How can expats manage payments in Thailand without a local bank account?

Atm fees are one thing. Wise allow x amount of atm withdrawals without fees but the Thai banks charge like a wounded bull. As you are well aware, cash is king in LOS. We largely bring cash over and would feel more secure with it in a bank. We opened a Bangkok Bank account earlier this year and upon returning found, like 1000s of others, it was frozen. Our visa agent suggested going to another branch and asking what we need to do to reopen the account, I don't hold a lot of hope of that happening. There's also the TAGthai card/e card, foreign cash only at a branch of K Bank, rates didn't look very generous and you still need the cash to top up, not really the answer I'm after.