The short answer

Bangkok Bank suits retirees and anyone moving money from the UK, thanks to its London branch and nationwide network — but it's strict on documents. Kasikornbank is the bank most often used by foreign residents, with an excellent app, though it asks B-visa holders for a work permit. SCB has English-speaking staff at big branches and a strong app. Krungsri publishes clear tariffs and offers foreign currency accounts. Krungthai reaches rural areas where others don't. ttb is smaller but low-cost.

Every major bank needs a long-stay visa. Choose the one with a branch near home that accepts your visa, and use a specialist provider such as Wise to get money into it cheaply.

The directory: Thai banks at a glance

The essentials for each bank. Confirm SWIFT codes and helpline numbers on the bank's own website or the back of your card.

SWIFT codes from SWIFT directories; helplines from bank pages (Bangkok Bank Bualuang Phone 1333, KBank K-Contact Center, SCB Call Center, Krungsri Phone 1572); receiving fees from Bangkok Bank, SCB and Krungsri tariffs (2026). At ฿44.38 = £1, ฿200 is £4.51 and ฿500 is £11.27.

Who each bank will accept

Your visa decides almost everything. Branch practice varies, so take every document you have.

Consistent with our guide to opening a Thai bank account (checked 12 October 2026) and ACE Money Transfer's 2026 bank guide (26 August 2026). The branch has the final say.

The six banks in detail

What each bank does well, and what to watch for.

Fees compared

Published charges for the things expats do most. Where a bank doesn't publish a figure in English, check the tariff at the branch.

Bangkok Bank (London branch, mobile international transfer and FCD pages), SCB (SWIFT inward page), Krungsri (individual remittance tariff from 1 July 2026; FCD fact sheet from 24 July 2026). Kasikornbank, Krungthai and ttb publish their own tariffs.

How to choose

1. Start with your visa. If you're on a B visa without a work permit, Kasikornbank is likely to say no. On a retirement or marriage visa, most banks will open an account.
2. Find a branch near home — you'll go back for visa letters, card replacements and updating your passport.
3. Try the app. All the main apps have English versions; ask staff to help you set it up before you leave.
4. Think about money in. For regular UK transfers, a specialist provider pays into any bank cheaply. For bank-to-bank remittances, Bangkok Bank's London route is the shortest.
5. Think about money out. If you'll send money home, compare app fees — ฿300 at Bangkok Bank, ฿350 plus SWIFT fees at Krungsri.
6. Consider two banks. Many expats keep a second account at a different bank, so one card or app problem doesn't leave them stuck.

Which bank for which situation

A quick guide based on what each bank does best.

General guidance; individual branches and your own documents matter most.

Bank letters and statements for your visa

If you're on a retirement or marriage extension, your bank isn't just where you keep money — it's part of your visa. Immigration usually wants a letter from the bank confirming your balance, issued on or very close to the day you apply, plus your updated passbook or statements showing how long the money has been there and, for the income route, the monthly transfers arriving from abroad.

• Bangkok Bank and Krungthai are used to producing these letters for foreign retirees at most branches.
• Ask at your own branch what the letter costs and how long it takes — some issue it while you wait, others need a day.
• Update your passbook at the bank's machine before you go to Immigration.
• Keep the account in your sole name if Immigration in your area won't accept joint accounts for the full amount.
• Check how transfers appear on your statement — Immigration may want to see that money came from abroad.

Our guide to Thai bank accounts for retirees covers the ฿800,000 and income routes in detail.

Cards, ATMs and everyday costs

A Thai bank account saves you the ฿220 that Thai ATMs charge a UK card every time you withdraw cash. With a Thai debit card, withdrawals at your own bank's machines are free, and you pay a small fee at other banks' machines in some cases.

Card fees are from independent reports rather than every bank's tariff — check what you're signing up for. Our Thai ATM fee reference lists each network's charges for UK cards.

Changing banks or closing an account

You can hold accounts at more than one Thai bank, and many expats do. If you want to move your main account, open the new one first, move any regular payments and visa money in good time before your next extension, and keep the old account open until everything has switched.

To close a Thai account, you usually need to visit the branch where it was opened with your passport, passbook and card. If you're leaving Thailand for good, close accounts before you go — doing it from abroad is difficult, and dormant accounts can be frozen. Move the balance home with a specialist provider or your bank's international transfer, and keep the confirmation.

Is your money safe in a Thai bank?

Thailand's Deposit Protection Agency covers baht deposits up to ฿1 million per depositor per bank — about £22,500. Foreign currency deposits are not covered. If you hold more than that in baht, spreading it across two banks doubles your protection.

• Keep visa money and living money in baht at a bank you trust.
• Keep larger savings outside Thailand where protection is higher — £120,000 per UK bank.
• Register your face and set sensible daily limits in the app, so a scammer can't empty the account.
• Never lend or rent your account — mule accounts are frozen across every bank.

Our guide to international banking for Thailand residents explains how to split your money between countries.

What about foreign banks in Thailand?

A few international banks operate in Thailand, such as UOB, but they have far fewer branches and, in UOB's case, its digital-only account isn't available to foreigners. Most expats are better served by a major Thai bank for daily life, alongside a UK or offshore account for savings. Our multicurrency accounts guide covers the offshore options.

Tips for every Thai bank

• Take every document — passport, visa, residence certificate or lease, Thai SIM in your name, work permit if you have one.
• Go to a bigger branch in an expat area; staff there see foreign customers every day.
• Ask to remove bundled insurance you don't want from the account package.
• Update the bank when your visa or passport changes, or the app may stop working.
• Use the account every few months so it doesn't go dormant.
• Save the helpline number in your phone — you'll need it fast if your card is lost or you're targeted by a scam.

How we compiled this directory

We used the banks' own published pages and tariffs — Bangkok Bank (London branch, mobile international transfers, FCD and bank holidays), SCB (SWIFT inward and face recognition), Krungsri (remittance tariff from 1 July 2026 and FCD fact sheet), Kasikornbank and Krungsri contact pages — together with SWIFT code directories, ACE Money Transfer's 2026 guide to Thai banks for foreigners (26 August 2026) and our own Thai Bank Accounts research. Eligibility varies by branch. Checked 13 October 2026. This directory is general information, not financial advice.