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What are the advantages of upgrading to a resident bank account in Thailand from a non-resident account?

Thai bankingresident bank accountsnon-resident bank accountsATM card usageonline banking in Thailandvisa regulations for bankingretirement visamoney transfer rules
Dec 9, 2022
2 years ago
Scot *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
We've been here over a year now on a retirement extension. We were only able to open non-resident accounts at Krungsri before we got our first visa. Having a visa now will allow us to open resident accounts. As we will be out of Thailand for an extended time, and the ATM card they issued can not be used for anything but ATM withdrawal out of country, and there is no online anything for this account, is there any reason to not upgrade?

OK, the only thing could be this: if we open the resident accounts and transfer the baht from the non-resident accounts to the resident accounts, and we need to start over with a non-o visa, the money may not show as coming from overseas anymore.

Sorry it may be hard to read.

Thanks for your thoughts.
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The discussion revolves around the benefits of upgrading from a non-resident to a resident bank account in Thailand, especially for expats with a retirement extension. The original poster highlights issues with ATM card limitations and lack of online banking with a non-resident account, raising concerns about transferring funds and potential complications if they need to revert to a non-O visa in the future. Several comments clarify the differences between account types, the process for online banking, and the requirements needed to enable online features.
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Ryan ***********
Just get a Charles Schwab debit card that you can use worldwide
2 years ago
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Scot *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Ryan **********
 - we have that. Not relevant to the question.
2 years ago
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Scot *******
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Will ************
If you want online banking and overseas visa debit you must ask your bank to enable it and most likely it will need to be linked to your Thai phone number for OTP.
2 years ago
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Scot *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Not possible with this account, otherwise this would not be an issue.
2 years ago
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Đl *****
@Will ***********
 only if you have the required visa
2 years ago
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Will ************
@Đl ****
 does not matter what visa you are on , you can get thee whole lot on visa exempt and proof of a filed TM30.
2 years ago
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Đl *****
@Will ***********
 Thank you for your reply.
2 years ago
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Đl *****
@Will ***********
 All the banks didn't allow me to do that with the exception of ICBC Thai in Bangkok. ICBC Thai allowed me to open a bank account with online banking which I can use while being in overseas. I didn't fill in the TM30 form. Sounds like this could be the reason.
2 years ago
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Đl *****
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Wayne *********
@Đl ****
 I can do overseas and online banking and I opened my account on visa exempt entry no visa at all was required in my case
2 years ago
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Đl *****
@Wayne ********
 I could too, but only at ICBC Thai in Bangkok. Other banks didn't allow me to do that. May I know which bank you went to?
2 years ago
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Wayne *********
@Đl ****
 krung thai
2 years ago
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Wayne *********
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Đl *****
Resident bank account - You can use the bank's mobile app or online banking

Non-resident bank account - You cannot use the bank's mobile app or online banking

In both cases, you CAN still go to other online platforms and pay for your purchase using your card number, CVV and OTP.
2 years ago
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Đl *****
You can open a bank account in TH without a retirement visa. You just need to have a proof of residential address and a Thai phone number. However, in this case your bank account won't be equipped with online banking functions.
2 years ago
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Scot *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
It's all we needed to get the non-o visa.
2 years ago
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Scot *******
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Carsten ************
Ask at your branch to activate the online banking and the online shopping function. It's not active automatically. Afterwards you will be able to use the app as well as the web online-banking and your debit card.
2 years ago
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Scot *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
They were quite clear that there is no such feature with this account.
2 years ago
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Đl *****
@Scot ******
 Yes, you are right
2 years ago
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Carsten ************
@Scot ******
 never heard of such kind of account, but in that case you need to open a new one. It's with non-o visa no problem and done within 15 minutes at any bank. I recommend Bangkok Bank or Kasikorn. Anyway, even with a new account you need to activate these functions at the ATM.
2 years ago
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Carsten ************
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Tony *********
What's a resident account as opposed to a non-resident account? I ask because I opened my accounts at Krungsri with just my passport.. it's just a Thai account. Neither resident nor non-resident.
2 years ago
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Đl *****
@Tony ********
 Resident bank account - You can use the bank's mobile app or online banking

Non-resident bank account - You cannot use the bank's mobile app or online banking

