Money & taxes
A bank account in Thailand for foreigners: how to open one and why accounts get closed
A Thai bank account is handy: QR payments via PromptPay, salary, utilities, and for a retirement visa you simply cannot do without one. Since 2025, though, banks have become much stricter with foreigners and many newcomers are surprised by a refusal. Here is the honest picture: who gets an account now, which documents banks ask for, why accounts get frozen and how to keep yours in good standing.
In short
- Since 2025 accounts are rarely opened on a tourist visa or visa exemption: you need a long-term visa (retirement, work, Non-Immigrant) or a work permit.
- Besides your passport and visa you need proof of address (a lease or TM.30) and a Thai phone number in your name. Accounts are opened in person only.
- Banks freeze accounts under Bank of Thailand anti-fraud rules: because of tourist status, a phone number in someone else's name or unexplained transfers.
Who can open an account now
No law obliges a bank to open an account for a foreigner: the bank decides, often the individual branch. Based on experience in 2025–2026:
- A retirement, work or other Non-Immigrant visa almost always qualifies.
- The DTV and education visas depend on the bank and branch: some open accounts, others do not.
- Tourist visa, visa exemption and visa on arrival: accounts are rarely opened. Krungsri states on its website that a tourist visa is not enough, and since January 2025 Bangkok Bank does not open accounts for tourists of any nationality.
Documents you need
The standard set:
- passport with a valid visa and entry stamp;
- grounds for a long stay: a long-term visa, a work permit, marriage to a Thai national or property ownership;
- proof of address: a lease, a TM.30 notification from the landlord or a residence certificate from immigration;
- a Thai phone number registered in your name: without it you cannot link mobile banking;
- sometimes: a second photo ID (for example a Thai driving licence) and a letter from your employer.
Accounts are opened in person at a branch, with a face match against the passport chip. The minimum deposit for a savings account is usually about 500 ฿.
Bank requirements
| Bank | What the bank says for foreigners |
|---|---|
| Kasikornbank (KBank) | passport, a document from your home country, a document on the purpose of stay; according to Thaiger (09.2026), a Non-Immigrant visa is required and the DTV is not accepted |
| Bangkok Bank | no list on the website, "contact a branch"; since May 2025 accounts are kept for a long-term visa, marriage to a Thai or property ownership |
| SCB | passport and work permit listed for deposits |
| Krungsri | passport and work permit or Non-Immigrant visa, no accounts on a tourist visa |
| Krungthai | passport as an alternative to a Thai ID card, work permit and proof of income for a foreign currency deposit |
| ttb | accounts for foreigners with residence or a work permit, some products opened with a passport number |
Requirements change, so check with your chosen branch before you go.
Why banks freeze accounts
Since 2024–2025 the Bank of Thailand has been fighting fraud and "mule accounts" used to move other people's money. From 31 January 2025 banks must suspend suspicious accounts even without a victim's complaint and refuse accounts to high-risk applicants. In 2024 alone banks suspended up to 1.75 million such accounts.
Common reasons ordinary customers get frozen:
- the account was opened on tourist status with no long-term grounds;
- the phone number linked to the bank is registered to someone else;
- many transfers from different people, or money moved on quickly with no clear explanation;
- the purpose stated when opening was not confirmed.
In May 2025 Bangkok Bank asked foreigners on tourist status en masse to confirm their grounds for holding an account. This applied to all foreigners, not one nationality: accounts without a long-term visa, marriage to a Thai or property were closed and the money returned in full.
If your account is frozen
- Find out why
Call or visit the branch where you opened it and ask what the bank needs.
- Bring documents
Passport, valid visa, grounds for your stay (visa, work permit, property documents) and proof of address.
- Show where the money came from
Contracts, statements, transfer documents.
- Update your number
If the phone number is not in your name, re-register it to yourself.
If there are no grounds for the account, the bank usually closes it and returns the money. This can only be resolved in person at a branch.
Limits and apps
- Transfer limits in mobile banking have three tiers since 2025: up to 50,000 ฿, up to 200,000 ฿ and above 200,000 ฿ a day. New customers often start on the lowest tier.
- A face scan may be requested for transfers from 50,000 ฿.
- PromptPay is available to a foreigner with a Thai account and Thai phone number.
- A debit card usually costs a few hundred baht a year.
Bank accounts and buying a condo
A buyer does not need a Thai account to buy a condo: money can be sent from abroad directly to the developer or seller, and the receiving bank issues a document (FET or credit advice) in your name. How it works is explained in How to transfer money to buy a condo. And owning property in Thailand, judging by Bangkok Bank customers' experience, can be grounds for keeping an account.
How to keep your account in good standing
- Open an account once you have long-term grounds: a visa, work permit or property.
- Get a Thai SIM in your name and link it to the bank.
- Keep documents on the source of funds and your address to hand.
- Use the account for your own needs, not for transfers on behalf of others.
For a retirement visa the money must sit in a Thai account, see Retiring in Thailand.
If you are looking for a home in Pattaya, we will help you choose the area and the condo.
FAQ
Can I open a Thai bank account on a tourist visa?
Since 2025, hardly ever. Krungsri does not open accounts on a tourist visa, and since January 2025 Bangkok Bank does not open them for tourists. You need a long-term visa or a work permit.
What documents do I need for a bank account in Thailand?
Passport with visa, grounds for a long-term stay, proof of address (a lease or TM.30) and a Thai phone number in your name. Accounts are opened in person.
Can I open an account with a DTV?
It depends on the bank and branch. According to Thaiger in September 2026 KBank does not accept the DTV, while some branches of other banks have opened accounts.
Why did a Thai bank freeze my account?
Usually because of tourist status without long-term grounds, a phone number not in your name or suspicious transfers. It is resolved in person at a branch with documents.
Do I need a Thai account to buy a condo?
No. Money can be sent from abroad directly to the developer, and the receiving bank will issue a document on the transfer in your name.
Sources
- Bank of Thailand: measures against mule accounts, 30.01.2025
- Kasikornbank: opening an account for foreigners
- Bangkok Bank: savings accounts
- Krungsri: foreign currency deposits for foreigners
- Thaiger: bank accounts in Thailand for foreigners, 2026
This article is for general information and is not legal or tax advice. Laws, fees and project terms change: before a deal we check the current conditions for the specific property.
