Can I open a bank account in Thailand with a Non-O visa?

I recently went through the same, save yourselve stress, effort and time and pay an agent. Cost of doing business in a corrupt country.

Welcome to Thailand where some banks make up their own rules. I had good luck with Kasikorn Bank (Krabi Central).

KBank in Market Village and at Bluport are used to dealing with farangs. Make sure to state that you need it to extend your visa.

Good luck!

Try another bank. They need more business, not fewer customers.

Law of Averages, go to a Kasikorn Bank, and keep going to Kasikorn Banks until you get one that will deal efficiently with your request.

Always ask for the manager if a front line bank staff are fearful to take a simple request with all the documents and passport / Non - O visa. Should all the Kasikorn Banks not provide, then start again with all the SCB (Siam Commercial Banks)

The need for a Thai SIM card seems ridiculous. Are you all sure beyond a doubt that is required?

If it is, can’t you pull out your phone and show the Thai phone number assigned to the phone?

My wife opened my bank account for me in her name. She put the app on my phone and I have the card

Never had a problem

You're e-visa that's the basis of your passport stamp, says Retirement. Show them that.

In some cases it's known to go to a different teller in the same bank. Either he didn't know how to do it, or he didn't want to spend time doing it. Find out where expats opened their accounts and go there.

The banks are making their own rules that almost make it impossible to open accounts, blame it on the money laundering scams and call centre scams. Kasikorn still seem to be willing to open accounts for us, so try them

Try the K bank branch in Blu Port Hua Hin, we opened two accounts in February, with only the initial 3 month visa. They know what they are doing with farangs

Just find another bank. My son is under my visa and he is Non O and 17 years old.

1st bank: No, you're Non O. Only accepts Ed visa

2nd bank: Accepts Non O if you provide national ID card, my country doesn't have, only passport Still.a No..

3rd bank: No, still need to confirm the requirements, just come back again tomorrow.

4th bank: No, your school certiifcation is not correct, you need to get again.

5th bank: Your Non O, your passport, your school certiifcation are all enough to open an account, just verify your mobile number if the same name. Then my son opened a bank account on the same day at the same mall 😅

Get an agent

I obviously don’t know your situation, but if you are 70 or older Krungsri will not let you do on-line banking. Same rule for Thai nationals and farangs. Prevents you from scan purchases and other services we all take for granted. I recommend Kasikorn, and when you get some dipshit making his/her own rules, just go to another branch.

U need 1 year extension stamp

Getting a Thai bank is a nightmare, you need to try a lot of different branches and banks and if that fails you need to know someone in a branch (or pay an agency who will know someone inside)

Many years ago staff in the branch I used spoke limited English. I spoke the manager and offered English lessons for his staff. He said "I cannot pay you". I gave lessons every Friday after the bank closed and they me a bottle of beer Singha.

My wife I were treated like royalty from then on.

Go to 10 banks and get 10 different answers/requirements. Even of the same name banks. Welcome to Thailand.

Try another bank.

BBL or SCB

I opened account with that bank had no problem the only difference I had the pink ID card and yellow house book, problem was my sim was on contract in my wife’s name and now they ask for confirmation of phone being in my name , so went to AIS store and changed in to my name and still on contract in my name now and only took 15mins, but it also depends on the bank , some times better to ask the manager to check because some staff don’t understand when it’s a foreigner  opening a account 

Same as Immigration

Rules are different every morning one day yes next day no

I opened an account today at Kasikorn Bank with a 90 day non-O visa. They wanted the visa to have at least 30 days left to go... It was all very straightforward

It's a game now, as opening up bank accounts are like hot potatoes. Go to an agent and ask them what the steps are to open it. I'm not saying to use them, just asking them. They may or may not ask for a small fee for the advise.

How can you get a year visa if you ain’t got the account

K Bank is probably the best, but understand bank employees are the most unhelpful people around, to open account they have to get off fat arses and do some work, be firm and tell them to just do it if you have all the ID necessary.

Try another bank.

hire an agent

Try K Bank they are the best !

I opened one a couple of weeks ago at kasikorn, just checked in my passport that it was a non-O visa, not a tourist....they did want my marriage certificates though, kor por 2 and 3...which was a bit weird.

The bank manager is always right

Get an agent

I will also say try another branch or another bank near you.

I have a 10 year pensioner LTR visa and the first Kasikorn branch wouldn't let me open an account because it wasn't a non-immigrant visa and it wasn't on their printed list for foreign visas. The second branch let me open an account.

In every bank, you have branches with officers who react like that. Try in another branch or another bank. If you have someone who recommends you, it helps a lot.

It's just the Thai game they love to play.

This is why it's easier to pay an agent

I’d ask the guy at the bank to contact head office, I did this a few years ago when opening an account up country, they called head office whilst I waited, the bank teller then approved the account,

We had the exactly the same thing for a friend trying to open a bank account. Was told by 3 different banks they couldn’t open it on a 3 month visa and had to be a year. Went to K Bank on the main road and opened one straight away. Try them and see how you get on

Well you are wrong.. As they refused to open the account as you don't comply with the requirements 👍

Go to Kasikorn instead.

