Education Visa Or Tourist, Which Is Cheaper?

[cabralad]

Living over here now and looking at the cheapest way to stay in thailand legally, i have 2 options available to me, but if i could open a thai bank account i would have the retirement option as well but so far no luck doing that. Spoke to walen, they want 25,000b for 1 year visa+ all the visa fees or do i make the 4 visa runs a year? Any advise..thanks

[lopburi3]

Normal ED is single entry at 2,000 baht from a Consulate and after that you extend for 1,900 baht every 90 days at most locations.

There is no reason to not be able to open a bank account. It you have the funds for retirement extension why are you even considering other options? If one bank branch will not open just go to another. Bangkok Bank openly list the requirements on there web site.

In Thailand for a short time?

Even if you are only visiting Thailand for a relatively short period of time, you can open a savings account and get a debit card to use for shopping and ATM withdrawals. All you will need to provide is your passport and one other official identification document – for example, your driver’s license or a reference letter from your embassy, your home bank or a person acceptable to the bank. (More details below)

You will also need to provide evidence of your address in Thailand as well as your regular address in your home country.

http://www.bangkokbank.com/BangkokBank/PersonalBanking/SpecialServices/ForeignCustomers/Pages/Openinganaccountnew.aspx

[Lite Beer]

If you are over 50 open a bank account, deposit 800,000 Baht and get the retirement extension.

It really is quite easy providing you have the funds.

[Colabamumbai]

Once I got my ED visa 3 years ago, I was able to open bank accounts everywhere.

[poanoi]

Retirement visa is cheapest compared to all other legal ways, and by far cheapest at that,

its a heavy penalty not being 50

[cabralad]

If you are over 50 open a bank account, deposit 800,000 Baht and get the retirement extension.

It really is quite easy providing you have the funds.

I have tried bankok bank and siam (in kad suan kaew mall) and both have said No, because they want a 1 year rental lease. At present i prefer to live in guesthouse as they are better value and you are not tied down to them. And yes i am over 50 and have the funds back home.

[wayned]

There are many retirees that have bank accounts in Chaing Mai. Maybe you should ask for recommendations on the Chaing Mai forum.

[Lite Beer]

You will get a bank account if you keep trying. Different branches of the same bank. Even a different employee in the same branch.

You might find some help here.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/260738-opening-a-new-bank-account-in-thailand/

[DennyEagle]

Was very easy for me at Kasikorn Bank, have accounts at 3 of their branches

[moe666]

talk to the guest house and have them type up a letter that it is your permanent address and then go for it you just keep hitting the pavement sooner or later someone will open an account. Also remember the price of the education visa includes the classess as well

[Sophon]

talk to the guest house and have them type up a letter that it is your permanent address and then go for it you just keep hitting the pavement sooner or later someone will open an account. Also remember the price of the education visa includes the classess as well

And if you tell them that you need the account so that you can transfer 800,000 baht into it, it will probably be sooner rather than later.

Sophon

[ubonjoe]

If you check the Lopburi3 posted and click on documents required you will find a downloadable form that you can print out and have signed by your embassy that proves your address. Or another one that your bank at home can can send by swift to them.

Also if you know a Thai that has an account at Bangkok Bank that could vouch for you is another option.

Also if you are running short of time here you could get a single entry non-o visa for being over 50 at any of the nearby consulates or embassies.

[cabralad]

ok, i took advice from the above posters and tried other branches of bangkok and siam, and guess what, same response NO, i even got another reason why not and that is because i have to live here for 1 year before i can apply. So i gave up but when i was at kad suan kaey i decided to ask Krung Thai and they said YES, i almost fell over. I will go there tomorrow and make sure they understood me, i dont want one of there special tourist debiit cards.

[Sophon]

ok, i took advice from the above posters and tried other branches of bangkok and siam, and guess what, same response NO, i even got another reason why not and that is because i have to live here for 1 year before i can apply. So i gave up but when i was at kad suan kaey i decided to ask Krung Thai and they said YES, i almost fell over. I will go there tomorrow and make sure they understood me, i dont want one of there special tourist debiit cards.

It sounds very unusual that so many banks have said no to you, have you been asking the banks for a savings account? If you have been asking for something else e.g. a current or checking account that would explain your lack of succes.

But good that you succeeded in the end.

Sophon

[ubonjoe]

ok, i took advice from the above posters and tried other branches of bangkok and siam, and guess what, same response NO, i even got another reason why not and that is because i have to live here for 1 year before i can apply. So i gave up but when i was at kad suan kaey i decided to ask Krung Thai and they said YES, i almost fell over. I will go there tomorrow and make sure they understood me, i dont want one of there special tourist debiit cards.

It may work for you but you probably will not get any interest for your savings account. Unless they have changed Krung Thai bank does not pay interest on accounts for foreigners.

I suggest try Bangkok bank and show them this information which you you could also print out showing it is from their website if you go to this page and click on documents required. http://www.bangkokbank.com/BangkokBank/PersonalBanking/SpecialServices/ForeignCustomers/Pages/Openinganaccountnew.aspx

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)

• Valid passport, and
  
• ONE of the following documents:
  
  • 
    
    • An identity card issued by a government institution or university such as:
      
      • Your driver’s license, Foreign Identification Card, University Student/Professor Card
        

    • A letter of recommendation from
      
      • Embassy [Download Form ], International Organization, Customer’s home bank to Bangkok Bank via the SWIFT message [Download Form ], 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) [DownloadForm ]
        

      [*]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
        

[Briggsy]

Agree with Ubonjoe.

Krung Thai stopped paying interest on my savings account after several years. Needless to say they failed to inform me. When I queried it, when I noticed many months later, they said it was my fault for not showing them my work permit. Since the amount was considerable, I tried to use the bank's complants procedure. The Head Office just channelled the complaint back to the very same person at the very same branch who had told me it was my fault and then giggled. I closed my account there. Bank of last resort.