Thai Bank Account for Foreigners: KBank Refuses DTV

KBank does not open accounts for holders of a tourist visa, Visa on Arrival, Free Visa or the DTV. It asks for a passport and a non-immigrant visa of any type. SCB asks for a passport and work permit. SCB savings and Bangkok Bank savings open with THB 500; KBank sets no minimum.

By Vincent Nguyen and team

Four banks publish what they ask of a foreigner: KBank, Krungsri, SCB and Bangkok Bank. Their rules differ, and the visa in your passport settles the first question.

Which visas the banks refuse

KBank does not open accounts for holders of a tourist visa or other visas intended to travel in Thailand. Its own examples are Visa on Arrival, Free Visa and the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV).

Krungsri’s foreign-currency deposit account cannot be opened by a foreign customer on a tourist visa. That rule belongs to the foreign-currency account, not to every Krungsri account.

If you hold one of these visas, a non-immigrant visa of any type is what KBank asks for. Related visa guides: DTV, long-term resident visa and retirement visa.

Documents each bank asks a foreigner for

SCB asks for a passport and work permit as the ID. KBank asks for more than one document. For foreigners, Bangkok Bank points to its branches for the document list.

KBank may ask for additional documents when you open the account. A student can show a university or school certificate as the document matching the purpose of entry.

Minimum deposit and debit card fees

KBank sets no minimum deposit for a savings account. Bangkok Bank savings and SCB savings each open with THB 500. An SCB current account for an individual needs THB 10,000. A Bangkok Bank foreign-currency account for non-residents opens with USD 1,000 or the equivalent.

Fees change with each schedule, so read the current table at the counter. ATM charges on foreign cards are a separate cost: see the ATM fee guide.

Bangkok Bank: branches, head office and non-resident accounts

You can open an account at any Bangkok Bank branch in Thailand. For a Non-Resident Baht Account, visit the Head Office, 333 Silom Road, Bangkok. You cannot open an account from abroad: you must visit a branch in Thailand in person.

A local bank lets a foreigner living in Thailand do day-to-day banking in baht without the extra charges that may apply when using an overseas account and cards.

Bangkok Bank’s foreign-currency account for non-residents

Bangkok Bank opens an FCD account for non-residents as a savings, fixed deposit or current account, with USD 1,000 or the equivalent as the minimum initial deposit. It takes deposits in 14 major currencies. You open it at any branch that provides FCD services, with the required documents.

PromptPay and money sent from abroad

PromptPay has run since 2016 and lets users transfer money using a citizen ID, a mobile phone number or a bank account number through digital channels with lower fees. To join, link an existing bank account to your citizen ID or phone number through mobile banking, internet banking, an ATM or a branch.

Transfers from abroad meet a Bank of Thailand line at USD 200,000. Below USD 200,000 or the equivalent, a resident customer states the purpose of the foreign-currency transfer and the bank need not ask for documents. At USD 200,000 or more, the bank asks for documents showing the source of the customer’s foreign currency.

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Not confirmed: None of the four banks names a residence certificate or lease letter, so ask the branch before you go. Krungsri's foreigner rules are for its foreign-currency account only. Branch staff decide in practice.

General information checked against the sources listed above, not financial or tax advice for your situation. Rules and fees change; confirm with your bank, the Revenue Department or a licensed adviser before you act. See how guides are checked.

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