Kasikorn in Cha-Am will do this for you. Or at least they did last time I asked them about it. :P

There is no easy answer for this

I had the same problem and in the end it was easier to use a a Thai agent as a one off

Got my bank account no problem

Take care, if you are over 70 years old you cannot get internet banking with Krungsri bank - reason they gave me is that older people get acammed more WTF

Okay question.... I have a registered address here in Tak Province. Itvwas done with hiuse owner. However this was some 9 years ago and the STAMPED and signed receipt of address registration was of the older type. I is like the 90 Day receipt (bottom of page) one gets. I believe there is a new form that is an entire page. Do I have to get that or is one I have sufficient for KBank. I have had an account and register SIM card with BKK bank for more than 12 years and sort of fed up with their service and lack of ATMs. There is only 1 branch here and it can take an hour waiting (machines are usually down). Let me know and thank you.

not directly related… but validates inconsistent approach - went to bangkok bank yesterday to ask for list of required documents for non-O… they said, “no, go to Kasikorn”

I had trouble getting a Thai credit card for the best part of two years. I eventually gave up. One day I was on the phone to KBank head office in Bangkok. The said”is there anything else we can help with?”. I asked why I couldn’t get a credit card. The replied that I could. They called the branch, I walked in the branch the next day and the accepted the paperwork and I had the credit card in a week. Ring head office is my recommendation.

Go to K bank

Doesn’t matter who is wrong here. Fact is you got rejected.

Happened to me but luckily a more experienced staffer intervened and everything was ok

I have a better one. I showed up with a Non-O based on retirement. The bank clerk told me her could not open an account because it did not explicitly say “retirement” on the letter from the immigration office. 😜🤣 there is no real “retirement l” visa just a non-O based on retirement and other qualifying conditions. Anyhow, we walked down the road to another office of the same bank. No problems whatsoever. This is Thailand

Some bank workers & even managers at some bank branches have no idea, when i opened my second account at another bank, the senior worker told me i needed a yellow book thankfully the manager is my partner niece, she sorted that out in one minute

In the same situation I initially got knocked back by 2 banks with poor excuses. I. had to get married first. 2. A flat out No..can't be bothered helping. Unfortunately you need to find a helpful Teller to assist you through the account opening process. Bangkok Bank has been great to me with professional helpful service. I feel it seems more about the person you strike on the day and their mood to assist.

Kbank

It’s his bank, so he is right. Try another branch, but I suggest that you ask in advance what they require, so you can very carefully comply. Good luck.

The bank guy is always right. Try another like Kasikorn.

I just know that I'm opening up myself for some hate but why do you guys jump through these hoops. Seriously... I'd feel like a simp doing all these things just to live in a country. Thais can live in our countries and live wholesome respectful lives, can work, can pay tax, can get residency and no 90 day reporting... why don't you guys demand the same?

As others have mentioned. Make sure you have the residency certificate.

Even then some banks are more willing than others. And often it is up to the branch and manager.

Kasikorn is typically the 'easiest'. Try a bigger branch, maybe in Phetchaburi if necessary too.

If you go in and say you're also interested in paying for a card and insurance that may sway them. Clerks get a commission for it so that may 'sway' them.

Some employees just don't know the rules unfortunately, and others don't know how to do it.

Last month I had some issues with the clerk trying to do something very simple, get the correct statements for my extension and they forgot to update my passbook too (granted I should have checked).

OFF TOPIC A TOUCH....Has anyone opened an account with Krungthai with a twelve month visa extension through marriage with Thai woman or Thai family....NOT retirement?

Normally a 3 month Non-O visa (together with other paperwork) should be sufficient to open account.

Krung thai just res cert very good bank

All of the above, plus: it also helps to tell them that you are planning to buy a condo unit and will have several million Baht coming through.

Understandably, which bank employee wants to go through all the pain of opening a bank account for a foreigner and then all you deposit is 1.500 THB!? 💡

K bank

I had a 90 day O and was told by Bangkok bank that they don’t open accounts with a 90 day O. I went to different banks at the central mall and they all had different rules, some no for 90 days, some no for other reasons. I was waiting at one bank for them to fix their ticket machine and there was another Bangkok bank branch next door, so I thought I might as well just try and they said okay and I opened the account. You can open an account at any branch anywhere but for your yearly paperwork you have to go back to the branch where you opened your account. Try different branches and one will help you

Cha=Am Immigration is very bad as they keep changing every year, new Boss making a name for himself...

Disappointing from the bank

The 90 day Non-O is the 100% correct for a Thai bank account

Try another bank

It doesn’t need to be in Cha Am

This post is becoming a bit crazy now. The author has been told to try other branches and has received loads of valid advice. The non contributors are getting involved now.

Non o is a years visa

Up to the bank

A lot of people here are incompetent and/or lazy workers

You just simply may need to try going to different banks, until you get someone who actually knows what they’re doing

This was late last year but I opened an account with a 90 day non o visa at K-Bank nana branch next to the BTS.

What’s wrong, is that man is an unhelpful bureaucrat that is more worried about getting in trouble than in doing his job.

My friend bought an apartment in Bangkok, she needed a Thai SIM card, proof of purchase for the apartment, her passport and some other documents. Good thing she has a good friend who worked in a bank and helped her open the account that’s being used for apartment expenses!

The answer could mean you didn't have all documents. As said you need a residency certificate. And recommend a paper copy of your mobile bill from your provider

Try a different bank. I would recommend Kbank at Market Village

Did you have a residence certificate from immigration and a Thai SIM registered against your passport? These are basic requirements, if you have them just move onto a different bank, or even different branch of the same bank

Try another branch.

you need to get a residency certificate from immigration