Bangkok Bank will not handle Visas

[kingofsurf]

1 hour ago, tomx2 said:

Hey everybody. This is the OP.

I just want to give you some Feedback of what I did to get my 1 year extension.

Clearly, the Visa Agent on soi 131/2 did not want to transfer 800,000 baht into Bangkok Bank.

So The Visa Agent suggested I open a new Bank account at a Bank on Central Pattaya Rd not far from the Queen hotel.

Maneerat Visa had no problem with me transferring 800,000 of my money to my BKK bank account quickly.

They just said not to deal with the BKK branch on Beach Road.

So after transferring the money (only two weeks before my Visa expired), I went to Bankgok bank branch on Second road near Soi 6.

I was lucky and got a teller quickly. She did all the paperwork in about 10-15 mintues.

The only catch is the 800,000 is frozen in my account for 4 months. I can live with that, as long as I don't have dire medical emergency. 

Afterwards, I returned to Maneerat, gave her the documents, and then went to Jomtien immigartion to take a quick photo.

My passport with new visa extension was ready for pickup three days later. 

*** Wait, I may have misinterpreted.

If you are talking about the "dodge" practice where the 800,000 in your account is not your money, then yes, Maneerat won't do that any more at Bangkok Bank.

Edited September 8, 2025 by kingofsurf

[SlowlyMan]

49 minutes ago, socrates said:

I would imagine interested parties would want to know the name of the Bank (I am guessing KrungThai) and what identification you needed 

Krungthai needs a passport. Retirement visa, driver's license. The guy ahead of me was turned away because he didn't have a driver license.

[SlowlyMan]

6 minutes ago, kingofsurf said:

So your Visa agent was not Maneerat.

Maneerat had no problem with me transferring the 800,000 to my BKK bank account quickly.

She just said not to deal with the BKK branch on Beach Road.

So after transferring the money (only two weeks before my Visa expired), I went to Bankgok bank branch on Second road near Soi 6.

I was lucky and got a teller quickly. She did all the paperwork in about 10-15 mintues.

The only catch is the 800,000 is frozen in my account for 4 months. I can live with that, as long as I don't have dire medical emergency. 

Afterwards, I returned to Maneerat, gave her the documents, and then went to Jomtien immigartion to take a quick photo.

My passport with new visa extension was ready for pickup three days later. 

If it's your own money. You can put it in any Thai bank. If you have Manareet help you, they won't use Bangkok.

Edited September 8, 2025 by SlowlyMan

[Ziplee]

I can't recommend Bangkok Bank for anything. You can google the story of what they did, but it looks like the government is making them jump thru 50 hoops to stay open. Which means we are jumping thru 100 hoops to get our accounts working.

My account has been frozen for a month. 21k baht, I sure can use right now. Today, I went, before the branch open, waited a hour and saw the teller. She said I need more documents and I said close the account. About 20 mins later I had my money and was out of their for the last time.

Krung Thai works great for me, But I still want another bank for backup.

Edited September 8, 2025 by Ziplee

[SlowlyMan]

13 minutes ago, Ziplee said:

I can't recommend Bangkok Bank for anything. You can google the story of what they did, but it looks like the government is making them jump thru 50 hoops to stay open. Which means we are jumping thru 100 hoops to get our accounts working.

My account has been frozen for a month. 21k baht, I sure can use right now. Today, I went, before the branch open, waited a hour and saw the teller. She said I need more documents and I said close the account. About 20 mins later I had my money and was out of their for the last time.

Krung Thai works great for me, But I still want another bank for backup.

I'm right there with you. My 200,000 was locked for 4 weeks. Unfortunately I found out today new accounts at Krungthai owned by Americans are limited to 5,000 transfer daily. That's not enough to do much more then pay a bar bin. 

The banker said it's a new policy started last week, and it only effects Americans.  He said after I've had the account for awhile the main office may increase my transfer limit, but they can't do it at the branch.

[alexlad]

44 minutes ago, SlowlyMan said:

I'm right there with you. My 200,000 was locked for 4 weeks. Unfortunately I found out today new accounts at Krungthai owned by Americans are limited to 5,000 transfer daily. That's not enough to do much more then pay a bar bin. 

The banker said it's a new policy started last week, and it only effects Americans.  He said after I've had the account for awhile the main office may increase my transfer limit, but they can't do it at the branch.

Wow, that's a new one. Thai banking gets sillier by the day.

[Ziplee]

1 hour ago, SlowlyMan said:

new accounts at Krungthai owned by Americans are limited to 5,000 transfer daily.

Wow that kinda sucks. I've been doing 10k transfers from Wise to Krungthai since I opened the account. 

Right now I'm trying to do some major exchanges before the us dollar tanks.

I am going to open a K Bank account for a emergency or primary account.

You know I should have ask this first... Are you talking about 5000 baht or 5000 dollars?

 

Edited September 8, 2025 by Ziplee

[tomx2]

5 hours ago, socrates said:

I would imagine interested parties would want to know the name of the Bank (I am guessing KrungThai) and what identification you needed 

Krungthai needs a passport. Retirement visa, driver's license. 

