I'm from NZ too and have a small apartment. NZ is incredibly expensive now and I can live happily for a month here on what I carefully spent a week over there. Pattaya is indeed paradise!
I was turned down by 4 other branches and banks before this even with a marriage certificate. So it was 5th time lucky. I went with my wife with all my documents including her blue house book and ID card but was still refused 4 times.