What Bank to Approach in Chiang Mai to Open Acct?

My DTV application was rejected. Now going for a retirement visa. The agent i spoke with advised me to open a bank account.

Bangkok Bank has fallen out of favor.

Any recommendations for a bank (branch?) someone here might recommend?

I’m in Chiang Mai.

Thanking you in advance….

I will get a Non Immigrant O Visa for my next visit, the question I have ... To open a bank account what is the customary amount required to just open the account for starters. I am not necessarily trying to deposit 800,000 for one year extension. Primary goal is to open a Thai account and slowly bring to 800,000. I will be leaving in 60 days with the Non-O Visa. Again, looking to just get and maintain an active Thai Account for future retirement Visa long term.

Bangkok Bank Account Dilema

I am one of those who open a bkb account about 4 years ago using agent in Pattaya via tourist visa. My account survive all the purging even until now. The problem is I just change a new iPhone one week ago and previously last few years I am able to switch my bkb account over to any new iPhone via sms OTP. However it is not successful this time round and I believe it could be due to the purging of foreigner account without a legit visa. When I try to do what I did before , it say I must go to the bank to authenticate my account. I can access my account via web browser and do transfer to other account, of course it’s not as convenient as using the app on phone.

I am hoping to get advice here if I should try to go to the bank to get it install on my new iPhone and risk getting my account closed at the same time ? Or I should just leave it and use only the browser version ? Thanks so much

Bangkok Bank, the biggest one in Thailand.

Someone said (actually 100s posters here, may be more elsewhere) they (the Bangok Bank) do not care about their customers. They care about their profitability.

We, foreigners in Thailand are low value customers, a nuisance down to being junk customers.

We do not take, en masse, home loans, we have no credit cards from the BKK bank. That is what the BBKank (any bank) wants.

Look at this. CitiBank, in Japan, withdrew from retail banking, sold it to SMBC (Sumitomo Mitsubishi Banking Corporation).

CitiBank was the darling for all foreigners in Japan, English spoken at the branches, their site in English.

The hook is: you have to have something like 5 million THB in your account, in Japan. Then, all services are free.

The BKK bank may lose some customers, they actually want them out. Street vendors and foreigners.

I can only guess, BKK bank is not a payment processing system, it is costing them resources for minor irrelevant transactions.

With IBM for 40 years, i came to know how the banks work. They are shops where they sell money.

Probably, no drama when the banks explained to the Thai government what it is.

Yes, there was some response, uproar from the grass roots but nothing has happened.

To open a thai bank account with a non O visa, i need a SIM with a monthly plan. (Same as I have in the UK)

But when buying a new phone with SIM monthly plan, say AIS, how can I register it to an address if that address is a homestay?

Or can I register it to my wifes land which she has her blue book for.

(The land doesn’t have a house on it hence the need for temporary accommodation until we have finished building)

Its all steps and procedures I need to take to first open the bank account to deposit the 400k to obtain the the 12 month extension based on marriage.

We may end up renting in Pattaya for a while but maybe OK if in a quiet area….

Hello everyone. I want to apply for an O-A visa directly at the embassy. I want to ask if any of you have purchased health insurance from AXA -Thailand. I am especially interested in whether there are any people who have purchased the policy with benefits of 4,000,000 bth and a 300,000 deductible, and if they had problems issuing the visa.

Is anyone else still waiting on a frozen account with Bangkok Bank Central Pattya Branch? I went to the branch on the 28th last month, they copied my passport with current retirement visa, my driver's license, my lease agreement, and my SIM card receipt. I was told they would get back to me in 2 weeks and it's now been 3 weeks. My account was opened last year on a tourist visa and with the help of an agent however I always funded it myself with the 800,000 baht being my own funds and the balance has never dropped below that.

I truly cannot understand why so many people continue to complain: “My bank account was closed,” or “I entered my full passport name yet my DTV visa was rejected or canceled.” If one approaches Thailand with such a negative mindset, perhaps it is better not to come at all. This country does not need individuals who carry only bitterness and discontent.

I have lived in Thailand for many years and I can state with certainty that the government’s priority is to safeguard its citizens. We must remember that we are merely guests here; we are neither permanent residents nor Thai nationals. Recent incidents of widespread call-center scams have caused countless Thai families to lose their savings. Even people close to me, including the parents of my Thai friends, were victims of these fraudulent schemes.

This is why, when I hear constant complaints such as “Why does Thailand keep changing the laws?” I see it differently. To me, it is a positive and necessary measure. Wrongdoers continually devise new methods to exploit the system, and in response the government must adapt its regulations. This is not about disregarding foreigners, but about prioritizing the protection of Thai citizens—which is precisely what every responsible government should do.

There is also a great deal of misinformation circulating. Instead of spreading complaints, I encourage people to read credible news sources such as the *Bangkok Post*. Not every account will be closed, and not every case is treated the same. Stop exaggerating. Perfection does not exist anywhere in the world.

I am originally from the United States, and even my country has its strengths and flaws, just as every nation does. If you wish to live in Thailand, you must accept reality with gratitude and maintain a positive attitude. Thailand is a paradise for those who respect it and embrace its way of life. However, if constant criticism is all you bring, then perhaps it is better that you do not come at all, as negativity only diminishes the experience for those who truly value being here.

Really? I mean will it be unlocked so quickly? 😅

[members only]

Good news and possibly bad news. It looks like accounts with wrong visa type may still be frozen or closed. Let's see the full outcome.

This below from Pattaya News

"The Bank of Thailand resolved in a meeting today with commercial banks that accounts frozen must be unblocked within four business hours if the holder provides proof they aren't tied to scammers. Additionally, only funds believed used or connected to scams should be frozen and not the entire account. However this may take until the end of the month to implement.

Additionally, this is only if the account is flagged or frozen for potential scams or ties to mule accounts, not if it is flagged for Know Your Customer violations like suspected incorrect visa for foreigners, sim card, or other incorrect information used to set up and register.

However, it's a start. Full article later."