Opening a Bank Account

Post by **Dawebo** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 3:20 am

Hi

Can a farang open a bank account easily in Thailand?

thanks for info

Post by **johnnyk** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 4:07 am

yes.
take your passport with you.
k-bank is good.

Post by **Guess** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 5:28 am

And your residency contract. Bank Bankok and Bank Ayutthaya are also good for farang. Avoid TMB, Krung Thai and Siam Commerial. Make sure you get the highest interest rate. and get an ATM card that can be used anywhere in the world.

The procedure is:

Go to bank with documentation and pay (about 300Baht plus first deposit), enter your PIN and get your book.

Return after about one week for your card.

Post by **johnnyk** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 5:54 am

I was even luckier than that.
K-Bank asked me for a street address whch I supplied verbally.
Filled out a couple of forms, deposited 300, chose my PIN number and got my card and book on the spot.

BTW, you will get a savings account. Chequing account only as a permanent resident or on a WP, afaik.

Post by **niggle** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 6:55 am

Wifey opened account at Bangkok Bank the other day - easy peasy except that they wanted a Thai peson to sign also as guarantor that she was bona fide
Never asked me that so maybe she looked a bit dodgy

Post by **alleykat** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 11:11 am

My advice is to avoid K-Bank. They may look smart decked out in their pretty green livery, but try to get them to arrange something like an automatic payment and they are hopeless! Also there are very few English speaking staff compared to other banks.

Post by **sandman67** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 11:36 am

Bank of Ayudhya (the Yellow Bank) do a range of farang accounts including a foreign currency account that is good if you are getting money sent here regularly fom overseas.

All you need is a passport and an address where they can send the junk mail and paperwork. They let me use a bar address....verbally.

Nice and helpful.

Siam Commercial (The Purple Bank) are a no go.

My mate has an account at the Green Bank and he seems happy with it. He just needed a passport to open it.

Problem is the rules seem to change day to day and depending who serves you.... a bit like immigration.

ozuncle · Post by **ozuncle** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 12:00 pm

I have found Siam very good. Also Bangkok bank.

Post by **johnnyk** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 12:20 pm

alleykat wrote:My advice is to avoid K-Bank. They may look smart decked out in their pretty green livery, but try to get them to arrange something like an automatic payment and they are hopeless! Also there are very few English speaking staff compared to other banks.

Hmmm.... not my experience at all.

Post by **robby hh** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 3:52 pm

I use SCB and have never had a problem with service or getting what I want, good English

Post by **sandman67** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 4:17 pm

what branch of SCB let you open an account - I tried at Mrs S's branch and they said no way.....they dont let non residents have an account?

Stupid really as I just got Mrs S to open another account and i use that one.

Like I said, seems to depend who you get serving you....

Super Joe · Post by **Super Joe** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 5:56 pm

I opened a Siam Commercial account in the middle of the long night market.
Every account I or customers have opened did not require proof of address, many don't have an address yet and give estate agents address. Sometimes junior staff are not sure but every time they call someone senior over its done.

Foreigners can open savings, fixed deposit interest and foreign exchange accounts in Bangkok Bank, Siam and Kasikorn without problem from what I've seen. No experience of other banks.

All three of them banks let you transfer max. 700k Baht overseas (assume that's linked to the 20k USD daily max, so will be dependant on current rates) without question or proof you bought it in the country etc etc. You can do that 3 days on the trot etc, this stuff about can't take out more than you bought in is a myth.

Happy banking,

SJ

Post by **robby hh** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 8:23 am

My account was with the main rd branch no problems when I opened it 3 years ago, you must have either a business, marriage or retirement visa to open an account if you are here on a tourist visa you can not.

I also had an account with K bank but they were always crowded and had a bit of a wait.
SCB has 2 branches so very little waiting time

Super Joe · Post by **Super Joe** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 12:00 pm

You can open a bank account here on a tourist visa, here's what Bangkok Bank say on their website:

Account:

How do I open an account if I’m not a Thai resident?

Foreigners with a long stay visa, work permit or even a tourist visa can open a savings account with Bangkok Bank at any of our branches nationwide.
To open a savings account at any one of our branches, you will need to bring your passport or work permit.
If you’re on a long stay visa or tourist visa, then in addition to your passport you will need to bring one of the following letters:

a) A letter of recommendation from a reputable company, an embassy or an international organization located in Thailand, or
b) A letter of recommendation from your bank abroad. This must be a bank which is acceptable to Bangkok Bank and sent to Bangkok Bank via SWIFT*, or
c) A letter of recommendation from a person acceptable to Bangkok Bank such as an existing customer of Bangkok Bank

They got a section on foreigners with a lot of useful info, like you and Thai wife can get a home loan even though her salary is not enough, you act as guarantor.

SJ

ozuncle · Post by **ozuncle** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 12:34 pm

I opened my SCB account at the main HH branch.
Only tourist visa.
Showed my passport and wife's tabien baan.
The chinese looking guy that controls the outside (he may be the branch manager) is very helpfull.