@Beverly **************
you need to move to a permanent visa if you intend on living here permanently. You do not need a Thai bank account to transfer money to other Thai bank accounts or to withdraw cash from ATMs. You can't even get a bank account on a 5-year DTV visa and this is the way it should be, to ensure that the country doesn't become destabilised. I recommend moving to a more permanent visa before making long-term plans.