Frozen Overnight: Foreigners in Thailand Struggle as Bank Accounts Get Locked Without Warning

那天早上，我像往常一样打算给房东转这个月的房租，却发现手机银行怎么都登不上去。尝试了几次都提示“账户异常，请联系银行柜台处理”。我心里咯噔一下，预感不妙。

One morning, as usual, I tried to transfer this month’s rent to my landlord. But something was off—my mobile banking wouldn’t log in. Each attempt returned the same message: “Abnormal account activity. Please visit a bank branch.” My gut told me something was seriously wrong.

到了分行一问，工作人员只是机械地告诉我：“账户暂时冻结，需要提供更多材料核查。”可我明明只是个旅居在清迈的普通人，每月转点房租、买点菜，怎么就成了“风险账户”？更别提账户里还有好几万泰铢，眼睁睁看着动不了，真的憋屈到极点。

At the bank, the staff told me coldly, “Your account has been temporarily frozen. Additional documentation is required.” But I’m just an ordinary foreigner living in Chiang Mai—paying rent, buying groceries. Why was I now considered a risk? And with tens of thousands of baht locked inside my account, I couldn’t touch a thing. It was maddening.

周围一打听，才知道我不是个例。这段时间，很多在泰国生活的外国人账户都被突然冻结了。甚至有朋友更惨，账户冻结3个月，银行让他把钱取出来销户，不然就要上报“异常资金处理”……

As I began asking around, I realized I wasn’t alone. A growing number of foreigners living in Thailand are having their accounts suddenly frozen. One friend had his account locked for three months. The bank eventually told him to withdraw all funds and close it—or risk the account being flagged for “suspicious financial activity.”

封户到底怎么回事

Why Are Accounts Being Frozen?

原以为只是个别银行收紧审核，结果越查越多新闻。才知道，从今年初开始，泰国政府就悄悄启动了对“外国人账户”的专项整顿。说白了，就是查那些通过非正规方式开的账户。

At first, I thought it was just one bank being overly cautious. But the more I read, the clearer it became: since early this year, the Thai government has quietly launched a targeted crackdown on foreign bank accounts—especially those opened through unofficial means.

你知道吗？前段时间泰媒还爆出，有银行分行员工联合电诈团伙，帮忙批量开账户，光是被查出来的就超过了100个！这下好了，整条链条都被盯上了。凡是没有合法签证、资金来路不明的账户，现在都成了“高危对象”。

Recent reports in Thai media revealed that some bank staff had colluded with telecom and scam syndicates to open accounts en masse—over 100 such cases have already come to light. Now, the entire system is under the microscope. Any account lacking a valid visa or transparent source of funds is automatically labeled “high risk.”

尤其我们这些用旅游签或短期签证开户的人，更容易被误伤。以前只要找个中介，交点钱就能搞定开户，现在这种“捷径”不仅不灵了，还很可能直接被系统标红。换句话说，泰国这波“整顿”不只是说说而已，是动了真格的。

Tourists and short-term visitors are especially vulnerable. In the past, opening an account was easy—pay a middleman, hand over some documents, and you were set. But those days are gone. What was once a shortcut has now become a red flag. This crackdown is real, and it's in full swing.

查得这么严为哪般？

What’s Driving This Crackdown?

其实泰国这波查得紧，也不是毫无预兆。早些年，想在泰国开个银行账户说难不难，只要有人带路、材料凑得齐，中介基本都能搞定。特别是2020年前后，中介能直接帮你开盘谷、开泰这类大银行的账户，费用也不高，银行也懒得深问钱哪来的。

The signs were there. For years, foreigners could easily open Thai bank accounts with a bit of help and some basic paperwork. Around 2020, it was common for agents to assist with setting up accounts at major banks like Bangkok Bank or Kasikornbank, no questions asked.

可问题就出在这儿了——正是这些“无监管”的账户，被不少电诈、洗钱团伙盯上。一些境外犯罪集团利用这些账户做资金跳板，搞得乌烟瘴气。泰国政府当然坐不住了，2022年开泰银行就因为放任外籍开户吃了个巨额罚单。从那以后，政策开始收紧，中介渠道陆续被卡死。

But such lax oversight opened the floodgates for financial crime. Scam syndicates and money launderers began exploiting these accounts as conduits. In 2022, Kasikornbank was fined heavily for failing to control foreign account openings. Since then, authorities have stepped up enforcement, gradually shutting down the agent-driven system.

