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What do I need to open a bank account in Thailand with a non O-A visa?

Apr 24, 2025
18 hours ago
Charlie ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hi all, so I now have my non O-A visa and tomorrow I will take my TM 30 to immigration to get a residence certificate. So apart from those, my passport and another ID what else should I expect to need to open a bank account, also which bank is recommended? I am in Karon Beach Phuket. TIA
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TLDR : Answer Summary
To open a bank account in Thailand with a non O-A visa, you'll need your passport, the TM30 form, potential proof of address, and possibly a Thai phone number. While some banks may also request a residence certificate, others may only require your visa and lease agreement. Recommended banks include Kasikorn and SCB, but it's best to check specific requirements as they can vary.
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Jesper *******
I opened one with kasikorn with passport (nonO) visa and lease agreement with TM30 didn't need residency cert...and recently with SCB passport (nonO) and thai driving licence (they don't even look at my lease agreement) hope this helps
Graham ******
@Jesper ******
You should name the Immigration Office for this to be of any use to others
Charlie ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Graham *****
Hi Graham my post is about opening a bank account and
@Jesper ******
named the banks. I found his and Peter’s comments above exactly the type of help I was looking for.
Graham ******
@Charlie *******
I meant bank branch not Immigration, sorry, as different branches of the same bank have different requirements
Jesper *******
@Graham *****
kasikorn at Big C (Onnut)bkk and SCB at lotus (Onnut) not really a farang zone
Charlie ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Graham *****
it was BKK branches of Kasikorn and SCB
Charlie ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Jesper ******
thanks Jesper that’s the info I needed , I was asking for other peoples experience , like yours. Can ask which branches they were? What area.

Too many people make stuff up or have an uneducated guess.
Jesper *******
@Charlie *******
both are in bkk as I live there and branches in those lotus mall
Henrik *****
Depending where you go to the Immigration office, you should have stayed more than 90 days before you are eligible for a residence certificat

Banks in Thailand are like everywhere in the world, interested in having good stable custormers, that have a permanent address, a steady easy traceable income, and use the account all year round.

That is why the banks are reluctant to give accounts to people on short time ( read: tourist ) visas, and who only spend part of the year in Thailand.

Don’t expect to get a residence certificat, until you have stayed at a permanent adress in at least 3 month, since that is what the residence certificat should confirm.

Furthermore the added attention on whitewashing of money, is an added burden on the banks, so reluctant depositing large amounts isn’t a guaranteed way to open an account.

The value of a resident certificat, had gone down, since Immigration Officers are giving them to people that are not on a longterm visa, or have stayed severel months at 1 adress in Thailand, so even if it is a formal requirement, the bank make up their own assesment of the stability of the want-to-be customer.

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Be aware there is a error in the start of the article ( and several other copy - paste media with the same article )

A Thai Bankaccount has never been a requirement to get DTV, on the contrary it has been one of the big advantage over other visa, that you could get DTV as long as you could show 500.000 Baht equivalent in any bank anywhere in the world.

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929?
Charlie ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Henrik ****
also as stated in my post I have a non O-A visa that’s a 12 month retirement visa granted by Thai Embassy in London so not a short term or a tourist visa.
Charlie ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
I’ve been coming to Thailand for 6 months a year for 4 years. I’ve had the same Thai address for two years. I don’t get your point or the stupid assumptions you are making. I am asking for people’s experience in opening a bank account not someone’s best guess and misinformation.
Henrik *****
You haven’t yet stayed long enough to be regarded as having a permanent adress.

Compare with banks in your homecountry, they will neither give a bankaccount to someone just arrived in the country.

So it is not unique to Thailand to have those requirements.
Charlie ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Henrik ****
is this new? I got two residence certificates 2 years ago on a 30 day visa exemption in order to by motorbikes. Never heard you needed to be on the country longer than 3 months to get a residence cert. In any event that wouldn’t make sense as if you cone into country on a 3 month non 0 you need to open a bank account almost immediately to season your money before the first 12 month extension.
Henrik *****
Lot of things change in 2 years.

Some Immigrationoffices, need a 90-day report, before they will issue a residence certificat, which is in line with the original purpose of the residence certificat, which is to confirm you are a RESIDENT, and are having a permanent adress in Thailand, which you can’t be regarded as until you have stayed at least 3 months.

But a residence certificat, will not any longer, help you in any way to get a bankaccount, even when it is stipulated as a requirement.

You need to give evidence that you have a permanent Thai adress on a long lease, before most banks will let you open a account.
Pete *******
Some require a long term lease, you will need a Thai phone number as well.
Charlie ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Pete ******
I have a Thai number, had the same one for 4 years. Lease may be a problem but I can cross that bridge if its requested. Is the lease requirement something you have experienced personally? If so which bank was it?
Pete *******
@Charlie *******
Bangkok Bank Jomtien but every bank is pretty much branch specific.
Charlie ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Nicholas ******
Government official..passport..money..you’ll be fine
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