What are the best banks and accounts for expats to earn interest on visa deposits in Thailand?

If your wife is Thai she should know how to answer your question...Loll

Be careful about the bank you open. I have two bank accounts - but kinda suck.

Once you open an account, it's with the branch and not the bank. If I need bank statements I have to go to the branch where I opened the account.

I lost my bank book. I went to the local branch and they told me file some paperwork with the police, and bring the paperwork back and they'll replace the bank book. I did, I returned with the police report. The bank then told me they wouldn't be able to help, I would have to go to the original branch to replace the bank book. I opened a new account at a different bank.

Different occasion. I tried to get a bank statement at one branch and they told me I would have to go to the original branch. This would have been a real problem if I moved across the country.

If you live in one place and do not intend to move anytime soon, I would recommend asking your local community. If you end up getting an account at some place that always has lines or otherwise sucky customer service, you are stuck with that branch.

Insurance is the other scam the banks run. Some will only allow you to open an account if you buy 8,000 baht life insurance. You can get around that by having paperwork from immigration.

Brandon was bang-on. Shop around. Funny how everybody always thinks of the biggies. I opened a new ICBC account a few months back easily and the interest rates can be slightly elevated. I get 1%. As Tesco say "Every Little Helps".

Bangkok bank fixed term 6 months 0.5 %

About the best rate you'll get is about 0.5%.

Have you tried to open a bank account with a bank yet . And what visa have you got

Your questions are contradictory, you either want easy, or "best interest."

Your visa deposit has to be in an easily accessed savings account, and you won't find any with a good interest rate. You can shop around for better than the worst, but you're never going to find an account with any meaningful interest.

Your question about bank account is asked constantly, and you will get 800 people chiming in about the bank they used etc. You just need to go and ask around. You will get a different answer at every single bank branch, even of the same bank. Each manager of the branch makes their own policies, and then each teller may try to get you to buy insurance in order to open account so they get commission. If one branch says no or tries to charge you, just move to the next.

There's anecdotes about bringing a Thai person with you helping etc, but you still may have to check 5, 10, 15 branches, or the first you go to may do it for you.

The comments are always people saying "I opened my account 15 years ago no problem at this bank."

Something to keep in mind: You want to open an account near where you will be living. You can use ATMs for free in the city you open your account, but will be charged in other cities in Thailand even if you use ATMs of your bank.

Also many times you can only use services, or it's much easier, if you go to the same branch you opened your account at.