Answereda year ago
Can you open a bank account in Thailand on a tourist visa?
I went to 3 banks and asked because I am thinking of switching from Retirement to DTV. Bangkok, K and TSB. Here is what I was told.
1. You can't get a new bank account on a tourist Visa, unless you have property here (and/or a Pink Card), or are married to a Thai
2. Any Bank accounts already open, will not be closed just because you change to a tourist Visa, (Your history of time is evidence you are not a new account for illegal activities)
3. No effort is being made to investigate and close any accounts that do not look suspicious (many multi millions of baht transactions, new accounts not being used etc)
Hope that helps
Caveats:
1) If you are Russian or Chinese then you will face more issues as your countrymen are the majority of the high publicly for fraud that started all this.
2) If you got a Bank account on a tourist Visa before 6 months ago .. Things have changed your experience has no relationship to today situation
1. You can't get a new bank account on a tourist Visa, unless you have property here (and/or a Pink Card), or are married to a Thai
2. Any Bank accounts already open, will not be closed just because you change to a tourist Visa, (Your history of time is evidence you are not a new account for illegal activities)
3. No effort is being made to investigate and close any accounts that do not look suspicious (many multi millions of baht transactions, new accounts not being used etc)
Hope that helps
Caveats:
1) If you are Russian or Chinese then you will face more issues as your countrymen are the majority of the high publicly for fraud that started all this.
2) If you got a Bank account on a tourist Visa before 6 months ago .. Things have changed your experience has no relationship to today situation
Answer summary
Foreigners wishing to switch bank accounts while on a tourist visa in Thailand face notable restrictions. According to several banks, new accounts cannot be opened without either owning property or having a Thai spouse. Existing bank accounts are generally safe from closure when switching to a tourist visa, as prior account activity demonstrates legitimacy. However, Russians and Chinese nationals may encounter more challenges due to heightened scrutiny. The discussion highlights varied experiences among expats, with some mentioning they managed to maintain their accounts even with a tourist visa. Others suggest sticking with a retirement visa for easier banking access.
78 repliesnewest first
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Sefton ********
exactly as I predicted..
Jussi ********
Problems is coming if you open new account year 2024 or later and now you have only turist visa, DTV is also turist visa.
If open account before last year, not any problems coming
If open account before last year, not any problems coming
Antanas *************
@Jussi *******
If I opened mine in 2022 around 2.5 years ago with tourist visa without any agent should be no problem I think 🤔
Henrik *****
Nothing new in that.
The same has been said for many many times for months now in this group.
The same has been said for many many times for months now in this group.
Snowing ******
When I opened an account with a tourist visa in 2017, kasikorn bank staff did ask for property title deed before they proceeded. Not sure if I need to verify anything with them to make sure things are ok.
Lee **********
Wow thay keep changing the rules makes me nervous about planning a stay there mutch less buying a house..
Lee **********
@Brandon ***********
yes I get that kind of 😔
Brandon ************
@Lee *********
Well since foreigners can't own land, not much reason to spend time looking at buying a house.
Luit *****************
@Brandon ***********
You can get usufruct on the land, and you are allowed to own the house itself.And you don't need a bankaccount to buy...
Jirka ********
@Brandon ***********
you can rent the land easy 😊 soon for 99 yearsBrandon ************
@Jirka *******
the 99 years has nothing to do with buying a house. That's for factories and casinos. You will not have any access to those leases
Greg ********
To be fair the staff you are speaking to at a local branch are pretty far down the food chain. They can tell you only what they know today and how the current situation stands.
Anonymous ******************
Goverment's Thailand did'nt frendly with aillen, I think we will move to Vietnam more friendly than.
Luit *****************
Anonieme deelnemer 817 When you don't feel welcome, just go somewhere else, I will keep coming to Thailand.
Thai *********
İsimsiz katılımcı 817 dont come back soi buakhao 6 again😀😀😀
Roger ***********
Anonymous participant 817 they don t like anonymous people for sure, bye bye. Just follow the rules and get the right visa…..
Jirka ********
@Roger **********
so tell me right visa for long term and below 50 years 🤔Roger ***********
Anonymous participant 934 just answering the question which was asked. Why not ask the right visa for your case and try to stay with border runs, etc… is asking for troubles so stupid. But why do i reply to a anonymous key board warrior 🤨
Anonymous ******************
@Roger **********
why throw money away for elite visa 🤣 I can open international bank account in singuapore without going singuapore, same as usa, uk,, germany, ...Roger ***********
@Jirka *******
easy, if you can afford to stop working below 50 you did it right and go for Elite Visa
Dom ********
Thanks Andrew 👍
Jari **********
******************************************
Dany ********
just use your home country’s bank. easy solution and usualy not much more expensive. less headache and money in a safe space
Julien ****
Just get married. 2min done deal.
George *******
@Julien ***
Arai na? Just getting married takes two minutes?, or opening a bank account once married?
John *********
@Julien ***
incl or excl ladyboys 🤔
Anonymous ******************
Up to you
Anonymous ******************
So no property but pink card can?
Chris ****
Anonymous participant 260 I’ve a pink card. Doesn’t always work.
Anonymous ******************
@Chris ***
I got my pink card on DTV, but I haven’t tried to use it for anything like that
Kay ************
Even if you have a property here, they don’t let you open an account though. Went to a bank and got laughed at in my face for asking if a property owner can open a bank account lol
Vitaly ********
@Kay ***********
depends on the bank / branch / today's mood of the branch manager really. I was able to open an account at Krungsri aka Ayutthaya aka Yellow Bank with a chanote for a condo, while at other banks it was like "Where's your WP?" "Don't have? Mai dai, mai dai"Brandon ************
@Kay ***********
Owning property does not confer any right to stay in Thailand. The banks care about your visa and your permission to be in Thailand, not about your property.
