Opening Thai bank account - Tourist Visa

[alanr]

Hi , hopping to come hua hin. this year, and start planning my retirement and find a place to rent. About 15000 baht per month) any recommendation) but as title says open bank account first

First step is , how easy is it to open thai bank account. On travel visa.

Will need this to kick start my retirement visa

Ps. I have done a search on net and getting conflicting replies

Also if it’s straight forward what’s the best bank you guys think to transfer money from uk

Thanks for any help. Much appreciated

[Big Boy]

I posted this as a sticky in 2018. It should still apply. viewtopic.php?f=9&t=36433

[HHTel]

When I arrived in Thailand many years ago, it was as simple as walking into a bank, showing your passport and a bank account was opened very quickly.
If the 'sticky' still applies, it's still relatively easy.

For a bank recommendation I'd point to the Bangkok Bank. I've been with them for 20+ years and never had a problem in that time. Also when transferring cash from the UK, because of recent regulations, Wise have been limited to up to 50K baht transfers except for a few banks. Bangkok Bank is one of them.

[buksida]

It all depends on the bank, branch, and who you deal with on the day - a lot of variables. One thing they'll ask for is proof of address which you'll need to go to immigration to get.

Regarding transfers, many use Wise which offers better rates, speeds, and spreads than most banks: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=38250

[ahandpatsy]

I have just done this very thing

Firstly you will need a letter of residence only available from immigration main office cost is 500 baht

Then go to Bangkok Bank at bluport and they will open an account

Do not try any other bank it will be a waste of time. I know from personal experience

The letter of residence will need the proof of ownership documents from wherever you are staying and a contract signed

Good luck

[alanr]

Thanks very much.

So I need proof of the hotel I am stopping in ?

Where is immigration in hua hin. ?

[handdrummer]

Thanks very much.

So I need proof of the hotel I am stopping in ?

Where is immigration in hua hin. ?

You'll need a permanent residence and a copy of your lease to prove that.

If you need a recommendation for a rental, PM me and I'll send you my landladies email address and phone number. She has a real estate agency, speaks English, and won't rip you off.
We've been living in one of her houses for nearly 9 yrs. It's a 2 bed, 2 bath, fully furnished house, down to the sheets and dishes, in a gated area with a swimming pool for 15,000 a month.

[StevePIraq]

All the banks are ok and easy enough to open an account with. I had with Ayuthya, Bangkok and Kasikorn. The one big advantage with Kasikorn is you can transfer out USD49,999 per day via the mobile phone app.

[ahandpatsy]

Kasikorn absolutely will not open an account on a tourist visa. I tried 2 branches and was met with same answer.

I was then directed to Bangkok Bank and no problems

[Big Boy]

In the sticky I posted, it was a branch of Bangkok Bank that came through for us.

[Dannie Boy]

Kasikorn absolutely will not open an account on a tourist visa. I tried 2 branches and was met with same answer.

I was then directed to Bangkok Bank and no problems

Obviously the rules have changed as it used to be possible to open an account at Kasikorn on a Tourist visa, I did so myself back in 2010, but it’s now 2022 so it’s the current rules that are important and it looks as though it’s not possible now - fortunately Bangkok Bank offer a solution!!

[ahandpatsy]

Thanks very much.

So I need proof of the hotel I am stopping in ?

Where is immigration in hua hin. ?

You'll need a permanent residence and a copy of your lease to prove that.

If you need a recommendation for a rental, PM me and I'll send you my landladies email address and phone number. She has a real estate agency, speaks English, and won't rip you off.
We've been living in one of her houses for nearly 9 yrs. It's a 2 bed, 2 bath, fully furnished house, down to the sheets and dishes, in a gated area with a swimming pool for 15,000 a month.

handrummer, sent you a PM for landlady details

[alanr]

Got this of Bangkok bank.

Thank you for your interest in opening an account with Bangkok Bank. Anyway, we are sorry that you could not open an account from abroad or online, an application for service needs to be submitted at any of our branches in Thailand.

