Hi I am wanting to open a bank account overseas and they have requested I provide a Certified Copy of my Passport. (Nationwide and Satander Bank)

This can be done by the following professional persons.

Qualified Lawyer

Qualified Accountant

Doctor

Govt Official

Bank Manager

Embassy or Consulate

I went to my bank who I have been banking with for over 5 years (UOB) and they refused to do it ? no clear answer that I could understand.

I went to the offices at the cnr of Petcburi Road and Rachaprasong where there is an old office that has a sign offering all sorts of legal services (2500 BHT ) crazy for 2 signatures 1 minutes effort .

I stopped by another Lawyers Office and was told 1500 Bht a copy so 3000 Bht ....TIT

Can anyone here advise me where I can go to get this done ...... very annoyed the UOB bank wouldn't do it for me after all the business I do in that bank.

Thanks in Advance

Obviously your Embassy will do this, but, it may cost a little more

Nana BTS paid area, AAA certifiers to the transient and disreputable.

I can't remember how expensive it was, but for convenience one could not ask for more. There's a post office right underneath as well, and then you can drink the rest of the afternoon away round the corner if you have any money left over.

SC

why dont you get a doctor to do it ? if they say they accept doctors ,it shouldnt be a problem

theres a "clinic" or "surgery" in nearly every soi manned by a doctor who writes sicknotes for 50-100 thb

Local police station, cost one bottle of 100 Pipers..

I wrote in English the usual garabage, I certify this is a ..........., and had Sgt Somchai sign it after he had put a couple of stamps on the photocopies.

I needed such a letter to get my pension.

I went to the British embassy with my passport.

They made the pnotocopy and then stamped the appropriate words.

The vice consul signed it and a large red seal was attached

Using a local official may not be acceptable to an offshore bank.

Local police station, cost one bottle of 100 Pipers..

I wrote in English the usual garabage, I certify this is a ..........., and had Sgt Somchai sign it after he had put a couple of stamps on the photocopies.

i thought the police would turn their noses up at anyting less than red label

There's no shortage at all of places that will do this. The clever part is getting the price down.

I found the following prices:

British Consulate: 2500B

Rip-off lawyer:2500B

Normal lawyer/notary:500B

Lawyer/notary after negotiation:300/400B

My local TMB assistant-manager:free

and I used the last two.

The first three in the list will rot in hell before they get any of my money.

There's no shortage at all of places that will do this. The clever part is getting the price down.

I found the following prices:

British Consulate: 2500B

Rip-off lawyer:2500B

Normal lawyer/notary:500B

Lawyer/notary after negotiation:300/400B

My local TMB assistant-manager:free

and I used the last two.

The first three in the list will rot in hell before they get any of my money.

do TMB not ask you any silly questions ? like: Why do you want to open accounts in another bank when our debit cards can work everywhere and all that BS ?

Would just also like to say that Nationwide charge a fortune when you use your card over here. They have ridiculous charges on top of the 150 baht ATM fee. I stopped using my 2 nationwide accounts.

What is the Thai word for "notary"?

Pronunciation spelled out in Roman alphabet, please.

do TMB not ask you any silly questions ? like: Why do you want to open accounts in another bank when our debit cards can work everywhere and all that BS ?

When I went in to my TMB branch clutching my documents the lady assistant-manager looked at me as though I might be an international terrorist. As I started to explain what I wanted she seemed to be getting more and more suspicious but after a couple of minutes she understood that I wanted them to open accounts back in Europe, and from that point on she was extremely helpful and went to great pains to certify the copies (which she made for free) exactly as I wanted them certified. She actually certified several different document copies (passport, bills, lease) at the same time. It was beautifully done with precise handwriting and an amazing assortment of rubber stamps that she produced from a very large box.

So full marks to her. The only downside with TMB certification is that one of my stupid British banks wouldn't accept certification by a Thai bank and insisted on a Thai lawyer/notary doing it (as if a Thai lawyer is any more or less likely to be bent than a Thai bank manager, or indeed as if the Thai professionals are more likely to be bent than their UK counterparts). So I complained bitterly about this and got them to reimburse me for the extra cost.

What is the Thai word for "notary"?

Pronunciation spelled out in Roman alphabet, please.

What makes you think such a concept exists here?

Only exists in common-law countries, ex brit colonies etc.

Such functions are performed in most of the world through government offices and lawyers.

What is the Thai word for "notary"?

Pronunciation spelled out in Roman alphabet, please.

What makes you think such a concept exists here?

Only exists in common-law countries, ex brit colonies etc.

Such functions are performed in most of the world through government offices and lawyers.

To notarize, rap rong

Notary, pu rap rong laay sen.

What is the Thai word for "notary"?

Pronunciation spelled out in Roman alphabet, please.

