Opening A Bank Account

[surg]

Hig Guys,

I have been here now from the US on a 12 month, multi entry Non-Immigrant "0". Don't know why they did not give an "0-A" as I quilify.

Anyway, I live in Saphan Kwai and no bank here will allow me to open an account. I need a checking account to pay bills.

Can you advise me on where or what bank will accept my visa.

Thanks.

[thaiflyer1]

You should be able to open a savings account at any bank, you/ll get an ATM debit card when you open the account.........or were you refering to an account with a cheque book?

[Explorer]

I thought WP is required when opening an account?

Explorer

[thaiflyer1]

Work permit is for a current account............but the poster should be able to open a savings account http://www.phuketgazette.com/issuesanswers...ails.asp?id=175

[Wanderer]

Work  permit  is  for  a  current  account............but  the  poster  should  be  able  to  open  a  savings  account    http://www.phuketgazette.com/issuesanswers...ails.asp?id=175

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i recently opened a current acc. with Maestro card with siam commercial bank, no visa required, very good internet site in english as well, i also have a current acc. with Siam City Bank and a joint savings acc with my wife there, although i think they are abit behind the times, i have always been on a tourist visa, all i needed was a passport and address in Thailand. Having said that I have been refused from a few banks but i highly recommend Siam Commercial Bank

[jackr]

Bangkok Bank and Kasikorn Bank (formerly Thai Farmer) will open an account for you...visa or no visa. 250 baht for a deposit account with cash card.

[localangmo]

I recently went to around 5 different banks asking for a bank account.. I was told on each occasion.. I require a work permit.. one even said I needed to deposit 50,000 Baht.. I nearly fell over..

Will try the Siam Commerical Bank as suggested in one of the other posts.

[lopburi3]

You can not open a checking account without a work permit and a history here in most cases. You can open a savings account (passbook type) with a non immigrant visa only at most banks.

You do not need checks to pay bills as most can either be paid by direct payment from your account of by phone or atm banking means. Checks are not used in Thailand by most people.

Edited December 9, 2004 by lopburi3

[surg]

Work  permit  is  for  a  current  account............but  the  poster  should  be  able  to  open  a  savings  account    http://www.phuketgazette.com/issuesanswers...ails.asp?id=175

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i recently opened a current acc. with Maestro card with siam commercial bank, no visa required, very good internet site in english as well, i also have a current acc. with Siam City Bank and a joint savings acc with my wife there, although i think they are abit behind the times, i have always been on a tourist visa, all i needed was a passport and address in Thailand. Having said that I have been refused from a few banks but i highly recommend Siam Commercial Bank

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Siam Commercial Bank refused to open any kind of account for me. I need a checking account but will settle for savings acct. if necessary.

Thanks.

[lopburi3]

Work  permit  is  for  a  current  account............but  the  poster  should  be  able  to  open  a  savings  account    http://www.phuketgazette.com/issuesanswers...ails.asp?id=175

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i recently opened a current acc. with Maestro card with siam commercial bank, no visa required, very good internet site in english as well, i also have a current acc. with Siam City Bank and a joint savings acc with my wife there, although i think they are abit behind the times, i have always been on a tourist visa, all i needed was a passport and address in Thailand. Having said that I have been refused from a few banks but i highly recommend Siam Commercial Bank

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Siam Commercial Bank refused to open any kind of account for me. I need a checking account but will settle for savings acct. if necessary.

Thanks.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

SCB is hundreds of branch offices - any of which may open an account for you - you may require a certificate of address (if you not on extension probably can obtain from your embassy). Trick is to keep asking at various branches or banks - should not take long to find one that will open an account for you.

But if you want to be here long stay go to immigration when down to 30 days or less of an entry period and apply for extension with the 800k in the bank and medical certificate. No need to be making visa runs if you qualify for extension.

[ZOVOX]

Work  permit  is  for  a  current  account............but  the  poster  should  be  able  to  open  a  savings  account    http://www.phuketgazette.com/issuesanswers...ails.asp?id=175

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i recently opened a current acc. with Maestro card with siam commercial bank, no visa required, very good internet site in english as well, i also have a current acc. with Siam City Bank and a joint savings acc with my wife there, although i think they are abit behind the times, i have always been on a tourist visa, all i needed was a passport and address in Thailand. Having said that I have been refused from a few banks but i highly recommend Siam Commercial Bank

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Siam Commercial Bank refused to open any kind of account for me. I need a checking account but will settle for savings acct. if necessary.

Thanks.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Goto the Thonglor branch of the siam commercial bank - they just ask for passport. The passport didn't even have a stamp in it because i just renewed it.

