Why are Bangkok Bank accounts being frozen for DTV visa holders, and what are the alternatives?

@Elías *******

when you live 5 years almost uninterrupted in Thailand on a DTV you are tricking the system. The fact that a stay is maximum 360 days makes it very clear that it is not meant to use it that way. Tricking means that you are using something in a way it should not be used in a completely legal way.

@Luit ****************

the DTV is by design allowing you to stay 180 continuous day per each entry. "Normal" people usually have to travel here and then, so it translates in staying 5 years, minus the days abroad. I repeat, it's actually meant to work that way. Don't mind my words, read the official words at any Thai Embassy or Thai Immigration websites.

@Elías *******

Just show me such an official site, Thai embassy in Netherlands does not say it anywhere like that. Only workcation or softpower activity is mentioned. A workcation normally will not last 5 years.

@Luit ****************

QR payments (and for receiving funds) is incredibly convenient. It’s kinda like saying why do people like having the internet on their phone.

I’m curious about the “that much attention” people spend on it though. Do you mean attention in getting a local bank account or the attention of mentioning it here?

@Mark *******

Isn't elite not always something that depends on money? I think elite is the correct name for the visa. And DTV is cheap and therefore not elite, and because it is not elite, banks don't like DTV holders as customer, they generate a lot of work and no profit. I hear DTV holders say they switched from non-o to DTV because they do not want to have money on their Thai bank account, but they still want to have an account.

@Luit ****************

I was on non-O before switching to DTV. I didn't keep 800k in the bank. I transferred 65k each month, which I still do, I need money to live on, and it also allows me to switch back easily if I wish. My bank account is unaffected as I opened it legally whilst on an OA visa many years ago. Unfortunately many DTV holders believe they're a cut above the rest, which they're not. Most "digital nomads" sit in coffee shops every day sucking the free WiFi to upload their "content" creations onto the web. Fact remains, Elite Visa is looked on as a more permanent and stable situation than the DTV. And you're spot on - most DTV holders will cost banks more than they make

@Mark *******

Reasons I have DTV and not non-o are simple, non-o needs in country extension always at the same month in the year and I only spend maximum half of the year in Thailand, so it is unpractical.

The 500K locking of money in a low interest account for DTV is not a problem for me.

I have a job where I can work remote, from our own house with our own fiber internet.

When this situation changes I would go for non-o

@Nick *****

That 5 minutes at the border and get back in is tricking the system, perfectly legal, but anyone can understand that it is not meant to do that way.

If DTV was designed to stay 5 years uninterrupted in the country they would have made it possible to extend in the country as much as you want, and not just once.

When too many people trick the system this way, immigration might change rules.

@Luit ****************

5 minutes or a few days' trip, I think it doesn't change the fact that foreigners under 50 who wish to live in Thailand and do not need to work anymore to generate funds have currently NO option to stay in this country. Apart from forking over substantial money for the Elite visa. The DTV is the only other legal option that we have, and it allows us to learn Muay Thai or Thai Cooking. Retired people over 50 can freely and quite easily stay in Thailand indefinitely, spending their cash here, so why could younger people not do the same? And nothing says that DTV holders should not spend more than a few months in Thailand and then leave. If they really intended to make it very restrictive, they would have limited it to 1 year only, not 5. And to all the 'digital nomads' who got the DTV, who can say if they will still have the same activity in 6 months or a year? More realistically, this DTV was probably made to attract foreigners to Thailand and have them inject money to the local economy / pay taxes. Elite visa is also nothing more than a 'Tourist visa', with almost same limitations.

@Nick *****

you keep saying DTV and Elite are almost same, you do not seem to understand it is really completely different. When tricking to use DTV to be a visa for residents you can indeed maken it lookalike. The fact that some people have no other option than to abuse a visa might be simply because a country might not want so me groups. Elite visa might be quite expensive, but five years of soft power also is not really cheap.

@Luit ****************

again, where does it publicly say that DTV holders shouldn't stay more than a few months per year? Having to extend it twice a year means nothing, as most other visas need to be extended in a way or another as well, at some point. Using something to its full extent is not abusing the system, as long as you're not breaking any rule.

@Nick *****

The fact that you can only extend ONE TIME is a very clear indication that the DTV is not meant for CONTINUOUS USE. You cannot extend it twice a year as you suggest, then you need a NEW STAY, but somehow you are unable to understand this simple logic. And indeed it is simple to trick the system by doing a borderrun, but the fact that you have to do such stupid things as borderruns is already an indication that you trick the system. In general abusing something is certainly possible without breaking rules, abusing is not the same as illegal, but that might also be difficult to understand for some people. Abusing something is nothing more or less than using something in a way it was not meant.

@Luit ****************

well, we just disagree. Have a good one.

@Nick *****

no problem, you can just keep thinking DTV and Elite are more or less the same. Banks obviously know it is completely different and that is why they accept Elite visa holders and don't accept DTV holders as customers.

