Opening A Thai Bank Account

[nicelee808]

Hi all,

I will be going to Thailand on a Non O this year, what ID will I need to open a Thai bank account.

Regards Lee(UK)

[MJCM]

Lee,

your passport is the only thing you need.to open a bank account. Just walk into a Bank of your choice (Kasikorn or SCB are good) and if they refuse you, just go to another branch.

[nicelee808]

Lee,

your passport is the only thing you need.to open a bank account. Just walk into a Bank of your choice (Kasikorn or SCB are good) and if they refuse you, just go to another branch.

Sounds good thanks MJ

[moe666]

Lee,

your passport is the only thing you need.to open a bank account. Just walk into a Bank of your choice (Kasikorn or SCB are good) and if they refuse you, just go to another branch.

Kbank require a Thai address that is not a hotel.

[CharlieH]

Dont forget to say its a "savings" accoubt that you want.

[KhunBENQ]

Passport and a residence certificate from Immigration (in combination with the Non-O) should be good enough for every bank.

But the practical handling depends on bank, branch (location).

From multiple own and friends experiences:

You will have an easy go at Kasikorn in Pattaya.

They accept a hotel adress as well and do not even look for Non-O visa.

They will also offer internet access.

Higher hurdles upcountry (e.g. Khon Kaen).

A friend got an account, but was refused internet access for whatever reason.

[colinp]

I tried opening an account, on tourist visa, in SCB, Kasikorn, Ayuddhya (excuse spelling) and Bangkok Bank in the area where I live (Minburi) all refused. Even after confirming with the head offices that a work permit is not required, all refused on that basis. Went to Sukhumvit and opened 2, 1 with Kasikorn and 1 with SCB with just a passport and all within an hour. My advice would be go to areas which have heavy tourist traffic

[fishhooks]

I tried opening an account, on tourist visa, in SCB, Kasikorn, Ayuddhya (excuse spelling) and Bangkok Bank in the area where I live (Minburi) all refused. Even after confirming with the head offices that a work permit is not required, all refused on that basis. Went to Sukhumvit and opened 2, 1 with Kasikorn and 1 with SCB with just a passport and all within an hour. My advice would be go to areas which have heavy tourist traffic

Would you mind saying which SCB branch in Sukhumvit, I want to transfer an SCB account I have up country.

[ivan96822]

I tried opening an account, on tourist visa, in SCB, Kasikorn, Ayuddhya (excuse spelling) and Bangkok Bank in the area where I live (Minburi) all refused. Even after confirming with the head offices that a work permit is not required, all refused on that basis. Went to Sukhumvit and opened 2, 1 with Kasikorn and 1 with SCB with just a passport and all within an hour. My advice would be go to areas which have heavy tourist traffic

Would you mind saying which SCB branch in Sukhumvit, I want to transfer an SCB account I have up country.

If I'm not mistaken, the Siam Commercial Bank on Soi 4 and Sukhumvit are pretty lenient when it comes to opening up an account.

[fishhooks]

Is there an SCB on the corner of Soi 4 & Sukhumvit? I know of a small SCB mainly currency exchange on the corner of Soi 3 & Sukhumvit, but not sure of a branch to do accounts near there.

Edited March 2, 2012 by fishhooks

[MJo]

I opened one in Bangkok bank today, work permit was requested but my yellow house book did the trick. So i take it they were looking for proof of address.

Finally some use for the book...

[Maestro]

I was at the Kasikorn Bank (K-Bank) in Siam Paragon the other day. The young woman at the queuing ticket machine asked if I had my passport and work permit with me. Told her I was retired, she insisted on the work permit, I showed her my ancient Thai driving licence, a document she had apparently never seen, and she gave me the ticket. When I got to sit down with a bank clerk I gave him my passport and he asked for nothing more. For my address, email and phone number I showed him the information stored on my mobile phone.

