i bought a condo need a bank account

[Cabbages]

hello, i bought a condo on a complex Dec 2021 in Reyong 

im from the uk

i need to open a bank account to pay bills so a current account is needed

apparentlyy from jan 22 the rules got harder 

im going back in Dec 

i dont mind paying an agency i need to guarentee it working

what visa to get ? ill only be there for 3 weeks

[Faz]

Hi Cabbages, and welcome to the forum.

The Thai equivalent of a UK 'current account' for foreigners is a 'savings account'.
This comes with a debit card, and you can set up online banking.
Opening an account though may prove difficult.

If you're only visiting for 3 weeks, no Visa required.
As a British national, you can enter Visa exempt for 30 days.

[Rookiescot]

23 hours ago, Cabbages said:

hello, i bought a condo on a complex Dec 2021 in Reyong 

im from the uk

i need to open a bank account to pay bills so a current account is needed

apparentlyy from jan 22 the rules got harder 

im going back in Dec 

i dont mind paying an agency i need to guarentee it working

what visa to get ? ill only be there for 3 weeks

OK I may be misunderstanding your reasons for needing a "current account".

First of all as a foreigner we dont really have "current accounts" as we are used to in the UK. The best you can hope to get is a savings account (as Faz said) but this is not a VISA account. Your card might have the VISA logo on it but it does not work as one. The card itself does not even have your name on it. Usually its something like "Privileged Member".

As a foreigner you cannot set up direct debits on this account. For some reason (unknown to me) you need to have a work permit in order to do so. I know. It makes no sense to me either but it appears to be the case. This is of course if you are here on your own. My (now ex) wife was able to set up direct debits for my water and electricity bill using my account but I have little idea how that was achieved. Its probably because she had a Thai ID card number. Brown envelopes may also have been involved.

So if you are thinking of using this account to pay direct debits then you will need the help of a Thai national. 

As to which banks will actually even allow you to open an account I would suggest you try the Krungsri Bank. We actually tried a couple of other banks (who's names escape me at the moment) and they flatly refused to entertain the idea of a foreigner opening an account. 

Short answer is even if you can open an account it will not be the same as you are used to in the UK.

IF an agent can help you then this is possibly the way to go. They seem to be able to open doors we often find closed.

Good luck mate.

[Faz]

11 minutes ago, Rookiescot said:

As a foreigner you cannot set up direct debits on this account. For some reason (unknown to me) you need to have a work permit in order to do so. I know. It makes no sense to me either but it appears to be the case. This is of course if you are here on your own. My (now ex) wife was able to set up direct debits for my water and electricity bill using my account but I have little idea how that was achieved. Its probably because she had a Thai ID card number. Brown envelopes may also have been involved.

That's not correct.
Foreigners can set up direct debits with the suppliers.
True offered to set me up with a direct debit, although I declined as I'm always passing one of their shops.
I have a couple of friends who spend 6 months UK, 6 months Thailand who have direct debits set up to pay ongoing bills when they're away.

[Rookiescot]

5 minutes ago, Faz said:

That's not correct.
Foreigners can set up direct debits with the suppliers.
True offered to set me up with a direct debit, although I declined as I'm always passing one of their shops.
I have a couple of friends who spend 6 months UK, 6 months Thailand who have direct debits set up to pay ongoing bills when they're away.

True told me I needed a work permit before I could set up a direct debit for my internet.

[Faz]

16 minutes ago, Rookiescot said:

True told me I needed a work permit before I could set up a direct debit for my internet.

'No have', 'cannot', or 'need work permit', quite often means the service representative hasn't got a clue how to proceed. It saves face! Quite often it's just a case of finding the right person that does know, and that can be a lottery.

[Rookiescot]

9 minutes ago, Faz said:

'No have', 'cannot', or 'need work permit', quite often means the service representative hasn't got a clue how to proceed. It saves face! Quite often it's just a case of finding the right person that does know, and that can be a lottery.

I absolutely agree thats why I asked to see the shop manager. 

[Faz]

https://www.scb.co.th/en/personal-banking/payment/scb-direct-debit.html

https://krungthai.com/en/corporate/cash-management/collection-service/152

https://www.kasikornbank.com/en/personal/services/payment/pages/k-directdebit.aspx

[Guest1]

On 9/9/2022 at 5:43 PM, Cabbages said:

hello, i bought a condo on a complex Dec 2021 in Reyong 

im from the uk

i need to open a bank account to pay bills so a current account is needed

apparentlyy from jan 22 the rules got harder 

im going back in Dec 

i dont mind paying an agency i need to guarentee it working

what visa to get ? ill only be there for 3 weeks

Check with Bangkok Bank.

