Can I open a bank account in Thailand with just a Non-B visa before my work permit?

Some bank you can open with just you buy them products example Insurance, anyway depends where you stay . And which bank you wanna open.

Get a letter from where you are staying, stating you reside there. List your name, country, date of birth, passport number

Take this letter & passport and passport sizes photos to your local immigration & request a certificate/ letter of residency to open a bank account, they usually charge 500 baht per letter.

Take this residency letter with your passport to a bank

The residency letter is only valid for 30 days

Go to a main branch usually helps

Bangkok bank & ? Kasikorn are the easiest

SCB usually requires a yellow house book to open an account however some ppl have opened without one

Krungshri usually requires you to have a retirement visa

Bangkok bank will usually ask you to buy a bank product

Accident insurance for 12 months, cheapest option is just under $6,000 baht

I didn’t have to buy it however my friend did also my girlfriend had to buy it to open an account

Getting a bank account

Don’t expect to get something for nothing. Each office is an independent business. Each office makes their own criteria.

You certainly will pay a fee for transferring USD from USA to Thailand. The amount depends on the bank and the transfer service.

Banking is an essential service if you plan to spend time here. It’s not FREE.

I prepared ahead of time by getting a bank account set up 6 months ago.

I treated this as an important business transaction, not just a casual activity.

My Thai friend made an appointment for me at the Bangkok Bank branch across from Astra in CM. He also translated for me.

I am a middle aged physician and dressed as such. Yes I did do the whole business card ceremony.

I told the banker that I plan to retire soon and buy a condominium at Astra.

I was asked to purchase a life insurance policy for about $100. Presumably the banker gets a commission. Whatever, it’s the price of doing business at the bank.

They wanted to copy my passport and see my credit card from Wells Fargo. I think I showed them how much was in my account also to make the point that I’m a serious customer.

I also showed them $500 in perfect $100 bills that was to be the initial deposit.

Nothing else was required.

Act like a serious customer and you will be treated as such.

Present yourself properly and you should be fine.

If not, thank them for their time and visit another office.

Best wishes on your adventure to Thailand!

We got a letter from our employer (school) and showed the letter and passport and another ID (from your home country) and that was it.. Bangkok bank

Every bank is different when I started looking to open one, some banks wanted a work permit, others didn't but wanted a Non O visa, some wanted my grandkids and the keys to my house. Lol. But seriously it all differs as each branch of a bank makes it own rules.

Just go from bank to bank and try it’s not easy anymore

you do not need a work permit to get a bank account

Get a residency certificate on a tourist visa and not that difficult to open a bank account with Bangkok bank.

It's very difficult to open a bank account without a work permit, and very easy to do so with one. You're better off waiting for your work permit.