Bank Accounts In Thailand

[rainman]

to make a long story short, i hold a non-immigrant B visa and am staying in Thailand legally, however without WP as i don't work for a Thai company and get my income from my own companies which i own overseas.

now, i have two savings accounts on Bangkok Bank since about a year without issues. All (100%) money i get onto these accounts are from overseas wire transfers. However, in the past i've tried to open another account on other banks, including Bank of Asia, Thai Farmers Bank, Bank of Ayuddhya and Siam Commercial.

the result? NONE of them will open even a savings account without a work permit. isn't that insane? at the last branch, i asked them a question that developed into a conversation as follows:

me: can i open a savings account with my non-imm B visa?

girl on bank: not onless you have a WP.

me: i don't, but i am not working in Thailand and all my income comes from overseas.

girl on bank: sorry, we cannot open an account with a work permit.

me: (out of ideas here) what about someone who retires to thailand and has their own funds, but does not have a WP? can they open an account?

girl on bank: yes, as long as they can show a WP.

..and i left the branch shaking my head. what's the big deal here? i'm about to open an account on a different non-Thai bank, if the Thai banks don't want my money. is it just me or is there no other way other than Bangkok Bank for individuals who simply don't work in Thailand to open a bank account?

Edited March 7, 2005 by rainman

[rainman]

News Flash: This morning, i tried to open an additional account on Siam Commercial again (different branch), where they told me a WP was required. This same morning, a friend of mine wanted to open an account on Bangkok Bank and they requested a WP from him, even though they never requested one from me and told me themselves its not required by them. This is hilarous.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

to make a long story short, i hold a non-immigrant B visa and am staying in Thailand legally, however without WP as i don't work for a Thai company and get my income from my own companies which i own overseas.

now, i have two savings accounts on Bangkok Bank since about a year without issues. All (100%) money i get onto these accounts are from overseas wire transfers. However, in the past i've tried to open another account on other banks, including Bank of Asia, Thai Farmers Bank, Bank of Ayuddhya and Siam Commercial.

the result? NONE of them will open even a savings account without a work permit. isn't that insane? at the last branch, i asked them a question that developed into a conversation as follows:

me: can i open a savings account with my non-imm B visa?

girl on bank: not onless you have a WP.

me: i don't, but i am not working in Thailand and all my income comes from overseas.

girl on bank: sorry, we cannot open an account with a work permit.

me: (out of ideas here) what about someone who retires to thailand and has their own funds, but does not have a WP? can they open an account?

girl on bank: yes, as long as they can show a WP.

..and i left the branch shaking my head. what's the big deal here? i'm about to open an account on a different non-Thai bank, if the Thai banks don't want my money. is it just me or is there no other way other than Bangkok Bank for individuals who simply don't work in Thailand to open a bank account?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A retiree or a person married to or supporting a Thai citizen would have a Non-Immigrant O class visa, and therein lies the difference

[Jai Dee]

Strictly speaking, a WP is a prerequisite to open any savings account in Thailand.

However, I know some people who opened an account by showing a Thai drivers licence.

[Explorer]

KASIKORN BANK - savings account with no WP.

Explorer

[pedro01]

Your mistake may be showing them the non-immigrant visa...

Go to Stadard Chartered - they let me open a bank account with no visa & I had to sign some form or other to say I was a foreigner.

[daveb1]

I also opened a savings account with Kasikorn bank without a work permit, no problem.

[rainman]

What branches of Kasikorn Bank did you open these accounts on?

[Edge]

Last year we opened a bankaccount for my (Thai) wife and one for myself at Bank of Ayutthaya.

At that time we visited Thailand for a holiday, only a visa-stamp for 30 days in my passport.

For 'our' home-address we gave them the home address of my mother in law. No questions asked.

Walked outside, with two bankaccount-booklets and two ATM-cards.

Legal or illigal, I don't know.

[cclub75]

I think it's the typical "Murphy's law" pattern mixed with "bureaucratic frozen mind"

You may call it also a "syllogisme" (remember "All men are mortal. Socrate is a man. Thus Socrate is mortal").

Visa B = Work Permit

Bank account with Visa B = bank account with work permit !

Personally, I ve opened an account at Bangkok bank (Pathum Thani branch) with my passeport and the regular 30 days "tourist entry". Absolutly no problem.

Chris

[toastwars]

Ayudhya Bank also opens accounts with tourist visa and when I first moved here with a hotel address. I have an atm/debit card here that saves a lot of work in fund transfers as I go back and forth a bit

[roiet]

Last year we opened a bankaccount for my (Thai) wife and one for myself at Bank of Ayutthaya.

At that time we visited Thailand for a holiday, only a visa-stamp for 30 days in my passport.

For 'our' home-address we gave them the home address of my mother in law. No questions asked.

Walked outside, with two bankaccount-booklets and two ATM-cards.

Legal or illigal, I don't know.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Same experience as yours, Ayudhya no problem, got ATM with Tourist Visa and I gave them my mother in laws address.

Bank of Asia asked for address confirmation from Immigration, residence permit. As I asked them why so much problems they answered: We can only open accounts for foreigners with residence permit.

[cliffy]

to make a long story short, i hold a non-immigrant B visa and am staying in Thailand legally, however without WP as i don't work for a Thai company and get my income from my own companies which i own overseas.

now, i have two savings accounts on Bangkok Bank since about a year without issues. All (100%) money i get onto these accounts are from overseas wire transfers. However, in the past i've tried to open another account on other banks, including Bank of Asia, Thai Farmers Bank, Bank of Ayuddhya and Siam Commercial.

the result? NONE of them will open even a savings account without a work permit. isn't that insane? at the last branch, i asked them a question that developed into a conversation as follows:

me: can i open a savings account with my non-imm B visa?

girl on bank: not onless you have a WP.

me: i don't, but i am not working in Thailand and all my income comes from overseas.

girl on bank: sorry, we cannot open an account with a work permit.

me: (out of ideas here) what about someone who retires to thailand and has their own funds, but does not have a WP? can they open an account?

girl on bank: yes, as long as they can show a WP.