I've not seen anybody using cheques in Thailand; if you want to pay bills, just go to seven/eleven and use their PAYPOINT service. There's seven/elevens everywhere !!

[paulfr]

As lopburi said, you can pay any bill with your ATM card using "other services"

You can also transfer funds to another acct at your bank or any other bank at an ATM with your card.

Furthermore, you can sign up for Internet banking with Bangkok Bank or KasikornBank (and many others) and pay bills/transfer baht right from your computer. This does have some limits though. I, for example, cannot pay my rent this way because it is a transfer to a non listed public company, so it has to be to an individual acct at another bank. Bangkok Bank does not allow computer transfers to a private acct with another bank, so I have to do that one at the BB ATM. But I do pay my True and TOT and UBC bills from my desk.

[jackr]

As lopburi said, you can pay any bill with your ATM card using "other services"

You can also transfer funds to another acct at your bank or any other bank at an ATM with your card.

Furthermore, you can sign up for Internet banking with Bangkok Bank or KasikornBank (and many others) and pay bills/transfer baht right from your computer. This does have some limits though. I, for example, cannot pay my rent this way because it is a transfer to a non listed public company, so it has to be to an individual acct at another bank. Bangkok Bank does not allow computer transfers to a private acct with another bank, so I have to do that one at the BB ATM. But I do pay my True and TOT and UBC bills from my desk.

Do you know if you can set up a direct debit to another account via your BB cash card (atm) for paying weekly/monthly etc?? Do they charge for transfering money from your account to other banks?

[paulfr]

Do you know if you can set up a direct debit to another account via your BB cash card (atm) for paying weekly/monthly etc??

>>Not sure about this for internet transactions. I don't think you can >>from the ATM machine. But a friend told me that a letter to the bank >>with instructions is all you need to set up a weekly/monthly transfer.

Do they charge for transfering money from your account to other banks?

>> Yes. I think it is something like 35B per transfer for Bangkok Bank

[surg]

Work  permit  is  for  a  current  account............but  the  poster  should  be  able  to  open  a  savings  account    http://www.phuketgazette.com/issuesanswers...ails.asp?id=175

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i recently opened a current acc. with Maestro card with siam commercial bank, no visa required, very good internet site in english as well, i also have a current acc. with Siam City Bank and a joint savings acc with my wife there, although i think they are abit behind the times, i have always been on a tourist visa, all i needed was a passport and address in Thailand. Having said that I have been refused from a few banks but i highly recommend Siam Commercial Bank

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Siam Commercial Bank refused to open any kind of account for me. I need a checking account but will settle for savings acct. if necessary.

Thanks.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Goto the Thonglor branch of the siam commercial bank - they just ask for passport. The passport didn't even have a stamp in it because i just renewed it.

I've not seen anybody using cheques in Thailand; if you want to pay bills, just go to seven/eleven and use their PAYPOINT service. There's seven/elevens everywhere !!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[surg]

Work  permit  is  for  a  current  account............but  the  poster  should  be  able  to  open  a  savings  account    http://www.phuketgazette.com/issuesanswers...ails.asp?id=175

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i recently opened a current acc. with Maestro card with siam commercial bank, no visa required, very good internet site in english as well, i also have a current acc. with Siam City Bank and a joint savings acc with my wife there, although i think they are abit behind the times, i have always been on a tourist visa, all i needed was a passport and address in Thailand. Having said that I have been refused from a few banks but i highly recommend Siam Commercial Bank

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Siam Commercial Bank refused to open any kind of account for me. I need a checking account but will settle for savings acct. if necessary.

Thanks.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Goto the Thonglor branch of the siam commercial bank - they just ask for passport. The passport didn't even have a stamp in it because i just renewed it.

I've not seen anybody using cheques in Thailand; if you want to pay bills, just go to seven/eleven and use their PAYPOINT service. There's seven/elevens everywhere !!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[surg]

Thanks. I'll take the BTS to the Thanlo stop and go to Siam Commercial Bank.

[OxfordWill]

My partners aunt is a manager at one of the 'yellow banks' in bkk. After some purasuasion I decided to open a savings account there and it involved signing one form and several cups of chinese tea.

Figure it might help one day to show I have had money in the los for a few years..

Didnt opt for the ATM card, it cost 500 baht extra and I dont need it just yet.

You shouldn't have too much trouble. Wear your best suit if going into the bank to chat to anyone.

[localangmo]

Bangkok Bank and Kasikorn Bank (formerly Thai Farmer) will open an account for you...visa or no visa. 250 baht for a deposit account with cash card.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Update:-

I went to the thai Farmers bank at Asia Airport Hotel. Had no problem opening a savings account. I was refused point blank and Rangsit branch two weeks earlier.