Bank Account

[KITTENTRAVEL]

I am a UK Citizen with a Thai Wife.I am in Thailand in November and i ask can i open a Bank account in Thailand in my name or if not joint names.If so what will i need.

[Chainat1]

I am a UK Citizen with a Thai Wife.I am in Thailand in November and i ask can i open a Bank account in Thailand in my name or if not joint names.If so what will i need.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes you can.....I seem to remember you will need an address in Thailand, your passport with a non O visa.

Congrates on your first post

C1

[bkkmadness]

You can do it easily with a tourist visa, passport and address in Thailand.

There are some banks that ask for a work permit but by and large its not worried about .

[richard10365]

You can do it easily with a tourist visa, passport and address in Thailand.

There are some banks that ask for a work permit but by and large its not worried about .

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I got one with a tourist visa once. The only thing is, they would only let me open a savings account. They said to get a checking account I needed a Non-immagrit visa.

[phibunmike]

I am a UK Citizen with a Thai Wife.I am in Thailand in November and i ask can i open a Bank account in Thailand in my name or if not joint names.If so what will i need.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Welcome to the forum. As you read through various posts in this and other threads you will find different experiences when opening an account - it perhaps depends on local branch policy, I am not sure. My interpretation is that they are more reluctanct in tourist areas, where perhaps they feel the account will only be used for 2 weeks then abandoned, than in other areas. My account is in a small rural town, very few farangs around and hardly any farang tourists.

Anyway, my experience was that I took my passport to the local branch of Bank of Ayudhya, and was accompanied by my fiancee. I had no work permit, just the normal tourist entry stamp you get at the airport. In addition they wanted a local address, so we used my fiancee's parent's address. I deposited a nominal sum (perhaps 1000 baht) to open the account as my intention was to transfer money from overseas once the account was open. The whole process took 5 minutes. By ticking two boxes on the application form, I received an ATM card (which can be used internationally, they also have a local-use-only version) and internet banking. The account (a savings account) was active immediately.

Good luck.

Edited September 27, 2005 by phibunmike

[KITTENTRAVEL]

Thanks for the info.Going to Khoen Kaen for 10 days whilst in Thailand so the wife can go home to see her family.Anyone recommend a good beer bar.Staying at the Sofitel.

[lopburi3]

Everyone seemed to neglect on item. M-O-N-E-Y

If you have money to deposit you should not have much trouble finding a place to put it either in your name or a joint account. As said this is for savings accounts of the passbook type only. There may be a requirement for a certified address as is done for drivers licence but many bank branches operate rather independently and if they like you can cut corners.

Checking accounts are highly restricted and will almost always require more than a visa (tourist or otherwise). There really is not need for them for most people.

[Dirk3]

Is there a bank where I can do internetbanking?

So I can do my banking all around the world.

[rainman]

I have 3 bank accounts at Bangkok Bank for the past 1 1/2 years, opened the first one with a 60 days tourist visa. Now they offered me internet banking, without the requirement of a work permit, as well.

[dannishgung]

Many banks do not reqire anything, only a passport and a adress. If a branch said they need more document, you just go on to other branch.

Bangkok Bank, Kasikorn, Siam Commercial, Siam City, ect do not reqire anything except passport in most branches as reported. I personally have saving accounts with Bangkok Bank, Bank of Asia, and Kasikorn. Did not show anything except passport with no visa when I opened them.

[Khun Bob]

I have 3 bank accounts at Bangkok Bank for the past 1 1/2 years, opened the first one with a 60 days tourist visa. Now they offered me internet banking, without the requirement of a work permit, as well.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Which branch of bkk bank did you get internet banking from ? Do you need to have an atm card to get inet banking ?

I opened my account at the main branch in silom over a year ago and didnt ask for bualampong (or something like that) banking

I recently got an account with siam commercial bank and there was no problem getting inet banking but there website is pretty dodgy and wouldnt like to vouch for the security of it...

