If you came to Thailand on holiday, you most likely do not need a Thai account. If you stay for months or years, it helps with rent, QR payments and transfers. Below is what the banks themselves write on their sites as of 19 October 2026, and separately what lawyers report. Each bank has its own document list. A direct ban for tourists is written on the page of Kasikornbank (tourists and DTV holders) and of Krungsri (tourist visa, FCD account).
What the banks say on their sites
We did not find a single «how a foreigner opens an account» page at any bank. This is what the product pages say:
| Bank | What it says | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Kasikornbank | Passport, a non-immigrant visa of any type, an ID from the country of citizenship, a document matching the purpose of entry (for example a work permit). No accounts for holders of a tourist visa or other travel visas: visa on arrival, visa-exempt entry, DTV. No minimum deposit | Savings Account page |
| SCB | A savings account needs an ID card; for a foreigner that is a passport and work permit | Deposit FAQs section |
| Bangkok Bank | Statement Savings Account opens from THB 500 at any branch; Thais need an ID card, foreigners are told to «contact any branch». The foreign customers section says you open an account in person at a branch, not from abroad; a Non-Resident Baht Account only at the head office on Silom Road. No visa requirement | Product page and foreign customers FAQ |
| Krungsri | Krungsri Thai Savings Account is for foreigners residing in Thailand; a non-resident foreigner can open an FCD foreign-currency account: a passport, a document matching the purpose of entry (work permit, non-immigrant visa) and an ID from the country of citizenship. Foreigners on a tourist visa cannot open an account | Deposit pages, FCD section |
| Krungthai | A savings account opens from THB 500; the document list names an ID card or another document with a photo and a national number, with a passport and driving licence among the examples. Nothing about foreigners, visas or work permits on the page | Saving Account page |
| ttb | ttb all free account: a foreigner proves identity with a passport together with a work permit for Thailand, and can open the account only at a branch | ttb all free page (in Thai) |
The main point: KBank and Krungsri write the visa restriction for tourists outright, and SCB and ttb list a work permit for a foreigner, not only a passport. Any bank may ask for other documents as well.
How it works in practice
What follows is a lawyers’ summary. The Anglo Siam Legal piece in The Pattaya News (29.01.2026) is sponsored and does not link to bank documents, so verify everything at the branch. KBank’s page confirms some of the points; we could not confirm the rest:
- holders of long-term visas and programmes such as LTR and Thailand Privilege pass most easily
- Non-Immigrant B (work) and Non-Immigrant O (for example retirement) are named as the standard for residents
- DTV holders and tourists (visa-exempt or on a tourist visa) are, according to this source, excluded at major banks; KBank says so on its page, Krungsri says it about a tourist visa on its FCD account page, and we found no such text at Bangkok Bank, SCB, ttb or Krungthai
- you need an original passport valid for at least six months, a Thai phone number and proof of address
We did not find the other rules from this list on the pages of Bangkok Bank, SCB, Krungsri, Krungthai or ttb. Treat them as practice that depends on the branch and the officer. For the DTV visa see the DTV guide.
Proof of address and TM30
A home owner or hotel manager must report a foreigner’s stay to immigration within 24 hours (section 38 of the Immigration Act 1979). That is the TM30 notification. According to lawyers, banks most often ask for proof of address, which is built on the TM30 receipt. So when you rent, ask the landlord in advance whether they will file TM30 in your name. More in the guide on how to rent a home.
Krungsri’s FCD foreign-currency account
This is the only non-resident account with clear terms on the pages we could open. For a non-resident foreigner Krungsri offers an FCD account in one of 14 currencies (one account per currency), with an FCD-ATM card available. Terms as of October 2026:
| Item | Condition |
|---|---|
| Initial deposit | from USD 100 or equivalent |
| Average monthly balance (foreigners only) | from USD 500 |
| Fee if the balance is lower and there is no activity for 90 days | USD 10 a month |
| Closure | a foreigner’s account with a zero balance for 365 days is closed automatically |
| Maximum balance | unlimited for non-residents |
The documents for FCD are listed on the page itself: a passport, a document matching the purpose of entry (a work permit, a non-immigrant visa and similar) and an ID from the country of citizenship, such as a national ID card or driving licence. In a remark the bank says that foreigners on a tourist visa cannot open an account, and that it may ask for additional documents. We did not find a document list for the Krungsri Thai Savings Account.
