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First week in Thailand: SIM card, ATMs, cash and a bank account
A Thai SIM card for foreigners is sold against your passport: you register it in person, at an operator's shop or an authorised dealer, and the number goes on your own name after a face check. Before you buy, ask the operator how long the number stays valid and what keeps it active if you travel. A Thai number matters beyond texting friends — banks, many apps and delivery services expect one. If you plan to stay, ask the operator which SIM suits your plans and whether you will need to return for identity verification. Here is what else to sort out in week one: cash, ATMs and a bank account.
In short
- Register your SIM in person, at an operator's shop, with your passport. Whether an app or a kiosk can do this is not officially confirmed.
- A tourist SIM's validity is limited; ask the operator about a regular SIM if you are staying.
- Non-Thai nationals can hold at most three numbers with each operator.
- Exchange cash only at a bank or a licensed money changer, with your passport.
- Banks open accounts in practice for long-term visa holders; a Thai number is part of what they ask for.
Which SIM to buy: tourist or regular
The choice comes down to how long you plan to stay, not the price of the package.
| Tourist SIM | Regular SIM | |
|---|---|---|
| Validity | can be limited; confirm the exact period and renewal terms with the operator | ask the operator what keeps the number active if you leave the country for a while |
| Topping up | do not rely on a top-up to extend it | ask the operator what does extend it |
| Good for banking and apps | check the bank's or app's own requirement | check the bank's or app's own requirement |
If you expect to stay, settle this before you buy: ask about validity, what keeps the number alive during an absence, and whether you will need to show your passport again later.
Registering a SIM with your passport
As Thai press and law firms report the NBTC's rules under the 2023 Technology Crime Emergency Decree, a foreigner registers a SIM in person, by passport, at an operator's shop or an authorised dealer, with a face check. The in-person face check has applied since 18 August 2025, and in-person registration at the shop since 16 May 2026, under the second amendment to the rules. Activate a new SIM promptly: a delay can mean another identity check, and the exact grace period is something to confirm with the operator. Each operator allows a non-Thai national at most three numbers at a time.
A Thai operator's eSIM is still a Thai number, and as far as the published rules go, it is registered the same way — by passport, with a face check. Whether an app or a kiosk can register a foreigner after the 16 May 2026 amendment has no official clarification yet.
A separate point: mule SIMs and accounts. As Thailand's government reported in March 2026, allowing someone else to use your number or account for an offence can carry criminal liability, with penalties of up to 3 years in prison, a fine of up to THB 300,000, or both. Arranging, advertising or encouraging such transactions may also carry criminal liability; the precise offences and penalties require verification. We advise against taking a SIM or an account registered to someone else, or handing over your own for that use.
Why a Thai number matters: banks, apps, deliveries
Almost every Thai bank asks for a Thai mobile number when you open an account, because verification codes go to it. Some apps and delivery services work with a foreign number and some do not, so check the ones you actually use. Since 2023, Thai banking apps have required a face scan for transfers over THB 50,000 at a time or THB 200,000 a day — a Bank of Thailand rule that applies regardless of which visa brought you here.
If you expect to drive here, a Thai number and a settled address also make the driving-licence process easier: we cover the document list in Thai driving licence for foreigners.
Cash and ATMs in the first days
Change money only at a bank or a licensed money changer — that is the Bank of Thailand's own rule for exchange outlets, and they will usually ask for your passport. Before exchanging a large amount, compare what you actually receive at a bank against a licensed changer.
ATMs charge a fixed fee per withdrawal, shown on screen before you confirm, so you see the cost before you commit. Whether your card works at a given machine depends on the card scheme, the bank that issued it and the bank behind that ATM or terminal — your issuer confirming the card is fine does not guarantee a successful withdrawal. Check with your own bank before you fly, and bring a second way to pay.
When to open a bank account
There is no statute saying which foreigners a Thai bank must serve — it is a matter of each bank's own practice. In practice, banks open accounts for people with a long-term status: a Non-B visa with a work permit, Non-O (retirement or marriage), ED (study), Thailand Privilege or LTR. Tourists, visa-exempt entrants and DTV holders are generally turned down; if you hold a DTV, ask the specific branch rather than assuming — there is no single confirmed policy either way.
This matters differently depending on why you are here. If you plan to retire on a Non-O, long-term status is normally the easier path to an account, but a Non-O alone does not open one automatically — the bank still checks your documents and your reason for the account. If you work remotely on a DTV, be ready for a harder conversation: several banks classify the DTV as tourist-level, and your best move is to ask the branch directly before you assume anything, rather than build a plan around an account you may not get.
Typical documents asked for: a passport valid for six months or more, your visa paperwork, proof of a Thai address (a lease, a utility bill or a TM30 receipt), a Thai mobile number, and an explanation of where a large deposit came from. If you are still deciding which visa to move on, our guide to moving to Phuket walks through the options and how each one connects to banking later. Our lawyers can tell you whether your visa fits a bank's requirements and help you put the right documents together.
What else to do in week one: address and TM30
TM30 is the immigration notification of where you live. It is filed by your landlord or the property manager, not by you, and a bank may ask to see that receipt or your lease as proof of address. If your landlord has not filed it, we can explain how to fix that before you need the document at a bank or an immigration office.
A short checklist for the week:
| Task | Bring | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Buy and register a SIM | Passport | Operator's shop or authorised dealer |
| Exchange cash | Passport | Bank or licensed money changer |
| Withdraw from an ATM | Bank card | Any ATM that accepts your card; the fee shows before you confirm |
| Check your TM30 was filed | Ask your landlord for the receipt | Your accommodation |
| Ask whether your visa qualifies for an account | Passport, visa, proof of address | A bank branch |
What is not yet clear
A few points still have no official clarification: whether an app or a kiosk can register a SIM for a foreigner after the 16 May 2026 amendment, and exactly how the face check works for a foreign passport. The Bank of Thailand has also floated drafts on money changers, cash-transaction checks and digital-channel security. Their final status and official texts have not been confirmed, so they should not be relied on as current requirements.
What's next
If you are not sure whether your visa will get you a bank account, message us on Telegram or WhatsApp. We answer within 24 hours and explain what you will need. We work in English and Russian and see clients at our office in Cherngtalay. If you are renting rather than buying, note that our free contract review currently covers a property purchase or booking, not a residential lease.