..and i left the branch shaking my head. what's the big deal here? i'm about to open an account on a different non-Thai bank, if the Thai banks don't want my money. is it just me or is there no other way other than Bangkok Bank for individuals who simply don't work in Thailand to open a bank account?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi ...i managed to open a savings account with siam commercial bank last year ..without any wp etc...and am on tourist visa at present[this was in phuket}has the rules cghanged since last year!!!or just depends what branh??

[daveb1]

What branches of Kasikorn Bank did you open these accounts on? 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

In Pattaya not sure of the address of branch. There not the most helpfull of banks but i did open an account OK

[Harmonica]

to make a long story short, i hold a non-immigrant B visa and am staying in Thailand legally, however without WP as i don't work for a Thai company and get my income from my own companies which i own overseas.

now, i have two savings accounts on Bangkok Bank since about a year without issues. All (100%) money i get onto these accounts are from overseas wire transfers. However, in the past i've tried to open another account on other banks, including Bank of Asia, Thai Farmers Bank, Bank of Ayuddhya and Siam Commercial.

the result? NONE of them will open even a savings account without a work permit. isn't that insane? at the last branch, i asked them a question that developed into a conversation as follows:

me: can i open a savings account with my non-imm B visa?

girl on bank: not onless you have a WP.

me: i don't, but i am not working in Thailand and all my income comes from overseas.

girl on bank: sorry, we cannot open an account with a work permit.

me: (out of ideas here) what about someone who retires to thailand and has their own funds, but does not have a WP? can they open an account?

girl on bank: yes, as long as they can show a WP.

..and i left the branch shaking my head. what's the big deal here? i'm about to open an account on a different non-Thai bank, if the Thai banks don't want my money. is it just me or is there no other way other than Bangkok Bank for individuals who simply don't work in Thailand to open a bank account?

Next time try opening the account IN the bank -- not ON the bank. Take a bow for not trying to open one UNDER the bank.

[rainman]

to make a long story short, i hold a non-immigrant B visa and am staying in Thailand legally, however without WP as i don't work for a Thai company and get my income from my own companies which i own overseas.

now, i have two savings accounts on Bangkok Bank since about a year without issues. All (100%) money i get onto these accounts are from overseas wire transfers. However, in the past i've tried to open another account on other banks, including Bank of Asia, Thai Farmers Bank, Bank of Ayuddhya and Siam Commercial.

the result? NONE of them will open even a savings account without a work permit. isn't that insane? at the last branch, i asked them a question that developed into a conversation as follows:

me: can i open a savings account with my non-imm B visa?

girl on bank: not onless you have a WP.

me: i don't, but i am not working in Thailand and all my income comes from overseas.

girl on bank: sorry, we cannot open an account with a work permit.

me: (out of ideas here) what about someone who retires to thailand and has their own funds, but does not have a WP? can they open an account?

girl on bank: yes, as long as they can show a WP.

..and i left the branch shaking my head. what's the big deal here? i'm about to open an account on a different non-Thai bank, if the Thai banks don't want my money. is it just me or is there no other way other than Bangkok Bank for individuals who simply don't work in Thailand to open a bank account?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Next time try opening the account IN the bank -- not ON the bank. Take a bow for not trying to open one UNDER the bank.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for that. I'm not a native english speaker and always appreciate learning something I got a PM from a forum member with a suggestion on where to open a bank account, thank you very much for that, its greatly appreciated.

In the meantime, i also found CitiBank as an option for a savings account.

[JimmyGreaves]

Bloody ######. This WP business is still going on. I aked the forum in January and was under the impression that SCB no problems. Two weeks time and I will be hunting.

Wish me luck as this issue sounds a nightmare!

[Harmonica]

to make a long story short, i hold a non-immigrant B visa and am staying in Thailand legally, however without WP as i don't work for a Thai company and get my income from my own companies which i own overseas.

now, i have two savings accounts on Bangkok Bank since about a year without issues. All (100%) money i get onto these accounts are from overseas wire transfers. However, in the past i've tried to open another account on other banks, including Bank of Asia, Thai Farmers Bank, Bank of Ayuddhya and Siam Commercial.

the result? NONE of them will open even a savings account without a work permit. isn't that insane? at the last branch, i asked them a question that developed into a conversation as follows:

me: can i open a savings account with my non-imm B visa?

girl on bank: not onless you have a WP.

me: i don't, but i am not working in Thailand and all my income comes from overseas.

girl on bank: sorry, we cannot open an account with a work permit.

me: (out of ideas here) what about someone who retires to thailand and has their own funds, but does not have a WP? can they open an account?

girl on bank: yes, as long as they can show a WP.

..and i left the branch shaking my head. what's the big deal here? i'm about to open an account on a different non-Thai bank, if the Thai banks don't want my money. is it just me or is there no other way other than Bangkok Bank for individuals who simply don't work in Thailand to open a bank account?

Next time try opening the account IN the bank -- not ON the bank. Take a bow for not trying to open one UNDER the bank.

Thanks for that. I'm not a native english speaker and always appreciate learning something I got a PM from a forum member with a suggestion on where to open a bank account, thank you very much for that, its greatly appreciated.

In the meantime, i also found CitiBank as an option for a savings account.

Best of luck.