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What are the new banking restrictions for foreigners in Thailand?
Banking limitsForeigners in ThailandThai banking regulationsDaily transfer limitsFacial recognition bankingATM withdrawal limitsMoney launderingVisa rules for banking
Aug 19, 2025
8 months ago
CjandBrigitte **********
ORIGINAL POSTERJust saw a interesting post., not sure how much truth is in this article. [members only]/
TLDR : Answer Summary
Recent discussions on social media highlight varying daily transfer limits and banking regulations affecting foreigners in Thailand. Certain banks, like Bangkok Bank, reportedly maintain higher limits (up to 300,000 baht) for app transfers, while others, such as Krungthai, impose stricter caps (50,000 baht) requiring facial recognition for higher amounts. Users express frustration about inconsistencies and the impact of recent policies aimed at combating money laundering. The conversations reveal conflicting experiences among expats regarding withdrawal limits and suggest that banking practices are becoming more cumbersome for foreigners.
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Jarmo *********
Scammers will probably use thai bulvans
Alastair *******
Good way to destroy the economy: stop people being able to buy high value items. I know fraud is a problem but the banks need to work smarter rather than having draconian measures like this. It will be like going back to the old days in Thailand where if you buy a high value item you will need to draw the cash from a bank and physical take it to the place you are buying. This is how you used to buy new cars 20 years ago in Thailand. Welcome to progress!
Martin **********
I buy a condo. I had 2 milion limit. Ok. Now how do I pay the condo?
Alastair *******
@Martin *********
Just rent and the economy looses out.Martin **********
@Alastair ******
And that is rent money that is gone for ever. Yes, the stress of reselling is always there, but if you buy quality, then you will resell, and get your money back.Reply to
Martin **********
Reply
Richard *******************
Bangkok Bank is not a Bank, it is does not have any clue how to operate as a bank, starting with communicating to their customers each time they take some bizarre draconian action and potentially cause serious levels of inconvenience, expense and harm to customers, some of whom may be vulnerable. They could even cause death from some of the things they have done. I urge everyone to boycott them. Close your accounts and bank elsewhere.
John ******
Theres no way thats true, intelligent people and IT professionals dictate the rollout if new measures, media just want clicks like this crap. If it is true, it will detect spend patterns, and protect against spending spikes like they tried with face scan ID
Max *************
@John *****
Where do you find those "intelligent people and IT professionals"? This is Thailand.John ******
@Max ************
I got very talented coders working for our software company, 10 years now. Easy to fall into generalising like the boring masses who live here and only complain 🙄Jason ********
@Max ************
shame how terrible it must be for you to live amongst the peasants. Stick ya neck in ya cunt, you’re not all that.
Max *************
@Jason *******
I guess I'm not so naive as you are.Jason ********
@Max ************
ever thought maybe the problem is you?I work with many very smart actuaries and data thai people.
Maybe because you poor and mingle with dirt is because you’re such an imbecile.😉
Reply to
Jason ********
Reply
David *******
This isn’t about a strict 50k a day limit but rather to encourage banks to profile customers on their past history to help prevent fraud. So customers with a history of larger transfers can still have a higher limit.
Bangkok Bank allow me to set my own limits within the App up to 1 million baht. I recently changed my limit to the max for a very large purchase. No poblem whatsoever.
Bangkok Bank allow me to set my own limits within the App up to 1 million baht. I recently changed my limit to the max for a very large purchase. No poblem whatsoever.
Max *************
@David ******
Don't forget that the proposed 50k limit from BOT is only via mobile banking.Reply to
Max *************
Reply
Salah *********
I think the article isn’t complete ! Above 50k , you have to do a face scan or confirm your identity or something.
Jim ***********
Bangkok bank halved daily ATM withdrawal limit. Kasikorn is 20k now daily.
Max *************
@Jim **********
I know people that were able to increase the withdrawal limit and transfer limit by visiting their KBank branch. It seems they check the account activity and also the amount you have in your account/s.Jim ***********
@Max ************
my limits are a lot more than allowing me do now . Was surprised daily ATM limit down to 25k. On my app it's 50k but won't allow me withdraw that. So answer was 2 separate bank accountsMax *************
@Jim **********
I don't care the least about the daily ATM limit. It's irrelevant. The transfer limit between banks is more important but I can use K BIZ if I need to transfer more than KBanks app allows me.Reply to
Max *************
Reply
Luigi ***********
I wouldn't give it much credibility.
Believing is possible, but trusting is another matter entirely.
Believing is possible, but trusting is another matter entirely.
Simon *********
The average Thai won't be affected because they tend to buy things on credit.
Since most foreigners can't get credit, we pay cash or transfers... They want us bringing money into the country, but then don't allow us to spend it... Duh
I guess the sale of aluminium brief cases will go up... 😉
Since most foreigners can't get credit, we pay cash or transfers... They want us bringing money into the country, but then don't allow us to spend it... Duh
I guess the sale of aluminium brief cases will go up... 😉
Max *************
@Simon ********
Common Thai people won't be affected because they have no money to transfer. Millions of thai haven't got 500 baht in savings.This is actually true.Simon *********
@Max ************
yep, average wage is minimum wage...Max *************
@Simon ********
If you have 65k/month from pension, you get more money than about 79-80% of the Thai population.Reply to
Max *************
Reply
Simon *********
@Luigi **********
my Krungthai account was limited to 50,000 per transfer 18 months ago, but the silly thing is I still have a daily transfer limit of 2,000,000... So can transfer 2,000,000, but 40 transfers of 50,0000...The bank staff insist Thai Banking regulationg forbid foreigners to transfer more than 50,000...
