How can I open a bank account in Thailand as a foreigner married to a Thai national?

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I suppose a joint account would not solve the problem!

I’ve had the same SCB account for 24 years but am not happy with their overall service so decided after getting my new 1-year extension of stay at Chaeneg Wattana recently that I’d get a new account. What a palaver! I showed them my new 1-year visa by marriage. No. Showed them a cheque for 3.6 mill THB. No. My wife tried. No. That’s why this country’s always going to be going backwards. Their staff aren’t even trained at a basic level to know that a farang married to a Thai with a 1-year visa is allowed to open a bank account and has to produce proof of funds every year for 3 months to renew their visa. This was Kasikorn btw. I also had one from KBank in Siam Sq, from years ago (Thai Farmers back then) that I never closed but lost the card and another from Bangkok Bank which I never closed, still have the (old magnetic strip) card but when I asked about it in a mall bank recently, they said it’d been closed. Not by me it wasn’t and it had at least 1,000 THB in there. You just have to get used to the fact the Thais do things their own way and asking for or expecting modern anything such as well trained staff or modern banking practices is just not going to happen...ever.

I just opened mine at Bank of Bangkok yesterday in Ubon Ratchathani. Just had to show my passport.

Bangkok bank did

They’re doing you a favor.

Welcome to Thailand...where up is down and backwards is forwards. The people are the best in the world and makes the difficulty worth the time. Don't give up. I left because a doctor told me I'll die if I don't come back to America. I'm coming back to Bangkok as soon as I'm well enough. ❤️ Thailand.

TIT

Agency. 5 minutes and you have bankaccount. If you want two

To be fair it’s just to stop any dodgy money so if you know a Thai citizen which obviously you do and get a certificate of residence then you’re sorted and Bangkok bank are the easiest for foreigners

You will need to take your passport as they will want this of proof who you are and type of visa you have.

Bring your wife along, and keep trying. Eventually you will find one bank branch allow you to open account

If a branch refuses to open it to you, just try another branch. It really depends on the person you're talking to. I've opened mine with Bangkok bank. Just needed a Thai citizen with me to sign as my guarantor. I was on a tourist visa at the time.

Go to central brach, they should know what to do.

I ask small branch, they said can be open but all transactions must be from that branch in person only.

Kassicorn try there should be easy if you take your wife with you

Kasikorn Bank.

Keep trying different banks and different branches.

I was in on a Non-O and had deposited almost 1 mil THB in my existing SCB account that I kept from when I lived here before. Went to same SCB and many other SCB branches and they kept saying I could not open a new account unless I have the residency letter. Then tried multiple Kbank and Bangkok Bank branches, finally found the BKKbank at Gtower would open a new account (they’re currently closed due to COVID).

Even with a tourist visa you van open a bank account

Bangkok bank at Pantip plaza

You have to try every bank, even the same ones in different areas, it makes no sense I know. Siam did it for me in the end, was a nightmare though

I had no problem on a tourist visa. Told them I was staying for 6 months, and was looking to buy a condo. Said what do I do with all this money? I'm scared to carry around all this money. Showed them a big bag of money. They sold me some type of life insurance 6,000thb and allowed me to open a bank account. Really in the end they just wanted the money. Lol.

BOSS WITH OUT WORK PERMIT WILL BE DIFFICULT TO OPEN ANY BANK AC

Go in Bangok bank the only bank you can open a account without stupid comments and questions from the staff

I had no problems with Kasikorn bank. Very easy.

Perseverance

TIT

Do you have the residence​ certificate?

They all have different rules at different period of time. Try to find someone with some sort of connection with the bank staff like existing client / friends to go with u.

It was this brach of Bangkok Bank that worked like charm for me, yesterday by the way:

Bangkok Bank

053 277 444

Kasikorn. No problem.

It really depends on the branch/branch manager policy, unfortunately. Some are more foreigner friendly than others. Your profile says you live in Chiang Mai, try Bangkok Bank in Kad Suan Kaew or Nimman Rd. Get a residence certificate and bring it along with your marriage certificate, your passport and your lease/tenancy agreement for the account opening. Best to go with your wife, should make it easier.

Do you have the correct visa? A Marriage Visa?

Can you open an account with 800k and take 400 out?

Go into any Bangkok Bank in a city, not village with your wife.. takes 15 minutes.

Prove of residency . Passport with TM-30... Kasikorn is good as well, just smile.

If you really want a bank account in Thailand, speak to a lawyer and get them go do it for you. Just smile when you pay the bill because you’ve achieved what you wanted with the minimum of grief. I’d advise looking exited about taking out the probable years insurance usually offered when you actually sign up for your account. Don’t refuse it. It earns the bank manager brownie points for selling it. Follow my drift.

As usual , it’s the way things work in Thailand. Go with the flow.

Cheers

Kasikorn

Many bank branches require a work permit. Apparently, Bangkok Bank is the most likely one to open accounts on only a non-O.

I have same problem. I go now 4 different bank and I can't open bank account. Not even Kasikornbank. Life is little bit harder when I don't have bank account and ATM card...

