Can I keep my Thai bank account open if I don't renew my retirement visa?

Can you instead just apply for a non-O every time you come in from Bali?

They wont close it.. You need the visa to open the account you do not need the visa to keep it open.

David Walley I would keep the retirement visa then if you want to say longer than 60 days at a time it is know issue.

I have been coming back and forth for 6 and had a condo that I rented during that time and payed with my thai bank account with no issues.

This year I got my long term visa and it makes it easier to spend more time in Thailand.

I have never had a problem with Bangkok Bank during all of those years as other people have reported.

I’ve never heard some much fucking dribble in all my life 😂😂😂if this man has already got a bank account and uses it at least once a year ,, hes bank account will stay active ,, he DOES NOT need to keep he’s retirement visa active just to keep hes bank account active

Rules are strict now concerning bank accounts. They must be linked to a long-term visa. If you don't have one any longer, you will still have your bank account for some time only.

I would keep the visa AND the bank account active. Not sure if your visa is supported by the 800k THB deposit or if it’s supported by the 65,000 monthly foreign transfer.

Here’s what I have researched.

If you’re on the 800k THB deposit begin the monthly transfers immediately following your next extension renewal. Now you can withdraw the 800k and the next time renew based on the monthly transfers.

Your bank account debt card can be used internationally as long as you have it turned on for that in your settings. ALSO, I was just in Malaysia and you can even use the scan feature there, I’m told it’s available as well in Bali and other SE Asian countries.

Nice feature to have.

This gives you the best of both worlds and you can maintain your account and use it anywhere.

Good luck!

To the OP, from everything I read and see here, things are definitely getting tougher/stricter on the two main issues you raise -- repeat of use tourist visa entries by Immigration, and enforcement against bank account holders who lack long-term visas by the various Thai banks.

Re Immigration, the indications lately are that they want to see repeat tourist visa people having a track record/history of returning to their home country between Thai entries, not just border hopping to some other nearby SE Asian countries. As you seem to be an American, that would be at some point they'd want to see you traveling back to the U.S. before allowing more Thai entries.

Re the Thai banks, it's always a crap shoot, as they're so variable from branch to branch and banking company to banking company. But there definitely have been reports of existing account holders having their accounts closed at some point because of lacking a longer term visa. So relying on only a tourist visa would certainly be a risk, these days.

All I know personally is, every time I have a substantive business with any of my Thai bank accounts, including most recently needing to replace an expiring debit card, they as always wanted all my passport photocopies, and specifically took a copy of my current visa stamp, as they always have done in such cases.

You don't seem to be keeping up with current events. Thai immigration clamping down on multiple entry with tourist visa. For what it costs, renew your current visa and multiple entry stamp.

I had two accounts in two different banks. I switched to DTV visa from a retirement visa. Krungsri closed my account after on year. Bangkok bank still has it open but I don't use any Thai bank for any banking transaction. Now I exclusively use my US bank issued credit cards and ATM cards for all financial transactions in Thailand.

You do realise that this is exactly what Immigration are clamping down on don't you. What are talking about doing is what is don but the people running scams and illegally working in Thailand which is why Immigration is trying to stop it. If you come in on a 90 day tourist visa and then extend it, leave for a few days and return for another 90 days then will probably not allow you the 30 day extension on the second visit and if you try it again you will probably be refused entry. This does not cause problems for people who are real tourists as they only come for a short time and then go home to work and even people like those working in the oil industry who come to Thailand for a couple of weeks then leave for say a month and keep repeating this as these are also not 'living' here but what you are talking about doing is 'living' here and that breaks all the rules. Even if you live half the time in Bali I would recommend that you keep you retirement visa.

Thai banks have to comply with CRS/FATCA. Compliance processes are variable still. However, many require you to update your details annually. If your reason for having a bank account is your visa (there are other qualifying criteria) then, as part of the annual check, they want your visa.

This is partly about scammers, but CRS are strict. At the moment, given compliance is mixed, it can be easy to fall through the gaps. In the medium term, I would expect much stricter compliance.

Simple answer Yes. I lived in Australia and had a thai bank account and had no issues.

You have your visa b/c of your bank account…silly to stop retirement visa…you are still living in thailand PT,,,if you are trying to save a few pesos, you are the classic case of penny wise pound foolish

The account will remain open. Lots of travellers enter visa exempt and still have an account. Make sure you use the account at least once per year or it will close.

You won't be able to go back and fore that much on tourist entries. How much time are you planning spending in Thailand each year going forward? It might make sense just to keep your retirement visa going, then you'd also have no banking issues