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Which bank is best for expats to open an account in Thailand?

Thailand BankingExpat BankingVisa RegulationsBank Account OpeningKasikorn BankBangkok BankSCBNon-O VisaTourist Visa
May 12, 2024
6 months ago
Ted *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
Hello,

Which is the best bank to open account for ex-pats please?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
Expats in Thailand often consider several banks for opening accounts, with Bangkok Bank and Kasikorn Bank frequently mentioned. Bangkok Bank is noted for its ease of account opening, particularly for those on tourist or non-O visas. In Pattaya, it is suggested that the bank requires buying insurance for certain visa types. Some users experienced difficulties with Kasikorn, especially related to disputes, preferring SCB for its user-friendly service and faster paperwork. The newest regulations may complicate the process, requiring long-term visas for account openings starting June 2024.
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Scott *********
Bangkok bank for getting money in and doing your taxes. Kasikorn for paying thai utility bills and stuff
6 months ago
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Yvan **********
I just open an account on April 11 2024 with Bangkok bank in Surin on a 2 months tourist visa with 500 THB…
6 months ago
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Yvan **********
6 months ago
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Yvan **********
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Chris ********
The first one that lets you! Not being flippant but put on comfortable shoes, take a thai person, as many documents as you can. Buy an all day ticket at the car park and prepare to walk lots. Same bank, different branch..... different criteria needed. Good luck
6 months ago
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John *******
Your girlfriends bank she will get it eventually 😁
6 months ago
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Wade **********
Bangkok Bank is the best but one
6 months ago
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Sheikh *************
kasikorn
6 months ago
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Tony *******
6 months ago
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Tony *******
All the same
6 months ago
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William ******
But you can’t get long term visa without bank

Account. Unless if you have non o and applying for retirement visa they make exceptions
6 months ago
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Phil ******
@Dennis ******
 you can get an non OA or OX OR ELITE (I think) in your home country and a Non O in Thailand.

Or try for an ED visa.

Or go to Pattaya and pay an agent like MOTS..

Years ago we were called Aliens. Now it's different but they have tightened the rules with more to come.

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6 months ago
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Phil ******
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Jeffrey *****
Krung Thai in Songkhla is also very good
6 months ago
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Jim ********
If you have a long-term visa you should be right with any bank provided you supply the necessary docs. It's all about to get a lot harder

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4
6 months ago
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Bill *******
Bangkok Bank
6 months ago
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Michael *******
We have found SCB the most user friendly bank, meet all our needs and provide and interest bearing account to hold our 1.6m baht for visa renewal. We moved from BKK bank because they were not user friendly especially when it came to paperwork we needed for immig every year. Took up to a week to get our statements and letters for immig which was a ball ache……..SCB issue whilst we wait .
6 months ago
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Nathan *********
BKK bank
6 months ago
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Tet *****
K bank.
6 months ago
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Michał ***********
Literally 2 days ago I got information from all banks in Phuket Central Mall that I need 1y visa and 1y work permit to open a bank account. They have changed some rules not so long ago, they told me that.

I don't know if it's true or not but it makes me sad.
6 months ago
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Gregory ********
Bangkok—better do it soon—new legislation for opening accounts from 1 june 2024
6 months ago
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Dan *********
Try Bangkok Bank
6 months ago
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Jason ********
Have multiple bank accounts
6 months ago
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Brian ********
6 months ago
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John ********
@Brian *******
 if you live in Pattaya. There's life outside Sin City, but maybe most farangs don't know 😂😂😂😂😂😂
6 months ago
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John ********
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Us *****
I love Kasikorn.
6 months ago
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Shane ******
I've used krungsri and krungthai for the past 9 years, both fantastic banks. Especially krungthai for the app and paying bills.

Bkk bank is very limited for bill payments.
6 months ago
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Joe ******
Any bank will be OK
6 months ago
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Ted *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
I will have non-o marriage visa
6 months ago
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Pertti *************
@Ted ******
 yes Bangkok bank open account for you but you need to buy insurance 8k฿. 3 branches told me that. If you have 12month extension or WP then you save that insurance part.. just use agent and few thousand!
6 months ago
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Andy ******
@Ted ******
 That should be all you need, plus your other ID. Takes about 30 mins and they usually issue your bank card right away, asking for a fee and a small amount to deposit. Usually all less than 1500 baht all in.

