You can’t just go to any Thai bank with your tourist visa and open an account. Most of the time you’ll be rejected.
Thailand is becoming more strict in preventing short-term visitors from opening accounts here.
But there are certain bank branches that will let you open an account.
Updated: As of May 2026, the tip below no longer works because banks have become much stricter and no longer allow you to open an account with a tourist visa. Even if they do, or if a service provider helps you do it, there is a chance your account might be frozen later once they discover you are in Thailand on a tourist visa. A better option is to use a non-bank financial service that offers some banking features, such as Wise or Revolut.
Banks that let you open an account even with a tourist visa are usually located in tourist areas. Expats find the most success with Bangkok Bank, Kasikorn Bank, SCB, and Krung Sri.
If you’re in Bangkok, you’ll want to look in the Silom, Siam, and Sukhumvit sections. Many people have had success opening an account at Bangkok Bank Head Office.
If you’re in Chiang Mai, check out Central Chiangmai, Nimmanhaemin, and Old Town.
Remember that each bank in Thailand has different regulations.
If you can’t open an account at Bangkok Bank in Siam Paragon, a nearby Kasikorn Bank might let you.
For Bangkok Bank, there are online instructions available on how to open an account as a foreigner. The bank says foreigners without a work permit normally need a passport plus a reference letter from an embassy, an overseas bank, or a person or organization acceptable to Bangkok Bank. U.S. citizens sometimes ask the U.S. Embassy for a notarial affidavit or certified copy of their passport, but the bank branch decides whether to accept it.
Those instructions are a good guideline regardless of which bank you’re applying for.
Basically, here’s what you need:
- copies of your passport
- rental contract
- Certificate of Residence, with your TM30 receipt often requested
- a Thai national who can serve as a reference
A Certificate of Residence can be a key to opening a bank account on a tourist visa. If you have it, there’s a chance that you can open a bank account easily.
Having a Thai person with you is going to make the process much smoother since you will have less language barrier.
If you live in Chiang Mai, you may be able to get a Certificate of Residence from the immigration office by showing them your rental contract and other required documents.
Alternatively, you can ask your hotel or landlord for a copy of the TM30 notification, or ask your embassy whether it can issue a residence certificate. You can tell them that you need it for opening a bank account.
After you have all of the documents, dress nicely and consider bringing a Thai person to help translate when opening an account.
Sometimes if you’re willing to deposit THB30,000 to THB50,000 rather than just the minimum balance banks may help you. For example, we have heard that a lot of people have success opening a bank account on a tourist visa with UOB by putting THB50,000 as an initial deposit.
It’s not required, but it makes life somewhat easier. As mentioned above, it’s a bit of a branch-by-branch thing. If approved, you’ll get a bankbook and debit card.
For some things like updating your passport number on file, you’ll have to contact the branch where you opened the account.
For general banking, you can use whatever branch is convenient.
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