Impossible To Open A Thai Bank Accont Now Without Wp

[CCCP]

Opened and account at Kasikorn Siam square. Only showed my Non O and the account was ready and running, 1000bht deposit to open and that was it. This was in Janruary so not sure if things have changed.

[Oorinara]

Read thru this thred with much interest. Conclusively, the success seems to depend on mixture such factors as i) bank, ii) branch, iii) officer and manager, iv) visa, v) relationship with Thai, and vi) applicant's appearance(?), if not having Work or Resident Permit.

In fact, I tried several banks and branches in Bangkok and Pattaya in May and June 2008. I found general tendency as follows.

(1) Location: Bangkok is much stricter than Pattaya where a number of retirees reside. However if you live in or visit mostly Bangkok, better to open an account in branch in Bangkok metropolitan area, as inter-prefecture withdrawal or deposit require processing fee of at least Baht 10 per transaction even within the same bank network.

(2) Bank: Kasikorn is less strict to tourist than SCB.

(3) Appeal: Speaking Thai, even a little, and wearing good-looking clothes help, as officers and managers seemingly don't want to entertain Farang Keenou (low profile Farang) claiming loudly in English.

Eventually, I could open e-savings and time deposit accounts with K-Bank Suk branch, with 90 days tourist visa, hotel address and room no. but without Work Permit.

Required documents for account opening (K-Bank)

http://www.kasikornbank.com/portal/site/KB...00056f8f30aRCRD

Another good point of K-Bank is that it doesn't differentiate interest rates between resident and nonresident.

http://www.kasikornbank.com/portal/site/KB...00056f8f30aRCRD

By the way, resident and nonresident are different meaning from Thai and foreigners. For example, my account bears local address in Thailand only, so it is categorized as resident account for purpose of withholding of income gain tax. Too often mislead or mistaken.

Should you want to have a bank account anyway, the most sure way is to open an investment account with securities firm which then writes a letter of introduction to its tied-up bank. For example, Seamico securities to Siam Commercial Bank. Seamico or Capital Nomura Securities are accustomed to opeing accounts for foreigners. In this case, if you are a traveler with visa of less than 90 day say, I am unsure if your securities and bank accounts are categorized as nonresident (which defines withholding tax on income/capital gains).

[lannarebirth]

I have accounts at Bangkok Bank, Omsin Bank, Thanachart Bank, Siam Commercial Bank and a closed Kasikorn Thai Bank account. None ever asked for a work permit.

Edited July 25, 2008 by lannarebirth

[henryalleman]

I went to every bank yesterday not even in Bangkok I live in Samut Prakan. I tried Siam City Bank, Siam Commercial Bank, Bangkok Bank, Krung Thai, Kaisikorn, Aduthaya (excuse spelling) every one of them said every bank in Thailand has recieced new legal policies from the Bank of Thailand (whoever they are) saying under NO circimstances can a foreigner open up any type of account with just passport. They did however say if you can show either a retirement visa or student documentation they will open a savings account. I'm 28 so the retirement option is a way off and no i'm not planning on going back to school. So for the average tourist or guy here for long term on another visa you CANNOT get a bank account anymore. I'm married to a Thai and it doesn't make a blind bit of difference.

I open an bank account in kasikorn bank last june, I even open an Foreign currency account in Euro, it took just 15 minutes to arrange it, got my cyberbanking, ATMcard the same time. My original deposit in my Thai Baht account was 10K and only 100 Euro in foreign currency account. I have an O visa,and my Thai spouse has an account in kassikorn but in a diferent branch, evendo both of us have no permanent adress in Thailand.

[lannarebirth]

I went to every bank yesterday not even in Bangkok I live in Samut Prakan. I tried Siam City Bank, Siam Commercial Bank, Bangkok Bank, Krung Thai, Kaisikorn, Aduthaya (excuse spelling) every one of them said every bank in Thailand has recieced new legal policies from the Bank of Thailand (whoever they are) saying under NO circimstances can a foreigner open up any type of account with just passport. They did however say if you can show either a retirement visa or student documentation they will open a savings account. I'm 28 so the retirement option is a way off and no i'm not planning on going back to school. So for the average tourist or guy here for long term on another visa you CANNOT get a bank account anymore. I'm married to a Thai and it doesn't make a blind bit of difference.

I open an bank account in kasikorn bank last june, I even open an Foreign currency account in Euro, it took just 15 minutes to arrange it, got my cyberbanking, ATMcard the same time. My original deposit in my Thai Baht account was 10K and only 100 Euro in foreign currency account. I have an O visa,and my Thai spouse has an account in kassikorn but in a diferent branch, evendo both of us have no permanent adress in Thailand.

You know that Kasikorn Thai is going to charge you a 1% "commission" everytime you make a withdrawl from your Euro account, right?

[pkrv]

Just literally got back from Bangkok and as promised here is the latest information I have.

1) On updating my Bangkok Bank savings account passbook at one of those handy machines at Central in Chidlom I discovered much to my amazement that I earn't interest on the account! (This was the first time I could check this).

2) You can set up direct debits for electricity, water, telephone etc by simply taking your passbook and a copy of the relevant bill (bills) to counter 54 at the head office. This is a very simple process, but takes time to complete. I was told that I would need to pay the next bill manually but after that automatic payments would be made.

So IMO the best bet is to open an account at Bangkok Banks head office on Silom road (near soi 3) -Instruction on the first page of this thread. Next time I am over I will see if I can persuade them on the subject of internet banking (I ran out of time during my all too brief two week holiday )

Edited August 6, 2008 by pkrv