You will find somewhere  in the forums a topic , like "Set up a bank account just with my passport"  or something like that.

That was in Pattaya, but I understood that Bangkok Bank is doing accounts without the (usually needed) adress confirmation from the Immigration. For which you would need specific visas and such. They selling you an insurance, instead.  Where they, assumingly, putting in an adress. Also it might be a useless insurance (if I got that right it is a travel health insurance, so of no really use in Thailand), but you dont need a tourist (was the minimum visa, to get an adress on, if I remmeber right) or non im visa.

But look it up, the topic is here somewhere.

[Rookiescot]

15 minutes ago, Faz said:

https://www.scb.co.th/en/personal-banking/payment/scb-direct-debit.html

https://krungthai.com/en/corporate/cash-management/collection-service/152

https://www.kasikornbank.com/en/personal/services/payment/pages/k-directdebit.aspx

OK I have obviously posted misleading information with regards to the availability of direct debits here in Thailand.

Please remove my posts. 

[oldschooler]

Simple. Visit all the banks. All in one place at Major Malls. If no Joy ask a local Accountant or Shopfront Visa Agent   to recommend or act as Bank Agent.

Avoid Bangkok Bank ; terrible reputation.

 

[Faz]

39 minutes ago, Rookiescot said:

OK I have obviously posted misleading information with regards to the availability of direct debits here in Thailand.

Please remove my posts. 

You weren't intentionally misleading, just stating your own personal experience.
Posts and replies are informative in these situations.

[Faz]

14 minutes ago, oldschooler said:

Simple. Visit all the banks. All in one place at Major Malls. If no Joy ask a local Accountant or Shopfront Visa Agent   to recommend or act as Bank Agent.

Avoid Bangkok Bank ; terrible reputation.

I've found Bangkok bank excellent for service.

If you're staying long term and use Wise for fund transfers, then Bangkok, Kasikorn and SCB banks are the only banks you can now transfer greater than 50K THB to. Bangkok bank is also the only bank to code foreign transfers through Wise as 'FTT' (Foreign Telex Exchange) in a Passbook.

[bushav8r]

4 hours ago, Faz said:

I've found Bangkok bank excellent for service.

If you're staying long term and use Wise for fund transfers, then Bangkok, Kasikorn and SCB banks are the only banks you can now transfer greater than 50K THB to. Bangkok bank is also the only bank to code foreign transfers through Wise as 'FTT' (Foreign Telex Exchange) in a Passbook.

Bangkok Bank has worked very well for me.  It wasn't my first choice, but in hindsight I think it should have been.

[bushav8r]

On 9/9/2022 at 5:43 PM, Cabbages said:

hello, i bought a condo on a complex Dec 2021 in Reyong 

im from the uk

i need to open a bank account to pay bills so a current account is needed

apparentlyy from jan 22 the rules got harder 

im going back in Dec 

i dont mind paying an agency i need to guarentee it working

what visa to get ? ill only be there for 3 weeks

The agency won't mind you paying them either.  

[Polkadot]

Whats Krungthai like? Their exchange rates are better

[Chaimai]

4 hours ago, Polkadot said:

Whats Krungthai like? Their exchange rates are better

 

You shouldn't be using Thai banks for currency exchange.

 

WISE for currency transfers, Superrich, TT etc for cash.

[Polkadot]

Atm not cash

[Faz]

9 hours ago, Polkadot said:

Atm not cash

Thinking of coming for a fortnight then?

[Mamachigawa]

What's a fortnight?

[Polkadot]

22 hours ago, Mamachigawa said:

What's a fortnight?

2 weeks. 

[Thai_Law]

On 9/9/2022 at 5:43 PM, Cabbages said:

hello, i bought a condo on a complex Dec 2021 in Reyong 

im from the uk

i need to open a bank account to pay bills so a current account is needed

apparentlyy from jan 22 the rules got harder 

im going back in Dec 

i dont mind paying an agency i need to guarentee it working

what visa to get ? ill only be there for 3 weeks

We can take care of this for you. Even on a tourist visa. Feel free to PM me and we can set up a call to chat.