Bringing Cash Into Thailand

[Cashboy]

I am coming to Thailand in May by airplane form Europe.

My intention is to bring real hard cash with me in Swiss Francs.

Not a lot; around US$30,000

The idea is to open an account in Bangkok. The reason is that I feel that the West is totally bankrupt and having recently personally been effected by the Cyprus fiasco have had enough.

A few questions as I read a few related items.

1) Is there a problem doing this?

2) When I arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport; should I declare them. I read that I should declare them so that I can get a certificate and have no problems with regard to where the monies came from to open an account.

3) The CHF notes are 1,000 CHF (about US$1,000) each. Is it a problem banking these high valued notes in a bank in Bangkok?

Answers would be appreciated and anything else I should be aware of.

[Naam]

legally there is no problem bringing any amount of cash into Thailand as long as you declare the cash if it exceeds value USD 20,000

but the declaration is irrelevant for opening a bank account. the "certificate" you mentioned is meant for the purpose in case you opt to take the money out again.

quite often i heard rumours that high denominated notes are rejected, e.g. €UR 500. experience from visiting friends proves the contrary. not sure about banks but money changers (some of them with better rates for cash than banks) like big notes. i'm also not sure how the acceptance of CHF 1,000 is concerned. these notes must be rather "rare animals" in Thailand.

[yoshiwara]

If its cash I would consider keeping the amount at = $20k and maybe 500 sf notes rather than those nice long 1k ones.<br />You could try a bankers draft but the risk is that a Thai bank won't take it

[Cashboy]

If its cash I would consider keeping the amount at = $20k and maybe 500 sf notes rather than those nice long 1k ones.<br />You could try a bankers draft but the risk is that a Thai bank won't take it

I only have 1,000 chf notes.

I opted for these 5 year ago because I knew the Euro and GB Pound would fall and that they are easy to carry from one country to another.

Surely the Bangkok Bank will accept these notes when I open a bank account and put them in?

[aarn]

Do you realise that it is very difficult to open a bank account in Thailand, if you just fly in and get 30-day visa exemption?

You should be OK with a two month tourist visa, better still 90-day tourist visa. AA

[rgs2001uk]

If its cash I would consider keeping the amount at = $20k and maybe 500 sf notes rather than those nice long 1k ones.<br />You could try a bankers draft but the risk is that a Thai bank won't take it

I only have 1,000 chf notes.

I opted for these 5 year ago because I knew the Euro and GB Pound would fall and that they are easy to carry from one country to another.

Surely the Bangkok Bank will accept these notes when I open a bank account and put them in?

Surely the Bangkok Bank will accept these notes when I open a bank account and put them in?

Do you have a bank account in Thailand?

Its not as easy as rocking up to just any old bank and trying to open an account, be perpared to be fobbed off with excuses and BS from incompetent/lazy staff, issues such as do you have a work permit, cannot do, you must go another bank, manager him not here today etc etc.

[Naam]

Do you realise that it is very difficult to open a bank account in Thailand, if you just fly in and get 30-day visa exemption?

You should be OK with a two month tourist visa, better still 90-day tourist visa. AA

stop the fairy tales! it is not difficult at all. most Kasikorn branches will open an account and issue a debit card within 20 minutes.

[BrianCR]

Do you realise that it is very difficult to open a bank account in Thailand, if you just fly in and get 30-day visa exemption?

You should be OK with a two month tourist visa, better still 90-day tourist visa. AA

stop the fairy tales! it is not difficult at all. most Kasikorn branches will open an account and issue a debit card within 20 minutes.

Couldn't agree with you more, opening a savings account here is the easiest thing in the world - why do some posters think that they are clever by writing complete distortions of the truth?

[sutton1001]

Yeah kasikorn extrely easy to open a bank account did mine in about 15 minutes.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[sutton1001]

Doh' extremely even.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

[Naam]

Do you realise that it is very difficult to open a bank account in Thailand, if you just fly in and get 30-day visa exemption?

You should be OK with a two month tourist visa, better still 90-day tourist visa. AA

stop the fairy tales! it is not difficult at all. most Kasikorn branches will open an account and issue a debit card within 20 minutes.

