@Ken ******

You SHOULD be fine. Just visit the branch as requested by the bank. Provide the verification they request.

But of course, everyone on this thread, including me, is merely speculating. It's up to your bank.

@Nongnuch *******

Yes, I was speaking imprecisely about the visa. I have an extension of stay, not an O/A.

@Nongnuch *******

😳🙄

@Tony ****

I opened one 2-3 weeks ago in Pattaya Central Festival Kasikorn. I have a one year non-o retirement visa. Got a residence certificate from Jomtien Immigration first.

Took less than an hour to open a standard savings account, and I left with book, working debit card and ap/promptpay set up and tested on my phone. No agent involved.

I'm not anti-agent when needed, but I don't see how using one would have helped even a little bit in this particular situation.

They were very happy to do it. Honestly, I think they are a little gleeful because they are aware they are gaining a lot of ex-Bangkok Bank customers.

Speaking on the basis of my personal experience as an expat here:

Bangkok Bank used to be among the best but a recent flurry of inexplicable policy changes has removed them from my favorites list.

I now recommend Kasikorn as the best choice.

Just do it. There is some level of risk in everything, including merely crossing a street. Or cowering in your hotel room.

Use your common sense and never let anyone keep your original anything, and you should be just fine.

@Doug *******

one year extension.

@Doug *******

All my friends have been doing the same. The bloom is off the rose with Bangkok Bank and their recent frankly sometimes bizarre requirements and policies apparently NOT demanded by Immigration authorities. For this reason and others, many are opening a second or third thai bank account out of an abundance of caution.

ALWAYS have a "Plan B." And in today's crazy geopolitical environment, Plan C and D is a reasonable precaution.

It's happening to thousands of farangs.

You just have to go into the bank branch and confirm your phone ownership. No big deal . . . except of course, you're out of the country.

ALWAYS have a plan B.

If you're lucky, 30 minutes at immigration to get the necessary paperwork, and 30 minutes at the bank. Walk out with a bank book, Visa debit card and working ap on your phone.

That's how it went for me a couple weeks ago at Kasikorn Pattaya Central Festival. I'm on a non-immigrant O retirement Visa. So much faster and easier than opening my Bangkok Bank account 5-ish years ago.