One negative I’ve found though: trying to use a Thai bank debit card abroad is very hit n miss, because they don’t print your name on the card.

If you’re planning on using that bank’s accounts when travelling, apply for a credit card after your new account has opened for a month or so.
6 months ago
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Andy ******
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Victor *******
Bangkok bank is easiest with ED visa
6 months ago
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Andy ******
@Ted ******
 - I was fine with Kasikorn for about a year, then had the most terrible experience where they basically ripped me off and cost me a lot of money. I won’t go into detail, but when I have the time and inclination I’m going to start a FB group to share my story as a warning and call for a boycott.

They’re fine and boring as any bank when it comes to day-to-day banking. But the second you have a genuine dispute that involves their senior managers and lawyers, they turn into the most vicious, anti-Farang monsters you can imagine.

So my tip would be SCB.

After that, BBL, but it takes them aaaaages to set you up with cardless ATM and International transfers.
6 months ago
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Tony *********
@Andy *****
 Kasikorn is rated by the public as one of the top two banks in Thailand along with SCB.
6 months ago
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Andy ******
@Tony ********
 yep, I’m not surprised. Like I said, I had a whole year of smooth banking.

But there was a business dispute they involved themselves in unnecessarily, and literally snatched a huge sum of money away from me.

Then their lawyers turned very nasty and pressurised the judge. She folded like a cheap suit. K-Bank versus a nobody Farang: I didn’t stand a chance. Even though all the legal precedent was in my favour, the judge gave 100% to the bank.

Domestic current accounts? No problem. But anything more complex and they’ve proven to be extremely anti-Farang and greedy. Almost 1 billion baht profits for the year and they still attacked my relatively tiny legal case like a pack of Rottweilers.

If I sound bitter, I think I have good reason.
6 months ago
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Andy ******
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Oleg ***********
With tourist visa or stamp, only Bangkok bank and without agent in Pattaya usually not open. With student visa stopped opening other banks also recently.

If have non o or non b, any bank pretty much.

That is Pattaya.

How are other cities not sure tbh.
6 months ago
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Don ********
Bkk
6 months ago
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Glenn *****
@Don *******
 BBL not BKK
6 months ago
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Don ********
@Glenn ****
really
6 months ago
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Glenn *****
@Don *******
 BKK is an airport BBL is Bangkok Bank
6 months ago
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Don ********
@Glenn ****
 context you plum
6 months ago
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Don ********
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Franky **********
Bangkok bank will be the easiest
6 months ago
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Phil ******
@Franky *********
 no more apparently
6 months ago
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Stephen ********
@Phil *****
 Bangkok Bank are the only bank that will open an account for a tourist, so should be easier with a long term visa
6 months ago
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Phil ******
@Stephen *******
 no this was closed 30 days ago from what others are reporting. I've had accounts dating bank 13 years. SCB is still ok.

They now have a page of requirements and Visa exempt plus tourist visa aren't on the list. You now need a longer term visa.... notice requirents have been removed on their site

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6 months ago
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Stephen ********
@Phil *****
 though within that link it says to contact local branch for required documents
6 months ago
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Phil ******
@Stephen *******
 yes and they give you a sheet advising only with a long Visa can you get a bank account and what you need to open a bank account. Before there was a list of what to bring.
6 months ago
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Stephen ********
@Phil *****
 fair enough, I just opened one last November and at that time they stated they were the only bank that would open an account for a "tourist" provided there was 30 day remaining.
6 months ago
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Stephen ********
@Bean *********
 I know, you don't even have a visa. If you read my comments, only Bangkok Bank would open an account on a tourist visa.
6 months ago
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Stephen ********
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Brandon ************
The best will be either Kasikorn, Bangkok Bank or SCB because these are the banks that can receive international transfer over 50,000 baht.

Realistically the best bank is the one that will let you open an account.
6 months ago
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Ted *******
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brandon ***********
 thank you very much.
6 months ago
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Ted *******
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