How much to deposit and what about deposit protection
The minimum is THB 500 at Bangkok Bank on a Statement Savings Account and at Krungthai on a savings account. Deposits in a Thai bank are protected by the Deposit Protection Agency up to THB 1 million per depositor per institution: if a bank’s licence is revoked, the DPA pays out deposits across all accounts and branches of that bank within the limit.
What to use instead of an account
- A TrueMoney wallet with a passport and the TAGTHAi tourist wallet: limits and terms in the guide on paying by QR
- Baht in cash: where to exchange and which notes to bring in the guide on currency exchange
- Card withdrawals: what the ATM charges in the answer on ATM fees
What we could not find
- Statements by Bangkok Bank, SCB, ttb or Krungthai that tourists and DTV holders are refused accounts (KBank has such a statement, and Krungsri has one about a tourist visa on its FCD account page)
- An official Bank of Thailand statement on visa requirements for foreigners opening an account
- A list of documents for foreigners at Bangkok Bank (the page sends you to a branch), at Krungthai, and at Krungsri for a savings account
FAQ
Can a tourist open a bank account in Thailand?
Not at Kasikornbank: its savings account page says accounts are not opened for holders of a tourist visa or other travel visas, including visa-exempt entry, visa on arrival and the DTV. Not at Krungsri either: its FCD foreign-currency account page says foreigners on a tourist visa cannot open an account. Bangkok Bank, SCB, ttb and Krungthai have no such wording on their pages, but lawyers (Anglo Siam Legal in The Pattaya News, 29 January 2026) report that major banks currently work that way. The branch makes the decision, so call ahead and bring your passport and a document showing the reason for your stay.
Which documents does a foreigner need?
Kasikornbank lists a passport, a non-immigrant visa of any type, an ID from your country of citizenship (national ID card, driving licence or household registration) and a document matching the purpose of entry, such as a work permit or a school or university certificate. For a savings account SCB lists a passport and work permit, ttb also lists a passport and work permit for its ttb all free account and only at a branch, Krungsri lists for an FCD account a passport, a document matching the purpose of entry (for example a work permit or a non-immigrant visa) and an ID from the country of citizenship, and Bangkok Bank gives foreigners the list at the branch. Lawyers also mention an original passport valid for at least six months, a Thai phone number and proof of address. The bank may ask for additional documents.
How much money do I need to open an account?
Kasikornbank says there is no minimum deposit to open a savings account. Bangkok Bank opens a Statement Savings Account from THB 500, and Krungthai a savings account also from THB 500. For Krungsri's FCD foreign-currency account a non-resident foreigner needs an initial deposit from USD 100 and an average monthly balance from USD 500; if the balance is lower and the account is inactive for 90 days, the bank charges USD 10 a month. For other products and banks, check at the branch.
What is TM30 and why does it matter for a bank account?
TM30 is the immigration notification of a foreigner's place of stay: under section 38 of the Immigration Act the owner of the home or hotel manager reports it within 24 hours. Lawyers say proof of address for a bank often relies on the TM30 receipt. We did not find the address requirement on official bank pages; for TM30 in rentals see the guide on [long-term rental](/en/living/rent/long-term-rental/).
Is money in a Thai account insured?
Yes, up to THB 1 million per depositor per institution if a bank's licence is revoked. This is the rule of the Deposit Protection Agency (DPA): deposits across all accounts and branches of one bank are added together. The DPA page was last updated on 28 February 2024.
Sources
- Kasikornbank. Savings Account: documents for foreigners and visa restrictions
- SCB. Deposit FAQs: documents for a savings account
- Bangkok Bank. Statement Savings Account: terms and documents
- Bangkok Bank. Foreign Customers: FAQs (where and how a foreigner opens an account)
- Krungthai Bank. Saving Account: terms and documents
- ttb. ttb all free: terms and documents for foreign customers (page in Thai)
- Krungsri. Savings Deposit (Krungsri Thai Savings Account)
- Krungsri. Foreign Currency Deposit: accounts for foreigners
- Deposit Protection Agency (DPA). Coverage limit (in Thai)
- Immigration Bureau. Notification of residence of foreigners (TM30), section 38 of the Immigration Act 1979 (in Thai)
- The Pattaya News / Anglo Siam Legal. Opening a Bank Account in Thailand as a Foreign National in 2026 (29.01.2026, sponsored law firm content, not a primary source)
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