Banking For Farangs

[cooL_guY_corY]

Hey i was curious about opening a pretty basic bank account, just for incoming money transfers (international) and for basic savings. It seems like Bangkok and Siam banks are both pretty popular with lots of atms around etc. I am in Phuket right now but will probably be needing a bank that is pretty common in Khon Kaen where i am house shopping.

Any reccomendations between banks? All i should need to open an account is a passport and 1000b to start it off? any advice would be nice. Also i guess its probably no way that online banking/acesss to your account is pretty easy to setup on a basic account here?

thanks.

[lopburi3]

Open account where you will be using. Otherwise you pay out of area atm charges. A passbook savings account is generally the only type of account open to non business users. If you have the required credentials you may get internet access but requirements vary.

[Backpack_thailand]

I agree with lop, wait til you get to KK before opening an account. KK is a huge town so all the big banks will be there. Personally I have Bangkok Bank and Siam Commercial.

The SCB savings account (SCB Easy) gives you a Mastercard debit, which while useless on the internet, out and about works just the same as a normal Mastercard as long as you have funds in the account.

Bangkok Bank does the same but with a VISA Electron. Another possibility with BKK is if you deposit 50,000+ Thai Baht then you can get a credit card to match the value of the deposit.

Internet banking - Forget it! Even with a work permit and visa the setting up is just too much hassle and they don't even gurantee their own security online....!!!!!

[Wekhin]

Agree with Lopburi.

Any of the two banks will do.

You can have internet access with basic bank account, with a charge yearly. You should go and discuss it with the bank.

[Khun Bob]

ive got inet access with scb, krung thai and kasikorn - bt i am not aware that there is a charge for this and you do not need to have an atm card either.

want to get inet access on my bkk bank account - also have a tmb account which i think i have inet access but havent used it much - dont think there is a charge for that either...

[Thetyim]

ive got inet access with scb, krung thai and kasikorn - bt i am not aware that there is a charge for this and you do not need to have an atm card either.

want to get inet access on my bkk bank account - also have a tmb account which i think i have inet access but havent used it much - dont think there is a charge for that either...

Agrred.

I have internet access with scb, tmb and ayudhya banks with no charges