到今年，更是进入“硬管控”时代。不仅要求开户人提供长期签证，还必须有泰国实名电话卡，甚至有的银行开始调查你的居住地址和资金用途。简直就是“层层设防”——只要哪个环节说不清楚，封号就是分分钟的事。

Now, the era of strict regulation has arrived. To open an account, you need a long-term visa, a SIM card registered in your name, a verifiable local address, and a clear explanation for how you’ll use the account. Miss even one piece, and you risk having your account frozen.

封号之后怎么办？

 What Should You Do If Your Account Is Frozen?

账户被封后，很多人第一反应就是慌。但别急，先搞清楚你是哪类问题“中招”的，再对症解决。根据这阵子大家的经历，大致分三种情况：

If your account is locked, don’t panic. First, identify which type of issue triggered the freeze. Most cases fall into three categories:

第一种，是用旅游签或短期商务签开户的。这类人基本没有长期居留权，银行现在看得很紧。但如果你在当地有买房，可以拿出开发商的购房合同、缴税单、水电缴费记录去银行解释。说明你确实在这里生活、不是搞灰产，有机会争取解封。

1.Opened with a short-term visa: Tourist or short-term business visas are now under heavy scrutiny. If you’ve purchased property in Thailand, submit your sales contract, tax receipts, or utility bills to demonstrate your residence and prove you’re not involved in shady activities. This could help unfreeze the account.

第二种，是银行卡绑定了非实名电话卡。很多人图方便在7-11买张Happy卡就用了，但那根本不是实名的。解决办法也简单，去电信营业厅办一张带身份证登记的泰国电话卡，再去银行解绑旧卡、绑定新卡就行了。

2. Linked to an unregistered SIM card: Many people use cheap convenience store SIM cards, which aren’t registered. Simply go to a telecom provider, get a SIM card registered with your ID, then update your banking info to replace the old number.

最麻烦的是第三种，流水异常或资金来源不清。比如你突然收了一笔大额转账，却没有工资单、合同、发票这些能解释来源的东西，那银行就会当你“可疑”。这时候，能提供什么证明就看你自己准备得多不多了。如果实在没有，只能按要求在规定时间内去柜台销户、取出余额，避免后续麻烦。

3. Unexplained or suspicious transactions: If you’ve received a large transfer without supporting documents (like contracts, invoices, or payslips), the bank may suspect money laundering. Gather whatever evidence you can. If nothing works, you may be forced to close the account and withdraw your funds.

现在还能怎么开户？

How to Open Thai Bank Accounts?

封号之后，很多人都在问：那现在外国人还能不能在泰国开账户？答案是——可以，但必须走合规途径，而且门槛比以前高了不少。

Is It Still Possible for Foreigners to Open Thai Bank Accounts? Yes—but only by playing by the rules, and the rules are stricter than ever.

现在，想稳妥开账户，长期签证是关键。只有持有像养老签、精英签、正规大学学生签、工作签这类单次停留时间超过一年的签证，才有资格被银行“放行”。而且还得配合提供当地地址、电话卡、用途说明等资料，一样都不能少。

Today, a long-term visa is the golden key. Whether it’s a retirement visa, Elite visa, student visa from an accredited institution, or a proper work visa, your visa must allow for single stays longer than one year. You’ll also need to provide proof of residence, a registered Thai phone number, and documentation of how you intend to use the account.

注意，最近很火的DTV签证虽然是5年期，但单次最多只能停留180天，很多银行并不认它是“长期居留签证”。另外，个别年纪较大的人用成人教育类学生签，也容易被质疑为“挂名签证”，开户时可能会被拒。

Be warned: the popular Digital Nomad Visa (DTV) may be valid for 5 years, but each stay is capped at 180 days—many banks do not consider it a “long-term residency visa.” Similarly, older applicants holding adult education visas may face rejection due to suspicion of using “paper visas.”

综合来看，精英签是目前最稳妥、通过率最高的选择。不用面试、无年龄限制、也不要求具体目的，只要交钱就能拿到长期居留资格。尤其是官方正在搞限时优惠活动：5年青铜卡只需65万泰铢，比原价直接便宜25万，截止时间是6月30日。有计划长居泰国的人，这或许是最佳窗口期了。

The safest bet? The Thailand Elite Visa. No interviews, no age restrictions, and no specific purpose required—just pay the fee, and you’re granted long-term residency. What’s more, there's currently a limited-time promotion: the 5-year Elite Easy Access package is going for just 650,000 baht, a 250,000 baht discount, valid through June 30. For anyone looking to settle in Thailand, this could be your golden window.