, no; try always new opening branches,works good on Koh Phangan,but that was a long time ago. For the visa, 27 days here, touristvisa 30 days , should be good enough.

[NHJ]

i opened my bank account at the kasikorn in front of the macdonald in samui, i had no visa at that time and no question was asked, it was in january.

definately a good agency as krung thai bank did require at least a visa stamp while all the others were asking for a work permit.

[happylarry]

Make sure that you are asking for a savings account not a current account.

Anybody can get a savings account providing the bank employee got out of bed the right side, but to get a current account you need to have a work permit.

Its a government stipulation that all on a retirement visa have a thai bank account and none of us have work permits.

I always found that the Siam Commercial Bank opposite Tesco's in Bophut (Samui) was really helpful in every way.

HL

[Comehome]

Seriously, I just walked into Bank of Ayudha(sp) and said 'I'd like to open an account'. 10 Mins later I walked out with account opened and ATM card in hand. No checks or queries whatever. That was 3-4 years ago and I have been using it every time I'm in Samui. The branch in Lamai is where I opened it.

Same for us but at Kasikorn bank.

[kanvas]

I was told a new law is in force .To open an account you need a 3month visa (address in thailand or not)

But a joint account with thai girlfriend is ok!

[mattias33]

Seriously, I just walked into Bank of Ayudha(sp) and said 'I'd like to open an account'. 10 Mins later I walked out with account opened and ATM card in hand. No checks or queries whatever. That was 3-4 years ago and I have been using it every time I'm in Samui. The branch in Lamai is where I opened it.

Seconed. I can´t really understand the problems people make about simple things! Not only open a bank-account (witch was also completely hasslefree for me and a 10 min thing really), but i hear all kind of problems all the time on how to get a thai driverslicense, how to register a bike in your name (never took me more than 5 minuites), visas, workpermits, marriagepapers, and so on. I get the feeling some people just have the wrong advisers and bad luck maybe. Or maybe i´m just lucky but i never had any of these problems, and it´s always been as simple as it is in my own country to do all these things. Don´t complicate it boys and girls. Just go in and open the account!

Also i get the feelig that some "falangs" kind of "send the signal" to the thais that "this one we need to wind up", hahaha. -No sir, to open a bankaccount you need updated housepapers and workpermit and a workingvisa. If anybody ever tried that on me i would say "yeah, right. Now, lets open the account and stop the b.s!". Surprisingly i usually get away with that style. Make it simple, not the other way around.

[loiner100]

I have two accounts with Siam Commercial (one joint with my Thai wife) and one with Ayudhya.

I am about to close the two Siam as they are a rip off. They have now started to charge 20 baht for withdrawing money from my UK bank at their ATM's. This used to be free.

Also they charge 200 baht every year for the card which is essential if you want to use an ATM and not have to queue every time you want cash.

Money withdrawn from anywhere outside Suratthani Province is also charged at 20 baht per transaction.

Bank of Ayudhya give excellent service, no charge for the card and you can also pay for your ferry tickets anywhere in Thailand there plus the usual services like phone top ups and bill payments if required.

I never had a problem when opening these (saving) accounts, just a wad of pound notes and my passport.

[mattias33]

I never had a problem when opening these (saving) accounts, just a wad of pound notes and my passport.

Yep, all i ever showed aswell. As easy as that.

Bangkok bank (a few years ago) did require that you pu minimum 500 baht in your account, but if you wanted you could go straight to an atm machine and take it out 5 minuites later so i did not see the point of that requirement. Also they actually gave me a jacket (probably worth at least 100 baht if it would have been big enough to fit) as a present.

All done in 5 minuites.

[limbos]

I have two accounts with Siam Commercial (one joint with my Thai wife) and one with Ayudhya.

I am about to close the two Siam as they are a rip off. They have now started to charge 20 baht for withdrawing money from my UK bank at their ATM's. This used to be free.

Also they charge 200 baht every year for the card which is essential if you want to use an ATM and not have to queue every time you want cash.

Money withdrawn from anywhere outside Suratthani Province is also charged at 20 baht per transaction.

Bank of Ayudhya give excellent service, no charge for the card and you can also pay for your ferry tickets anywhere in Thailand there plus the usual services like phone top ups and bill payments if required.

I never had a problem when opening these (saving) accounts, just a wad of pound notes and my passport.

Have had the exact reverse thing, cancelled all my Ayudhaya accountns save one and opened up more SCB accounts.

My biggest 'beef' with Ayudhaya is the incompetence of most of their staff and the absence of adequate English speaking staff in their offices.

Ayudhaya also charges 20 baht outside of province of Surat Thani for ATM with drawals and Ayudhaya also has a yearly charge for my ATM card either 200 or 300 baht per year.

Only advantage Ayudhaya has in my opinion is that it's the 'easiest' bank to get a credit card with. You need to deposit an 'X' amount of money and than 80% of that frozen deposit can be used as your credit card limit. Not ideal but to my knowledge beats any other Thai bank in that department. Please correct me if I'm wrong about this.

[BigC]

Seriously, I just walked into Bank of Ayudha(sp) and said 'I'd like to open an account'. 10 Mins later I walked out with account opened and ATM card in hand. No checks or queries whatever. That was 3-4 years ago and I have been using it every time I'm in Samui. The branch in Lamai is where I opened it.

same here

[BigC]

to be honest it is lik england. when i was a kid i could not open a nat west acount becuase i did not have a job. yet barclays gave one to me straight off.