[chris1970]

with bangkok bank i needed my girl friend to be some sort of gaurantor - not a joint account as such but just someone to vouch for me,

i opened an scb also and they just wanted to see my passport.

both accounts are approx. 200 baht to open.

sbc usually has a better TT rate if your transferring money in and you can save fees on air asia.

they offer different cards - even the higher security one isn't that safe if someone gets hold of your card - chip and pin isn't used much in thailand.

i wouldn't recommend putting too much money in one account they don't offer the same insurance for misuse that your probably used to in your home country.

when you use atm's they give you the cash first - it's easy to just walk away at that point forgetting your card !

also if your account is in say bkk and you want to take money out in phuket etc i think there's charges - so maybe you want to compare banks.

i recommend scb.

[MJo]

with bangkok bank i needed my girl friend to be some sort of gaurantor - not a joint account as such but just someone to vouch for me,

i opened an scb also and they just wanted to see my passport.

both accounts are approx. 200 baht to open.

sbc usually has a better TT rate if your transferring money in and you can save fees on air asia.

they offer different cards - even the higher security one isn't that safe if someone gets hold of your card - chip and pin isn't used much in thailand.

i wouldn't recommend putting too much money in one account they don't offer the same insurance for misuse that your probably used to in your home country.

when you use atm's they give you the cash first - it's easy to just walk away at that point forgetting your card !

also if your account is in say bkk and you want to take money out in phuket etc i think there's charges - so maybe you want to compare banks.

i recommend scb.

Bangkok Bank is listing reference and some proof of address as requirements for opening bank account.

In general i find BBL very foreigner friendly, they even have very good internet page dedicated to foreign customers setting out the requirements for different accounts and services.

http://www.bangkokbank.com/Bangkok%20Bank/Personal%20Banking/Foreign%20Customers/Pages/default.aspx

[klikster]

Lee,

your passport is the only thing you need.to open a bank account. Just walk into a Bank of your choice (Kasikorn or SCB are good) and if they refuse you, just go to another branch.

I agree about Kasikorn, but last year SCB wanted either a yellow house book or work permit. Not sure about address, but generally agree with most posts about needing a non-transient address. Seems like the higher up the chain you go, the better.

[true blue]

i banking with bangkok bank is a great service,they e mail you as soon as any transaction has occured,on your mobile and your internet site,recommend bangkok bank,always have better exchange rates than other banks,ive noticed.

[colinp]

I tried opening an account, on tourist visa, in SCB, Kasikorn, Ayuddhya (excuse spelling) and Bangkok Bank in the area where I live (Minburi) all refused. Even after confirming with the head offices that a work permit is not required, all refused on that basis. Went to Sukhumvit and opened 2, 1 with Kasikorn and 1 with SCB with just a passport and all within an hour. My advice would be go to areas which have heavy tourist traffic

Would you mind saying which SCB branch in Sukhumvit, I want to transfer an SCB account I have up country.

Sorry, forgot to look at this thread. SCB on soi 4. Kasikorn was on Asoke.

[chris1970]

if you can come with a credit card from the u.k that has zero charges, halifax clarity or santander zero etc.

that will save you some money ,

even bringing a load of cash you don't get the best deal for your money.

regards,

[jsflynn603]

I opened two accounts in Chiang Mai at Bangkok bank, with my 60 day visa and a copy of my lease (I rented a condo for three months). Probably having my Thai fiancee with me helped.

I had intended to open two accounts and give one to my fiancee. Then I would wire money into account #1 and then transfer amounts to the passbook/ATM card that she had which I called "her account," using Bkk Bank's online system. It was a good idea BUT something bad happened.

Bkk bank will only snail mail your PIN number to you at the address you give them. Supposedly they mailed me my PIN number in the mail but I never received it. Thus I now have account #1 with 15,000 baht in it, and account #2 with 10 baht and NO way to transfer funds.

I've called and talked to customer service as well as the local Chiang Mai branch manager and get the same: "no problem, just come over and visit us in person and we'll re-send the pin number." The concept of having to travel 16,000 kilometers just does not register.