@Luit ****************

whatever, you'll obviously stick to your assumptions and believe that spending 6 months here and 6 months out is the only rightful way to use a DTV. By the way, Elite visa holders go through a 1 to 2-month background check by local authorities, which includes some police / judicial check both from Thailand and from your country of origin, something that prevents most fraudsters, scammers and gangsters from using this visa inappropriately in Thailand. That's one big difference with DTV applicants, which itself could justify why the former can open bank accounts while the latter can't.

@Luit ****************

possibly, I used to leave at least once a year to avoid a painful trip to CW so I can't really say. But apart from this minor difference, both are still tourist visas for extended periods of time.

@Nick *****

360 days or 7305 days, you can call that a minor difference of course, but you don't need to be a genius to understand that compared with the long term of 7305 days max of elite, the 360 days of DTV not really is long.

@Luit ****************

what 7305 days are you talking about? I am a former Elite visa holder, I know what this visa is about. I had to extend it every year (instead of every 6 months for a DTV, not a BIG difference), and Elite goes from 5-year (like a DTV) to 20-year membership. But again, it needs to be 'renewed/extended' several times during its lifetime, you can't just pay and stay in the country without dealing with immigration.

@Nick *****

For Elite you can stay uninterrupted for up to 20 years when you want, for DTV you only can stay uninterrupted 360 days. A DTV stay can only be extended once. That there are obligations for both DTV and Elite is a different thing. Long term only refers to the maximum length of stay and that is 360 or 7305, which in my opinion is a big difference.

@Luit ****************

5 minutes at the border checkpoint and back to the LoS, not a big deal. But I get your point.

@Kirill *********

you have provided all the information I need to know now GL

@Kirill *********

DTV is still like turist visa, not longtherm visa,, try to understand it...

@Kirill *********

tourist visa doesnt allow a bank acc in thailand so you broke the rules at first place

@Kirill *********

Tourists cannot open bank accounts in many countries of the world. Why don't you make a complaint to the Court Of Human Rights in The Hague. I'm sure that'll be your next comment. Being unable to open a bank account as a tourist is NOT discrimination. If you're so sensitive about it, just get a real long-term visa and problem solved. Easier than changing the colour of your skin isn't it?

@Kirill *********

Skin colour IS discrimination. Being unable to open a bank account is national policy. But heyho carry on whining

@Kirill *********

No-one is being "shut-out". The inability of DTV holders to open a bank account is not country-specific. I know one Australian who had his account frozen, but was able to go to his bank and withdraw the money. The simple fact remains only non-immigrant visa holders can open bank accounts. DTV is essentially a glorified tourist visa. People obtain them with a bogus Muay Thai class, a cooking course or half a dozen dental appointments. It has nothing to do with race. But as always, people who feel they are being disadvantaged will scream "discrimination". If it's truly discrimination, get your ambassador to lodge a complaint of discrimination against the bank to the relevant minister. Surely that's a better strategy than perpetual whining on Facebook?

@Kirill *********

Way too much for your simple little brain to process. Tourists cannot open bank accounts in Thailand. What part of that can't you process?

@Kirill *********

The point of your post was to cry about discrimination that doesn't exist. If you can't manage your money without a Thai bank account and asking for financial advice on Facebook doesn't that tell you something? In the same way as personal insults tell you that a person has lost a debate and is now resorting to infantile insults

@Kirill *********

You got the advice. You can't open a bank account, and it's not discrimination. What more do you want?

@Kirill *********

A whole year? Interesting considering the DTV was only introduced 11 months ago. The problem is, accounts could only be opened with the help of an agent (ie. Paying a bribe to a bank manager). Surely that tells you something?

@Kirill *********

That website is NOT official. The DTV is a tourist visa in the eyes of immigration and the banks

@Kirill *********

that is not from The Embassy of Thailand. It's not a government website. Nothing official about it.

@Kirill *********

I asked for an OFFICIAL referral, not a commercial one providing visa services.

@Kirill *********

that's 🚫 NOT an official Thai government website. It's owned by a Thai Law firm in Bangkok.

@Andi **********

This is not only for visa holders, but just for all Thai.

Anonymous participant 470 doesn’t. DTV is a tourist visa.

Anonymous participant 470 You did not ask for help to open an account, you said long term residents are not welcome and that is not the case. If you want to open an account as a DTVER then it is not totally impossible, by yourself or via an agent.

@Oleg **********

And your point is? The facts are the Bank of Thailand has issued guidance to tighten up who can open and hold bank accounts in Thailand. The commercial banks are following this. The bank I spoke to said they will only open accounts for people with long term visas issued by "Immigration". The main reason behind this is due to acammer accounts. There are other reasons too such as many accounts are just not commercially viable for to them for foreigners to hold.

@Greg *******

Yep commercial viability is a factor for account closures. Santander international said as much for their recent demand of 40 quid a month to keep my account open or deposit 75k. 🫨

@Andi **********

Yup. The Common Reporting Standards that Thailand signed up to for foreign account holders has a cost too. It is easier for banks just to not have foreign accounts if they lose money on them.

@Greg *******

Yeah, I get the profit making but to ask for 75k and not earn interest is taking the p... .