Cant Open Bank Account

[scorpio]

hi

me and my wife went into krunsi bank recently to deposit 1.5 million baht , the account was in my wifes name and we both wanted my name on the account making it a joint account as we will both be sending money by way of TT to thailand from uk regularly, the clerk looked at my passport and told me i could not put my name on the account as i did not have at least 1 years visa. Seems they have changed the rules in last couple of years as i have been able to open an account before with only a 60 day visa stamp in my pasport. Guess i,ll have to wait untill july on my next trip over with a (non o visa) untill i can get my name onto the account.

be warned.

[Lite Beer]

No change of rules. Just try another bank, even another branch of the same bank.

You will find one.

[ludditeman]

More like counter clerk couldn't be bothered to fill out the forms for a foreigner.

Try another bank, or the same bank but a different clerk.

You can open an account with no visa at all and a 30 day exemption stamp.

[MJCM]

More like counter clerk couldn't be bothered to fill out the forms for a foreigner.

..........

+1, or can't read English

Edited December 11, 2011 by MJCM

[PattayaParent]

The 'rules' were changed about 15 years ago and many bank managers interpret the change to mean a foreigner cannot have a bank account without a work permit.

Some don't though so you just have to shop around. The guys on the forum from Bangkok Bank will be able to help out if you want an account with BB and they have posted the links to the BB requirements if you UTFSE.

Kasikorn are usually a safe bet for no hassle.

[metisdead]

One post of a derogatory nature has been removed:

7) Not to post slurs or degrading comments directed towards any group on the basis of race, nationality, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

8) Not to post extremely negative views of Thailand or derogatory comments directed towards all Thais.

[pisico]

The 'rules' were changed about 15 years ago and many bank managers interpret the change to mean a foreigner cannot have a bank account without a work permit.

Some don't though so you just have to shop around. The guys on the forum from Bangkok Bank will be able to help out if you want an account with BB and they have posted the links to the BB requirements if you UTFSE.

Kasikorn are usually a safe bet for no hassle.

Indeed! They are usually Farang friendly. The branch inside Tesco Lotus Pinklao is very accommodating. The managers speak some English and understand even more.

They will only ask you for your passport to make a copy in your presence and ask you to fill out a form with a local address to send you statements if you so desire. Kasikorn bank also gives you the option of internet banking. Very convenient and it will spare you from their junk mail.

If you open an account in Bangkok Noi K-Bank you can use it in any other provinces such a Samu Prakhan, Pathun Thani, Nakhon Pathom, etc. without any charges at all by just going to any of the branches with your passbook and passport. Ask for the list of provinces where there is no charge for passbook transactions.

They may offer you an ATM card for which you will pay a commission (usually 100 Baht). You may be offered a 300 Baht which includes a semi-health insurance. I always declined without deleterious consequences.

No, I do not work for the bank.

[473geo]

Siam Commercial were very pleasant added my name to my wifes account a few months ago, and accept transfers direct from the UK, all gone to the correct account, no issues

[MJCM]

Siam Commercial were very pleasant added my name to my wifes account a few months ago, and accept transfers direct from the UK, all gone to the correct account, no issues

SCB No issues ??????? I totally disagree, have 2 accounts with them (1 saving and 1 deposit (both contain well over x Million Baht) and when trying to open another Savings account in both our names (my wife and myself), the manager said: "Can I see your workpermit Sir, without one I can't open a new account"

Edited December 11, 2011 by MJCM

[473geo]

Siam Commercial were very pleasant added my name to my wifes account a few months ago, and accept transfers direct from the UK, all gone to the correct account, no issues

SCB No issues ??????? I totally disagree, have 2 accounts with them (1 saving and 1 deposit (both contain well over x Million Baht) and when trying to open another Savings account in both our names (my wife and myself), the manager said: "Can I see your workpermit Sir, without one I can't open a new account"

Must be my charming smile and ravishing good looks

Edited December 11, 2011 by 473geo

[MJCM]

Siam Commercial were very pleasant added my name to my wifes account a few months ago, and accept transfers direct from the UK, all gone to the correct account, no issues

SCB No issues ??????? I totally disagree, have 2 accounts with them (1 saving and 1 deposit (both contain well over x Million Baht) and when trying to open another Savings account in both our names (my wife and myself), the manager said: "Can I see your workpermit Sir, without one I can't open a new account"

Must be my charming smile and ravishing good looks

555, must be, but my wife's pretty and that didn't even matter

[gosompoi]

just try another bank or branch is way to do it.

[givenall]

More like counter clerk couldn't be bothered to fill out the forms for a foreigner.

Try another bank, or the same bank but a different clerk.

You can open an account with no visa at all and a 30 day exemption stamp.