Couldn't agree with you more, opening a savings account here is the easiest thing in the world - why do some posters think that they are clever by writing complete distortions of the truth?

makes them feel important

[kiniyow]

Ask the Bank in Thailand if they offer SMS Service when a withdrawal is made? This can be very effective in Protecting your Money...

[nahkit]

Do you realise that it is very difficult to open a bank account in Thailand, if you just fly in and get 30-day visa exemption?

You should be OK with a two month tourist visa, better still 90-day tourist visa. AA

stop the fairy tales! it is not difficult at all. most Kasikorn branches will open an account and issue a debit card within 20 minutes.

Couldn't agree with you more, opening a savings account here is the easiest thing in the world - why do some posters think that they are clever by writing complete distortions of the truth?

Sorry to disagree but thats not always the case. A few months back I went into my branch of the Bangkok Bank along with my daughter. My daughter is over 21, has a Thai ID and an account with Kasikorn bank. I withdrew some money from my account, handed it to my daughter and then told the cashier that we wanted to open a new account in my daughters' name and deposit the money into it. My daughter showed them her Thai ID plus her Kasikorn bank book and house registration. She took the money, gave us a receipt, and we were told to come back in 30 minutes and everything would be ready.

After about 15 minutes she called my daughter and said there was a problem and we needed to come back to the bank right away. When we got there, they said there was a problem with her Thai ID, when they entered her details it came back as invalid. My daughter told them she'd used the same id to open her Kasikorn account two years earlier so they said they would check it again.

After a few minutes the cashier came back and said the problem was caused because my daughter "was not a real Thai, you are a luk krung" (half-caste). She then went on to say that as a 'luk krung' my daughter wasn't allowed to have a bank account.

I asked if that was the case then how could I, as a 100% foreigner, have an account with them? I also asked her if she thought that all those 'luk krung' that she saw every night in the Thai soap operas kept their money under the bed or had bank accounts?

Off she went to check again and we sat there for another 10 minutes or so. Finally, we got up, handed her back the receipt and told her to give us our money back and we would open an account at Kasikorn bank instead. Lo and behold, right at the point, she decided that 'head office' had given the all clear and my daughter could open an account after all.

So, no, I beg to differ, its not always the easiest thing in the world to open an account in Thailand.

[tomjerry]

The posters are not trying to be clever just passing on real facts as it has happened to them.I have been coming here for 25 years and the rules change from city to city and bank to bank.I opened a new account at SCB udon thani last week and even though I had a account at three SCB nong kai branch I had to wait 3 days for all my I.D. info to be sent to Bangkok for approval.A new rule since Jan 2013. It would be unclever(stupid) to not look at others peoples experiences

[yoshiwara]

If its cash I would consider keeping the amount at = $20k and maybe 500 sf notes rather than those nice long 1k ones.<br />You could try a bankers draft but the risk is that a Thai bank won't take it

I only have 1,000 chf notes.

I opted for these 5 year ago because I knew the Euro and GB Pound would fall and that they are easy to carry from one country to another.

Surely the Bangkok Bank will accept these notes when I open a bank account and put them in?

They should do. The other option is to change the SF at TT Exchange which will give you a better rate and then deposit the baht in your newly opened bank account.

[keeniau96]

Seems the best route is changing at good money changer (Super Rich, TT etc) then open account at Kaesikorn. Note that Kaesikorn is very good with phone alerts on transactions and use of phone verification. You may set up internet access to the account at the first visit.

[Forkinhades]

If its cash I would consider keeping the amount at = $20k and maybe 500 sf notes rather than those nice long 1k ones.<br />You could try a bankers draft but the risk is that a Thai bank won't take it

I have banked a bankers draft here before, but it takes 6 weeks to clear!!!

[Forkinhades]

Do you realise that it is very difficult to open a bank account in Thailand, if you just fly in and get 30-day visa exemption?

You should be OK with a two month tourist visa, better still 90-day tourist visa. AA

stop the fairy tales! it is not difficult at all. most Kasikorn branches will open an account and issue a debit card within 20 minutes.

