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Home » Reader question » Reader Question: How do I open a bank account in Thailand?
Reader Question: How do I open a bank account in Thailand?
Dear readers,
From now on I want to go on holiday to Thailand for about 4 months every year.
Can someone tell me what I need to open a bank account in Thailand?
Here I bank at ING.
Thanks for your comment.
René
Dear René, it makes no difference to Thailand that you bank with ING. What does matter is whether you know someone in Thailand who can go to a bank with you. Eg. your Thai girlfriend, or your Thai landlord, or Thai neighbor, or whatever. This person acts as a kind of "quarantee" that you are not of criminal origin. Furthermore: do not forget your passport and address details. After paying a baht or 200 you will receive an ATM card on the spot. If you want to use internet banking, you must indicate this to the bank employee. You can also deposit some balance into the account on the spot. It is customary for this additional deposit to be made via the deposit machines outside the bank. Well that was it actually! Coming comments will inform you sufficiently about which bank you prefer! Good luck, Rudolf.
What is the advantage of opening a bank account there, if you only stay in Thailand for 4 months a year? You then have to withdraw your money from the ATM and take it to the bank. You won't get much better than that.
It is certainly useful to have a bank account in Thailand.
withdrawing from a foreign (ING) account costs 180 baht each time
Withdrawing from your Thai bank account is free. Count out your profit.
If you bring cash from the Netherlands or a considerable amount
transfer by bank transfer is much cheaper. I make regularly
a few thousand euros left on my Thai account. The costs of this
its 500 baht (Bangkok Bank)
Hello Loe,
What does it cost if you transfer money from the BV Ing to Thailand?
What does ING BV take from the course?
It costs more than 500 bath I think ?
I know someone who did this too, on an amount of 2000 euros he lost 100 euros in costs to the Dutch bank!
So I really don't understand it anymore!
regards richard
@Richard
You can choose between:
1 cost to you
2 shared costs
3 costs for receiver (but that's me too)
I always choose option 3
I think that the ING secretly withholds € 5 and with a transfer
of € 2000, so only transfer € 1995 to Thailand.
The Bangkok Bank deducts 500 baht fees. That is about € 12,50
So in total you have lost € 17,50 in costs.
It seems to be about the same with option 2 (shared costs).
The larger the amount transferred, the cheaper it is.
Costing €100 seems like a scam to me. Maybe at that American club,
whose name I can't remember.
@Richard
The name came to mind: Western Union.
But Thailand blog found my comment too short to post,
so I have to talk around it a bit.
It seems that transferring via WU is very expensive.
@loe Western Union charges an amount ranging from € 4,90 to € 53 euros for amounts up to € 2000. Above that, the commission is 3,2 percent of the amount,
Dear Loe, @Richard: In the Netherlands I have an account with ING and here in Thailand, among others, with Bangkok bank. Like loe, I choose option 3 when transferring euros from ING to BkB. You have to pay attention because the option is always on 1, the most expensive option. So set the option to option 3 with a mouse click. ING does not charge any costs. BkB charges 1000 ThB per 50 euros. I can calculate this by checking the exchange rate, multiplying it by the number of euros I send, and subtracting the transferred amount in ThB. The result is then the amount that BkB deducts for costs. I am not concerned with other races. I do want to wait for an even better course. At the moment, for example, the euro is rising by a few satangs per day. Whether you get 40 ThB for a euro or 41 ThB will make a nice difference on large amounts of euros. Success.
Dear,
you need the following documents:
1) a residence certificate. The hotel/apartment where you are staying can make this for you. Best without an end date (so don't mention a departure date if there is a departure). So just a statement of person x staying in this hotel since xx/xx/xxxx.
2) A copy of your ID card
Then you go to the bank with it, Kungsri bank is a simple bank for this. And it's done!
Just go to the Kasikorn bank.
Passport with you. Address of guesthouse is sufficient.
No work and/or residence permit required.
Cost 300 baht. An account is settled immediately. Internet banking and nothing is sent to an address.
Advantage: you can simply deposit and withdraw money without always having large amounts in your pocket.
No 180 bath transaction fees.
Use a Thai phone number. You can also use mobile banking.
You can also transfer money from ING to this account.
Other banks are tricky. They want a residence permit or work permit.
The rules for opening a bank account are constantly changing.
It was even forbidden for a foreigner to open an account for a while.
How the rules are applied varies from bank to bank and sometimes even from bank to bank
branch of the same bank.
I think nowadays a non-immigrant visa is a minimum requirement.