I went to one. Refused. Took a Thai with me, refused. Showed them my money, accepted. All at the same bank.

Bangkok bank?

Kasikorn for me to.

They all have different rules. Even the same company can have branches that have different rules. Keep looking at watch for any recommendations on here from those that have been successful. I opened one 8 years ago in a 30 day exempt

Kasikorn Bank, no problem for me.

Plain and simple you just didn't try enough banks :O

There is no banking law that prohibits foreigners from opening a bank account on ANY entry stamp, the rule and the requirements are set by each branch's manager.

Krungthai bank at Central World Trade and KrungSri bank at Emquartier in Bangkok will let a person open an account with a passport and a lease

Go to Bangkok bank

Anyone had experience opening an account on Koh Samui?

Bangkok Bank, give them copy of your marriage certificate with copy of passport attested by your embassy in Thailand...easy to open

Bangkok Bank

I had no problem with SCB

I had no trouble opening an account at a Bangkok Bank branch in Big C complex in Udon Thani , manager saw me with my Thai partner and depositing U K banknotes i had brought.This was several years before i reached 65 for U K state pension.I was away from Thailand several ýears and account closed in my absence.When i return to Udon Thani will again go to that Bank branch for preference and open new , show passport with retiree visa .And explain my U K bank account will be closed and transferred to them , plus monthly pensions from U K .If i have large U K banknotes will give Thai bank headed letter this withdrawn from my U K account .The U K banks are regulated to report large unexplained deposits to combat criminal activity _ not known if Thai banks similar .

@Merv ******

can you shine any light on this. I am not at retiring age... yet 😁😁

My situation is business in Thailand so the criteria is different.

Perhaps Thai banking are over careful because they don't want criminal funds like banks in the West are happy to take? It's the bad minority that makes life difficult for all!

(It is said that they don’t like nor do welcome foreigners . Bless you)

I done it married and Thai I'd card

Buy a insurance from bank , then open account free.

Kasikorn with a Visa from memory

Get a proper visa or buy a property

Bangkok Bank only need wedding certificate apparently. Otherwise proof of address from immigration and I got mine at Kasikorn.

Open an account at Deutsche Bank.

Just bang another million in and all sorted

Bangkok Bank, Kad Suan Keuw, Chiang Mai, 1st floor,

For sure Bangkok bang in Changwattana where is stay in the same building to immigration would make it easily. they know what it purpose to. I went there many times about visa, no need to explain much.

Bangkok bank head office in Silom (Bkk), with marriage certificate and visa ..

You should do easily

Amazing Thailand,still in the dark ages.

Do you rent or own?

go back home make money and come here with money

My American son has thai wife and visa. He has saving account but they won't let him open normal bank account.

UOB walk in with 50,000 walk out with account and card and still with the 50,000

In addition to my initial statement: Having a Thai native speaker friend with you, who can explain to them their own requirements (or even make some up) gets you a long way - of you should not be so lucky to have a work permit.

Try K Bank, take your wife with you. Blue Housebook if she owns house, or rental agreement, your passport her ID and some cash as deposit. I did this with my GF , now wife, on a 30 day tourist visa. Just keep trying different Banks if you dont succeed first time around. Good Luck.

My American husband has retirement visa and Bangkok Bank account in Bangkok. We moved to Samoeng, Chiangmai and he wanted to open an account in Samoeng but manager refuse to open for him. So we went to Bangkok Bank in Robinsin Airport and shown retirement visa and they open account for him.

just go to any big mall with your passport and whatever other documents you have (e.g. work permit, residency certificate, property ownership/tenancy papers) and go around each bank until you find one that says yes. if none of them can be bothered with the hassle (it's possible but unlikely) drive around the block to the next mall and repeat.

I wonder how easy will it be to withdraw 😂

This is asked almost daily. Go with a Thai person and try different banks or branches of the same bank. I've even opened one whilst on 30 day visa exemption.

Just been to Bangkok Bank in Chiang Mai today. Status: TR Tourist Visa on Covid extension. All they wanted was a Passport and Residence Certificate. Finish. My advice: If they make it difficult, just try a different bank. Or even: Just go to a different branch office of the same bank. This is Thailand. Everything chaotic - ask thee people, get three answers.

Take your wife with you, you'll have to present the marriage cert and house book. She has to sign some forms and hey presto!

That is strange, did you tried bangkok bank?

Give it to bargirl.. She will open for you...

You need a Permit to stay (TR 60 days enough) and a proof of Residence (rental contract enough) from Immigration.

Try K Bank

Ask immigration for a letter

First of all where are you located?

Try different branches. Don't tell them that other branches have said no.

Where are you at? If you're in Bangkok, use the Bangkok Bank in CentralWorld (first floor). They need a residency letter and 1,500 THB opening account balance.

Why ?

Agent

Each bank and each branch have their own quirks. Some will let you many won’t. Keep trying. Try shopping mall branches, try ones near international schools. Eventually you’ll find one. There is no law saying any foreigner cannot open a bank account on any form of visa or even exemption.

From what I heard from other posts like yours is. Just keep going to other banks with your wife and talk directly to the manager.