Couldn't agree with you more, opening a savings account here is the easiest thing in the world - why do some posters think that they are clever by writing complete distortions of the truth?

Sorry to disagree but thats not always the case. A few months back I went into my branch of the Bangkok Bank along with my daughter. My daughter is over 21, has a Thai ID and an account with Kasikorn bank. I withdrew some money from my account, handed it to my daughter and then told the cashier that we wanted to open a new account in my daughters' name and deposit the money into it. My daughter showed them her Thai ID plus her Kasikorn bank book and house registration. She took the money, gave us a receipt, and we were told to come back in 30 minutes and everything would be ready.

After about 15 minutes she called my daughter and said there was a problem and we needed to come back to the bank right away. When we got there, they said there was a problem with her Thai ID, when they entered her details it came back as invalid. My daughter told them she'd used the same id to open her Kasikorn account two years earlier so they said they would check it again.

After a few minutes the cashier came back and said the problem was caused because my daughter "was not a real Thai, you are a luk krung" (half-caste). She then went on to say that as a 'luk krung' my daughter wasn't allowed to have a bank account.

I asked if that was the case then how could I, as a 100% foreigner, have an account with them? I also asked her if she thought that all those 'luk krung' that she saw every night in the Thai soap operas kept their money under the bed or had bank accounts?

Off she went to check again and we sat there for another 10 minutes or so. Finally, we got up, handed her back the receipt and told her to give us our money back and we would open an account at Kasikorn bank instead. Lo and behold, right at the point, she decided that 'head office' had given the all clear and my daughter could open an account after all.

So, no, I beg to differ, its not always the easiest thing in the world to open an account in Thailand.

that is truly shocking.

Reminds me years ago when I was trying to get water connected to my house, went to water place, and they said 'fralang cannot have water!', so I went to see my lawyer, who was outraged by this, and promptly rang the water company, after the phone call went back to water office, and they was very sorry indeed, and I got my water connection.

[poanoi]

SCB demand residence certificate from immigration & 1 year visa

before i can open bank account

Edited April 16, 2013 by poanoi

[glegolo]

makes them feel important

The posters are not trying to be clever just passing on real facts as it has happened to them.I have been coming here for 25 years and the rules change from city to city and bank to bank.I opened a new account at SCB udon thani last week and even though I had a account at three SCB nong kai branch I had to wait 3 days for all my I.D. info to be sent to Bangkok for approval.A new rule since Jan 2013. It would be unclever(stupid) to not look at others peoples experiences

Yes I agree with tomjerry. It makes me irritated that some people are trying to write "over" other peoples experiences.... We all are being treated different from time to time from thai to thai and from place to place.

i agree that in i.e. Jomtien-Pattaya Kasikorn will issue a new bankaccount for falang with minutes without any whatsoever hesitations. But "NAAM", Thailand is not just Pattaya or Jomtien or the other tourist-places, Thailand is so much more.......Up in Isaan you can have huge problem when trying to open up a bankaccount, the very next day all will be OK... These thai people (employees) are just doing what they like it seems without any supervision from the sleeping managers...

Glegolo

[Naam]

makes them feel important

The posters are not trying to be clever just passing on real facts as it has happened to them.I have been coming here for 25 years and the rules change from city to city and bank to bank.I opened a new account at SCB udon thani last week and even though I had a account at three SCB nong kai branch I had to wait 3 days for all my I.D. info to be sent to Bangkok for approval.A new rule since Jan 2013. It would be unclever(stupid) to not look at others peoples experiences

Yes I agree with tomjerry. It makes me irritated that some people are trying to write "over" other peoples experiences.... We all are being treated different from time to time from thai to thai and from place to place.

i agree that in i.e. Jomtien-Pattaya Kasikorn will issue a new bankaccount for falang with minutes without any whatsoever hesitations. But "NAAM", Thailand is not just Pattaya or Jomtien or the other tourist-places, Thailand is so much more.......Up in Isaan you can have huge problem when trying to open up a bankaccount, the very next day all will be OK... These thai people (employees) are just doing what they like it seems without any supervision from the sleeping managers...