Not true. Banking regulations currently limit anyone to 50,000 baht for App transfers, IF not completed the facial recognition... Since the Krungthai app's facial recognition doesn't work for a lot of western faces, you have to go in the bank and they bypass it, to get the app working... Bypassing the facial recognition limits app transfers to 50,000...
Luigi ***********
@Simon ********
You need to understand what I wrote to you previously. In Thailand, situations change overnight. Nothing is permanent. The one who wakes up in the morning gives a clue to complicate everything. They haven't understood that they need to tighten the law, first and foremost, on the Thais who sell their identities to smugglers for a few hundred THB.Max *************
@Simon ********
Does Krungthai have internet banking? If I'm using KBanks internet bank K BIZ, my daily limits are maybe 10 times higher than compared to the K Plus app.Simon *********
@Max ************
yeah Krungthai has internet banking, but I haven't checked to see if that is effected.Max *************
@Simon ********
I have both Bangkok Banks and KBanks internet banks. Nothing has changed when it comes to limits as far as I can see.Reply to
Max *************
Reply
Bob **********
Already happened
Bob **********
Completely understand BB app you can change your daily limit
Max *************
@Bob *********
Not correct at all. My daily limit at Bangkok Bank via mobile banking is 300,000. Does that sound like 50k to you?Bob **********
@Max ************
this is daily transfers not money coming from home and you can change your limit on the app but it’s 50k you must be specialMax *************
@Bob *********
It seems you can't read. You're talking about KBank and I mentioned Bangkok Bank. The article in The Nation is just a proposal from BOT about "ordering" every bank to go for a 50k daily limit. My limit with Bangkok Bank when using the app is 300,000 baht per day,not 50k as with KBank. Get it?Bob **********
@Max ************
yes you can change it in the app but the 50k is most banks nowMax *************
@Bob *********
I don't have to change anything in Bangkok Banks app. I'm not talking about KBank. Is this hard to understand?Reply to
Max *************
Reply
Jim ***********
@Max ************
mine is 500k. Try transfer that it gets stopped.Max *************
@Jim **********
My 300k transfers have never been stopped.Jim ***********
@Max ************
I've split money up 2 banks now. So much hassle Bkk bank nowadaysMax *************
@Jim **********
I've had more than one bank for years and no problems whatsoever with Bangkok Bank. It's imo better than most other banks when it comes to parking money long term. So,for me hassle free.Jim ***********
@Max ************
I'm keeping options open.Reply to
Jim ***********
Reply
Jeremy ********
฿50k is a reasonable number but if your rent is high or you want to buy a TV/Auto/furniture or put money on a condo etc it’s not that much
Jim ***********
@Jeremy *******
yip buy a bike impossible. Daily ATM withdrawal limit also halvedMaitin *******
@Jim **********
not impossible, but certainly not difficult. You can go to the bank in-person and have them do the transfer. But it's certainly a pain in the assJim ***********
@Maitin ******
I went to branch update limits. Is what it is nowReply to
Jim ***********
Reply
Max *************
I'm not sure that BOT can order banks to change the limit to 50k. And this is just via mobile banking.
Simon *********
Insanity
Max *************
@Stuart ********
My daily limit at Bangkok Bank via the app is 300,000 baht but ridiculously low via KBanks mobile bank.. But if using KBanks internet bank K BIZ, the limit is much higher.Stuart *********
@Max ************
You may find that has changed recently. I don’t have an account with them so I can’t say if that’s the case. Multiple posts on this forum that banks are tightening up on things.
Max *************
@Stuart ********
Do you think scamming Thai people is hard? They have no common sense whatsoever and can't spell to security. They have their ATM-cards in their bags/purses together with the pin-code. If anyone calling them pretending to call from a bank, 99% of them will believe it. Of that I'm 100% sure.Stuart *********
@Max ************
I have no idea. I’ve never tried to scam a Thai person. Nor any other nationality either.Max *************
@Stuart ********
Why do you think scamming Thai people have skyrocketed in a ridiculously short time? You should know the answer if you've been here a while.Stuart *********
@Max ************
Sorry. I don’t know the answer to that. 37 years here. Perhaps that’s been a while.Reply to
Stuart *********
Reply
Stuart *********
A number of Thai banks have introduced this already for foreigners. Thais can opt out using facial recognition. Some banks seem to allow foreigners too but some others don’t unless you contact their call centers.
Probably the same reasons that’s they are systematically freezing accounts from foreigners that they don’t seem to believe they are in the country or just haven’t heard from for a while.
Money laundering has become a big issue here. The banks are trying to close down rouge accounts and obviously some legitimate holders are being caught up in the crackdown.
Probably the same reasons that’s they are systematically freezing accounts from foreigners that they don’t seem to believe they are in the country or just haven’t heard from for a while.
Money laundering has become a big issue here. The banks are trying to close down rouge accounts and obviously some legitimate holders are being caught up in the crackdown.
Reply to
Stuart *********
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