I am retired and want to live 13 weeks at a time in Bangkok. I am purchasing a condo but need to open a bank account in Bangkok. When last there I was told I had to have a work permit to be able to open an account. Are there other ways of banking there.

Walk into any large bank (Kasikorn) in a farang area (soi 33) with your passport and 1000bt.

Ask for a debit card and/or ATM card for a Savings Account.

Who told you you needed a work permit, a beer bar lawyer!

Dont go into the small branch bank offices. Go to the bigger ones.

Bangkok Bank will let you open one. Just go to their main office on Silom.

Wouldn't you need proof of an address there?

Wouldn't you need proof of an address there?

Hotel address and room number was OK for my bank. Mind you, 18 months later and the bank were still sending stuff to the hotel even though I'd been living in an apartment in Bangkok for a year. So you need to let them know your permanent address when you get one.

This was a few years ago - things might have changed.