Is the 7000 baht fee standard for opening bank accounts in Thailand, or specific to Bangkok Bank?

There is no fee to open a bank account. You only have to deposit minimum 500 bht into your account.you don't have to buy anything from the bank they have never asked me.

I think when you open a bank account, they force you to get insurance. That may be this cost.

.?.? What no

i opened a Bank of Bangkok as long as you have a visa i have never heard of that fee before

You might have misunderstood what the bank wanted. Think about it: How can they charge a 7,000 baht fee when other banks only require a small deposit when opening an account?

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Sounds about right

Not 7000thb Bangkok bank is notorious find another bank

Pattaya 4000-5000

Every bank is different

Yes it’s essential

Kasicorn bank I paid 500 baht for debit card that's all

Anyone here to help with an agent ?

I’m in Khon Kaen and every time I visit the Bangkok Bank whichever staff I see tries to sell me insurance 😉😁!

I just politely fob them off as I ride a motorcycle and need health insurance. Their health insurance doesn’t cover riding motorcycles!

I’ve found Thais to be quite dedicated to the concept of “up selling”😉!

I didn’t pay anything when I opened an account at Kasikorn bank

No

I did it....... Accident insurance with bank account ....

ITS free

I did not pay any fee

In a word, it’s bollox!!!

It is for accident insurance 1 year not a fee as such

I am in bb bank no fee ?

I didn't pay anything

no bank charges that fee. Some agents charge that fee. Most agents open accounts for clients at Bangkok Bank, but I can only speculate on the reasons 🫢

Bangkok Bank in Central Festival took less than an hour to open account. They have a paper listing what the requirements needed to open account, no insurance purchase necessary.

No bank wants to open them as lots of paperwork takes a hour or so so Bangkok Bank charge you that for accident insurance as previously said

No

Never paid a fee to open a bank account how ever I recently opened a new account with Kasikor bank and they informed me that I cannot link my account to internet banking as I am too old - wtf, on enquiring about such a strange rule I was told that anyone over 70 cannot link their accounts to internet banking becsuse older people get scammed more. I have been doing internet banking with this bank for 10 years on other accounts but they now dont allow me to do this any more - am changing banks, they dont seem to care.

Additionally, there is a fee to enter and exit Thailand. How much should I pay?

Use agent not easy anymore 5000 bht approx

No fee

You have to pay for card etc, normally 500 ish. Agent is probably the best way to go, a lot cheaper than the 7000 you were quoted

A good start as this is a visa group—to tell everyone what visa you are on

Just pay it if it means they'll open one. Very difficult to open an account now

100 comments! 😂

I have opened two bank accounts in Thailand.

One with KTB, with legit work permit and appropriate visa, no additional fees.

One with BKK marriage visa, pattaya, I had to buy the insurance.

Master card might need a 500 baht deposit to activate the account, but it goes in your account. I didn’t pay a single cent to open an account in Bangkok bank

It's free

We paid 5000 bahts of which 1250 bahts is deposited into your bank account.

We always turn down the expense insurance. If your branch insist on the insurance. Go to another branch

Never been charged for opening Kasikorn, Bangkok or Siam bank accounts.

They do charge for debit cards though.

KBank. I paid 200Baht for my debt card visa.

You must pay nothing. Look for an other bank

It cost nothing for me at K Bank. It went fast and well. I even left my pass book in the states and they charged me 50 Baht to give me a new one

Opening a bank yourself is free, but they will some times insist you take out insurance which is wrong. Try a different branch

You are paying for insurance as well

In my opinion. If you’re using an agent then yes. I paid that through an agent because of the visa I was on at the time. I had to travel to Pattaya to get one as. It was a definite no in the rural banks here. I really don’t begrudge it now. As having a Thai Bangkok bank account is so much easier. Paying by barcode scan is so easy and no chance of being short changed or scammed in any way AS far as I know

I didnt pay anything (except the annual card fee) at K-Bank.

No to bank insurance , just 500 in your account, if you want cc $10/ year , just install Bangkok app to pay all bills via debit on this open account

After reading these posts it seems everyone's experience has been different. So, I guess nobody knows 🤦🤷🙅

Bangkok Bank Silom HQ BRING lease passport 500 baht in account to open

What visa are you having now? Tourist visa? If you have a non B or O visa, no additional charge to open an account.

If you are on tourist visa, they are selling you an insurance in order to process a bank account for you. If you really need a Thai bank account then just get the insurance that the bank provide. Bank will not scam your money as there is paper work involved in any money transaction.

Free

I opened with Bangkok Bank in Bangkok about 1 month ago. Charged me 500 baht for atm card which was then deposited into my account.

As someone already mentioned, probably trying to sell you life insurance?

I’ve found the best way to deal with any Thai commercial business is to go with a Thai friend or Partner, I’ve had no problems doing it this way

Perhaps a debit card?

Yes for Falang foreigners need to pay for everything

Just decline it. If they grizzle, which they wont, walk off. Go to Krungsri.

I got mine but they wanted me to buy insurance for one year..help keep the bank happy and you get a little cover which is always good

Why would you put yourself through that

It's the amount that goes into your account to open it. It's not a fee.

Well in my case anyhow.

Be very careful with bankers, the bank tries to force employees to sell insurance policies that are worth little in their substance.

You must choose the type of ATM connected to the savings account.

ATM cards have small insurances incorporated in case of accident.

Last week I paid an annual fee of 599 Baht for one year including a small accident insurance for my newly opened account at Bangkok Bank. Without insurance I would have paid 399 Baht for one year annual fee. I think every branch has different conditions or requirements. I opened the account in Mukdahan. It took 1.5 hours until I had my bank card and account book in my hand.

It's insurance probably.

Agency charge in pattaya 5000 baht Bkk ,plus you debitcard fee abou 300 b

No, you just need a deposit to your new account.

recent opening of account with Kasikorn Bank... only fee was 300B for one year usage of the debit card/atm........ next year the amount reduces..

There is actually no fee to open a bank account, but most banks will require a initial deposit of 500 baht to open you a account. If they are asking a fee, or are trying to sell you insurance, walk out and try another branch or another bank.

F the banks, this is exactly why everyone should stick to cash instead of being stup1d and giving them more and more control.

I’ve opened four accounts in Thailand and never paid a fee to open the account. However, they did charge a ฿100 fee for my ATM card.

Who charges this fee to you?

The bank itself?

Or you are opening the bank acc through an agent?

Bank does not charge this much, or even none.

Some may charge you a hundred or two to issue the debit card, operation fee etc.

And may request to make a minimum amount of deposit.

An agent on the other hand, will charge you a fee of course, a few thousands are very often.

people opens bank accounts through agents because they are rejected by the bank. In general banks will require customer to have a valid visa (working / retirement, tourist not accepted), if you only have a tourist visa you either need very good luck to find a bank teller that does not care about the visa or you have to find an agent and pay for them to put you through by their connections.

I opened a new account with SCB two months ago and they only asked for a 500 baht deposit to open an account but I put in more , back in 2013 when I opened an account with Bangkok bank they asked for 2500 baht for years insurance policy

Usually there is a fee for the card or added benefits for the account.

If you are paying 7000 it's probably insurance. If you not on a long term visa, they are more willing to open account for tourist that pay for extra insurance.

No need to pay anything. Who asked you to pay that?

There's no fee. Are you being scammed by an agent?

I was told they can open account for an existing customer, and if I buy the insurance I was an existing customer. 😎 The second option was to obtain a certificate of residence from immigration. I went with option 2. That was 3 years ago. I hear it's even harder now. I was able to open it with CR, I was at Bangkok Bank on 2d Rd in Pattaya.

Someone is trying to trick you!! Maybe you have asked an agent 💸😅Go to different banks and ask what their requirements are.. You can pay about 100 Baht for your bank card and possibly deposit 500 Baht in your account, which you can immediately withdraw via ATM if you want! good luck👌

Sounds like an agent is trying to rip you off

No need to pay fees, if you are allowed to open account, i guess now aday tourists can't, no have just to give passport and money

It's a scam

I eventually got a bb account on my 4th visit to the same main branch. They tried to sell me insurance fir around 7000 baht but I showed them my certificate I already had. They relented.

It didn't cost me anything.

The only fee is if you use and agent to open the account. Go yourself in your local branch of whatever bank if you have a gf or friend go with her to her bank. Depends on your visa and banks knowledge of process for foreigners. Try yourself before engaging an agent good luck 🤞

Just tell then you already have insurance and you don't require more

That doesn’t sound Kosher….is that through an agent?

I'm assuming you're on a tourist visa or some other type of visa that isn't a long term visa. Almost no banks will open an account for you if that's the case.

It's not a fee. It's to purchase an insurance policy. No, you don't have to pay it but then they won't open the bank account for you. It takes then a large amount of paperwork to open a bank account for a foreigner and therefore they don't want to do it unless there is something in it for them.

Most other banks won't let you open an account at all, so the insurance is a workaround to get the account.

If you don't want the insurance you can pay an agent you help you open an account, but you'll probably pay nearly the same amount.

I think I paid around 500 thb

There is no fee they sometimes want you to buy accident insurance

Are they selling you insurance?