BANKS Can I open BANK account ??

I'm trying to find out if I can open Bank account in Thailand as Tourist

Just so I can save money there for when I retire ?

Plus when I visit I will not have to bring so much cash with me !

I'm a British/Canadian Citizen

If I'm aloud to have bank account WHAT ID will they want
PASSPORT/Birth Cert ......

no

MMM Ok People I found out YES I'm aloud to open BANK account

Only Savings account and only at these BANKS

Bangkok Bank Kasikorn Bank Siam Commercial Bank

You are loud to open bank account here for the perpose of traveling around Thailand....

To open account YOU need 200 Baht and Passport
There is a charge for taken money out of ATM of 20 baht
but no charge from the bank you open account at

Anyway THANKS

As for the person who say NO
Well do some research ............. LIKE I DID
I personnally CALLED BANGKOK BANK

Banks vary on whether or not they will allow you to open an account, and if they do, what paperwork they require.

The best advice I have seen on the subject is to try at one bank, and if they say no, go to the next bank, or even a different branch of the same bank. And keep going.

Bangkok Bank seems to be the toughest, and I have heard good things about Kasikorn. There are several others. Obviously the bigger the town you are in the greater your chance of finding a compliant bank.

Minimum paperwork would be passport/visa, plus evidence of where you are living. Some banks have accepted a hotel address.

Persistence is the key.

Good luck.

I opened a bank account at Bangkok Bank with a tourist visa about 2 years ago.

http://www.bangkokbank.com/Bangkok+Bank ... counts.htm




Bangkok Bank > Personal Banking > Foreign Customers
Bangkok Bank Accounts








Bank Account


If you are working or living in Thailand or just moving here, we can help to set up a new bank account for you quickly and easily. With a long-term visa and a work permit or a Certificate of Residence, you can apply for access to our additional banking services like phone banking and internet banking.

Once you have opened your account you will receive a Bangkok Bank passbook which can be updated at our handy terminals in our branches. Your passbook is a handy way of tracking your account movements and takes the place of an account statement.

With a Bangkok Bank account, you can also apply for a Bualuang ATM card.

Non-Resident Baht Account


This account is for personal and corporate foreign customers who want to have an account that enables funds to be transferred into and out of Thailand for specific purposes including investments. It helps save your time when you want to send your funds to a foreign country or make payments or repayments to overseas recipients.

With a Non-Resident Baht Account, all sources of funds and the purpose of the deposit or withdrawal must be declared according to the Bank of Thailand's regulations.

You can open the account at our head office on Silom Road where our Marketing Officers are available to give you more information and help you with your needs.

This account operates at Bangkok Bank's head office on Silom Road by counter service only.

How to open a Non-Resident Baht Account

Individual customers need to bring along their passport and evidence declaring the source of funds together with a letter of recommendation as follows:

- A letter of recommendation from a reputable company, an embassy or an international organization located in Thailand.
- A letter of recommendation from your bank abroad. This must be a bank which is acceptable to Bangkok Bank and sent to Bangkok Bank via SWIFT.
- A letter of recommendation from a person acceptable to Bangkok Bank such as an existing customer of Bangkok Bank.

Corporate customers need to bring along the following documents:
- Copy of Registration Certificate (not more than 1 month old)
- Memorandum and Articles of Association
- Minutes of a Board of Directors Meeting stating the account opening, names of authorized signatories and conditions of signing
- Passports of the Directors and the authorized signatories
- Power of Attorney (required when the signatory is not a director of the company)

All documents must be verified by the Notary Public and attested to by the Royal Thai Embassy in the country of company registration. The original documents with their certified true copies must be submitted when opening an account.





Foreign Currency Deposit Account for Non-Residents

Foreign customers with regular income and expenditure obligations in foreign currencies have the perfect solution at Bangkok Bank. By opening a Foreign Currency Deposit Account in any of the nine major foreign currencies, you can increase your flexibility and take advantage of foreign exchange rate fluctuations.

