Can DTV visa holders open a Thai bank account and how do they manage without one?

Hello everyone. I am a DTV holder like many of you.

I am a YouTuber, and I applied for the DTV visa by myself. The total cost was approximately USD 400. As we all know, DTV holders are generally not allowed to open a Thai bank account. However, I did not stop trying.

I sent emails to several Thai banks explaining that DTV holders need access to banking services while staying in Thailand. Most banks replied with polite rejections. However, Bangkok Bank replied and invited me to visit a branch to discuss the matter with the branch manager. The email also mentioned that opening a bank account would depend on the branch manager’s consideration in my case.

I visited the nearest Bangkok Bank branch with all required documents and mentioned the email invitation. Unfortunately, the branch manager informed me that DTV holders are currently not allowed to open bank accounts. It seemed there was no coordination between the email response and the branch itself. I found this experience somewhat confusing but wanted to share it honestly.

At the moment, I am using TrueMoney, and it is very useful. I upgraded my account to the Advanced level using my driving license. For daily use, it works well.

However, I would like to share one important point for fellow DTV holders:

TrueMoney applies fees after a certain number of transactions. After 30 received transactions and 30 transfer transactions, fees may apply. Merchant payments (such as 7-Eleven, Makro, and other registered merchants) are not included in this count. However, individual payments, such as paying taxi drivers, street food vendors, or personal transfers, are included.

I hope this information is helpful to others in a similar situation.

Thank you, and have a good day.