By researching and reading up threads online you probably already know than foreigners on DTV are not eligible for traditional banking unlike holders of ED and non-immigrant visas.
But I am, just like you, on DTV living in Thailand and I need to pay my utility bills. I also sometimes find myself forgetting cash at home or not willing to withdraw a small amount keeping in mind 200-350 baht ATM fees. Many online platforms do not accept international cards, too. So what do we do?
Well, it turns out you can have it just as good as you can imagine without opening a proper bank account but just an e-wallet that has ALL the functionality we need, honestly, including a virtual card!
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Since the incident with mule bank accounts that some bank employees were opening in Pattaya in 2025, financial institutions are much stricter with foreigner-owned bank accounts.
Suwannee Jessadasak, Assistant Governor for Financial Institutions Supervision at the Bank Of Thailand, said that the BOT is working with Anti-Money Laundering Office to close loopholes in foreign account opening, and that foreigners’ deposit accounts are normally for people who come to study or work and must be backed by a work permit. In addition, the Royal Thai Police asked the Bank of Thailand to closely examine foreigners opening accounts on tourist visas.
Yes, it was possible before to open a bank account even on DTV, but it is virtually impossible and risky today. Even if you will pay someone to set it up for you, you may run into additional checks from the bank. It is not worth the risk.
Open Your True Money as Alternative Thai Bank Account
True money is a cool E wallet with cards founded in Thailand more than 20 years ago and it has more than 30 mil users!
Head to True Money and install it on your phone.
- Prepare your passport, and
- Another document that supports you residency in Thailand: DTV visa or it can also be your Thai driving license. Uploading additional documents allows you to unlock full use of the app (aka Advanced account)
- Your Thai number
I used my license. Approval came within 24 hours but I was able to use the app right away. However, it can be up to 3 days, officially.
Create your virtual card as soon as you get approved. You will be able to use it for online shopping.
Top-Up
The easiest way to top uo your True Momey account is to find the nearest True office and use TrueMoney top-up kiosk to top it up with cash (in baht). You can deposit up to 30,000 baht, depending on this specific machine limits.
You will need to just type your phone number connected to your account, the amount you would like to put on, and feed the machine your money. All the ways you can top up are listed in the app as well: several local banks, stores, and top up machines.
You will not be able to connect your foreign card to top up online. You can only connect Thai banks. Not to worry, if you are in the city, you will find lots of ways to top it up, including topping it up at 7 eleven!
To Pay
Now you can easily trasnfer to bank accounts and pay with QR code by simply scanning them.
This makes finance tracking easier and you avoid any international transaction fees you may have paying with your card.
You can link True Money to your Lazada, Shoppee, and TikTok shops, as well as Grab! So it really is very useful for your day to day in Thailand.
To pay your electricity bills, click Pay Bills, select PEA, and then type the account number OR scan the bill you have. Pay with balance and that’s it. You can then check in PEA app if the payment went through.
FAQ
Can foreigners use TrueMoney in Thailand?
Yes! In 2026, foreigners with Thai number, valid passport, and a document like visa or Thai driving license can open an account with TrueMoney and use it for transfers and QR payments everywhere in Thailand.
Can You Open a Thai Bank Account With a DTV Visa in 2026?
In practice, mostly no. There’s no official ban, but since the 2025 mule-account crackdown, Thai banks have largely stopped opening accounts for DTV and tourist-visa holders, and some have closed existing ones. E-wallets like TrueMoney or PAY&TOUR by Kasikorn are the practical alternative.
However, PAY&TOUR program has a list of countries whose citizens are not eligible and it varies from office to office. For example, in Chiang Mai, Russians can no longer open Pay&Tour accounts in 2026.
Is TrueMoney wallet safe to use?
TrueMoney is a legit company. It’s a licensed e-money provider regulated by the Bank of Thailand, all users go through ID verification, and transfers or withdrawals of 10,000 baht or more need a face scan. There’s no record of a major TrueMoney data breach.. Of course, beware of people calling and presenting themselves as support, unprompted, and never share your banking details with anyone like that.
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