I opened a schwab account before I moved here so all atm fees come back to me. Have dtv. Cash has been pretty much universally accepted for daily living so no big issues with just that per se, only rare convenience issues. I have a rabbit card for bts and it works in places like 711, turtle, some of the mall/building food courts that want you to get a loadable card to pay instead of cash. I've opened a wise account but only used it once and it wasn't for thailand. If you really want to do the qr payments, there is a loadable card called pay & tour but you need to get it at the bank branches inside the airports. Most regular bank branches don't issue them. I believe you still load those at a bank with cash though. Really, getting a bank account that has 0 international atm fees or refunds them is best so you can access your cash. Cash can be used for just about everything else. Would also recommend getting a fee free credit card (visa or mastercard) to use for online stuff, bigger purchases, anywhere you dont have to use cash and wont charge you a cc fee. HSBC has some branches here if you can look into account types that have no fees abroad. You truly don't need a Thai bank account to live here and opening one on a dtv is a hassle at best, impossible at worst. Absolute last option if you're a native English speaker, you can probably find a short term contract at a school that will get you a working visa. While you're there, open a Thai account since you can keep it even if your employment ends with the school (whether you quit or finish the contract). Good luck

There's a reloadable card available from k Bank now that you can use for qr code payments without needing an account. I think it's called pay and go by you can only get it at one of the two airport branches

@Paky ******

airbnbs and hotels seem to do it automatically and well bc they're used to doing it? It's why the ask you for your passport photo when you arrive

@Sam ****

I was under the impression the property owner has to do it and they want documents from them specifically.

Just posted, I was approved 7 days in hcmc