Bouros *******
@Kay ***********
you can buy a property without a bank account in thailand.Actually the property agencies use it as a commercial argument to sell the property and help you open bank accountKay ************
@Bouros ******
yep actually property is already bought. Just went and asked if a house owner can open an account. It’s just a weird period for banking industry now due to the scam
Maksym ***********
And friends received call from Bangkok Bank today, with question what are their visa now, and they were invited to the branch with passport.
Account were open on guardian visa, now on dtv. But they have house bought.
Account were open on guardian visa, now on dtv. But they have house bought.
Tim ***********
@Maksym **********
What nationality are your friends?
Kelly ********
They just closed my account😩
Marcin *******
@Kelly *******
who is they? it would be useful to specify which Bank.
Anonymous ******************
@Kelly *******
May I know what bank and why did they close your account? (Like not using for ages or didn’t pay yearly fees?)
Anonymous ******************
Anonymous participant 750 For having opened it when under a DTV.
John *********
@Kelly *******
..expand, you got the balance back, what visa are you on, nationality?Kelly ********
@John ********
Tomorrow I’m going to the bank to close the account and withdraw the money. DTV visa brazilianJohn *********
@Kelly *******
well at least you aren’t losing for moneyEamonn *******
Why even waste time opening a bank account, use your home country ATM where they don't charge fee's, and reimburse you for the ATM fee's the international bank charge's
Eamonn *******
Both fidelity and Schwab do not charge an ATM fee, plus the reimburse you the ATM fee's other banks charge, so flat out zero cost 👍
Todd *********
@Eamonn ******
next time you make an international withdrawal, take 2 mins and compare the exchange rate to the currently published exchange rate. You will discover why I’m a Schwab shareholder and not a client. Also safe to assume you pay a monthly fee. Not free banking like so many of us
Todd *********
@Eamonn ******
it’s shocking Schwab makes a profit thenEamonn *******
@Todd ********
no monthly fee, I'm against paying fees to anyone or anything.I didn't take 2 minutes to compare exchange rates, instead I took 1
***
minutes, and the Google rate vs. rate I got, was on $300 worth of baht or dong or peso, worked out to be 87 cents.$300 google, my cost is usually $300.87.
So yes, there's a cost on the exchange approx 29 cents per $100
Andrew ********
OP@Eamonn ******
the simple answer is convenience, I am involved in the service industry and the amount of people who lose their cards or have problems that take days to a week to sort out (3 weeks to get a new card) is large.I like that if this happens I can go to a local bank without international phone calls, fix it in an hour and then go and use the card to buy things as required without having to plan an arm visit first. Mind you I live here, if I was a tourist I wouldn't bother
Eamonn *******
@Andrew *******
I live here, I use ATM at zero costs to me
Anonymous ******************
@Eamonn ******
very few banks do that, in most countrys noneDany ********
Anonymer Teilnehmer 953 220 baht vs. wise fee… it is such a small difference that it is not really worth having the local bank account
Anonymous ******************
Anonymous participant 953 Australia does, most banks have free international transaction fees or reimburse them
Ryan *****
@Todd ********
I’m from 🇦🇺Todd *********
@Ryan ****
have you finished the wall yet 😂😂😂😂 embarrassing and pathetic. ‘Home of the brave’ is cute. So much more lyrical than ‘home of the weak’ waiting for the Japanese to kick us into action.
Ryan *****
@Todd ********
a lot of ignorance here - not surprising given you’re from USA’s 51st state 🎣Mark *******
@Dany *******
correct. Schwab, Fidelity, WellsFargo (Premier Account) etc etcTodd *********
Anonymous participant 449 Australia has about 18M people lol. It’s smaller than Tokyo. Not relevant at all
Dany ********
Anonymer Teilnehmer 750 every atm charges the fee. majority 220 baht. i think Aoen is only 150 but super rare.
the only option you have is going with a bank that reimburses you the atm fee. for example Charles Schwab for our american friends :)
the only option you have is going with a bank that reimburses you the atm fee. for example Charles Schwab for our american friends :)
Anonymous ******************
@Dany *******
Right, it is free of transaction transfers to Thai atm but still have to pay when withdrawing. Unless he means there’s an atm machine or bank that won’t charge for withdrawal fees?
Sophie *********
Anonymous participant 449 HSBC will only do that once.
Dany ********
Anonymer Teilnehmer 449 transaction fee and atm fee are two different things
Anonymous ******************
That is why people should stay in retirement visa too
Luit *****************
Anonieme deelnemer 761 When you stay whole year in Thailand and are over 50, it is stupid to switch to DTV, that just is a downgrade.
Anonymous ******************
Anonymous participant 761 I switched to DTV, but I'm ok. They won't close my account
Dany ********
Anonymer Teilnehmer 984 famous last words 🤣🤣
Anonymous ******************
@Dany *******
Already confirmed by Bangkok Bank. My account is safe 👍👍👍😆😆😆
Jack ********
Likely to get a different answer from each branch. Don’t kick a sleeping dog
Wannikea *********
There's definitely been a lot of overreaction and embellished news.
Sam *****
I asked my branch where I opened my account 3 years ago on a tourist visa and checked if everything was ok. They looked at my account and said no problems at all, I don't need to worry. All I have ever done is load my account monthly with WISE, and pay my rent, bills, and scan for purchases.
Anonymous ******************
So if I had bank account opened when I had work visa, it should be fine if I'm now on tourist visa?
Marianna ********
Anonymous participant 511 yes it's fine. I have the same situation. Although you are tax resident if you have been on NOn B so you pay attention how you move money on it.
Wannikea *********
Anonymous participant 511 see #2
Sjef ***************
THat helps I was stressing out
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