Questioner: Patrick
I bought a condo in Pattaya. Because I would like to pay the electricity bills automatically (by direct debit), I would have liked to open a bank account.
I inquired with some banks but they say I need a 30 day visa to open a bank account. Now I stay in Pattaya about 5 times a year for 2 or 3 weeks, but I never get to 30 days.
1. Is there really no possibility to open a bank account?
2. Can I apply for a one-time visa for 30 days (to open my bank account there) but only stay in Pattaya for 14 days or 3 weeks?
Reaction RonnyLatYa
1. There is no such thing as a visa that allows you to stay for 30 days. However, a visa exemption (Visa Exemption) that allows you to stay for 30 days.
2. The minimum is a Tourist visa with which you can stay for 60 days.
3. To open a bank account, however, a Non-immigrant visa is usually required. This gives you a 90-day stay.
4. Nobody says how long you have to stay in Thailand. How long you can stay is of course, and that is also written in your passport.
You can even leave the same day, regardless of which visa you entered with and the period of stay you obtained with it.
Perhaps there are readers who can advise you where you have the best chance of opening a bank account in Pattaya. One bank branch is often more flexible towards foreigners than the other.
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Patrick,
The best thing to do when you get there with your blue book is to first go to the immigration office and ask for a letter to open a bank account, a so-called proof of residence.
With this you go to either Bangkok bank, Kasikorn or SCM.
With these 3 I easiest to open an account I know they will require you to take out insurance for 1 year, some kind of accident insurance, costs between 5k and 10k bath if you don't do this they will send you away.
That's how I did it when I went here.
Just to be on the safe side, take a Thai with you who also speaks English (that you trust) that will also work to your advantage.
Succes
Cheers,
Jan van Ingen
I just happened to open an account with the Kasikorn bank, although not in Pattaya but in Lopburi. This one turned out to be the easiest of all in terms of requirements. I also understood from the friendly employee that this is possible at all Kasikorn branches in Thailand. And in Pattaya it should be completely easy I think. What I needed:
– Original passport
– Original Dutch driver's license or Dutch identity card
– Copy of e-visa (everything except tourist visa)
– Proof of my residence address (in my case TM30 form from home owner)
And that was it. A copy of the visa is therefore really indispensable, but no additional documents are required. Laughing a few times for the photo, signing 10 signatures and ready, within fifteen minutes I was outside again. However, it is useful to indeed take a Thai with you who also speaks English, that will certainly speed things up.
Note the details: “everything except tourist visa”.
That's usually the point. No bank account for tourists.
Often people even ask for a work permit. At least a long stay visa.
My experience and that of many is;
Go especially to branches that have many foreign customers. Try it at many different banks and branches.
That is indeed correct. In my case, a Non-immigrant O for 90 days turned out to be sufficient for a Kasikorn account. A Tourist visa would not be accepted I was told. But a Non immigrant O visa is also quite easy to obtain so that should not be an issue.
Got a bank account 7 months ago at bangkok bank in pattaya no visa (exemption) am married to thai, maybe that will help an hour and many signatures before everything was finalized