I don't intend upon being back in Thailand for a few years and I'm not sure if the account will close due to inactivity (in America an account unused for two years closes).

So a thought.... if you know someone who lives there, use, if you can, their address, so they get the pin number. (If you hold the passbook and ATM card the pin number is of no use to them) and then they can email you the number.

[jsflynn603]

if you can come with a credit card from the u.k that has zero charges, halifax clarity or santander zero etc.

that will save you some money ,

even bringing a load of cash you don't get the best deal for your money.

regards,

Perhaps UK's credit cards are different, but even an American Credit card (unless there are ones I don't know about) that doesn't charge a foreign transaction fee has "embedded charges." First they hit you with extremely high cash withdrawal interest rates that start from day one, then additionally (even if there is no foreign transaction fee) the parity rate (the rate at which your currency is exchanged for Thai baht) is abysmal--absolutely horrid (often 2.5-4%). Plus the Thai bank usually has a fee for using the terminal.

From my experience bringing cash saved me over 2% from any other method, even over bank wire transfers as often the wire transfer exchange rate is not great.

I bought a fair amount of cash with me when I arrived and though I cannot remember the name of the place it's at the junction (in Chiang Mai) of Charoen Prathet Road and the tiny loi Khro one-way bridge that crosses the Ping river. The dollar for baht rate was exceptionally good and very close to the rates that I see on Interactive Brokers which are within a a hundredth of a percent of multi-million dollar interbank transfers. (The rate becomes poorer after about 10AM for some reason).

I did find what is called in America a "Credit Union" who would allow me to transfer my dollars into baht at an ATM at a quite favorable rate (~1.5%) compared to interbank rates. There was a fee, but my particular Credit Union waived their fee and the Thai Bank's fee. Upon my return after three months, my savings in these returned fees were over $150. So there are some good ways and better and worse places to exchange currencies.

[MJo]

I opened two accounts in Chiang Mai at Bangkok bank, with my 60 day visa and a copy of my lease (I rented a condo for three months). Probably having my Thai fiancee with me helped.

I had intended to open two accounts and give one to my fiancee. Then I would wire money into account #1 and then transfer amounts to the passbook/ATM card that she had which I called "her account," using Bkk Bank's online system. It was a good idea BUT something bad happened.

Bkk bank will only snail mail your PIN number to you at the address you give them. Supposedly they mailed me my PIN number in the mail but I never received it. Thus I now have account #1 with 15,000 baht in it, and account #2 with 10 baht and NO way to transfer funds.

I've called and talked to customer service as well as the local Chiang Mai branch manager and get the same: "no problem, just come over and visit us in person and we'll re-send the pin number." The concept of having to travel 16,000 kilometers just does not register.

I don't intend upon being back in Thailand for a few years and I'm not sure if the account will close due to inactivity (in America an account unused for two years closes).

So a thought.... if you know someone who lives there, use, if you can, their address, so they get the pin number. (If you hold the passbook and ATM card the pin number is of no use to them) and then they can email you the number.

I opened two accounts in Chiang Mai at Bangkok bank, with my 60 day visa and a copy of my lease (I rented a condo for three months). Probably having my Thai fiancee with me helped.

I had intended to open two accounts and give one to my fiancee. Then I would wire money into account #1 and then transfer amounts to the passbook/ATM card that she had which I called "her account," using Bkk Bank's online system. It was a good idea BUT something bad happened.

Bkk bank will only snail mail your PIN number to you at the address you give them. Supposedly they mailed me my PIN number in the mail but I never received it. Thus I now have account #1 with 15,000 baht in it, and account #2 with 10 baht and NO way to transfer funds.

I've called and talked to customer service as well as the local Chiang Mai branch manager and get the same: "no problem, just come over and visit us in person and we'll re-send the pin number." The concept of having to travel 16,000 kilometers just does not register.

I don't intend upon being back in Thailand for a few years and I'm not sure if the account will close due to inactivity (in America an account unused for two years closes).