I have opened several bank accounts, one over the years and never one
"garantee" or residence certificate required.
The bank never sends mail. I recently saw that an account I made 20 years ago
had opened, was still at the address of a bungalow park, where I then
stayed 🙂 When I asked if they wanted to change that address, the response was very lukewarm.
Last May I tried to open an account with three banks. I had all the above documents with me, passport, residence certificate, etc. My thiase girlfriend was also there, but all banks refused to open an account. They all indicated that I needed a statement from the embassy. Only what kind of explanation was left vague. Been to Khrung Thai bank, Kasikorn bank and Bagkok Bank.
So I hope that you succeed, perhaps I can also take advantage of this and still open a bank account in the long term.
I am always happy to read comments like this when it comes to opening a bank account in Thailand.
I normally don't like to discuss this subject anymore, since it is always a welles and nothing discussion.
You constantly read how easy and smooth it is, while last year I entered at least 5 banks to open an account and they refused it everywhere.
They always asked for a work permit (which I don't have) and my argument that an account served to have future rent paid by my tenants was not followed and seen as a valid reason.
Accept from me that opening a bank account is almost impossible, unless you live and preferably also work in that country.
This is the only reality until further notice!
Dear Pat, your unpleasant and negative experiences with the Thai banking system do not mean that it is not possible to open accounts in Thailand with any bank. For example, I have an account with 3 banks (Uob, BkB, KtB). other responders also indicate that they have no problems opening a bank account. See, for example, Luc: he does not live and work here, but he does have a bank account with many facilities for 600 ThB. Use it to your advantage.
I'd love to hear you say it. My question then is what did I do or say wrong at all those banks?
In other words, how should I go about it as a non-resident of the country, not working in the country, and without a Thai partner…?
Many people like me will thank you.
(but now we are chatting again for sure, and that is not allowed ”'on this forum'' I understand)
Moderator: a substantive question is not chatting.
René,
It has already been written above. Your passport (ID card will not suffice) and proof of your residence should suffice.
Normally it should not be a problem, although you sometimes read that one bank is apparently a bit more flexible to open an account than another.
If one is difficult then just go to another.
@Arie & Maria Meulstee
If Rene wants to open a bank account, others shouldn't ask questions. He probably has his reasons. By the way, bringing cash or transferring it from abroad to your Thai bank account also exists.
Opened a bank account at siam bank in surin last week without any problem.
I don't live in Thailand. For now, go to my girlfriend every now and then for a few weeks.
Only problem in the bank was the poor english. But I had a Thai girlfriend with me. That hurts of course.
Needed: passport, ID card and address in Thailand. Friend's address given. Doesn't matter because there is no correspondence. Internet banking arranged and debit plus master card. Costs 600 baht but there seems to be some kind of accident insurance, also for foreigners, but I'm not 100% sure. Cost of purchase atm in region: 0 bath.
Cost of purchase atm outside the region: 15 baht.
Check next time for additional bill in euros. Is more interesting with the current rising exchange rate.
At the time I tried to open a bank account at the Bangkok bank, which was not possible because I did not have a work permit or a retirement visa. To get a retirement I wanted to deposit 800.000 Thb into a bank account. Then entered an SCB where opening an account was no problem. Immediately received an ATM card and was able to bank online immediately. It is definitely recommended for a stay of 4 months. No 180 Thb and with ABNAMRO 2,50 euros per withdrawal. Due to the limit for withdrawals of the bank in the Netherlands “differs per bank” you often do not even reach 20.000 Thb per withdrawal. Transferring an amount if the exchange rate is favorable can also make a difference. Last month 38 Thb and today 42 Thb for one euro. At 1000 euros, that is still 4000 Thb more. That's about 100 cups of delicious noodle soup.
The mysterious thing about Thailand is that if a co-worker of a shop or bank is grumpy that day, he/she can refuse a farang to serve him/her. For example, I also experienced that one day a bank employee. did not want to help me convert an ATM card into a debit card. The next one back into the bank, just checked if another co-worker. was present, and sure enough, with a few beautiful smiles free and friendly ATM exchange. You shouldn't be talking about yesterday's colleague, and you shouldn't sit around yawning. Maipenraai, after all you have been helped, nothing else to worry about.
Whether you stay in Thailand for a month or 4 months, I think it is better to ALWAYS keep a bank account! Are you in no danger with safes that can be robbed empty, is it in the room receptive hotel or elsewhere. card and you halt what you need.
