So you’re wondering what the best bank in Thailand for foreigners is. Having moved to Thailand, opened a Thai bank account and lived in the Kingdom for over a year, I can provide insights on this topic you won’t find anywhere else. So, in this article, you’ll learn what the best bank is, the easiest bank to open, and where you should store your hard-earned baht!
Important Notes Before Starting (You Cannot Get A Bank Account Without These)
Some very important information before you start:
- Americans can’t open an account at any bank due to America’s FATCA reporting requirements. Bangkok Bank, Krungsri and SCB do.
- Not all banks will accept without a non-immigrant visa such as a retirement, or work permit
- Only some banks allow ED visa, DTV or Elite (Krungthai, Bangkok Bank, Krungsri)
- Most banks do not accept Tourist Visas (some might with a residency certificate)
- You need a residency certificate to open a bank in Thailand.
- Some banks will accept pink work permit over residency certificate
- Not all banks allow ATM withdrawals from one and other
- You may need a minimum deposit to open an account (this varies between branch)
- All banks charge extra for debit cards and charge fees for debit card withdrawals
8 Best Banks in Thailand
We have chosen these 8 banks simply because you can actually open accounts with them as a foreigner. Some are harder than others, and require work permits, retirement visas or another non-immigrant visa option. A few will allow foreginers to open accounts on education, elite and digital nomad visas.
Other articles online just list accounts that foreigners cannot open, we are not going to waste your time with this. All accounts on here can be opened by a foreigner, or have some benefit to foreigners!
Bank | Features & Benefits | Foreigners Account Opening Policy |
---|---|---|
Bangkok Bank | Wide international presence, multi-currency accounts, internet banking available. | Generally foreigner-friendly, may require passport and visa, some branches ask for work permit or proof of residence. |
Kasikornbank (KBank) | Comprehensive online banking, variety of account types, English-speaking staff in main branches. | Policies vary by branch, usually requires passport and visa, some branches ask for work permit or proof of address. |
Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) | User-friendly mobile app, extensive branch network, wide range of financial products. | Requirements differ across branches, generally needs passport and visa, some branches ask for work permit. |
Krungthai Bank | Government-owned, savings and investment products, strong online banking. | Policies vary by branch, usually requires passport and visa, some branches may ask for work permit or proof of address. |
TMBThanachart Bank (ttb) | Competitive interest rates, modern banking solutions, easy online services. | Requirements vary, usually needs passport and visa, some branches may ask for additional documents. |
Bank of Ayudhya (Krungsri) | Part of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, wide range of services, efficient online banking. | Policies differ by branch, requires passport and visa, some branches ask for work permit or proof of residence. |
UOB Thailand | Strong regional presence, personal and business banking, user-friendly digital platforms, allows mortage. | Requirements vary, usually needs passport and visa, some branches require extra documents. |
CIMB Thai Bank | Competitive banking products, access to ASEAN banking network, strong online services, allows mortgage. | Policies vary by branch, usually requires passport and visa, some may ask for work permit or proof of address. |
1. Bangkok Bank (Best Bank)
Bangkok Bank is one of the most well-established banks in the Kingdom. You will find branches all over Thailand, and ATMs are very frequent, meaning you can utilise fee-free withdrawals with the banking app. Using a debit card to withdraw at any other bank ATM that is not a Bangkok Bank one will incur a charge of 20 baht. This is the same for most banks in Thailand, but with Bangkok Bank, you get up to 4 withdrawals free of charge.
Bangkok Bank is one of the most foreigner-friendly banks, allowing customers to open an account with Elite, DTV, ED and other immigrant visas. With other banks, such as Kasikorn, it is less likely to get an account unless you have a work permit, or you are on a retirement visa (a non-immigrant visa).
Bangkok Bank has great customer service in English, but in-branch, expect the English skills to be low. It is always best if you go with a Thai national, or bite the bullet and start learning Thai if you are living there. They provide multi-currency, business, and savings account options. The most popular is the e-Saving account, which will allow you to make payments, withdrawals, and transfers, alongside offering a user-friendly app to manage money.
Upon opening an account you will have to pay for a debit card. Some cards come with insurance and other add-ons, but you do not have to purchase a card if you do not want one. Simply use your banking account to withdraw money from any Bualang ATM (Bangkok Bank ATM).
