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Hello everyone, we are moving to Pattaya.
Can anyone recommend a good bank? I heard that it should be a bit tricky to get an account.
An agency told me, that a bank charges 7000bath to open an account.
Is that true?
Another friend told me, that he can’t recommend Bangkok Bank. He opened his account in Phuket (years ago) and has no full access to his account in Pattaya.
Anyway, it would be nice, if you could recommend a bank with good online service and online banking.
ThanksGot an account through my visa agency with Bangkok Bank for 2900 baht (I think that’s a special price for people getting a visa through this agency) and I definitely do NOT recommend them. The cash deposit ATMs are always out of service and the scan to pay feature on the app almost rarely works and never works late at night. 7000 sounds high, but I didn’t do much comparison with other banks.
I opened mine at the same branch. I looked at 4 or 5 visa agencies for retirement visas, they were all the same for the bank account, not sure if they all went through Bangkok Bank, if you didn’t already have one. I guess you’re just that cool. Soi buakhao quoted me 5 or 6k before my visa, Krungsi (or however you spell it) was about 4K if I remember correctly.
I was never able to find a bank other than Bangkok Bank that was willing to open an account if you did not have a long term visa. I just had two friends open accounts. Both spent about 5,900 to get insurance at Bangkok Bank as a condition of the account opening. Agents I have heard get between 3,000 and 5,000 to open an account not 7,000. I switched to Kasikorn because to get your one year bank statement and letter requires at least a week. Kasikorn is same day. So if I had it to do over again, I would pay the agent the 5,000 to get an account at Kasikorn. Yes, all the banks have limitations on what they will do for customers at branches other than the one the account was opened at. Some people have closed their account at one location to open at another because of those restrictions.
I really don’t know one. I have never used an agent. I paid the insurance to open the account at Bangkok Bank some years ago. Another bonus with Kasikorn. My Wise transfers now take about 5 seconds even on weekends. With Bangkok Bank it was the next business day. I would call around to the various agencies and get pricing. If possible pick a branch location convenient to you. Generally you will have to go back to your home branch to get your one year bank statement and letter for immigration.
You need to stop listening to people who really don’t know. Go talk to Mark at One Stop Visa. Mark and his staff are experts. Their services aren’t cheap but the time you save and the peace of mind are priceless. Once you talk to him, this will end the BS and wasted time that you find here on Facebook. If you’re planning on moving here you’ll need a long-term Visa. Currently they’re only allowing two border runs per calendar year. Part of the long term visa requirement is opening a Thai bank account. This is handled by One Stop Visa as a part of the long-term application process Visa process. My experience with a long-term Visa was painless. The application took about 27 days to obtain my long-term Visa. Good Luck! https://maps.app.goo.gl/Y95jpPNgQ9Tvk89MA
I don’t believe. If that was true the immigration law would specifically reference Bangkok Bank. Otherwise you would get hundreds of retirees with bank accounts elsewhere being denied their visas not knowing there was only one authorized bank. I do know immigration shows a sample letter on Bangkok Bank stationery as a requirement of the type of letter they need. But it is just to reference the type of letter not to mandate Bangkok bank.
sorry bud but that was msg I got from immigration that only a Bangkok bank passbook with 800,000bht shown in it would be accepted..maybe why your letter shows a Bangkok bank account..anyway if u don’t need a VISA company to put the 800,000 bht deposit in your bank for u t get an O 1yr visa again then u need not worry.
Myself have been doing it every yr for past 12yrsThis is the list of requirements posted inside the Bangkok Bank at Central Festival Pattaya, as of Sept 2023.
Provide those docs and you’ll have no problem.
No need to pay an agent, or buy extra insurance with the bank.
The resident certificate you get from immigration is specific to the bank, so you must tell them what bank you want to use (eg Bangkok Bank, SCB, Kasikorn etc). They will write the resident certificate specifically to that bank. (I don’t remember them asking for the Drivers License though)If you have a visa, which I presume you have if moving here, just go into Kasikorn bank with passport and they will open. It’s not difficult, I have been with them for 9 years never had a problem and their app is easy to use and pay. Will probably need proof of address rental agreement or ownership docs.
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