🇹🇭 Thailand · Business Banking
Opening business and personal bank accounts, remote options, required documents, and fees.
Quick answer
Thai banks are supervised by the Bank of Thailand. Foreigners can open accounts, but requirements vary widely by bank and visa type; a work permit or long-stay visa makes it much easier. PromptPay powers local instant payments.
Thai banks are supervised by the Bank of Thailand. Foreigners can open accounts, though requirements vary by bank and visa type.
- The Bank of Thailand is the central bank and supervisor.
- Account requirements differ by bank and depend on visa/work status.
- A work permit or long-stay visa eases access to full banking.
Step-by-step
- 1
Get a qualifying visa
A long-term non-immigrant visa (Non-B, Non-O, ED, LTR) or a work permit is generally needed; opening on a tourist visa is challenging and often refused (2026).
- 2
Choose a bank and branch
Requirements vary by bank and branch — some are more flexible than others. PromptPay links your account to a phone number for instant transfers.
- 3
Gather your documents
Bring your original passport, your long-stay visa (and work permit if working) and proof of a Thai address such as a Certificate of Residence from Immigration — now standard at most branches.
- 4
Prepare business documents (business accounts)
For a business account, prepare the company registration documents and director ID.
- 5
Apply in-branch and complete verification
Most accounts are opened in person; banks run identity and anti-money-laundering checks at the branch.
- 6
Activate the account and set up payments
Receive your passbook and card, register PromptPay, and set up transfers and QR payments.
Checklist
- Original passport
- Long-term non-immigrant visa or work permit
- Certificate of Residence from Immigration (proof of Thai address)
- Company registration documents + director ID — business accounts
- Initial deposit (if required by the bank)
Official authorities
- Bank of Thailand
Central bank of Thailand.
Frequently asked questions
Can tourists open a Thai bank account?
It is difficult — most banks want a work permit, long-stay visa or proof of local ties; some branches are more flexible than others.
What is PromptPay?
Thailand's instant-payment system linking accounts to a phone number or ID, widely used for transfers and QR payments.
What documents are needed?
Typically a passport plus a visa or work permit and sometimes proof of address; requirements differ by bank.
Official-information aggregation, not legal advice. Always verify on the authority's own site.
Government portals
- Royal Thai Government — Official portal of the Royal Thai Government
- Thai Immigration Bureau — Visas, 90-day reporting, and re-entry permits
- Revenue Department — Thai personal income tax and VAT
- Board of Investment (BOI) — Foreign-investment incentives and the LTR long-term visa