Bangkok Bank also has many overseas branches. Particularly if you’re an American, this is a great choice as there is a branch in NYC (there is also one in London if you’re from the UK), so you can make domestic transfers, and get US sources to send money to your account rather than pay fees.
Quite a few expats dislike Bangkok Bank’s services – the app isn’t very user-friendly and there is a lot of beauraucracy when depositing money. This would lower the rank of our choice, if the other options weren’t harder to get. KBank is generally the most popular.
2. Krungthai Bank (Easiest To Open)



Krungthai isn’t necessarily the best service bank in Thailand, but it’s easy to open for people who do not have a work permit. For instance, if you have an ED Visa, DTV Visa, or any Visa that is not a non-immigrant you can open a Krungthai bank account. Some people even have success opening one on a Tourist Visa, but this is becoming more and more rare.
To open an account you will need:
- Passport
- Valid visa
- 500 baht cash to deposit
When opening an account, it is recommended that you get a debit card. You can use this to withdraw from other bank ATMs that are not Krungthai, but this will come with a withdrawal fee of 15 baht. Krungthai ATM withdrawals from Krungthai ATMs are completely free, and can use the app if you don’t want to purchase a card too. However, the number of ATMs in Thailand is quite low, when compared with other banks such as SCB, Krungsri, or Kasikorn.
3. Siam Commerical Bank
Siam Commercial Bank comes in close 3rd when referring to online polls.
- Easy-to-Use Mobile Banking
- SCB’s digital banking system is one of the most advanced in Thailand. The SCB EASY app offers an intuitive interface, supporting English, and allowing for smooth online transactions.
- Large Nationwide Network
- With over 1,000 branches and ATMs across Thailand, SCB ensures convenient banking access, even in remote areas.
- Foreigner-Friendly (Varies by Branch)
- Many branches allow foreigners to open accounts with just a passport and visa, though some may request additional documents like a work permit or proof of residence. SCB is known for being more flexible than some competitors.
- Wide Range of Services
- SCB offers various savings and investment options, including multi-currency accounts, international remittances, and financial advisory services.
- Strong Reputation & Trust
- As one of Thailand’s largest banks, SCB is highly reputable and provides excellent customer support, particularly in major cities where staff are more accustomed to dealing with expats.
Note #1 because some branches still have inconsistent policies regarding foreigner account opening. The requirement for work permits or Thai addresses varies, making the process less straightforward than Bangkok Bank.
Again, the same goes for ATM withdrawals. You will pay a 15-20 baht fee to use other ATMs. SCB ATMs are some of the most common ATMs in Thailand, so they’re easier to find, and get the fee-free withdrawal using your banking app, unlike Krungthai or UOB.
4. Kasikorn Bank
Kasikorn Bank was rated the best bank by customer base in 2024. While this makes it the most popular bank in Thailand, it does not necessarily mean it is the best for foreigners. Only 3-4 million foreigners live in Thailand, with the majority of these coming from Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam etc. This means this data is pretty skewed toward Thai nationals.
However, Kasikorn is still a bank that is used and recommended by many expats, due to its foreigner-friendly nature, fantastic app, customer service and perks. It won a poll on the popular expat forum r/Thailand, with Bangkok Bank coming in 2nd.
Opening a bank account with Kasikorn is pretty simple, and many expats have gone through the process. However, you will need a work permit or a non-immigrant visa. Tourist visa, ED visas, Elite or even DTV (Thailand’s Digital Nomad Visa) will not cut it.
Many report the app being the most user-friendly and there are incredible perks such as the KBank OneSiam card which gives you up to 3x points on purchases in IconSiam and other malls. If used smartly, you can rack up some great rewards, alongside different banking products such as UOB’s PRVI Miles card (explained below).
ATMs and branches are very frequent meaning that you’ll also never have to pay fees for withdrawals and, if combined with a Bangkok Bank account, you’ll rarely run into problems.
5. Krungsri
Krungsri is another foreigner-friendly bank. Many expats have accounts with Krungsri, although they are the harder of the banks to obtain an account with, as you will need a work permit, retirement visa or other non-immigrant visa. It’s additionally a very popular bank, so ATMs are very easy to find to use the fee-free withdrawals, and generally customers report that the customer service is good, and the app is user-friendly and easy-to-use.
