What are the requirements and challenges for opening a bank account in Thailand on a NON-O marriage visa?

Question

Thought I’d share my experience of opening a bank account today for a marriage visa on a 90 day non o for anyone who may be in the same situation in the future as I’ve never came across this what happened to me today on this forum in the past

9:30 went to the Kasikorn bank in Prasat with my wife blue book her ID her passport my passport non o visa printed off certificate of residency from Surin immigration marriage certificate and was told by the assistant manager to come back after I get my extension 
I explained that I needed the bank account for the extension but she was not interested just adamant I came back on my next visa so we just walked ￼￼

So we went to the Kasikorn bank in Surin were they seemed to accept everything I had and was looking promising until the guy said the residency letter said to open bank account in Prasat so couldn’t accept it so had to go back to immigration who done another letter of residency

Went back to the bank in Surin and started the process again and again was looking promising until a member of staff noticed my passport number didn’t match the number on my wedding certificate 
Explained we’ve been married 20 years and this was back in 2006 and I’ve had 2 passports since that one but they insisted I needed my old passport ￼to match ￼the wedding certificate

So they then told us to go to the local registration office and get them to change it and stamp it which I knew they wouldn’t do but my wife said we’l just go and see 
￼
Just like we thought no chance they were going to do that ￼for us so got sent back to the bank with the number for the woman we dealt with at the registry office so she could tell them herself ￼that this wasn’t possible

The bank then apologised and said I couldn’t open an account with them unless I could prove who I was by my old passport from 20 years ago which I will still have back home in England

So driving back home to Prasat and thought I might have an old email I with it on so I eventually found an email from back in 2011 with my passport ￼so we went back and they accepted that and eventually after 6 hours trying opened a bank account for me 😀￼
 
So even though I had everything needed to open an account ￼only a 20 year out of date passport made it happen

Glad we got there in the end although very frustrating at the time the staff were very helpful and apologetic and just following rules from whoever was directing them from head office ￼

￼

Ask Thailand · Answer

The user shares a detailed experience of attempting to open a bank account in Thailand on a NON-O marriage visa, highlighting challenges like discrepancies in documentation, specifically the marriage certificate and passport numbers. Initial refusals at one Kasikorn branch led to a series of visits to both the bank and immigration to obtain the correct residency certificate, culminating in success but only after extensive effort and persistence. Comments from others provide additional insights into varying bank policies and personal experiences with similar frustrations in the Thai banking system.

Blake *********** · Answer

I went to 6 banks with all of the documents the respective bank websites said that I needed to open an account with a non O visa. All 6 made up a BS excuse why I couldn't.

Jimmy ****** · Answer

I opened a bank account with kasikornbank in hua hin time consuming but they were very helpful,  job done a month ago

Soup**** · Answer

They make up the rules as they go along. Try going to the bank after lunch, they are happier, if they are hungry they are cranky.😃 The shopping centre branches I have found are the easiest.

Johnny ******* · Answer

No need to involve your wife in any of this. You complicated matters for no reason

Charlie ******* · Answer

Try going to Amphur to get a yellow book first, maybe a Thai pink id card, and come back to the bank with the printed document from immigration mentioning the funds requirements in a Thai bank account

Andy ******** · Answer

Thanks for sharing. Great persistence on your behalf, well done. 👍

Charles ******** · Answer

Well done…what a fooking malarkey!

The_No******* · Answer

Thai bureaucracy gone mad… two words sum it up concisely…

$hit $how.

GreyEle******* · Answer

I wanted to start a legit Thai company owned by my Australian company so I could grow my business here and hire Thais. To do this I have to jump through many hurdles and decided the risk of being denied at any part of the process makes it just not worth it. I work remotely on a DTV visa and will not integrate my business with the Thai labour force and bring money into the country.

I accept Thailand is the way it is. I will just work within the constraints of the business culture here and in essence avoid Thai bureaucracy as much as I can.

I accept Thailand is the way it is. I will just work within the constraints of the business culture here and in essence avoid Thai bureaucracy as much as I can.