You can withdraw, deposit or transfer the funds without converting the funds into Thai Baht and make savings with every transaction.

Choice of Nine Currencies
Open your foreign currency account in any one of these nine foreign currencies.

U.S. Dollar (USD)
Euro (EUR)
Pounds (GBP)
Japanese Yen (JPY)
Hong Kong Dollar (HKD)
Singapore Dollar (SGD)
Australian Dollar (AUD)
Swiss Francs (CHF)
Canadian Dollar (CAD)

Documents Required for Opening Foreign Currency Deposit Account for Non-Residents (Foreign Tourists or Foreigners working in Thailand temporarily)

Passport
Work Permit

If you do not have a work permit, please submit a copy of your passport together with a letter of recommendation as follows:

- A letter of recommendation from a person acceptable to Bangkok Bank such as a Bangkok Bank staff, a respected customer of Bangkok Bank, a respected university teacher, a respected company director or senior executive, prepared as Bangkok Bank's letter of recommendation form (can be requested from Bangkok Bank's branches providing foreign currency deposit account service), as well as the person's a certified true copy of identification document e.g. ID card or government official ID card; or

- A letter of recommendation from a reputable organization located in Thailand such as an embassy or an international organization; or

- A letter of recommendation from your bank abroad, acceptable to Bangkok Bank, sent to Bangkok Bank via SWIFT

Click here to view Terms and Conditions of Foreign Currency Deposit Account for Foreigners (Non-residents)

Documents Required for Opening Foreign Currency Deposit Account for Foreigners with Permanent Residence in Thailand

Alien Certificate
A Copy of House Registration
Click here to view Foreign Currency Deposit Account (Domestic Fund)
Click here to view Foreign Currency Deposit Account (Overseas Fund)
Click here to view Foreign Currency Desposit Account Fees
Click here to view Foreign Currency Deposit Service Branches








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Hi
It seems like a "catch 22" situation, I want to live here in the future on a retirement visa for which I need to transfer 800,00 baht to my bank account here, and have it here for 3 months before I apply for the visa, but it seems I can't open an account until I get the visa.
Can someone give me advice on the best way to do this.
Thanks Barry

Hi Kakariki,

I can see your problem. most peple who wish to settle in LOS, usually come here on a Non Im O Visa first, then open bank account and then apply for retirment visa.

If you wish to do it before you come to Thailand, as you say, the bank account becomes a problem, however, a way around this could be, to open an acount with a Thai bank in London.

I don't know if this would work, but maybe worth a try.

Best of luck

Ralph.

kakariki wrote:Hi
It seems like a "catch 22" situation, I want to live here in the future on a retirement visa for which I need to transfer 800,00 baht to my bank account here, and have it here for 3 months before I apply for the visa, but it seems I can't open an account until I get the visa.
Can someone give me advice on the best way to do this.
Thanks Barry

Take your GF with you and just keep checking different banks until one opens it.Kasikorn is usually not a problem!

Hi
I'm in Australia and there is no Thai bank branches here, and I won't have a girl friend with me, but there must be some way around it.
I hope I've read correctly that I come here on a 3 month visa, and convert it to a multiple entry visa and apply for the retirement visa, but somehow I have to put this money somewhere, and I guess in a bank account in my name to get the visa.
BB

kakariki wrote:Hi - It seems like a "catch 22" situation, I want to live here in the future on a retirement visa for which I need to transfer 800,00 baht to my bank account here, and have it here for 3 months before I apply for the visa, but it seems I can't open an account until I get the visa.
Can someone give me advice on the best way to do this.
Thanks Barry

Barry - This topic was covered recently. I have just opened a bank account with Kasikorn on tourist visa. Can you come here on a tourist visa, lodge the required funds into it enabling you to get your retirement visa in 3 months?

This is the older topic: http://www.udonmap.com/udonthaniforum/viewtopic.php?t=4140