Opening a Thai bank account as a foreigner
We read the banks' own websites. One publishes everything, one publishes nothing, and that gap is the whole problem.
We read the banks’ own websites so you do not have to, and found the reason nobody can give you a straight answer: Bangkok Bank publishes no foreigner requirements at all, telling you to ask a branch, while Kasikorn publishes everything, including the fact that accounts are not to be opened on a tourist visa or a DTV. Non-immigrant visas are the reliable route, and the paperwork runs through a chain most people meet in the wrong order: TM30, then certificate of residence, then the branch.
- 0 THB KBank minimum; Bangkok Bank wants 500
- Non-immigrant visa KBank states it in writing
- DTV excluded named in KBank's published policy
- TM30 → certificate → bank the dependency chain
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What the banks actually publish
Before any advice, here is why you have had trouble finding a straight answer. We read the two largest banks’ own English websites. Asked the same question, they behave completely differently.
| Bank | Minimum to open | Foreigner requirements published? |
|---|---|---|
| Bangkok Bank | 500 THB | No. Lists documents for Thai nationals, then tells foreigners to contact a branch |
| Kasikorn (KBank) | None stated | Yes, in full, including which visas are excluded |
| SCB | Not stated on the listing page | Not at listing level |
Bangkok Bank’s savings page carries a documents section that reads, in full, that Thai nationals need a citizen ID card, and that foreigners should contact any branch for more information. That is the entire published guidance. It is honest about how the process really works, and it is exactly why the internet is full of contradictory accounts.
The one bank that spells it out
Kasikorn publishes what everyone else leaves to the branch. Its stated requirements for foreign applicants:
- Passport
- A Non-Immigrant Visa, any type
- Government-issued ID from your country of nationality (national ID, driving licence or household registration)
- Documents matching your purpose of entry, such as a work permit, or a university or school certificate
The DTV question, settled
You will read everywhere that opening an account on a DTV is a grey area that varies by branch. One bank has put its position in writing. Kasikorn states that accounts are not to be opened for holders of a tourist visa, or other visa types intended for travel, giving visa on arrival, visa exemption and the Destination Thailand Visa as examples.
So the honest position is not “it varies”. It is that at least one major bank excludes the DTV as published policy, and any DTV holder who does open an account has been given branch discretion against that policy rather than found a loophole. Plan on needing a non-immigrant visa.
What works, by visa
Non-immigrant visas (B, O, ED and the LTR) are the reliable route, and Kasikorn’s published list confirms in writing what everyone else leaves implicit. Tourist entries, visa exemption and visa on arrival do not work at the major banks. The DTV sits with them in at least one bank’s stated policy, whatever individual experiences you may read.
The file to bring
Original passport with your long-stay visa and entry stamp; a certificate of residence from immigration, which requires your TM30 to have been filed by your landlord or hotel first; your work permit or study enrolment if that is your basis for being here; ID from your home country; and an active Thai SIM, because the account and its app bind to it.
The dependency chain catches people in the wrong order: TM30 before certificate, certificate before branch visit. Our relocation banking guide places this inside the wider moving sequence. Note that the residence certificate is the same document the Department of Land Transport wants, so if you are also converting a driving licence, obtain it once and use it for both within its 30-day life.
Why the branch matters as much as the bank
Bangkok Bank is most often cited as the most workable for foreigners, with Kasikorn close behind. But branch discretion is real, and Bangkok Bank’s own website effectively admits it by sending foreigners to a branch rather than publishing a list. A refusal at one branch is not a refusal by the bank. Try another, ideally in an expat-heavy area where staff process foreign files weekly rather than yearly, and take more documents than you think you need.
If you cannot open one yet
Plenty of people manage without a Thai account for a while. A prepaid QR product such as PAY&TOUR covers daily spending (see QR payments), a multi-currency card from home covers larger purchases, and cash withdrawal is the expensive fallback: our ATM guide shows a real withdrawal costing 5.26%.
Once you have one
A Thai account unlocks PromptPay properly, direct debits for rent and utilities, salary payment, and cheap inbound transfers through the routes in our transfers guide. It is also the foundation for a Thai debit card or a secured credit card, covered in cards. Keep the passbook safe and expect to show your passport for anything non-routine.
Thai bank accounts FAQ
Can I open a Thai bank account on a tourist visa?
No. Kasikorn states this in writing, listing tourist visas, visa on arrival and visa exemption as ineligible. Long-stay non-immigrant visas are the reliable route.
Can I open a Thai bank account on a DTV?
Kasikorn’s published policy names the Destination Thailand Visa alongside tourist visas and visa exemption as types for which accounts are not to be opened. Treat it as excluded rather than as a grey area, and plan on a non-immigrant visa.
Why do I need a TM30 for a bank account?
The bank wants a certificate of residence, and immigration issues that against your TM30 registration. The order matters more than any single document.
Which bank is best for foreigners?
Bangkok Bank is most often cited and Kasikorn is close behind, but they differ in transparency: Kasikorn publishes its foreigner requirements in full while Bangkok Bank tells foreign applicants to contact a branch. Whichever you choose, the branch matters as much as the bank.
More money guides
Thai bank accounts FAQ
Can I open a Thai bank account on a tourist visa?
No. Kasikorn states this in writing, listing tourist visas, visa on arrival and visa exemption as ineligible. Long-stay non-immigrant visas are the reliable route.
Can I open a Thai bank account on a DTV?
Kasikorn's published policy names the Destination Thailand Visa alongside tourist visas and visa exemption as types for which accounts are not to be opened. Treat it as excluded rather than as a grey area, and plan on a non-immigrant visa.
Why do I need a TM30 for a bank account?
The bank wants a certificate of residence, and immigration issues that against your TM30 registration. The order matters more than any single document.
Which bank is best for foreigners?
Bangkok Bank is most often cited and Kasikorn is close behind, but they differ in transparency: Kasikorn publishes its foreigner requirements in full while Bangkok Bank tells foreign applicants to contact a branch. Whichever you choose, the branch matters as much as the bank.