Asked for inet banking for my thai farmers bank over 2 years ago - filled in necessary forms - and nothing happened. Would be intererested to hear of any recent experiences of getting inet banking with kasiakorn bank.

Also i would like to get an account with krung thai bank - does anybody have experience with this and do they offer inet banking ?

Cheers

FYI if you want a thai bank account and have visa on entry go to the main office of the bank and you should get it - allways dress smart suit and tie - this has allways worked for me - only bank of asia said they wanted 20000 baht and they told me i could take it out straight away if i wanted

if you want to/have to open an account with a thai person you can have a joint account where only 1 signature can make things happen - so the thai persons name is on the account but as was explained to me they cant do anything - how this would work in practice is another thing !!

Also unless you really need it dont get an atm card as this will cost you. You may get interest but dont expect alot !

[phibunmike]

Is there a bank where I can do internetbanking?

So I can do my banking all around the world.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

- see my earlier post in this thread - I got internet banking straight away, but there is a separate form to fill in if you want to do transfers from your account via the internet. You might have to ask for that form, they won't necessarily mention it.

Khun Bob - I think my ATM card cost 150 bt. The one for use in Thailand only was cheaper.

[Kerryd]

I was able to open a savings account at a Bangkok Bank branch in Pattaya very easily. I had a form filled out by my landlady verifying my address, and my passport (with a 30 day stamp).

Took a little over 10 minutes and I had my bank book and ATM card (no extra charge, works world-wide).

I asked about internet banking and was told for that, chequing accounts and credit cards you needed a 1 year visa and a work permit.

When I get back next time, I'm going to ask again. Maybe having a large balance in there for an extended period might change their minds (at least about the internet banking, don't need the other things any ways).

[lungbing]

In answer to Kittentravel's query although it's a little off-topic.

The Sofitel has a mini-brewery in the basement and you can get a good beer there.

There are not many beer bars in Khon Kaen but a couple are just outside the hotel. Come out of the hotel, down the slope to the road, turn right and two bars are across the road maybe 50 yards away. Eric's Bar is one, I forget the other's name. Both run by men called Duncan oddly enough.

The other farang bar is called Number One Bar and a tuk-tuk would take you for a few baht, it's not far away on Nah Muang Rd.

Not that I am familiar with the bars in Khon Kaen of course........

[Bikkel]

What ever you do do: DON'T OPEN AN ACCOUNT AT THE THAI FARMER BANK (Kasikorn)

You will be screwed big time!

Opening an account on my name wasn't so difficult, passport with non-o and refundabe 500 bath deposit. I opened the bankaccount on Sukhumvit soi 3 in Bangkok and moved then up country: BIG MISTAKE.

When you want to do business via another Kasikorn branch different from were you opened the bank account you are out of luck. They charge you for a withdrawal 500 bath in a different branch. In the same branch were your bank account resides only 100 bath. Transfer money to an account from another non-Kasikorn bank? Forget it, you have to withdraw the amount and walk with a pile of banknotes to the other bank over the street. Transfer money to another Kasikorn bank, yep, but with a limit of 500k Bath/day if you are not make the transfer from your branch were your account resides. So I had to go back from Plichit to Bangkok just to make a money transfer!

A fellow expat has a Bangkok Bank account which has been opened in Saraburi. He has no transfer limit or hefty withdrawal fees as he does business at the Plichit branch.

So I ended up emptying the Kasikorn bank account and open a Bangkok Bank account.

[Noel]

What ever you do do: DON'T OPEN AN ACCOUNT AT THE  THAI FARMER BANK (Kasikorn)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I could not agree more.

In the Pattaya Klang branch in Pattaya, I am sure they give their staff a kilo of lemons each per day to suck on to facilitate dealing with farang customers in accordance with company policy.

I could write a tome on the rip-offs they have perpetrated and blatant unhelpfulness they have persistently displayed.

The only reason I still maintain a basic savings account with them is because I have several Direct Debits set up with them.

I dare not change or cancel them as the potential lash up with associated costs is not worth the risk.

Kasikorn Bank? -avoid them like the plague.