I guess all these banks are ignorant about their own rules. challange them byasking to talk to manager and even the mail office manager especially if yourwife speaks Thai. They always get scared about losing face and they should forbeing so stupid and or at least they learn the rules

[thrilled]

go to another bank.you'll be ok

[manarak]

K-A-S-I-K-O-R-N

20 minutes for opening an account on a 30 day visa exempt stamp, including the bank book and visa debit card.

Edited December 11, 2011 by manarak

[outofoz]

PM 'Daveroc' who is a member on this forum. He works for bangkok bank and helps foreigners with the opening account process.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Some number of different Thai bank branches do somehow interpret the rules -- wrongly as far as I can tell -- about requiring either a work permit or a long-term one-year visa for opening a new account.

If anyone encounters that, just go to a different branch...or a different bank. You'll find if one branch declines, often another branch of even the same bank will open the account anyway...particularly if you are polite, professional and firm in your intentions.

As said above, Kasikorn and even Standard Chartered seem to get good reviews on the account opening topic. Siam Commercial mixed.... Others not so good.

Here's the BKK bank web site on what they require to open an account for people in different situations, and they don't require having a work permit or long-term visa:

http://www.bangkokbank.com/Bangkok%20Bank/Personal%20Banking/Foreign%20Customers/Pages/Opening%20an%20account%20new.aspx#11

[skycow]

OP if you are going to be transferring / exchanging currency regularly, i think it would behoove you to have an account with a bank that historically has better exchange rates. However even though I have a non im ED visa, i was turned down by many branches of banks i considered to have good exchange rates. Not untill i had a letter of enrollment from my university was i able to open an account (krung thai bank, best average exchange rate for us$ by my observations) and at a branch which claimed i needed a work permit the first time i inquired. I will also say that regardless of bank branch policy i have always been approached before even getting a queue number when in my "Sundays best". Appearance is probably not the reason in your case, im just commenting on my experience which could very well help someone else on the hunt for a bank.

[PattayaParent]

Siam Commercial were very pleasant added my name to my wifes account a few months ago, and accept transfers direct from the UK, all gone to the correct account, no issues

SCB No issues ??????? I totally disagree, have 2 accounts with them (1 saving and 1 deposit (both contain well over x Million Baht) and when trying to open another Savings account in both our names (my wife and myself), the manager said: "Can I see your workpermit Sir, without one I can't open a new account"

SCB Pattaya Klang same.

Bangkok Bank Second Road North Pattaya same.

TMB in RGP Pattaya same.

Kasikorn at RGP opened an account for a mate on a 30 day entry stamp with no problems.

[hehehoho]

Opened accounts, one for me, and one joint with my GF with Kasikorn, while I was on a Tourist Visa.

Branches were in Sala Daeng and Soi Rang Nam.

Other clerks at other branches said impossible, cannot, no way.

Opened another account for me and got the impossible treatment, until I showed them the account I had opened previously and my Tourist Visa. Then it became possible for some reason.

Remember that dealing with Thai clerks is likely to get you 10 different regulations and rules from 10 different clerks.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

OP if you are going to be transferring / exchanging currency regularly, i think it would behoove you to have an account with a bank that historically has better exchange rates.

I'd say the math is a bit more complicated than what you say above...

For most people moving money from other countries into Thailand via international wire transfer, there are going to be several potential cost elements involved:

--the sending fee from the originating bank

--handling fees by intermediary banks that the originating bank may use

--the receiving fee charged by the Thai bank here.

--what exchange rate the receiving bank is applying to the transaction.

For example, BKK Bank usually doesn't have the best exchange rates (buying TT rate) for incoming wire transfers, they're usually around the middle of the pack.

But, from a number of countries including the U.S. and UK, they do offer a different kind of funds transfer method that minimizes the various fees involved. And depending on the amounts involved, those savings can more than offset whatever small difference/advantage another receiving Thai bank might have on their buying TT rates.

Ideally, for regular international funds transfers, you want a sending bank that charges either no fee or a small fee for sending the international funds transfer, and a sending bank that doesn't use intermediary banks, if possible, because those only add additional fees to the transaction.

On the Thai end, the normal bank commission for receiving international wires seems to be around 0.25% of the incoming amount, sometimes with minimum and maximum amounts set on that commission.

[E1717007]

the safe bet is to approach those banks in the shopping mall, which usually have better english speaking staff. i have no problem opening a saving and fixed deposit accounts on a 30 days exempted visa

[Darrel]

There can be little doubt that branches in shopping malls in tourist towns are the easiest for opening accounts. I had no trouble in Kbank and TMB in Central Festival Pattaya.

They are also the ones that care least about what you look like (they know that the guy with the smart clothes is probably an out of work estate agent and the one with the old shorts and a creased tshirt is likely a retired millionaire).

[dominique355]

There really seems to be a big confusion among the Thai banks regarding the possibility of a farang to open a bank account.

