Opening a Bank Account in Thailand

There is much confusion about who can and who cannot open a bank account in Thailand. This is due to many factors, including the banks themselves not fully understanding their own individual policies on the matter. Generally, the full range of banking services, from any Thai bank, are generally only offered to foreigners when they have long term residency documentation, such as Tabien Baan, Work Permit, Pink ID Card etc. If you don't have these, it is still possible to open a basic savings account but it's a bit hit and miss.

Some branches will allow anyone to open an account with just your passport and a local address. Even so, walk into some branches of these more flexible banks and the staff might flatly refuse to entertain your request.

Your only option is trial and error. If one branch won't accept you as a customer, just walk down the road to another branch and try again. The best bet is with downtown Bangkok branches, especially the ones on Sukhumvit.

Of course, if you already have your paperwork in order, you're unlikely to have any difficulties. Note however that in many cases, you will need a work permit to have internet banking set up on your account. Credit cards are also only given to those who have long term residency in Thailand and gainful employment, as are chequing accounts, and the income requirements are strictly enforced. Some banks offer credit cards backed by funds 'locked' on deposit.

You should be aware that there are certain restrictions on the amount of Thai Baht you can take out of Thailand but there are no restrictions on the amount you can bring in. When sending money to your Thai account from overseas, it is usually the case that you'll get a better exchange rate if you insist that the originating bank send the money without performing the currency exchange themselves and leaving it for the Thai receiving bank to do the exchange, as you're likely to get a better rate than the originating bank would give you. Obviously, check first to be sure.

Once your account is opened, a local ATM card will often be issued immediately. It is also usually possible to request an international ATM card for your account.

Thai Bank SWIFT Codes

The following is a list of SWIFT codes, or Routing numbers for Thai banks. They are required when sending money to a Thai account in order to streamline the transfer process...

The information on this page is correct as far as we know, but you should make your own verifications and we accept no responsibility for any errors. If you spot a mistake, please email us.