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Hi, I'll be opening my first account in Thailand next week. Any suggestions as to who I should bank with? I won't be needing a mortgage or anything 'heavy' just day to day banking with a credit card attached.

I live in Chiang Mai so all major banks have a branch there.

Cheers in advance.

Edited by vexape
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Credit card will be interesting...........

Yes, he may get a debit card without a problem, but it seems that credit cards are difficult to get unless you have had a work permit for a number of years, or deposit twenty million Baht of so as security, not impossible though, it does happen.

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Just spoken to a friend and they said I could receive a credit card providing it's a joint account with my wife (Thai). Will speak to the bank next week and see.

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Credit card requires work permit /tax records or deposit equal to limit on card seems to be the general requirement.

Debit Card etc no problem almost anywhere.

Kasikorn is generally considered easiest and best although others may disagree as is usual too.

Edited by CharlieH
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Seems like Kasikorn is my first stop when I get back home then! Thanks.

And if the first branch does not work, just go in the next one.

There are excellent bank branches which are helpful and know everything and there are others where you double the total IQ when you enter.

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Cheers, will bank hop. I assume all I need would be passport (with Non-B visa) and a rental agreement for my house? And of course some money to put into it...

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Seems like Kasikorn is my first stop when I get back home then! Thanks.

And if the first branch does not work, just go in the next one.

There are excellent bank branches which are helpful and know everything and there are others where you double the total IQ when you enter.

Double?

.

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Seems like Kasikorn is my first stop when I get back home then! Thanks.

Just FYI, SCB and Bangkok bank get much better overseas transfer (TT) rates if you convert here. Like 1/2 a percent difference at times, could make a difference if you send over larger amounts.

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I have been here 13 years and I have a Thai credit card and don't need all that money as long as you link your back accounts together it can go below 150000.00 in you bank at any time or it's closed

Sent from twotatts iPad using thaivisa

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I am with scbeasy 350 baht opens you a bank you can use all over the world debit card plus, remember to update your bank book as I had not for 3 years when I went in it took all day to add it, your back book is the key

Sent from twotatts iPad using thaivisa

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Just spoken to a friend and they said I could receive a credit card providing it's a joint account with my wife (Thai). Will speak to the bank next week and see.

Yes, you can if the "wife's" income qualifies her for a credit card; then she could probably have a supplemental card issued for you. But if it's your income that keeps the household going then generally you can not get an "unsecured" credit card without a Work Permit and sufficient income. Now anyone can get a "secured" Thai credit card but that requires you to deposit X-amount of funds in a savings account which can't be touched/withdrawn until you pay the credit card outstanding balance, cancel the card, and then usually wait another 30 days or so to ensure no delayed credit card charges arrive...then you can have your money back. Also, Thai Consumer Protection Laws for financial issues like credit cards really provide very little protecton to the customer...these laws should be titled Thai Bank Protection Laws. You'll be much better off and have more consumer protection if you can get a no foreign transaction fee credit card from your home country bank.

Edited by Pib
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Good luck opening your account and please post back to tell us who you decided to bank with. I tried to open a bank account at Bangkok Bank branch on Sukhumvit and got BS about needing some affidavit from my embassy. I went to my embassy and the form costs around 50 USD to process. I won't be banking at Bangkok Bank.

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Hi All,

the most easy credit card to get is at Central department store. I got mine with a 3-times my salary credit limit. You can choose to pay the balance or 10% of it.

Then the next step (you could try immediately, but if you already have a cc, the 2nd card is much easier) is indeed Kasikorn, since they are I believe the most foreigner friendly bank. It was quite easy to get a savings account and a cc as well.

However I do have a workpermit, which was indeed needed for above. If you don't have WP goodluck to you all passifier.gif

I have tried at Bangkok bank, but they are a joke. I have already a savings account there for many years (needed for my company), but they still require a deposit of the same amount as the cc limitgiggle.gif

Another thing for people who are interested coffee1.gif:

I managed to get a so-called car-4-cash loan at Kasikorn as well on my own name without any Thai garanter. Please note that not all Kasikorn branches can support for foreigners (I went to the branch in IT square and they called to another guy who is a specialist in dealing with foreigners) and they do a thoroughly check on you and your wife. They talked with my wife if she was aware etc (of course she was:)) and some more general questions. She didn't have to sign with me and she currently also don't have any income (as she takes care of our 2 kids) But if you have a good record they are willing to provide you a loan with the car as garantee. Besides this you do need to have worked here for a couple of years with WP of course. The amount for the loan depends on your car.

Why I did this: to get a good banking/paying history, which will help to get the next step, a mortgage, which is possible at some banks. Providing a good banking/paying history will certainly help with this.

Hope this was useful for some of you.

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Good luck opening your account and please post back to tell us who you decided to bank with. I tried to open a bank account at Bangkok Bank branch on Sukhumvit and got BS about needing some affidavit from my embassy. I went to my embassy and the form costs around 50 USD to process. I won't be banking at Bangkok Bank.

Just call in at the next branch of BKB, all branches are like different banks with their own rules and regulations.

I'm guessing about 30% of Thai bank branches don't want to be bothered with foreigners, the others are happy to see you.

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Such a document is a requirement for various visa types to open account at Bangkok Bank and they are clearly listed on there web site as below.

Status

Documents required

You have permanent residency in Thailand

  1. Valid passport or Alien Certificate or Certificate of Residency
  2. House Registration document

You are working in Thailand and hold a non-immigrant B visa

  1. Valid passport
  2. Valid work permit

You hold a tourist visa or non-immigrant visa e.g. ED, EX, F, IB, IM, M, O, O-A, R, RS, D, F, SE, MT, S

(except non-immigrant L-A visa)

  1. Valid passport, and
  2. ONE of the following documents:
    2.1 An identity card issued by a government institution or university such as:
    - Your driver’s license, Foreign Identification Card, University
    Student/Professor Card
    2.2 A letter of recommendation from
    - Embassy [Download Form pdf_sign.gif 177 KB], International
    Organization, Customer’s home bank to Bangkok Bank via
    the SWIFT message [Download Form pdf_sign.gif 958 KB], a person
    acceptable to Bangkok Bank (such as BBL staff, customer,
    government officer, company executive, private firms), or
    home country institutions (such as pension receipt)
    [Download Form pdf_sign.gif 674 KB]
    2.3 Other documents showing your name such as:
    - Bank Statement, lease agreement, utility bill, documents
    showing owners of a fixed asset or Condominium
    Sale/Purchase Agreement

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