I live here with a retirement visa and wanted to open an account at Bangkok Bank, where my wife has been a customer for years. No chance! No working permit, no bank account. And adding insult to injury: very unfriendly.

I crossed the street to Kasikornbank and ... no problem at all. I open one account for the THB 800,000 for the visa and another for my daily needs. Very easy,quick and friendly. Later on, despite my not having a working permit, they offered my a real credit card (not just the ATM Visa debit card, but VISA The Premier).

About a year ago I met a high rank officer from Bangkok Bank and asked her about this policy of Bangkok Bank for farang without working permit. She got back to me with a name and phone No to call in case I wanted to open an account at BB. That's what I did and Voila! Now I have another bank account without working permit, this time at Bangkok Bank.

Shows you that it's not important who you are, but whom you know.

[hehehoho]

Shows you that it's not important who you are, but whom you know.

I disagree.

I think what's important is how racist/lazy/unqualified the clerk you happen to be dealing with is.

In my experience.

I found the same with staff at immigration (a bit off-topic I know), as in both places I was simply told 'No, cannot'. Then I went on to explain 'Yes, can' and show them evidence, and then they're response was oh, yes, you can.

It's not who you know, it's what you know, and going in prepared.

[Fookhaht]

just try another bank or branch is way to do it.

...or even go back to the same branch and see another clerk. Last month, I tried to open two more savings accounts at SCB connected to my existing savings account and was told they needed to see my work permit. I took the hour round trip to my work place, got the permit, came back and was assigned to another clerk to open the accounts. She never asked for the work permit.

[Sharp]

1323615209[/url]' post='4905922']

1323614893[/url]' post='4905917']

1323614589[/url]' post='4905910']

Siam Commercial were very pleasant added my name to my wifes account a few months ago, and accept transfers direct from the UK, all gone to the correct account, no issues

SCB No issues ??????? I totally disagree, have 2 accounts with them (1 saving and 1 deposit (both contain well over x Million Baht) and when trying to open another Savings account in both our names (my wife and myself), the manager said: "Can I see your workpermit Sir, without one I can't open a new account"

Must be my charming smile and ravishing good looks

Mine too ,,, great service and gave us a loan ..

[scorpio]

I did try to argue my case with the manager of the bank but did not want to push ( as you do here in los) per usual i told my wife to speak up but she didnt ( that usual hi-so thai thing ) kasikorn it is next time as i had an account with them before in khumpawaphi and they gave exellent customer service but we went for krungsi this time in pattaya because they allways seemed to give the best exchange rates, scb allways have the lowest / worst exchange rates ive noticed over the years.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

There really seems to be a big confusion among the Thai banks regarding the possibility of a farang to open a bank account.

I live here with a retirement visa and wanted to open an account at Bangkok Bank, where my wife has been a customer for years. No chance! No working permit, no bank account. And adding insult to injury: very unfriendly.

I crossed the street to Kasikornbank and ... no problem at all. I open one account for the THB 800,000 for the visa and another for my daily needs. Very easy,quick and friendly. Later on, despite my not having a working permit, they offered my a real credit card (not just the ATM Visa debit card, but VISA The Premier).

About a year ago I met a high rank officer from Bangkok Bank and asked her about this policy of Bangkok Bank for farang without working permit. She got back to me with a name and phone No to call in case I wanted to open an account at BB. That's what I did and Voila! Now I have another bank account without working permit, this time at Bangkok Bank.

Shows you that it's not important who you are, but whom you know.

If you'll note, I posted a link above in post #17 to a BKK Bank web page that details what they require to open new accounts for people with different kinds of status. That's one of the few Thai banks I've found that actually publicly posts the specifics of what they require in different situations.

The advantage of that is if someone goes to a BKK Bank and gets the runaround, or turn down, as has been known to happen -- at least they'd have the ability to point the stupid bank employee in front of them to their own bank website where it makes it clear that work permits and such are NOT required in order to open new accounts.

Just wish the other Thai banks would do the same with their web sites and policies on new account opening. BKK Bank didn't used to have as clear and detailed a "new accounts for farang" page as they have now...but they redid it in a much improved and understandable version some time back.

Edited December 12, 2011 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

just try another bank or branch is way to do it.

...or even go back to the same branch and see another clerk. Last month, I tried to open two more savings accounts at SCB connected to my existing savings account and was told they needed to see my work permit. I took the hour round trip to my work place, got the permit, came back and was assigned to another clerk to open the accounts. She never asked for the work permit.

Typical kind of farang meets Thai bank experience, unfortunately. Had the same exact kind of thing happen to me in the past.

Another thing that often can help is to first find just some bank, any bank that will open a new account for you. And then once you have that account and bank book in hand, carry it with you when you to go apply at any other bank where you really want an account.

And if the staff there gives you any hassle, at the right time, just pull out the other Thai bank book, show it to them and point out, "Look, I already have a Thai bank account. They could open an account for me. So can you."