Furthermore, as far as opening an account is concerned, you don't have to have a Thai friend or acquaintance with you at all, YOU DO have an address in Thailand, even if it's just your hotel address. It's that easy, of course one office does somewhat more difficult than the other.
I was robbed on one of my first trips, EVERYTHING was in the safe and EVERYTHING was gone, the safe had to be opened with 2 keys, also thought it was reasonably safe. Every time someone wanted to come in with the 2nd key and i had to sign when everything was gone the man with the 2nd key said you were there that day, look you signed, of course he was right, but i didn't get everything out,, what do you do about this? , police have come, interrogated him, do you think 1 bath has come back?
gr, Pat
You write, and I literally copy and paste it :
“Furthermore, as far as opening an account is concerned, you don't have to have a Thai friend or acquaintance with you at all, YOU DO have an address in Thailand, even if it's just your hotel address. It's that easy, of course one does office a bit more difficult than the other”.
Now me again: ..even if it's just your address of your hotel… you say.
I am really more and more perplexed that I did not succeed last year at 5 banks in Bangkok.
I rented a condo, which is a bit more private than a hotel room, and looks like Richard Gere, the Thai people have been saying for many years.
I don't have the faintest idea, so why am I not succeeding in opening a bank account?
Will try again in December.
Dear Pat,
Try it outside of Bangkok, maybe that will help.
It is simply possible (don't be fobbed off) to open an account.
Success.
Regards,
Erwin
Moderator: You are chatting.
Dear Rene,
It has already been discussed on this blog and there are more stories here
about opening a bank account.
In my experience, the bank clerk came outside after me or so did I
wanted a bank account (after my wife opened another account).
This man said that all I needed was an address and a copy of my passport.
I understand some people's frustration here, but it's really easy.
I therefore think that KhunRudolf's story is appropriate.
Success.
Greetings, Erwin
An important question regarding this subject has not yet been asked: how safe are you against fraud at a Thai Bank.
On the Thailand blog of 18/5/2013 you mentioned a piece about a German expat who lost 600.000 baht due to skimming. The bank refused to intervene. The last comment there is from 23/5/2013. So no news how that ended. Then I prefer to pay 180 baht per transaction. A Thai account is interesting to transfer money at a favorable exchange rate. A dilemma that has not yet been clarified here.
I have an account without a card, just a savings account.
I withdraw money with my passport at the counter.
So no problems with skimming.
I have been coming to Thailand for many years.
And have been living here permanently for eight years now .
I have gained a lot of experience with various banks here in my area.
By the way, I have also become wise with damage and shame.
Have accounts with various banks in Thailand.
Why ?? Just like with shares, you are going to spread the risks.
What I have found is that no bank works the same when it comes to procedures
to open an account.
Example I have been a customer of the TMB bank for years, but must submit a copy of my passport and retirement visa every year.
At the Krungsri or either the bank or Ayuthaya never ask me such a thing.
When transferring money from Holland, advice open an FCD account.
Foreign Currency Deposit account in Euro .
Advantage your money is in a Thai bank and if the exchange rate is favorable you can exchange it in THB.
When transferring from my ABN account, I now fill in all costs for the recipient.
Am I myself.
I can tell you this makes a very big difference than you fill in via your internet banking, costs for the sender.
Banks , don't tell anything , not even in Holland , like to keep you stupid .
Advice if you live here for a long time and have a house, see that you get yellow home book.
Costs a lot of work, certainly more than a visa at immigration.
But makes your life easier here.
It is then very easy to get a car or motorcycle or similar in your name.
Your wife doesn't even have to come along if you want to buy something like that.
Mvg Jantje from Pasang it is finally raining here.
Dear Jan,
Good advice also comes from experience, an FCD account is certainly a good one
advice.
Thanks for this tip, saves a lot of money.
Yours faithfully,
Erwin
What was the amount of work on that yellow book house registration???
I got it with no problem at the amphur.
I had to have an official translation of my passport made, but that was all.
And they wanted my parents' names too.
Not that they were used well, but Allah.
You can't have everything.
And according to the country office, I have Thai nationality.
Not bad at all to create confusion.
First I will respond to your comment that obtaining a yellow house book is not 'hell of a job', because that is correct in my opinion. It's all okay. Completely agree with you. A lot of papers, stamps and signature on the Thai side, on my side some patience and an e-reader.
I think getting your yellow home book also has to do with where you live and the Amphur .
Are they a bit used to Farangs and the procedure , maybe that will make it easier .
But in the Amphur where I live it was not so easy .
A Dutchman who came to live here six months after my arrival has even stopped.