Glegolo

Glegolo,

this is what the OP posted. to me it does not look like he is planning to go to some wilderness to bank his Swiss Francs.

I am coming to Thailand in May by airplane form Europe.

My intention is to bring real hard cash with me in Swiss Francs.

Not a lot; around US$30,000

The idea is to open an account in Bangkok.

[glegolo]

makes them feel important

The posters are not trying to be clever just passing on real facts as it has happened to them.I have been coming here for 25 years and the rules change from city to city and bank to bank.I opened a new account at SCB udon thani last week and even though I had a account at three SCB nong kai branch I had to wait 3 days for all my I.D. info to be sent to Bangkok for approval.A new rule since Jan 2013. It would be unclever(stupid) to not look at others peoples exper

iences

Yes I agree with tomjerry. It makes me irritated that some people are trying to write "over" other peoples experiences.... We all are being treated different from time to time from thai to thai and from place to place.

i agree that in i.e. Jomtien-Pattaya Kasikorn will issue a new bankaccount for falang with minutes without any whatsoever hesitations. But "NAAM", Thailand is not just Pattaya or Jomtien or the other tourist-places, Thailand is so much more.......Up in Isaan you can have huge problem when trying to open up a bankaccount, the very next day all will be OK... These thai people (employees) are just doing what they like it seems without any supervision from the sleeping managers...

Glegolo

Glegolo,

this is what the OP posted. to me it does not look like he is planning to go to some wilderness to bank his Swiss Francs.

Yes NAAM I stand corrected of course. But nevertheless it is good for you to know that there is

a different Thailand all over, and not all is same as in Bangkok or whereever big city you are living in...

Glegolo

[rgs2001uk]

Best of luck with opening an account in Bkk, here is my most recent experience, I wrote about it on here before.

I am a refugee from the HSBC, now taken over by BAY, I went to my
local BAY to open an account with them was told I couldnt by some spotty
faced incompetant, I asked her who told you this, manager, no problem
get the manager here.

Stunned that a low class peasant would dare question not only her lowly authority but to actually question a manger,unheard of.

Manager appears and spouts off, clearly didnt have a clue, wasnt even aware that BAY was taking over HSBC.

No problemo, sit there and dial a customer rep from BAY and explained
the problem, she was furious and asked to speak to the manager.

Phone handed to manager, I dont know what was said, but this manager
was clearly getting her ass chewed out big time, all she kept saying was
ka ka ja ja ja ka sawadee ka, she then hands me the phone and says
something to pizza face and dissappeared.

Within minutes accounts had been opened.

As for Bkk bank, years ago I wanted to pay a sum of farang money into
an account, couldnt pay it in at the counter, was told to go outside to
the currency exchange and convert to baht, then bring the baht back and
pay into the account, welcome to 21st century banking Thai style.

[Naam]

Yes NAAM I stand corrected of course. But nevertheless it is good for you to know that there is a different Thailand all over, and not all is same as in Bangkok or whereever big city you are living in...

Glegolo

i am well aware of that but i have started to hate that a newcomer, who asks an honest (not a silly) question is hit with something negative especially when it's clear it does not apply. over the years i received valuable advice from this forum and i am grateful for that. that's the reason why i am trying to assist, especially when it concerns a newbie, with simple advice, e.g. "go Kasikorn!" instead of some negative bla-bla without any helpful content.

[Naam]

Best of luck with opening an account in Bkk,

you tried one specific branch and failed. that does not justify generalising all banks in BKK.

[MRTELLYOUSTRAIGHT]

Thailand, possibly one of the most easiest countries in the world to open a bank account.

[meatboy]

Seems the best route is changing at good money changer (Super Rich, TT etc) then open account at Kaesikorn. Note that Kaesikorn is very good with phone alerts on transactions and use of phone verification. You may set up internet access to the account at the first visit.

that is your best bet,if you have any notes with a rip,pen mark or creased the bank will reject them,so get them changed into baht before you even think about a bank as you will lose thousands of bht.by exchanging in a bank.and yes make sure you declare the cash at customs if over $20k