One bonus of Krungsri Bank is the possibility to get what they call a “boarding card”. This is essentially a travel card which allows you to top up multiple currencies. Usually banks have great exchange rates, so, if you’re going travelling, you can save on hefty fees using this. Most other banks will offer a similar service under a different name, although a few require Thai National ID to be accepted, Krungsri doesn’t.
6. UOB Thailand
UOB is a very popular bank among foreign expats, however, you will need a work permit to be approved for an account here or a Thai National ID. If you do work in the Kingdom, then UOB is a fantastic choice with branches and ATMs located everywhere. Most report the app being very user-friendly, and some great perks such as the UOB PRVI Miles card, which allows you to rack up travel points to pay for flights, hotels etc.
However, UOB has recently been acquired by CitiBank and many have complained about the service getting worse during this period.
A huge benefit of UOB over the other banks in Thailand, is that it is one of the few (if not the only) bank that will allow foreigners to take out a mortgage on property (condo only), provided they have the correct work visas and a history of staying in the Kingdom. Most other bank branches will not give loans, mortgages etc. CIMB allows mortgages under a Thai person’s name, but with foreign income proof, but as you can imagine this would be hard to figure out.
Customer service is pretty limited in English and, in general, there are better banks for foreigners (unless you really need a mortgage).
7. CIMB Bank
While a good bank for Thai nationals, CIMB bank is not great for foreigners. Commonly they do not deal with foreign customers, but there are instances in which you might want to use CIMB. For instance, they are one of the few banks that will offer a mortgage with proof of foreign income, provide the mortgage is taken out in a Thai national’s name. For anything other than this, I would advise against using CIMB. The liklihood of you getting an account as a foreigner is low, and there are not many branches or ATMs throughout Thailand.
Which Banks Accept Foreigners?
Most banks in Thailand do not deal with most foreigners. The banks with the highest approval rate for foreigners in Thailand are:
- Krungthai (most approved)
- Bangkok Bank (2nd easiest)
- Siam Commercial Bank
- Kaiskorn (hardest)
- Krungsri
- UOB Thailand
- TTB
Any other bank service in Thailand is pretty hard for a foreigner to get, unless on the correct visa and work permits. For some banks a work permit is required, or a retirement visa, and you cannot open on an Elite, DTV or other form of immigrant visa. This means that many people who choose to live in Thailand for a while, generally take the first bank that accepts them, as not all do and it can honestly vary from branch to branch.
For instance, some have reported having problems opening a Bangkok Bank account in Bangkok, but after traveling to Pattaya, have had 0 issues opening an account.
Most bank accounts offer very similar services to one and other, but some are better due to their ease of use, ATM frequency and English language speaking skills. Most seem to enjoy Kasikorn’s services the best, with Bangkok Bank and SCB coming in close 2nd, and Krungthai being the worst, but easiest to get approved for.
Do Not Store Large Amounts in Your Thai Bank Account
If you are just living in Thailand, not running a business or investing in anything – it is recommended that you only put in as much money in your bank account as you need. The rest should be stored in a home account, and transferred as needed. It is unlikely that a Thai bank account will fail or something bad will happen, but if, for instance, a military coup was to happen again, you would not have your entire net worth tied up in said country with military coup.
It’s a possibility (last one happened in 2014).
Most people who live in the kingdom will split their funds into three accounts:
- Visa money approval conditions – only store the baht needed for visa approval, do not get debit card or use it for purchases
- Daily spending – keep under 30k baht in here for daily expenses, get a debit card and use for ATM withdrawals
- Utilities – keep under 10k baht in here for direct debits
You can additionally set up SMS alerts for any suspicious activity on your account. This is advisable as many expats have found transactions they did not make on their accounts and have not been reimbursed the money.

I’m Harry – and I was tired of the same old “10 best places I’ve never been but I’m writing about for some reason” blog posts. So… I’m a young traveller on a mission to travel the world and share my true, unfiltered experience, including all the gristly details. From packing my life into one bag for a year, to traveling Vietnam by motorbike, to sorting out Visas for specific countries – I’ve done it all, am doing it all and only give my advice on things I have done – not regurgitated cr*p from another source *cough* most publications *cough*. So bear with us! This project will take some time to grow, and will take a fair bit of money. But I’m determined to make it the single best source of information about traveling on the internet.