# Good bank for an expat



## nerd_deluxe (Nov 19, 2013)

Any recommendations here. I'm American, so we have those stupid-a$$ tax laws, but all I need is a good bank.

Something with reasonably good service and fees. I will have my paycheck going in there, will need an ATM card and would like reasonable fees for wires (mostly back to the US). Very basic and simple, no credit cards or investment stuff.

Any thoughts and / or recommendations would be much appreciated


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## Wayward Wind (Aug 28, 2011)

I am from the US as well. My wife and I opened savings accounts at Bangkok Bank when we came here 3 years ago (Pattaya area), and have been happy with them. ATM card functional here and abroad (200 baht fee annually), online banking accessible from anywhere, and a bonus: they have a service branch in NYC so I can transfer funds from my US bank to that BB branch and a couple of days later the deposit shows up in my Thailand account.


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## rubberfarmer (Jul 26, 2014)

Banks here, like everywhere are very similar, some western backs are affiliated to a Thai banks.
Ask your US bank if they have a preferred Thai bank.
Otherwise pick a color. Jim


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## Mweiga (Sep 24, 2010)

Siam Commercial have always served me well. Took 10 minutes to open an account with them including issue of ATM card whilst on a 30 day tourist stamp (9 years ago). Foreign transfers to my account take 3 days max.


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## gnazi71 (Jun 17, 2012)

I have good experience with Siam Commercial Bank


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## Getmans (Jun 19, 2014)

Hi, 

My husband and I are both from the states as well.. We have Charles Schwab bank and we love them! We set it up before leaving the US but they are online and they pay all of our ATM fees. We use them strictly as a savings/debit account and use a credit card or cash to pay for everything else. We still have our local bank account in our hometown state open and transfer a few thousand at a time into our charles schwab account(just in case it gets hacked into). So far it's worked out great and it has saved us a ton of money in fees

Good luck!


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## Oneman (Aug 23, 2009)

In the past, we might have posted helpful information about this bank or that bank, and had a friendly discussion on this forum about various service fees, interest rates, and how pretty are the tellers.

*Now-a-days, the only qualification of a "good" bank, is the bank that will actually open a new account for you.*
That may not be easy.

Recently I moved from one city in Thailand to another.
Of course, I wanted to transfer my bank account from the former city to a branch near my new location.
In Thailand there is no such thing as transferring an account.
They actually *close* one account and open another, filling in all the forms from the very beginning.
However, my bank refused to open a new account: "USA passport, can not do. Sorry, sir."

I have another bank account here -- largely inactive, but with a small amount of money.
When I tried there, same answer.

One day, in the mall near here, I noticed a little branch of one of the smallest banks in Thailand.
Decided to go an and ask about opening an account.
Got a long interrogation of questions -- but that was better than the other two banks where I was already a customer, but that had simply refused.
At this little bank, the final question was where do I live now.
I answered, "I live across the street. If this office had a window in the back wall, you could see my balcony."
Thai logic, I can't explain, but that satisfied them and I got my new account.

I hope you can find better service than I've had, but perhaps my experience will prepare you to endure some frustration along the way.

-- Oneman
Bangkok
.


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## dhream (Jan 30, 2012)

Bangkok Bank gave me what I needed, even as the Siam Commercial Bank (in Chiang Mai) turned me down.

I've had money go in and come out internationally with no dramas,

I lost a card (left it in an ATM ...D'Oh! and didn't even know it for ten days!) No dramas, No harm.

YMMV of course...

@Oneman, you can thank Uncle Sam for that runaround, the exhaustive and never-ending attempts to breach and encroach on every citizens right to privacy across the globe in the name of our own 'protection' is insidious.

The IRS impose such onerous legislation on foreign banks dealing with US customers now (guilty until proven innocent) that for many banks, it's not worth their while... Singapore, a great former banking haven has withdrawn the welcome mat for American money as well. 
It's only a matter of time before the Australians (deputy dawgs that we are) follow faithfully in 'Loong' Sam's leaden footsteps.


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