So a thought.... if you know someone who lives there, use, if you can, their address, so they get the pin number. (If you hold the passbook and ATM card the pin number is of no use to them) and then they can email you the number.

No need to mail any pin numbers with Bangkok Bank. Take debit ATM card with your account (cost 300 baht) and you can just go to the door and use the ATM's to sign on the iBanking. Takes about a minute and you have user id and password and your mobile set up for the OTP passwords.

I do realize this comes too late for you but if your not going to come back for a several years why do you keep sending her money? Again not my business but just wondering...

Edited March 3, 2012 by MJo

[chris1970]

if you can come with a credit card from the u.k that has zero charges, halifax clarity or santander zero etc.

that will save you some money ,

even bringing a load of cash you don't get the best deal for your money.

regards,

Perhaps UK's credit cards are different, but even an American Credit card (unless there are ones I don't know about) that doesn't charge a foreign transaction fee has "embedded charges." First they hit you with extremely high cash withdrawal interest rates that start from day one, then additionally (even if there is no foreign transaction fee) the parity rate (the rate at which your currency is exchanged for Thai baht) is abysmal--absolutely horrid (often 2.5-4%). Plus the Thai bank usually has a fee for using the terminal.

From my experience bringing cash saved me over 2% from any other method, even over bank wire transfers as often the wire transfer exchange rate is not great.

I bought a fair amount of cash with me when I arrived and though I cannot remember the name of the place it's at the junction (in Chiang Mai) of Charoen Prathet Road and the tiny loi Khro one-way bridge that crosses the Ping river. The dollar for baht rate was exceptionally good and very close to the rates that I see on Interactive Brokers which are within a a hundredth of a percent of multi-million dollar interbank transfers. (The rate becomes poorer after about 10AM for some reason).

I did find what is called in America a "Credit Union" who would allow me to transfer my dollars into baht at an ATM at a quite favorable rate (~1.5%) compared to interbank rates. There was a fee, but my particular Credit Union waived their fee and the Thai Bank's fee. Upon my return after three months, my savings in these returned fees were over $150. So there are some good ways and better and worse places to exchange currencies.

most u.k cards being used abroad are expensive with the fees and charges but there's a few that are free - halifax clarity and santander zero are two good ones, you do get charged interest on the money you take out at around 20% but if you pay the balance off as soon as you take the money out you don't pay anything,

you also receive a better exchange rate than if you bring cash :

http://bankexchangerates.daytodaydata.net/default.aspx

on this site you can compare the rates.

i used to follow the rates and i found scb to be very good,

also if you go inside the bank and ask for a cash advance instead of using the ATM saves another 150 baht (not all banks have the facility though)

i'm not 100% sure who sets the exchange rates when you use your credit or foreign bank card ? it's either the bank in thailand TT rate or visa or master card etc or your bank at home ? either way i have found it's a better rate than changing cash.

[lopburi3]

This topic seems to have zero to do with visas and 100% banking so is being moved to that forum. Not sure why you would be mailed PIN unless it is something new - we always selected PIN at opening of account and inputted via keypad so no bank employee ever know what it was.

[hughden]

This topic seems to have zero to do with visas and 100% banking so is being moved to that forum. Not sure why you would be mailed PIN unless it is something new - we always selected PIN at opening of account and inputted via keypad so no bank employee ever know what it was.

I think he is referring to the "PIN" required for internet banking, which is sent through the post.

[lopburi3]

That must be it. But suspect he could still use phone banking as that uses your normal card PIN just as you would do at an ATM machine.

[MJo]

This topic seems to have zero to do with visas and 100% banking so is being moved to that forum. Not sure why you would be mailed PIN unless it is something new - we always selected PIN at opening of account and inputted via keypad so no bank employee ever know what it was.

I think he is referring to the "PIN" required for internet banking, which is sent through the post.

Easy to do in ATM, just invest 300 for the card. You can set security limits. Had zero for POS transactions and very small daily ATM withdrawal limit as account is not my main account used every day.

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