Foreign individual customers can open a saving account at any of Bangkok Bank branches nationwide. Our main branches open on Monday to Friday at 8.30-16.00. The minimum deposit is 500 baht. You need to bring along your passport together with relevant documents as follows:

1. Foreigner with a work permit
Passport
Work Permit

2. Foreigner without work permit
Passport
A reference letter issued by one of the following institutes or organizations or required document
Embassy located in Thailand
An overseas bank where the customer holds an account sent via SWIFT
Trusted individuals such as a Bangkok Bank staff member or customer, director of a private company, permanent residence in Thailand, government or private educational institutes located in Thailand trusted by the Bank
Trusted companies, e.g., an employment letter from the company if the customer is in the process of applying for a work permit.
Document showing ownership of a fixed asset such as a condominium sale/purchase agreement (a condominium which is acceptable to Bangkok Bank) Or a property reservation agreement valued at 100,000 baht or more with a reference letter from the property developer that is acceptable to Bangkok Bank.
Notes: Contact addresses for both Thailand and overseas must be provided (hotel and P.O. Box addresses are not acceptable).

3. Foreigner with permanent residence in Thailand
Passport, Certificate of Residence, or Alien Certificate
House Registration document

If you need any further assistance, please kindly let us know.

[alanr]

Thanks for all your help. It’s a lot clearer now

Regards

[Scout]

I agree that Bangkok Bank offers excellent service and I recommend them to all friends and family that come to Thailand and need to open an account. I’ve had a Bangkok Bank account since 2013 and will share the following:

1. Whichever branch you choose when you initially open your account, you are then locked into exclusively using that branch for some services. Services such as obtaining credit advice receipts can only be obtained at your “home” branch where you originally opened the account. Some services, such as making a deposit, can be obtained at any branch, but if the location you are making the deposit at is outside of a certain area (province ???) a small fee will be charged. Choose wisely because you can not transfer the account to another branch, even if you moved and the new branch is closer or more convenient to your new location. The only option you have is to open a new account at the more convenient branch, then close the old account.

2. Branches located inside of shopping malls, such as Bluport, are open at times the other, stand alone branches are closed. This includes on some holidays where all the stand alone branches are closed but the mall branches are open. There may also be extended hours of the day for mall branches, I’m not sure.

3. I use the “income” method to renew my visa annually. As such, I must submit the “account letter” from the branch manager (I think this costs 100 baht) and 12 months worth of “Credit Advice Receipts”. If I visit my branch, they will print 3 months of credit advice receipts for free. If I ask them to print 12 months worth of credit advice receipts, the charge is 500 baht. Several months ago I learned that I can have them automatically email me each credit advice receipt, but you have to visit the branch and submit the request form to have your account configured for this free service. I am very pleased that this service is now working for me and I am receiving pdf attachments of each credit advice receipt each month, which will save me 500 baht annually. Previously, I was receiving (and still receive) and automated text message to my phone that documents the details of each foreign transfer. I’ve been getting these text messages for many years, I don’t recall if this was something I originally requested, or if they automatically signed me up for that service, but I do know that my brother is not currently getting the automatic text messages. It appears it takes at least a few weeks after submitting the request form until you start receiving the pdf credit advice receipts via email. I submitted my request form on December 15th, 2021, did not get the email documenting my January 5th bank wire, but did get the automated email documenting my February 9th bank wire. The Christmas and New Years holidays may have caused the delay.

4. Many posts on the forum say that you need to take a printed statement of the bank account, prepared by the bank, when doing your annual renewal at immigration. For several years I believed this, and Bangkok Bank was happy to provide one to me (I don’t recall the fee). The problem is that an annual statement can only be printed by Bangkok Bank in Bangkok and it takes about 7 days to transmit the request up to Bangkok, have them print and send the statement back to your branch, then they call you to have you come pick it up.
Several years ago I decided to test this requirement and instead submitted a copy of the relevant pages of my bank book, which I prepared myself. I use a yellow highlighter on the copies to draw attention to the monthly foreign transfers, at Bangkok Bank these have “FTT” as the bank code. For 3 years now these copies of my bank book have worked fine at immigration.