Thai Bank Account

A complete guide for expats to open a Thai bank account

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4.6/5

Why Choose The Thaiger for Your Thai Bank Account?

Opening a bank account in Thailand offers several benefits. However, foreigners often find themselves having difficulty opening one or unsure of what they need to do to be eligible for an account. The Thaiger will also walk you through the most common banking choices, understanding account types, opening procedures, and other Thai banking system specifics.

Why is it Important for Expats to Have a Thai Bank Account?

As an expat, you spend a lot of time moving around, making it more complicated for you to manage your financials and grow your source of income. One of the easiest ways to handle your finance in Thailand is opening a Thai bank account.

Opening a Thai bank account allows you to send and receive money from abroad. Also, since transferring money is a very common payment option among locals, owning a Thai bank account can make your life in Thailand much easier.

Another reason you should have a Thai bank account is to avoid withdrawal fees for ATMs in Thailand. Therefore, having a Thai bank account allows you to save on currency costs and transaction when you need to withdraw money.

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Benefits of having a Thai Bank Account

Enjoy many financial benefits by opening a Thai bank account, here are the main reason why you will need a Thai bank account.

Convenience

Earn your money in Thai Baht and open a saving or current account.

Day-to-day Purchases

Pay your local merchants without cash through your debit card or credit card.

Online Banking

Enjoy the convenience of online baking and using your mobile for transactions, withdrawals, and transfers.

Aviod Conversion Fees

Get paid with the local currency and avoid any conversion fees in banks.

Lower ATM Withdrawal Fees

Withdraw cash with a cheaper fee compared to using your foreign card.

What are the policies and rules to open an account in Thailand?

Banks in Thailand have different rules and policies when it comes to giving bank accounts to foreigners. Most policies and rules depend on different promotions for different events and branch managers.

Different Procedures and Policies

Banks in Thailand allow you to open your account remotely, though some require you to do it in person. Your details may be verified on the same day, but some banks have waiting periods. When it comes to opening a Thai bank account, you need to remember that many variables and policies are involved. One bank can even have more than one different promotions.

Check your Eligibility

Make sure you have the following documents to be eligible to open a Thai bank account:

– Photo ID or passport.
– A tourist or student visa.
– A reference letter from a Thai university or embassy.
– A Thai house registration or letter from a landlord.
– A reference letter from a “reputable” Thai citizen or a high standing Thai organization.
– Communications or letter from your current bank to the specific Thai bank.
– A Thai driving license.
– A work visa or a letter showing you are qualified to get a work visa.

Guidelines

Although most banks will give you a set of detailed guidelines and the list of documents you should bring to the branch, it is recommended that you bring more than the required documents. For example, you are asked to bring another bank statement or utility bill, make sure to carry different utility bills from different companies and bank statements from more than one bank. Bringing more documents than required will help you avoid problems and get the bank account up and running as soon as possible.

Customer Ratings





4.6/5

48 reviews

Customer Reviews

5/12/2020

A Thai bank account is a necessity if your planning to live in Thailand, read more information at the Thaiger to see if you will be valid to get one

Jerald Mechenzie
22/1/2021

Khun Babbie is the best, she works so hard and she get things done!! We have been loving to work with her. Thank you for all your help and good work.

Bobbie C.



17/12/2020

I trust the process of The Thaiger, great work keep it up.

Anthoney Hatte



3/2/2021

Without a retirement visa, work permit, or marriage-based Non Immigrant O Visa, opening a bank account can be a nightmare. Thank for letting me try anyways.

Mitchelle Gurandang



30/12/2020

Good service with good information, however, i wanted to open an account with KrungThai so your website is missing some information.

Luke Par



19/1/2021

Hello, I am from Vietnam and I have always wanted to open a Thai bank account, I was kinda scared and never knew the requirements of opening a Thai bank account, thank you for explaining the steps and procedure to opening a Thai bank account

Alice Mai



Which Bank Should You Choose?

Not every bank in Thailand is foreigner-friendly. Some banks have an excellent reputation for being more tolerant and welcoming to foreigners than others. Depending on your immigration status and specific needs, you can consider the following banks.

Most foreigners prefer Kasikorn Bank, or K Bank, to open their Thai bank account. They issue cheque books to non-residents. You need a passport and work permit or education-based visa to open your account. The best thing is there is no minimum deposit necessary to open an account in K Bank.

Key Points:

  • Get deposit, withdrawal and Money transfer 24hrs.
  • You can pay off all your bills with your savings account.
  • You can withdraw your money at any branch.

