Does anyone have experience of opening an account with Siam Commercial Bank? Do I need a work visa or will the usual 30-day visa stamp in my passport be enough? I checked their Web site and all you need to register for Internet banking is an ATM card, so I guess if I can open an account and get an ATM card I can use their Internet banking?
I did not have any problems opening an account at either Kasikorn, SCB or Bangkok Bank in Pattaya. I think it depends on your immigration status - e.g. work permit, retirement, resident. Check with the bank.
Bankok Bank has a branch in New York City. That may be helpful for some.
i opened an account with scb in pattaya a couple of years ago using just a 30 day stamp in the passport and a short term rental contract on a house for address purposes.
Several years ago, I opened an SCB savings account in Bangkok without a visa (just the 30-day visa exempt stamp.) However, I was directed to their main office near Chatuchak to apply. Other than the ride to that side of town, the process was quite easy.
Later I opened an SCB savings account in Jomtien, again without a visa. I did get an ATM card with this account, and have free internet banking, though the services offered are quite limited.
If I had to do it over again, I might choose Bangkok Bank for the reason that dorayme mentioned. They have a NYC office, and bank transfers from any USA bank/credit union can be done electronically very inexpensively to a Bangkok Bank account in Thailand via their NYC branch: for the bank routing information simply use the NYC BBL's bank number, but insert the account number for your Thailand account, and the money is transferred directly to your BBL bank account in Thailand. Usually, bank-to-bank transfers in the USA are less than US$5, whereas SWIFT transfers to an overseas bank are between $25 and $50. Also, Social Security and other government entities can direct deposit funds directly to your Bangkok Bank Thailand account using a similar method.
(The above paragraph is third-hand information, but I've read it enough times in enough places to suspect it's true. I think a search of SGT, or maybe the old original Sawatdee forum, contains the information as well.)
[size=7][color=#0000FF][i]"quiet1":[/i] the poster previously known as [i]"bkk gwm"[/i][/color][/size]
I too opened an SCB account in Chiangmai about 3 years back with only the 30-day stamp. I didn't have to provide anything else. You can use the ATM card without charge in the same province where you opened the account (there's a charge for using it elsewhere in Thailand). And, if you have the need, you can link your account with another SCB account so you can use the internet to transfer funds to the linked account (and there's no charge for doing that).
i opened one in Hua hin with SCB ,no problem and opened one in BKk with no problem , on a 30 day Visa.
I think it is clear you can open an account at many banks in Thailand on a 30 day Visa. But can you also have internet access? I think that was the original question.
It was a two-part question, each part of equal value. Thanks for all the responses, even the ones who told me they preferred a different bank, which didn't answer my question at all. I know I can't get Internet banking access with Bangkok Bank on a 30-day visa, and I'm now setting up an apartment and want to pay several things by direct debit - SCB seems the best for both those things. Since it is 25% owned by the royal family that's probably better than any government guarantee anyway.Originally Posted by francois
I guess it didn't occur to you to go to the bank and ask them those questions. I'm tempted to say duhhhhhh
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote