News Forum - City Guide: How to open a bank account in Thailand 2022?

[Thaiger]

Opening a bank account in Thailand is important if you’re going to stay in here for the long run. Expats frequently have trouble opening a bank account or are uninformed about the process. This is where we come in. Having a Thai bank account can help you manage your finances more effectively, including sending and receiving money from overseas. Obviously, it’s necessary for making payments in your everyday life, as well as receiving a salary if you work here are are getting paid in Thai baht. And a Thai bank account is essential for certain visa types. During the pandemic, […]

The story City Guide: How to open a bank account in Thailand 2022? as seen on Thaiger News.

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[SirPixAlot]

It's perhaps possible to open a bank account, even if you not stay in Thailand / permanent resident?

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

4 hours ago, Thaiger said:

Expats frequently have trouble opening a bank account or are uninformed about the process.

But as the norm in Thailand,  …..

Different banks and even different branches of the same bank might have different requirements. Even worse, at the same branch, two different employees can have different visions about what is required and how to do it! …… just like immigration offices around Thailand ….. same same but different.

[Leeshard]

I have an annual retirement visa and all Bangkok Bank asked me for was a certificate of residency from my local immigration office. All done in a few minutes and picked up from Immigration the next day and account duly opened. A lease or rental agreement is not sufficient. Furthermore no Thai bank is remotely interested in references from your bank back home.
Other considerations are:                             
1. If you use Transferwise (now called Wise) to transfer money from your home country, which many ex-pats do now because it’s extremely cost effective, you should only open an account with Kasikorn, Bangkok Bank or SCB otherwise your transfers are limited to 50,000 baht.                                              2. Last time I had occasion to transfer a large sum of money (in the millions of baht) back to my home country SCB were a pain whilst Bangkok Bank did it with no fuss at all.
3. Whilst banks back home are desperate to issue you with a credit card, unless you have a work permit in Thailand you simply won’t get one here. Explanations that you’ve had one back home for the last 50 years cuts no ice. Keep your home credit card ‘active’ in case you want to hire a car in Thailand.
 Just my own personal experiences.

Edited March 25, 2022 by Leeshard

[Leeshard]

15 hours ago, SirPixAlot said:

It's perhaps possible to open a bank account, even if you not stay in Thailand / permanent resident?

No. You need to prove residency which requires an annual visa of some sort.

[Soidog]

15 hours ago, SirPixAlot said:

It's perhaps possible to open a bank account, even if you not stay in Thailand / permanent resident?

I opened my Thai bank account over 20 years ago. I had a Non-O visa. I’m fairly sure you can’t open an account with a Tourist visa. In fact I don’t think you can even have a post pay mobile phone contract on a TV? 

[frimu]

About two years ago I opened an account with Bangkok bank. I needed my passport and an affidavit of my embassy certifying, that my (Western European) passport is genuine.

So without a long term visa your best chances are with Bangkok bank. Good luck.

[Nick]

What if you don't have a visa and need a Thai bank account to get a retirement visa?

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

21 hours ago, Thaiger said:

This is where we come in.

To give us many more questions to ask as those that have accounts more than likely jumped through different hoops … 

[DoUKnowWhoIAm]

16 hours ago, AdvocatusDiaboli said:

But as the norm in Thailand,  …..

Different banks and even different branches of the same bank might have different requirements. Even worse, at the same branch, two different employees can have different visions about what is required and how to do it! …… just like immigration offices around Thailand ….. same same but different.

Exactly. If you get denied, just ask around at other banks or braches and ultimately you'll succeed.

[riclag]

I opened a  Kasikornbank and a Bangkok bank account back in 2013  while I was on a MULTI ENTRY TOURIST VISA!

At the time the Kasikornbank was easy . In and out within a hour,while being with my Gf!

The BB wasn’t easy! I needed a Thai guarantor ( a govt official)

Just so happens the Gf’s uncle is a prof up here ,without his guarantee it would of been useless in obtaining a account, especially on a tourist visa imop

 

 

[HiuMak]

I open a bank account with Kbank with no problems as I have an apartment in Ekkamai

[Soidog]

20 minutes ago, riclag said:

I opened a  Kasikornbank and a Bangkok bank account back in 2013  while I was on a MULTI ENTRY TOURIST VISA!

At the time the Kasikornbank was easy . In and out within a hour,while being with my Gf!

The BB wasn’t easy! I needed a Thai guarantor ( a govt official)

Just so happens the Gf’s uncle is a prof up here ,without his guarantee it would of been useless in obtaining a account, especially on a tourist visa imop

It’s incredible when you stop and think about it. All you can do is put money in to the account and take it out. You have no overdraft limit and so there is no way to scam the bank. I’m not sure what they are so bothered about. A passport and confirmation of address should be all it takes. 

[William]

I opened  Thai Bank account in January, and required none of these documents, I simply went to immigration, completed a form, paid the 500THB for 24 hour completion, took the form to the bank with my passport and tourist visa, and it was completed within 30 minutes including receiving a ATM card.

[Raugh]

51 minutes ago, Soidog said:

All you can do is put money in to the account and take it out.

Sounds much like a money laundering dream scenario.

[astro]

I also opened a bank account with on a tourist visa more than 20 years ago.

Had to approach several banks since policies vary, even from branch to branch of the same bank.

So - shop around if the first one rejects your application.

[Soidog]

34 minutes ago, Raugh said:

Sounds much like a money laundering dream scenario.

Well that’s the only concern. But if they detect suspicious activity then they have your passport details and address. They can suspend your account at anytime.it’s no different to anyone else opening an account if they wanted to use it for money laundering. 

[CedRacine]

Only option I had this january with 60 days tourist visa was Bangkok Bank linked with an accident-death insurance.

Mostly Very happy how it works with instant cross-banks payments-transfers, while I am fundamentaly anti-CBDC.

Lack of details (ie shop name / beneficiary /payer-payee) in tx history, ie I can't identify clearly the insurance charge in debit history.

As cryptocurrency user, I'd probably have chosen SCB as 51% investor in Bitkub and used by people close to me (but needs Work Permit or Retirement visa), I can instant wd THB from BTC exchanges and instant transfer to any bank as the Electronic Payment System is Unified (under the Central Bank's surveilance...)

Same same but different, finally the choice would be to have a branch office near home in case human help needed...

[oldschooler]

Try Yourself with Passport & Imm. Address Cert.

Try All Banks ( all together in large malls)

Ignore Difficult Banks (those asking for Work Permit or Embassy Letter)

Get Easy Missing Documents 

Use Lawyer / Agent (if above fails)