When you want to do cross-border banking frequently, Citi Bank is the right choice. You can get a lot of benefits by opening an account with Citi Bank. If you deposit more than 3 million THB, then your account is automatically upgraded to Gold status, which offers many benefits, and you can earn points to redeem.

Key Points:

  • You get a complimentary debit card.
  • Get assistance through 24hr CitiPhone helpline.
  • Get an Emergency cash advance facility.

CIMB is very popular among foreigners since it allows you to open a bank account using a tourist visa. CIMB is a Malaysian bank group that has a lot of branches all over Thailand. CIMB also offers internet banking services to foreigners.

Key Points:

  • Get savings account with no annual fee.
  • You can open a savings account with CIMB Bank in just 10 minutes with your mobile phone.
  • You can deposit or withdraw money via cheques at any branch.

Get a Thai bank account to make any transactions easier.

Don’t be worried that you would be opening yourself up to endless emails and calls.Thaiger-Quick efficient and friendly and a thoroughly professional service. Great service that connects you to people who can help to cut through complicated issues.

Top tip: Things are a lot easier in Thailand when you have a Thai ATM card and an account wether its transfering money, managing your investment or best protections and guarantees.

How can the Thaiger help you?

We can set up your life in Thailand hassle-free with all the essentials thing expats need living in Thailand. One thing that all expats need to do is handle your finances including sending and receiving money from abroad, investments and many more. Having a Thai bank account is the first step to take, your bank account will also helps to make your life in Thailand much easier and enjoyable.

Join the many satisfied customers who’ve opened their Thai accounts with The Thaiger.

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Account types and benefits

There are many different accounts available to expats with several different benefits which helps them with their regular financial transactions and it helps you to transfer your money worldwide safely and at cost saving rates


Savings account

If you are tourist in Thailand and you want to open an account, the best options are Bangkok Bank or CIMB.One of the simplest way to open account is the Savings account. If you are a foreigner or a tourist then the more months left on your visa the better but there’s no limit. You can use any branch all over Thailand and once you are approved by the bank to open an account you will get a bankbook and the debit card

Current Account

Opening a Current account is only possible if you have a work permit in Thailand as you need to show the work permit to the bank to get accepted.The bank provides a checkbook after you open an account

Fixed Term Account

In Thailand a number of Thai banks have different interest rates for the foreigners and even though the interest rates can be high so it can be hard to secure rate as a foreigner. Foreigners with a work permit use their social security card as ‘ID’ and if you have a residence permit, you should be eligible to receive the ‘local’ rate

Foreign Currency Account

There are number of banks in Thailand that provide foreign currency accounts but the exchange fees charged if you want to deposit or withdraw funds are comparatively high

Personal Loans

Need quick access to cash? Let us help you get personal loans. When you need a fund for large expenses, personal loans may be the best option for you. Interest rates are typically lower than credit cards if you have good credit. Also, a Personal loan is a type of unsecured loan. This means that you don’t have to offer collateral if you don’t repay the loan. If you can use it wisely, a personal loan can fill a void in your budget without risking your assets.

Personal loans are instalment loans, meaning if you are approved, you will receive a lump sum of cash that you repat in fixed amounts.

Whether you need to borrow money for large purchases, moving costs, debt consolidation, emergency expenses, or other things, our Personal Loans service can help you out.

Frequently Asked Questions about Thai Bank Account

A foreigner who has no proof of residence in Thailand can only open a non-resident bank account; however, some Thai-based banks may, depending on their internal policy and discretion, accommodate requests from non-resident customers in opening a resident account with no proof of residence.

Yes they are, they are in generally very sound financial condition. The Thai government offers a conditional guarantee of depositors’ funds, details of which are available here.

Yes, a foreigner, non-resident, expat, or traveler can open a bank account. However, the process is not as easy as it used to be and requires patience and planning.

To open a bank account you will be required to place an initial deposit of 1,000 baht and pay a debit card fee for no more than 500 baht.

Unfortunately, Thai banks will only allow you to open an account if you are living in Thailand.

Local banks will help you do your regular banking practices in baht, without any additional fees.

You have to appoint an approved person to withdraw the money. The person who was appointed must carry all documents which are their identity card, copies of ID card or passport with signature attach your signature and passbook to the branch. Anyway, your signature must be similar to the one in the passbook that you signed. . Only at the branch where you keep your account may transfers be made.

Yes, you can freeze your account and card while you’re aboard or expect to not have banking activities for while. you can contact directly to the banks.

Inquire Now to Receive your Thai Bank Account

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