Opening Bank Accpunt In Nakhon Sawan

[garys06]

in NS

In November I wish to open a savings account in Nakhon Sawan (with ATM card & Internet access) in preparation for retirement at a latter date.

I will be on a 60 day tourist visa with letters of introduction from my Australian bank & government employer. Obviously I will not have a residence certificate, work permit etc. I would prefer a branch in the Pak Nam Pho Kosi Rd/Sawanwithi area.

My research suggests doing so can be abit hit and miss. Any advice as to which bank to try and how to do so would be much appreciated. I have heard Kasikorn or Siam Commercial may be easier than say Bangkok Bank? Are banks in NS bureaucratic or not?

[G54]

I walked into K Bank (near Bansuan Hotel) and had no problems whatsoever. No residency or work permit. Took my address and my passport details. I think it did help that I had a bi-lingual Thai with me.

[dudemeister]

Although I am not in NS - when i asked friends i was told ''cannot''

But i also, was successful with Kasikorn. Given a pass book and ATM card on the spot. Only needed passport and a deposit to open the account.

If i can remember i stuck 10k THB in to start with. Although my pass book has my name inside, the ATM card (Visa Electron) states PRIVELEGED MEMBER or somethng - i dont have it on me at the moment to check.

[garys06]

Thakx 4 the advice, much appreciated

[huahin]

in NS

In November I wish to open a savings account in Nakhon Sawan (with ATM card & Internet access) in preparation for retirement at a latter date.

I will be on a 60 day tourist visa with letters of introduction from my Australian bank & government employer. Obviously I will not have a residence certificate, work permit etc. I would prefer a branch in the Pak Nam Pho Kosi Rd/Sawanwithi area.

My research suggests doing so can be abit hit and miss. Any advice as to which bank to try and how to do so would be much appreciated. I have heard Kasikorn or Siam Commercial may be easier than say Bangkok Bank? Are banks in NS bureaucratic or not?

I didn't have any problems at Kasikorn either, it would be a good idea to take your Thai wife/partner/friend, it does help. I've held my account for five years now and send/transfer money fromO/Seas.

Good luck

[aitch52]

Hi,

I walked into Siam Bank, Nachaliang, Phetchabun and opened an account on my passport and address, savings book and ATM card issued on the spot. I was also offered a Master Card which I declined

Hope this helps

[dave_boo]

+1 for the Kasikorn account.

The branch near Big C is extremely helpful. Just don't bring any childern in with you or you'll never leave, what with the staff fawning over them.

[johngerrard]

After various adventures with Siam City bank [reported somewhere but not on this thread] i went into Bangkok Bank in Bung Sampan to open an account, taking my thai wife to do the talking... we got a flat refusal. We then went into Krung Thai Bank in the same town, it was a soap opera, they refused to accept a passport as genuine i.d... wanting an i.d. card instead??

Kasikorn refused as well, stating 'no work permit'

My friend has an account with Krung Thai in the Big C building in Nakhon Sawan, he popped in and asked them if i could open an account there, they phoned me while he was there telling me to pop up anytime with my passport and proof of address and there would be no problem. All sorted now, very helpful people.

it seems to me that it's a nightmare unless you are in a town where they are used to dealing with Westerners.

[Chris.B]

After various adventures with Siam City bank [reported somewhere but not on this thread] i went into Bangkok Bank in Bung Sampan to open an account, taking my thai wife to do the talking... we got a flat refusal. We then went into Krung Thai Bank in the same town, it was a soap opera, they refused to accept a passport as genuine i.d... wanting an i.d. card instead??

I think they were probably asking for proof of address.

[johngerrard]

No Chris, we had already been through all that.. the house book, the 'yellow' book, wifes i.d etc. i had the passport, photocopies, retirement visa photocopies, one thing i've learned is to take everything possible including the kitchen sink. They simply refused to accept the passport as proof of i.d.

Remember my wife was there dealing with it all. She was incredulous too.

She is convinced that they don't want to know [in the small towns and villages] because of the difficulty in putting thai spellings, i.e. phonetics, into computers for foreigners names, she has been told before that the thais find this very difficult, because one thai will spell a foreign name differently to another thai. There is probably some validity to this , you can tell with street/town spellings.

[billd766]

No Chris, we had already been through all that.. the house book, the 'yellow' book, wifes i.d etc. i had the passport, photocopies, retirement visa photocopies, one thing i've learned is to take everything possible including the kitchen sink. They simply refused to accept the passport as proof of i.d.

Remember my wife was there dealing with it all. She was incredulous too.

She is convinced that they don't want to know [in the small towns and villages] because of the difficulty in putting thai spellings, i.e. phonetics, into computers for foreigners names, she has been told before that the thais find this very difficult, because one thai will spell a foreign name differently to another thai. There is probably some validity to this , you can tell with street/town spellings.

My wife and I live outside a small village 65 km from Khampaeng Phet and we opened a joint account at the only bank which was Kasikorn.

The account is in my wifes name in Thai and my full name (in capitals I must admit) in English.

We went in together and I was on a Thai wife support visa and not working. There was one lady in the branch who spoke good English and one or two more who spoke some as well.

It was done by my wife in less than 30 minutes with no hassle.

I personally find that Kasikorn is a good bank where I can do on line banking and if there is a problem I can contact the hotline and speak to someone in English. It is more friendly and helpful than my offshore UK bank which shall remain nameless.