One Step Closer To Our Thai Dream. Non O Visa has been accepted..Time for the next step!!!! Bank account and sim to our name. Suggestions?

I’m hoping to retire to Thailand in April 2026 or January 2027, funds permitting. In December I will be traveling there for a holiday on a tourist visa.

My question is, while I’m there, will I be able to change my tourist visa to a 90 day visa to allow me to apply for a bank account, and start transferring my current savings in time for my retirement. We rent a house in Bangkok and are buying a house in Ubon, my name isn’t on either at the moment, but can be if required to support my application for a bank account.

I look forward to seeing any serious help and advice.

Thank you

Hello, everyone!

There are a lot of reports of people not being able to open a bank account now even on non-o marriage visas.

Anyone had experience opening bank account with non-o marriage visa recently?

I don't understand how we are supposed to do our 1-year extension if they refuse us to open a bank account.

For DTV visa does the 500k need to be in a foreign bank or can it be in Thai bank? TIA

How long must you keep the 500,000 bhat as cash in your bank account? Do you have to show this amount in your account the entire 5 years? I like to keep that amount of cash invested or in a short-term CD.

I have a Bangkok bank account, today I wanted to try opening a Kasikorn bank account with my LTR-WP visa in Nonthaburi. Omg 😱😱 What an incompetent branch or person. She called their headquarters, she had no idea about LTR, she spoke simultaneously with two individuals on two phones in both hands. She passed the phone to me at times so I could answer their questions, well finally no account with LTR after wasting about 40 min ! They asked work permit or country ID .. US has no country ID, we have passport and driver's licence. I run to the next door which is SCB bank. This time she was much faster to let me know their bank don't open a bank account for LTR visa holders. I said LTR visa holders were selected through a stringent process and it is given to top earners, why would SCB refuse to do business with us. She run inside, then came out with a better idea, she copied all my docs and told me that they will notify me in 1 week about their decision. Really pissed I barged into next door which was Kurungsri Bank. They also called their headquarters then copied my docs and told me to wait a week to hear their response. All in all, today I failed opening a bank account three times with my LTR-WP visa. Thai banks are going through a huge confusion, trying to implement new rules but doing it in a total chaos.

Hi everyone, planning to arrive in Thailand with a Non-O visa at which point I need to open a bank account. I understand that the bank will require a certificate of residence issued by immigration.

My question is, if I am staying in a hotel for the first few weeks, assuming the hotel has submitted my TM30, will I experience any difficulties in obtaining the certificate of residence? Or will immigration expect a lease agreement to issue the certificate of residence?

In short, can one obtain a certificate of residence from immigration if they are staying in a hotel? Thank you!

Can i change tourist visa to retirement visa.

Has anyone experienced opening a bank account in Pattaya and the bank asked for 10,000 baht fee? as requirement to get a retirement visa. Thanks for any info.

Hello! Does that 500k baht has to be in thai account or it can be on any accessible account?