I was probably the first one here to come up with something like this . Go to your embassy said someone at Amphur then, I can still remember this well.
I said to my wife why??
They had no idea that a Farang came to ask for a Yellow book , which was the same as the Blue book here .
This is where I live , I said afterwards , a lot of paper work translations .
Also who my parents were and many more questions.
I think my wife and I had an interview of at least more than an hour.
Everything was neatly put on paper and kept indefinitely I hope in the local archive.
The same applies here in Thailand as in Holland, for the same case.
What takes fifteen minutes for one person can turn into a nightmare for the other .
Civil servants civil servants and more civil servants , in Dutch terms .
Don't open my mouth.
But it finally worked out.
At the time, my wife even offered them a cake as a token of appreciation for their efforts.
Jantje is no longer afraid of officials.
Greetings Jantje from Amphur Pasang.
Ps : For those who don't know , is in Lamphun province .
Dear Janbeute,
You come with the advice to open an FCD account when transferring money from the Netherlands.
This in connection with a possible favorable THB.
I assume you have this account in addition to a regular THB account.
What are the additional costs of such an FCD account?
Of course I have internet banking in the Netherlands.
I could also transfer an amount via internet banking from NL when the THB rate is rising?
Or am I slightly missing the point!?
Would you be able and willing to advise me on this?
At my bank, the bank of Ayuthaya (Krungsri bank in Thai - yellow color in logo) where I have my FCD, there are no costs involved.
However, you must always have a minimum of 500 Euros on it.
That's all.
And of course have a Savings account or something like that at the bank.
I park a lot of money here that I transfer from my bank accounts from Holland.
You will receive a monthly interest payment on your balance.
If the exchange rate is good again as it is now , the Euro will rise quickly against the Bath again .
You can quickly exchange daily in Bathjes, at your own branch.
You book it to your Savings account and this is also free.
If you want it directly in cash , it will cost you money .
So first book to your Savings account.
From the Netherlands, always fill in transfer costs for the recipient at your own bank.
If you are yourself , you will win a lot here , I can tell you .
If I transfer money from Holland, I often get a call in the morning two days after my transfer time in Holland from a friendly lady who then tells me that the money has arrived
That's all.
Again with greetings Jantje.
Hi,
Do Thai banks also have a bank guarantee.
Either if the bank in question collapses or whatever
I want to open a Thai bank account.
Only then would it be more of a bill where me
Money/savings to send for vacation only!
And every year I go there alone on vacation.
Also from pin costs.
So you don't have to take cash or traveler's check with you
You will immediately have all your holiday money in this account.
And if you want to go to Thailand! You only need to arrange a flight ticket.
You can access this account. No need to exchange money. Or incur costs with your own debit card.
Might sound cumbersome :)
I really only put the money away for vacation
But in a Thai bank account.
I'm also going to Thailand again soon, and I'm also trying to open a Thai account.
At siam bank.
Grt
Opened account at Siam Bank Naklua-Sukhumvit branch few years ago. Had a non-immigrant O visa.
First had to get a so-called Evidence of Resindence from Immigration. Copy of passport and 2 passport photos and fill in the form. Picking up the piece in question after one day after paying 200 Bath I believe.
Then to the bank, copy passport again and handed in the Evidence. Got debit card and Bankbook.
In Evidence the address was a Hotel in Naklua.
Good luck!!
I was told that the rules in tourist places with many foreign residents are different than elsewhere in Thailand. Personally, I have the impression that the banks do have guidelines but otherwise do their own thing 'a la tete du client' as it is so nicely called in French.
Anyway: I first had a joint account with my girlfriend at SCB, and that was the only option in Takhli where I live. An invoice for me alone was not possible with them.
In the meantime I opened an account with Bangkok Bank and for that I indeed needed a 'guarantee'. Only someone who worked for the government was OK. So my girlfriend's former teacher came along and everything was fine very quickly. Never had any further problems with it.
Yes, Thai roads are inscrutable. I myself have had an account, ATM and internet banking with SCB for a number of years and that works perfectly. My Thai son has now turned 21 and has a Belgian passport and was unable to open an account with it 3 weeks ago. the same bank in Nang Rong. So I think it depends on the bank itself whether you can get an account or not. At Kassi Korn, on the other hand, it is no problem, everything is ready in about 15 minutes…so I would say with a number of try banks, keep your smile and everything will be fine. By the way, a card account is definitely the safest, don't trust those safe deposit boxes anyway…
We close the comment option. Thank you everyone for their response.