S-a-t-a-n-t-o-o-t a-n-g-k-r-i-t

What makes you think such a concept exists here?

The existence of offices with "Notary" written on the window is a clue. No shortage of these in Pattaya; usually they are lawyers' offices, but not always.

What makes you think such a concept exists here?

The existence of offices with "Notary" written on the window is a clue. No shortage of these in Pattaya; usually they are lawyers' offices, but not always.

AAA Certificators to the Disreputable and Transient says "Notary Public" in their signboard. Nana BTS Paid Area concourse North end.

AAA Certificators to the Disreputable and Transient ....

That sounds like exactly the place I should try next time.

When I was similarly requested by the payers of my annuities (for the past 15 years) I pointed out that at least three of the categories mentioned in the OP were as corrupt as anybody could wish. I added that the CIA considered the RTP the largest organised crime syndicate in SE Asia.

A cop at the Immigration Office in Jomtien did the necessary for me and affixed so many official stamps that the paper looked like a heavily tattooed sailor. No charge. Wearing a collared shirt, long trousers, shoes and flashing a smile, not forgetting to say please and thank you, worked wonders.

There is a reasonable translation service next to the UK Honourary Consul's office in Jomtien.

I thought I had a solution.... asked an past work colleague who is a very nice thai fella and he said he would ask around then got back to me with a person who could do it in the Govt Immigration Department 500 Bht a copy.

I said fine I need 3 copies please and handed the Passport and copies to the messenger who arrived (he confirmed while with me on phone to my friend) then I waited and got a call that day from a Thai lady saying she was and offical and what did I want the certified copies for ? (spoke good english) I tried to explain it was a formality for a foreign bank and that I had emailed her the banks forms to look at and confirm what was needed etc. She seemed reluctant so I said I would ask my colleague to call her, he did apparently all was good 2 days later nothing then email today saying can't do ! returning passport...... sigh !

Back to square one ......

Went to Onnut Police Station again refused ! told me to go to The Royal Thai Police in Siam. ( was wearing a nice shirt and trousers and acting very polite)....

There's no shortage at all of places that will do this. The clever part is getting the price down.

I found the following prices:

British Consulate: 2500B

Rip-off lawyer:2500B

Normal lawyer/notary:500B

Lawyer/notary after negotiation:300/400B

My local TMB assistant-manager:free

and I used the last two.

The first three in the list will rot in hell before they get any of my money.

Darrel I had a copy of my passport certified by the British Consulate in Pattaya 3 weeks ago and was only 1500 baht? I had this pre confirmed by mail from the embassy so unless it has gone up in that time.......

Edited May 30, 201214 yr by topt

Darrel I had a copy of my passport certified by the British Consulate in Pattaya 3 weeks ago and was only 1500 baht? I had this pre confirmed by mail from the embassy so unless it has gone up in that time.......

I thought that they charged the same GBP50 equiv. for all types of certification.

If they do charge 1500B and not 2500B for certified copies then I apologise to them as this would mean that they merely very overpriced and not absurdly overpriced.

They still wont be getting any money from me though, at least until their price drops to well under 500B.

Banks etc often verify the authenticity of notorised docs therefore it's probably best to have it done by an Embassy.

Hi Agreed I suspect the Banks will verify the authenticity, checked with the NZ Embassy ( I have dual nationality) and they confirmed they can do it for me at a reasonable rate per copy (about 540 Bht a copy) so I'll do that as I

don't want delays later due to checks.

I did try another Thai Lawyer who's business card I was given left a message, sent an email, sent a sms ... no reply ..... TIT

I was told that in the Arab quarter you can get it done with a authentic looking stamp not sure who does it and whether they are a Lawyer but its worked for other I hear..... I just can't afford the time delay if its checked though.

Thanks for the advice above

A foreign bank accepting the word of a thai lawyer that a person is worthy or not of opening a bank account

is on of the most absurd things ive ever heard ........

it beggars belief that a bank in another country can trust someones (a farangs) character because a thai lawyer

who has never met that person before says so to get paid 2500 thb

A foreign bank accepting the word of a thai lawyer that a person is worthy or not of opening a bank account

is on of the most absurd things ive ever heard ........

it beggars belief that a bank in another country can trust someones (a farangs) character because a thai lawyer

who has never met that person before says so to get paid 2500 thb

No lawyer is going to say that anyone is trustworthy; that would be the pot calling the kettle white.

The lawyer certifies that one thing is a true copy of another thing (notarised copies); not the veracity of the original document.

Or he certifies that the person making a statement has signed it in his presence, and that they have evidence that they are who they say they are (a commissioned oath); the truth or otherwise of the oath so commissioned is the responsibility of the oather.

The requirements for proof of identity and address are requirements of the money laundering legislation, I believe, designed to give professional and organised criminals a competitive advantage over us amateurs.

SC