I thought I’d share this banking experience, just in case it could help someone. Background: I have a newer US Passport, the one with the weird patterned photos that make you look like a criminal. Anyway, I’m at the K-Bank at Central, on Beach Road in Pattaya. I have all my docs in order and we’re flying along in the process when it comes time to A) take my picture, and B)take a picture of my passport photo. The K-Bank system rejected multiple attempts by their rep, each time saying the photos do not look like the same person. By the way, at K-Bank they use their iPads to take the photos - I wonder if they should upgrade that process. The rep tried and tried with no success, finally telling to go home and make my beard shorter. That night, I followed this advice and the next day went to the K-Bank located in the Big C Super Center on Central Road. Same sh!t. Just when the rep and I were wondering what to do next, another rep who had been following along at a distance ran over, saw that I have a new US passport and started shouting, “no, no, no! US Passport! US Passport!”. He grabbed it and with a big smile told me he was going to make this work. He went to a remote corner of the small branch and took photos of the passport at a weird angle. He came back laughing and gave everything to my rep saying, “go ahead, it will work now”. And just like that, when the rep took my like 20th photo….voila! it matched with the passport photo, and we sailed through the rest of the process. So if anyone has this problem at a bank, I recommend you ask the rep to call their home office and check on the best practices for taking a photo of the new USPassport.

Can i open a bank account with DTV visa in bangkok? I need to pay the rent, but international app's commission is too expensive. 😅

UPDATE to my post about Bangkok Bank locking account AGAIN:

When the branch in Jomtien called the Hua Hin branch (where I opened the account) they told them that I needed to bring in a new lease agreement.

So, I had just signed one for 12 months a couple days prior in Jomtien.

When I arrived at the Hua Hin Branch I was now informed, “yes, we need this, but it is not enough! We also need the property owners ID card,” which I didn’t have, because I wasn’t told!

This is the consistent type of incompetence I have personally dealt with from BKK Bank. Why they can’t seem to provide an entire list of the documents needed at one time, is beyond any reasonable question!

I have had enough with this bank so I closed my account and will replace it with a second account to my existing K Bank account! I have learned, the way banks operate here it’s best to have more than one account with enough money to survive for 3 to 4 weeks in each.

What banks OTHER than BKK Bank and K Bank do you recommend?

And have any of you with a K Bank account had your account locked with or without notice as many of us have had happen to to use with BKK Bank?

The point is, if you’re in the planning stages of living in Thailand, skip setting your account with BKK Bank. You WILL regret it!

Yes there are some who have been with BKK bank for many years and never had an issue. I’m happy for you. But those of us who have joined in the last few years are under way more scrutiny than others who have a longer history with the bank.

But to arbitrarily lock a person’s account, blocking their access to their own money , WITHOUT so much of a call or email to say, “hey, we need this document, please bring it to a branch near you by blank date,” is beyond comprehension, and horrific business practice.

Good luck! Welcome to Thailand!

Hi y’all,

need your help and input regarding thai business bank account and registration at various banks. Their requirements? and different banks’ bank fees for comparison purpose and features offered? went to one bank today and was given major crap plus them not understanding what is going on at all, plus specifying how one particular nationality is not allowed to have any bank accounts including business bank accounts in Thailand (which is not my nationality). like I like thailand but boy, this is what’s despicable sometimes even for “professionals” like banks (real high class, not :P)

They’re up to it AGAIN!! Fricking Bangkok bank just locked my account AGAIN! Now! I just moved to Jomtien from Cha-am and went to the branch here and there they told me it has been locked AGAIN, NO NOTICE! and I have to go back to the branch I Hua Hin to present the information they need in order to have my account reopened!

I MEAN, WTF?!!!!!

Fortunately after the last time about 8 months again when they lock it and other foreigners accounts with NO NOTICE, and every cent I had was locked without access, I said F THIS, and opened a second account at K Bank and monthly put half in one and the other half in the other bank so I always have access to money when these MFKRS decide to just lock your money up!

FYI! K Bank took about 15 minutes to open the account, Bangkok Bank was an hour and a half so I highly recommend if any of you are coming to live in Thailand screw Bangkok Bank and go to K bank !!!! 😡🤬

When someone has moved across Thailand have you gone to your bank and changed to a closer branch as your main branch?

Just got my dtv visa approved can I get a Thai bank ?

Has anyone updated their phone number or obtained a new bank card at Bangkok Bank while on a DTV since they tightened up all the rules? I need to update information for an old account over 5 years old but wondering if they will close my account once they see my DTV visa. Location: Chiang Mai.

UPDATE: updating with BB was smooth and easy for phone number and new card. No questions about DTV.

Bank

If someone knows where to get a bank account with DTV (I know it’s not possible atm) or a agency who could help – please reach out to me.

What is the easy way to open bank account im married in thai national but I don't have mmerried visa yet. Ty