[SlowlyMan]

5 hours ago, Ziplee said:

Wow that kinda sucks. I've been doing 10k transfers from Wise to Krungthai since I opened the account. 

Right now I'm trying to do some major exchanges before the us dollar tanks.

I am going to open a K Bank account for a emergency or primary account.

You know I should have ask this first... Are you talking about 5000 baht or 5000 dollars?

 

THB. Sorry. I should have made that more clear. I'm limited to 5000thb transfers out of the krungthai account. Like I said, that's enough to pay a bar bin and not much else. I tried to pay my rent, the app locked. That's why I ended up back at the branch.

[Ziplee]

4 hours ago, SlowlyMan said:

limited to 5000thb transfers out of the krungthai account.

That's gonna suck, come rent time. Another reason to get a backup bank account.

Learning something new, every day, here in Thailand.

 

 

[discrete]

13 hours ago, SlowlyMan said:

Krungthai needs a passport. Retirement visa, driver's license. The guy ahead of me was turned away because he didn't have a driver license.

You can use a Certificate of Residence instead of a drivers license. You also need a phone number with proof that the phone is registered in your name.

[discrete]

5 hours ago, SlowlyMan said:

THB. Sorry. I should have made that more clear. I'm limited to 5000thb transfers out of the krungthai account. Like I said, that's enough to pay a bar bin and not much else. I tried to pay my rent, the app locked. That's why I ended up back at the branch.

What is the ATM limit ?    And can you just do multiple transfers or ATM withdrawals?     Cash is King

Edited September 9, 2025 by discrete

[Rocketboy]

2 hours ago, discrete said:

You can use a Certificate of Residence instead of a drivers license. You also need a phone number with proof that the phone is registered in your name.

I just opened an account at Krungthai yesterday. I somehow lost both of my Thai DL car & motorbike but have the DLT QR License app on my phone and it shows my DL. Twice when stopped by police I showed them my DL on the app and no problem.

 

I first went to Krungthai last Friday. When the lady who was assisting me asked for my DL I told her I lost it and showed her my DL on the DLT app on my phone. No can't use she said. They need the actual DL. She said you have to get a  Certificate of Residence from Immigration.

 

I wasn't asked for proof that my phone number was registered in my name, she just asked for my phone number. 

 

 I had already downloaded the Krungthai Bank App, she asked if I wanted an ATM card I declined. I opened the account with 500฿. Very professional and patient staff at the Krungthai Bank on Threppasit Rd. All in it took 1 hour and 15 minutes to open my account. 

 

I just opened this account because Maneerat said they no longer work with Bangkok Bank. They asked that I do so because my extension of stay for my Retirement Visa ends 12 October and they will be handling everything with the "renewal" as before.

 

Bangkok Bank has been my bank for the past 7 years, I've had no issues with them.

 

Though I did have a scare few days ago. I went to use an ATM at a different bank. Put my card in and pin number, it spat my card back and said "transaction canceled"! I tried it again same thing. I then went to my Bangkok Bank on Jomtien 2nd Rd. Put my card in same thing!! I'm thinking they closed my account! WTF 

 

I went into the bank fortunately the wait was only like 15 minutes. I told the staff lady what was happening, she said give me your card. I did she went in the back office, returned and said your card works just fine. She said go out to the ATM and try.

 

I did and it worked..... and that's when my dumb ass realized what I was doing. I had been using the pin number for my US Credit Union ATM card! 555

Edited September 9, 2025 by Rocketboy

[SlowlyMan]

6 hours ago, discrete said:

You can use a Certificate of Residence instead of a drivers license. You also need a phone number with proof that the phone is registered in your name.

All I can tell you is the guy ahead of me was turned back because he didn't have a driver license. I know this because he was loudly explain what he did have. The items you suggest. But he was told without a driver license it was a no go. He said some people don't drive. The answer was, then you can't open an account here. Now, he was pretty abrasive, so, they may have just wanted him to leave.

[SlowlyMan]

6 hours ago, discrete said:

What is the ATM limit ?    And can you just do multiple transfers or ATM withdrawals?     Cash is King

That's a good question. I haven't explored it. I need this account to pay rent and utilities, so I'm not really interested in withdrawing cash. When I go back to get the extra care card Manareet wants me to get, I'll explore it further.

[Leo_Bia]

7 hours ago, discrete said:

What is the ATM limit ?    And can you just do multiple transfers or ATM withdrawals?     Cash is King

20,000 baht per withdrawal.

Well, it was earlier in the year.

[Rocketboy]

1 hour ago, SlowlyMan said:

All I can tell you is the guy ahead of me was turned back because he didn't have a driver license. I know this because he was loudly explain what he did have. The items you suggest. But he was told without a driver license it was a no go. He said some people don't drive. The answer was, then you can't open an account here. Now, he was pretty abrasive, so, they may have just wanted him to leave.

As @discrete said and as I just explained my experience if you don’t have a Thai DL the bank employee said you can use/ need the Certificate of Residence! Which is what I used.

 

Maybe they did just want him out of the bank!