In both cases, you CAN still go to other online platforms and pay for your purchase using your card number, CVV and OTP.
2 years ago
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Tony *********
@Đl ****
 yes I understand that. I walked off the street into Kasikorn with my passport and got a Thai residential savings account as I did with SCB and Kasikorn and not once in 15 years of having retirement extensions have I ever been asked whether it's a residential or non-residential account. In fact I currently use a foreign currency account from Krungsri with an address in Thailand to support funds for my Visa. So I don't understand why Scot is saying he could only get a non-residential account for his Visa.
2 years ago
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Tony *********
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Tony *********
@Scot ******
 what is your situation? You are living in Thailand on a retirement Visa so you need a bank account with your address in Thailand. It's very simple. What other situation would there be? I would also advise you to open an account with Kasikorn and you will be able to get a K-Bank virtual debit card.
2 years ago
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Scot *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tony ********
 - I stated our situation.
2 years ago
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Scot *******
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Scot *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
I'm guessing it's one or the other.
2 years ago
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Tony *********
@Scot ******
 I also have accounts with SCB and Kasikorn and there's no mention of whether it's resident or non-resident. I live in Thailand on a retirement Visa like you. And I use the account for immigration purposes.
2 years ago
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Scot *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tony ********
 - great! It doesn't sound like my situation.
2 years ago
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Scot *******
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Tony *********
@Scot ******
 well what can I say. I have a Thai savings account with Krungsri with an online banking app and an ATM debit card. Happy days! 😀
2 years ago
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Tony *********
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Tony *********
If you transfer money from an overseas Bank to your Krungsri Thai savings account it will show up as originating from overseas.
2 years ago
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Scot *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
As my example suggested, it won't be transferred from overseas. Kinda the point.
2 years ago
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Tony *********
@Scot ******
 oh I see. If you're using the monthly pension income method then it has to come from overseas, but if it's a lump sum of 800k for your Visa it does not have to come from overseas.
2 years ago
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Scot *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tony ********
 - yes it does.
2 years ago
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Tony *********
@Scot ******
 well it didn't for me. My money came from earnings in Thailand.
2 years ago
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Scot *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tony ********
 - great! Not my situation.
2 years ago
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Tony *********
@Scot ******
 if you go the lump sum route the only requirement is that you show a statement from a Thai Bank showing that amount of 800k over 3 months prior to the initial application. They don't ask where the money came from. It could come from overseas or indeed it could come from another Thai bank account.
2 years ago
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Scot *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tony ********
 - they do when you apply for the 3 month non-o visa.
2 years ago
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Scot *******
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Tony *********
The ATM card you get from the bank is also a Visa debit card which I have used in both Singapore and the UK to withdraw cash from an ATM. I also use the ATM card to make online purchases because it has a Visa debit card number.
2 years ago
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Scot *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
They tell us differently.
2 years ago
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Tony *********
@Scot ******
 I still don't understand this non-resident status. All foreigners in Thailand are non resident unless you have permanent residency and I've met three people in 25 years who have that.
2 years ago
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Đl *****
@Tony ********
 The difference is that for a non-resident bank account, you can't have online banking or mobile banking. However, that won't stop you from using your bank card to pay for online purchases.
2 years ago
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Tony *********
@Đl ****
 why would anyone want that?
2 years ago
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Đl *****
@Tony ********
 Those banks won't allow customers to use the banks' mobile apps or online banking unless that customer at least has a short-term education visa (They told me they need a 3-month education visa). So if the customer just walk in and open an account without a one-year visa or an education visa, then a non-resident bank account is what he gets.

If the customer lives in Thailand, it's not a problem to view the transactions because he can update his passbook at a branch.

However, if he moves to another country, then it will be harder for him to access his non-resident bank account as it is not equipped with online banking/mobile banking.
2 years ago
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Tony *********
@Đl ****
 that's just not true I've opened bank accounts on tourist visas and I know many other people who have also. I used to be in the real estate business in Phuket and all my clients were just tourists who bought property but they had no problems at all in opening residential bank accounts with online banking facilities.
2 years ago
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Đl *****
@Tony ********
 I asked at the Krungsri branch near the Stock Exchange.

Yes. They allow opening an account with a tourist visa, but NO online banking or mobile banking is allowed.

What actually is 'online banking"?

Your understanding of online banking is the ability to pay online merchants using the card details. That's NOT online banking. That's why I am asking you if you can use the bank's mobile app.
2 years ago
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Tony *********
@Đl ****
 This is online banking

**************************************************************
2 years ago
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Tony *********
@Đl ****
 I have online banking as I just said. Do you want me to send you 100 baht from my phone 😀 I can assure you I know what online banking is.
2 years ago
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Đl *****
@Tony ********
 Okay then. Can you please tell us how you live in Thailand for 15 years on tourist visa? I am sure you have other types of visa that enable the banks to allow you access to their mobile / online banking.
2 years ago
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Tony *********
@Đl ****
 I have lived in Thailand for 25 years. I got my bank accounts when I was on tourist visas.
2 years ago
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Đl *****
@Tony ********
 I see. Then it's possible because two and a half decades ago the rules might be different.

But if you open a Thai bank account in 2022 with just a tourist visa, a non-resident bank account lacking online functions is what you will get.
2 years ago
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Tony *********
@Đl ****
 so what do you think you need to get online banking?
2 years ago
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Tony *********
@Đl ****
 Maybe it's easier in the tourist areas with banks. All of my foreign clients had no problems opening local Thai savings accounts.
2 years ago
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Đl *****
@Tony ********
 Can you use the banks' mobile app? That's what we mean by online banking or mobile banking here.
2 years ago
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Tony *********
@Đl ****
 yes I have the mobile app for Krungsri, SCB and Kasikorn. I pay for everything by scanning QR codes and I also have PromptPay.
2 years ago
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Đl *****
@Tony ********
 If you pay for merchandise using a third party app such as PromptPay that draws funds from your bank accounts, that's still NOT mobile banking.
2 years ago
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Tony *********
@Đl ****
 I can send you money direct from my account using the online banking app. Is that good enough for you?
2 years ago
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Tony *********
@Đl ****
 I have online banking. What don't you understand?
2 years ago
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Scot *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Tony ********
 - all we could get in order to get the non-o visa. Hence the situation.
2 years ago
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Tony *********
@Scot ******
 I got my Non O Visa with a Thai bank account with a residential address in Thailand and it's been working that way for the last 15 years.
2 years ago
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Scot *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
We also have a non o visa with a Thai bank account with a residential address in Thailand and you don't have any idea what I'm talking about.
2 years ago
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Tony *********
@Scot ******
 that's true. I'm very confused 😀 but you did say it might be hard to read.
2 years ago
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Scot *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Đl ****
 - is their provided document above wrong?
2 years ago
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Scot *******
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Tony *********
@Scot ******
 yes I see that and I used my Krungsri ATM debit card yesterday to make one purchase from Lazada and another online purchase from a company in the USA. Why don't you just open a Krungsri Thai account as I did with an address in Thailand.
2 years ago
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Scot *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
We do have accounts just as you suggest. I believe I started with that.
2 years ago
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Scot *******
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