It seems opening a bank account for foreigners is becoming difficult. I just wanted to share our experience. My husband (American) and I (Thai-American) landed in Bangkok on Wed. The first thing we did upon arriving was to obtain a Thai phone for my husband. Once that was done, we received a receipt from AIS with his name, passport number, and his new Thai number listed on the receipt along with the salesperson’s signature. We went to the official AIS store so I’m not sure if the authorized AIS vendor would be able to produce the same receipt. We told the salesperson we needed a phone so my husband could open a bank account. She was the one who offered the receipt to us!
The next day (Thu), we went to the local branch for SCB and Bangkok Bank to try to open an account. We were told it could take about 7-14 business days because they would need to send his application and documents to the HQ office for review. If the HQ office has any questions or need additional information/document, the local bank would contact us. Rather than wasting time going back and forth with the local bank branch, we decided to go directly to the Bangkok Bank HQ in Silom. (Thank you for previous suggestions from this forum about going to Bangkok Bank HQ!) We provided them with the following documents:
* Husband's US passport
* Husband's US driver's license (in the US our driver's license is our ID)
* His Non-O E-Visa based on staying with Thai family visa
* Our US marriage license, which has been authenticated by the Royal Thai Consulate in the US
* My Thai ID
* The official AIS receipt
Even with all these documents, they were still trying to find a way NOT to open an account for my husband. Luckily, I was able to counter all their questions. My husband now has a bank account! The whole process took about an hour. It was a pain but I’m glad we got that done right away. Now we can transfer fund into his account in preparation for visa extension in June!
TLDR : Answer Summary
Foreigners, especially those with American citizenship, face increasing challenges when trying to open bank accounts in Thailand due to stricter banking regulations. A couple recently shared their experience of successfully opening an account, detailing necessary documentation like a US passport, driver's license, a Non-O E-Visa, and a marriage certificate. The process involved visiting both local and HQ branches of banks, highlighting that procedures can vary significantly by branch. Several comments from the community stressed the impact of US FATCA regulations on banking access and the importance of having proper documentation and, at times, patience when navigating the system.
NON-O RETIREMENT VISA RESOURCES / SERVICES
- Go to the Retirement Visa Section for information on requirements, including age restrictions, financial requirements, and necessary documentation.
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- Explore recent discussions by using the Non-O Retirement Visa tag in the search box at the top of the page.
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