open a bank account, 2 outstanding questions

[Papa Goose]

Thank you lomuamart. I'm pretty sure I've got the bank account and visa thing.... you watch the Thai's move the goal post now, lol. Would you think Kasikorn would be ok opening an account for someone staying in a holiday rental apartment?

[lomuamart]

Afraid I can't advise about opening an account as I havn't had one here in 14 years!!!
Others will be able to give you the correct steer.

[chaspul]

Just a reminder lomuamart, to add to your reply.

If you enter on OA 12 month visa with funds in your local currency, you can do a border run and obtain a further 12 month "permission to stay" stamp.

Negating the need for annual extension to OA visa, the requirement for 800,000 in a Thai bank, at least for the year of arrival and no need to open a bank account in Thailand till the following year.

2 years should be plenty of time to sort out banking. (1year 9 months to allow money to "season")

Chas

[Papa Goose]

Thanks for that chas;-)

[Bomber]

I will be retiring to Hua Hin shortly and recently applied for a non immigration visa from Oman in the middle east. The requirement from the local Thai embassy was bank statements for the last 6 months showing in excess of 800,000 baht!!

With respect to opening a bank account when we arrive shortly I am still confused as to whether this will prove difficult or not as there seems to be many different views on this. I would be interested to hear the latest comments, experiences that anyone has had lately. Thanks

[AhFarangJa]

Kasikorn is fine, opened another account last week and took me all of 10 minutes, all they wanted was the passport and an address, so easy

Same here, just went in and opened new account. Passport and house address only, and I am only in HH on monthly visas. Already have two accounts with them, but wanted an atm card as charges for Farang cards are getting higher

[STEVE G]

With respect to opening a bank account when we arrive shortly I am still confused as to whether this will prove difficult or not as there seems to be many different views on this.

Like many things in Thailand, there are the rules and there is what actually happens, the rules say you can't open a bank account without some kind of residence visa but actually, you can!