kohchaiBKK Posted March 2, 2003 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2003 On the side note, how did the bank personnel react to the open and public criticism/challenge by a third party? If I remember correctly, my exact words to them was "That's bullshit." This was after waiting for for 5 weeks for a $25,000 check I wrote to myself to clear. It was written on my Bank of America checking account, and deposited into my Bank of Asia savings account. When it didn't clear after over a month, a teller told me it was MY responsibility to go to the Bank of America office in Bangkok and deal with them. I got pissed, and got the branch manager involved. It cleared the next day. The comment was also just after being charged 200 Baht for a letter saying I had enough money there for the retirement visa. I didn't really give a fcuk what they thought of the comment. For the record, though, they said that the decision to allow no new accounts without a work visa was very recent. The farang that tried to open the account said he was walking around carrying 500,000 baht, and asked for suggestions as to what he should do. The branch manager shrugged her shoulders, and I said to try another bank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kohchaiBKK Posted March 2, 2003 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2003 That is exactly the problem I faced 2 years ago. I had started the retirement visa process at the Thai Embassy in Washington DC. I was told that all I had left to do was to put the money in a Thai bank once I arrived. I was rejected at 5 or 6 different banks before I was able to open up a savings account at Bank of Asia on Suk soi 25. I even showed them the paperwork, but everybody turned me down until Bank of Asia said yes. About a month or two later, I was introduced to a senior VP from Bank of Ayutthaya at a cocktail party. I related the story to her, and asked her if she could explain the logic to me. She said that every bank in Thailand can open a savings account for a farang without a work permit, but most of the branch managers don't know it, and won't call the main office to check the facts. She said that only the branches in the Farang areas along the Sukhumvit corridor bother to read the memos concerning westerners. That was two years ago, though. It seems the laws change a lot, and nobody really seems to understand them. TIT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kohchaiBKK Posted March 2, 2003 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2003 One last comment on this issue. I had an ulterior motive in asking about bank accounts , as I plan on opening up another account with another bank, maintaining two. This came about after re-upping my retirement visa, and is of concern for anyone planning on doing likewise. When I applied for my retirement visa last year, I brought my bank passbook. They did not even want to see it. All they wanted was a letter from my bank stating that I did have the required amount of money. I was approved in about 3 weeks. About two months ago I was told by immigration that the procedure was the same, and that I should apply no less than 3 weeks before my current one expired, to allow time for approval. They were wrong. When I re-upped a few weeks ago, they still wanted the letter, but they also wanted my bank passport. In fact, I had to photocopy every page for them so they could have a record of my year's bank transactions. Fortunately, everything was in order, and I was approved on the spot for almost 13 months. Nonetheless, I am uncomfortable with that kind of scrutiny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lopburi3 Posted March 3, 2003 Report Share Posted March 3, 2003 Nonetheless, I am uncomfortable with that kind of scrutiny. FYI: this seems to be the normal requirement for a visa of this type. They used to have it on their web site as something like 'regular deposits by wire transfer from a source outside Thailand' and original passbook has to be presented for exam and copies of all pages with your certification (signed) attached to visa extension application. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Petchburi Pete Posted March 7, 2003 Report Share Posted March 7, 2003 No problems at Thai Farmers Bank on Sukhumvit near Londoner/Phrom Pong ... but that was last June. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 12, 2003 Report Share Posted March 12, 2003 last year i open an acount in Pattaya st the DBS Thai Danu Bank.I stated that i wanted to buy a condo and transfer the money to the branch and request a TT3 form which would enable me to get my money back if i sold my condo.I was able to open the account without any problem.I still have not tranferred any large sum of money and at the moment i am using the account for my trips to thailand and i have still not purchased a condo. This year i brought my frind to the branch so that he could open an account.It was not so straight forward ,the manager interviewed the pair of us and checked my account records and the my friend got his account. In other banks i had been to there seemed to be no problem once you has an address in thailand ,even a friends address would do. It is something of a catch 22,to by a condo you must be able to transfer money,to do that you must have a bank account,to have a bank account you must have an address. ooooooh my buddha!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg Posted March 14, 2003 Report Share Posted March 14, 2003 I opened an account on Wednesday 12 March 2003 with Krung Thai Bank without a work permit I got turned down by Attuthaya and Thai Farmers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palatkik Posted March 20, 2003 Report Share Posted March 20, 2003 I opened a TFB savings account in Bangkok and applied for full Internet access to the account (only in Thai language so far) three days ago on a tourist visa. Total cost was 150B for the ATM, all the rest free. Cheers, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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